Press Release
Aspen City Council approves redevelopment of Armory Hall
Aspen, CO — Aspen City Council approved the redevelopment of Armory Hall and Conner Memorial Park following during its regular council meeting on Aug 12, 2025. The decision comes as the result of years of public engagement, council direction, and community input.
The approved plan will transform the historic Armory Hall and Conner Memorial Park into a community hub, anchored by a food hall, with indoor and outdoor public gathering spaces, and a visitor center.
The project was guided by a resolution adopted by Aspen City Council in 2022, which established key goals for redevelopment including:
- Integrate sustainable systems and inclusive design
- Support affordable programming and community-focused uses
- Be driven by broad and diverse public input
The finalized redevelopment plan reflects priorities identified through extensive community outreach led by the city of Aspen for several years, including four rounds of public engagement ranging from open houses, community meetings, focus groups, surveys and questionnaires. A 2023 open house at the Armory drew more than 200 residents, who explored early concepts, spoke with the design team, and offered feedback that helped shape the final direction.
“The extensive public input that the city received identified and refined top programming preferences of the community,” said Jen Phelan, the city’s development manager. “The city has worked with a local design team to deliver a building that will meet the community’s expectations of a gathering space with food service.”
The project received a formal recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission before advancing to City Council for final approval.
The city will start the search for a master lease operator and finalize construction documents to enable submission of a building permit application. The city anticipates beginning construction in the fall of 2026.
For more information and project updates, visit aspencommunityvoice.com/aspen-armory-hall.
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