After nearly eight years of sitting on the market, a historic inn located in the Colorado mountains has been transformed into something that will extend its storied past into the future.
Previously operating as the Alps Boulder Canyon Inn in Boulder, the 12-room property was acquired by Mohr Boulder on behalf of Sandstone Care in early 2023 to convert the languishing property into a mental health facility for young people struggling with mood disorders. The site's evolution, which balanced efforts to preserve the site's history while overhauling it into a newer use, was important enough to earn it a 2023 CoStar Impact Award for redevelopment of the year, as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
Located right off the Lefthand Canyon junction, the plan to convert the former inn at 38619 Boulder Canyon Drive into an in-patient clinic for teenagers and adolescents struggling with issues such as suicidal ideations secured unanimous approval from both the Boulder County Planning Commission and the Boulder County Commissioners, a rare feat for a region known for scrutinizing new developments.
Once it is up and running, Sandstone Care — which operates mental health, drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities in several states across the country — said the new site would be a critical resource both in and around the Boulder area for adolescents struggling with mental health concerns, all while retaining all of the historical elements of the former inn.
About the Project: Sandstone Care, which acquired the site for more than $4.2 million in early 2023, redeveloped the former Alps Boulder Canyon Inn into an in-patient, mood disorder clinic for teens that is expected to serve as a catalyst for the area's mental health community.
What the Judges Said: "The Alps Boulder Canyon redevelopment is a fantastic example of the preservation of a building with historical significance while transforming the use into an incredible community asset with the potential for profound impact on young people and their families," CoStar Impact Award judge Sara Croot, a JPMorgan Chase client manager and executive director, said of the redevelopment.
They Made It Happen: Elizabeth M. Leder, a vice president with SVN | Denver Commercial, represented the buyer in the deal for the former inn.
CoStar Market Manager Kathryn Binns contributed to this report.