Courtesy Karin Mattern
Uptown 240 is on the way.
Developers, town officials and friends of the incoming condominium complex gathered together on a windy Friday morning in Dillon to take part in the project’s groundbreaking, a significant step forward for an idea that’s been in the works for more than a decade.
“It’s as intimidating as it is exciting,” said Danilo Ottoborgo, who along with his family will serve as the primary owners and operators of the development. “And it’s relieving all at the same time to see my family’s dream finally come to fruition, and with such a great group of people around us. It’s the best possible scenario.”
The Uptown 240 development, located at 240 Lake Dillon Drive, will feature 80 condominium units ranging from studios to three bedrooms, including nine workforce-housing units. The structure includes two stories of underground parking, a restaurant on the ground floor and four stories of residential units on top.
Additionally, the development will feature other amenities for residents, such as a private deck offering views of Lake Dillon, hot tubs, fire pits and an elevated wellness center that includes a yoga studio. On the outside, Studio PBA designed the building in a mountain modern style, similar to the new Christie Sports facility recently opened on US 6 in Dillon.
Following years of planning, the Ottoborgo family finally started the project in earnest last September with the demolition of the their restaurant, Adriano’s Bistro, to make room for the new complex. Ned Walley, a broker with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty who is handling the project, said community feedback since that time has been substantial, and about 28% of the units are already sold.
“Everybody has welcomed the vision of this building,” said Walley. “I think like any new construction project it’s tough to build the initial momentum, so I think it’s a huge accomplishment that we’ve got 30% under contract before groundbreaking … I think that speaks to what the community thinks of this project.”
While the development is an accomplishment in its own right, the groundbreaking also represents a milestone as the town of Dillon continues to search for ways to revitalize the town core. Dillon Mayor Carolyn Skowyra was on-site at the groundbreaking to speak about the importance of the project in the community.
“I want to thank you guys for working with us to make this happen,” said Skowyra. “This is going to be the first project of its kind — of retail and housing — checking off two of our big goals, and we can’t thank you enough for staying engaged and working with us and making it happen. … We look forward to more of it’s kind, and you guys I’m sure will be an inspiration to all of the building owners up and down Lake Dillon Drive and into the town center.”
Soon, the area will have a very different look. Uptown 240 is being built right next door to the Hilton Homewood Suites, a 120-unit hotel under construction on the corner of Lake Dillon Drive and U.S. 6. Symmetry Builders, Inc. out of Dacono is the general contractor group building the Uptown project, and it’s expected to be completed sometime between April and June in 2021.
“I think with the amphitheater renovation and the big name stars we’re getting there, and with the park renovations that are happening, the marina and the hotel next door it’s phenomenal,” said Walley. “You’re going to have these two awesome buildings next door. So I think, being up at this end of Dillon, hopefully we’ll continue to see nice developments going down further towards the lake.”
While Uptown 240 is certainly a bigger business than Adriano’s Bistro, Danilo said it would still very much operate as a family business, with his father Ivano, mother Gina, sister Chantelle and brother Adriano all heavily involved.
“It’s a very democratic system, even with all the yelling,” joked Ottoborgo. “It’s just a big family ownership. We structured it so that everybody has a good amount of say, and can really lend their own voices and have their voices heard inside the company.”