Aspen Village Under Way

Construction began this week on Aspen Village, a $7.1 million apartment complex on Fourth Avenue, just east of Sullivan Road.

Its developer said her target market will be renters who want to live in a small-town atmosphere, but without the yard hassles.

“It’s going to be geared kind of toward a community,” said developer Carol Johnson, who also owns Eagle Realty. “It will be kind of a social center …a place for people who lived (in the Valley) a long time and don’t want to maintain their big lots and yards.”

Johnson said she grew up in Mullan, Idaho, and wants to try and capture the feeling of neighborly closeness she felt there. “I’m trying to re-create that flavor,” she said.

Current plans call for enough amenities for a small town, too. The project will include a volleyball court, putting green, playground, hot tub, exercise room, swimming pool and meeting room. Johnson even hopes to open a library and common computer center there.

She hopes those, in addition to extra telephone hookups in apartments for faxes and modems, will appeal to young professionals and families.

Johnson chose the location because of its proximity to Interstate 90 and area businesses.

The entire project will consist of 11 buildings, with the first apartments opening up sometime in the spring.

, DataTimes