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The U.S. Forest Service plans to replace the Carbondale Aspen-Sopris ranger district station with a newer, larger facility.
The existing building at 620 Main St. “is not functionally efficient and does not fully accommodate district staff and operations,” the Forest Service said in a press release.
“It is no longer cost-effective to continue to maintain the 1939 office building initially constructed as the district ranger’s residence,” the statement said.
Demolition is scheduled for March 2021, followed by about a year of construction.
The new structure should be more energy efficient, more accessible, and be large enough to host public meetings and events.
“The proposed building and site design is intended to better meld with existing buildings and structures in the downtown Carbondale area, and would retain local charm and appeal,” the release reads.
The current ranger station will host an open house from 5-7 p.m. Feb. 7 for the public to view designs for the new building and learn about the details of the project.
“The Forest Service will be working closely with the town of Carbondale, local businesses and residents to ensure that the project causes the least amount of disruption as possible. However, sidewalks along Main Street and Weant may be closed during parts of construction,” the Forest Service reported in a statement.
The Forest Service is paying for the project with revenues from the recent sale of several administrative sites in Aspen. Those sales also funded the renovation of the White River National Forest supervisor’s office in Glenwood Springs.
