Uphill battle for Pikes Peak Summit House plans – KOAA.com | Continuous News | Colorado Springs and Pueblo – KOAA.com Colorado Springs and Pueblo News

COLORADO SPRINGS -

Plans to build a new Summit House on top of Pikes Peak are moving forward but it's going to cost millions more than expected.

Only two years ago, News 5 reported the estimated price tag on this project to be anywhere between $20 to $35 million.

But after they've redefined the scope of the project in 2017, that price tag now stands closer to $50 million.

"Literally, we're on top of the mountain," Jack Glavan, Manager of Pikes Peak America's Mountain said.

14,000 feet above sea level overlooking the city of Colorado Springs sits what will eventually become a state of the art Summit House.

"When we first started, that was five to six years ago, we didn't have a good scope of work that we've really redefined," Glavan said.

Glavan says the price tag has jumped nearly $30 million more than expected.

"It increased for several reasons," he said, "One, the time factor, so construction costs have increased. Second, we've redefined the scope so we really have a good idea of what we want in the building, what's not going to be on the building and the other factor has been the restoration of the rest of the Summit House."

To put it simply, building anything on top of a mountain will be an uphill battle.

Anticipating elevation problems for workers, a shorter five month construction window from June to October and digging into a much tougher foundation.

"We'll have to be going through boulders, through the Pikes Peak granite, as well as a permafrost layer so we have to ensure through stability through that foundation that we actually go down to bedrock," he said.

But published reports say the Anschutz Foundation, which owns the Broadmoor, is stepping in to help by making a substantial commitment to spearhead the project's fundraising campaign.

"I think the Anschutz Foundation or Mr. Anschutz is actually invested in our community and he wants our community to succeed and I think he's trying to do that," he said.

Once the money is raised and the building goes up, one of the most visited attractions in the region is expected to get busier.

"Certainly when you have something like the Summit House and a banner project, it's something that we're excited about and we're ready to tell the world and invite groups and special events and leisure travelers to experience that for themselves," Chelsy Offutt, Director of Communications for the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau said.

The bureau, anxious to start promoting the new additions.

"Just to see the momentum, is fantastic and we're at the ready to promote all of the additions that are happening up on Pikes Peak," Offutt said.

There has been an ongoing environmental assessment happening for the past year to determine where exactly it's safe to build on the mountain which is still in the works right now.

Once that is complete, then they can finish design plans.

At this point, the project is moving into its fundraising phase. The public fundraising campaign is set to kick off by the end of the summer.

Original post:
Uphill battle for Pikes Peak Summit House plans - KOAA.com | Continuous News | Colorado Springs and Pueblo - KOAA.com Colorado Springs and Pueblo News