Council hears proposal to lease former Sunshine House to Alpine Community Projects for nonprofit workspace

Alpine Community Projects (ACP) presented a request to use the city-owned former Sunshine House at 205 East/West Avenue as a shared nonprofit workspace and meeting location. Staff described a proposed one-year, nominal-dollar lease (proposed rent: $1) that would make the building available for nonprofit and volunteer activities while ACP would cover utilities and basic maintenance of the occupied areas.

Megan told council ACP volunteers want to perform landscaping, painting and interior clean-up and that the city would restrict access to a section of the building containing a nonfunctional kitchen (gas shut off; stove not usable). The city would continue to own the building, perform an initial inspection and require ACP to address routine cleaning and stewardship tasks. Utilities (water, sewer, sanitation, electric) would be paid by ACP under the staff proposal, unlike another neighborhood-center lease where the city covers utilities.

Kirsten, speaking for ACP, said the nonprofit intends to host volunteer coordination and follow-up from community-summit projects, and she asked for a trial year to demonstrate the arrangement’s viability. Staff noted the building needs rodent exclusion and some repairs before occupancy and that ACP had volunteered to assist with those tasks.

Council feedback was supportive in concept and asked staff to finalize a standardized lease with clear maintenance responsibilities, limited access to the inoperable kitchen area, an initial building inspection, and a one-year review clause. No formal lease vote occurred at the March 18 meeting.