At the Crossroads: Building Buena Vista’s Future with The Crossing
In Chaffee County, the housing crisis is more than a news headline. It’s directly impacting residents. According to a 2022 needs assessment conducted by the county’s Housing Authority, 1,105 new homes are needed by 2027 to keep pace with demand. That strain is already being felt by the locals: Teachers accept jobs and leave weeks later when housing falls through. Restaurants stagger their open days, trading shifts so workers can cover multiple jobs. Newly recruited prison guards have even slept in unused cells as they struggled to secure reliable housing.
Paul Andrews saw the challenges unfolding in real-time. The steps he took to act would ultimately produce a 16-acre neighborhood in Buena Vista called The Crossing. The result is an immediate and sustainable long-term response to the area’s urgent housing crisis that will undoubtedly make a profound impact.
From Corporate to Community
Paul’s story starts far from the mountains of Colorado, in a small town in England. He describes his childhood as humble and tight-knit, shaped by the experience of growing up “on the wrong side of the tracks.” His father instilled in him a love for the outdoors, while his mother taught him to be frugal and resilient.
By his late teens, Paul was saving every spare pound he earned to fund climbing trips in the Alps and, eventually, the Colorado Rockies. The trip was the start of a connection to the Centennial state that would only deepen over the next several decades as Paul navigated his corporate career in the U.S.
The development site of the Crossing, nestled at the foot of the Collegiate Peaks mountain range.
Paul worked his way into senior leadership roles in real estate investment, serving as CFO and COO of a national firm. Over the span of more than 30 years, he oversaw acquisitions, managed large portfolios, and advised on billion-dollar projects. From the outside, it looked like success. But over time, the long hours, constant pressure, and endless travel took a toll.
“It just didn’t feel right anymore,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to spend the next 10 years of my life in corporate America. I wanted to do something more.” Paul is the kind of person who makes that conviction believable. Friendly and approachable, he carries himself with a quiet wisdom that puts people at ease. His warm smile, framed by a salt-and-pepper beard and mustache, hints at both experience and optimism. You get the sense that if the chance for a long hike came up, he’d be the first to lace up his boots.
He found himself spending increasing amounts of time in Buena Vista, a place that had always drawn him in with its authenticity and energy. Buena Vista felt altogether different from other mountain towns along I-70: rooted, entrepreneurial, alive. When Paul was introduced to a parcel of land on the north edge of town, it sparked a new opportunity for him.
The 16-acre site had been platted for residential housing in 1892, but was never developed. Over the years, it served many roles — from Ute hunting grounds to ranchland, and later as the site of an ice chute carrying blocks of ice to the town’s train depot. For Paul, it was more than real estate: it was potential.
“I fell in love with the story of the land,” he says. “It had history, it had beauty, and it felt like it was waiting for something meaningful.”
Two guiding principles emerged that would steer every decision of the Crossing moving forward: respect the land, and do the right thing.
A Mission with Impact
From the beginning, The Crossing was never about maximizing profit. Paul saw it as a chance to strike a balance—between newcomers and longtime residents, between market-rate homes and attainable ones, between honoring history and building for the future.
Working closely with the Chaffee Housing Trust and the Chaffee Housing Authority, the Crossing set out to increase the community’s supply of affordable housing, committing 50% of the first phase of homes to being permanently deed-restricted for Chaffee County residents. In practice, that means these homes can only be sold to local buyers at capped, affordable prices, ensuring they stay within reach of working families rather than being lost to the open market. The impact is twofold: families have options to actually live where they work, and the organizations themselves become stronger. The Housing Trust will double its portfolio through The Crossing, making it more financially stable and better equipped to serve residents in the future. The Housing Authority, meanwhile, will receive ongoing revenue and management fees from the apartment building planned within the neighborhood, giving it resources to keep addressing the housing crisis long after the first units are built.
The Crossing’s park features an ice chute that once carried blocks of ice to the train station.
“What makes this powerful is that it’s permanent,” Paul explains, noting that the long-term planning behind the model is by design. “These homes won’t slip back into the open market in 10 or 15 years. They’ll always be there for local families.”
Design that Honors the Past, While Planning for the Future
The Crossing is designed to be much more than a collection of houses. From its earliest sketches, the vision was to build a neighborhood that felt authentic, livable, and lasting. Parks and green spaces were placed at the center, not the margins. Trails ring the property, connecting to town and inviting residents to bike, walk, and gather outdoors. The historic ice chute that once cut across the land is being incorporated into the park system as a nod to Buena Vista’s past. Streets are even named after local teachers, police officers, and community leaders—figures who shaped the town and deserve to be remembered.
The Crossing team and supporters celebrating the “box setting” of the first Chaffee Housing Trust homes.
At a groundbreaking ceremony, the Buena Vista Police Department honored one Officer Trevor Staszak, a fallen officer whose name now runs through the heart of the neighborhood. Retired colleagues stood at attention as bagpipes played, families gathered, and a new chapter of history took root. “That’s what builds community,” Paul says. “It’s honoring the people who came before us while we make space for the people who are here now.”
Current and former Buena Vista police officers honoring Officer Staszak at a groundbreaking ceremony.
The homes themselves follow the same philosophy: affordable single-family homes redesigned to be distinctive, attractive, and welcoming. Even multi-unit housing is designed with specific intention. The planned apartments are distributed across five smaller structures so residents feel like part of the neighborhood. Even the sequencing of the project is important: “The first block we’re building is all affordable housing,” explains Paul. “Most developers push that to the back corner and build it last. We’re leading with it because that’s what the community needs most.”
A Plan Powered by Partnership
A vision this ambitious requires more than good ideas: it needs steady, flexible financial backing. For Paul, that partner has been Collegiate Peaks Bank.
From the earliest stages, Collegiate Peaks has provided stability and consistency to keep the project moving forward. In addition to providing critical financing for infrastructure, the bank also processed draws to pay contractors, issued letters of credit to guarantee work, and extended lines of credit that bridged the gaps until state grant funding came through. Later, when low-interest loans from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority became available for lower-income homes, Collegiate Peaks stepped in again to finance construction not covered by those programs. They also supported the purchase of additional land for the project’s Phase Two and are preparing to finance the next set of market-rate homes.
“They’ve been true partners,” Paul says. “Other banks look for reasons to say no. Collegiate Peaks Bank looks for ways to make things happen.”
What sets the relationship apart is the people behind it. Paul credits Senior Vice President Mark Moore for his steady guidance and experience, and Market President Joe Smith for his leadership and advocacy for local business. “Mark isn’t just my banker—he’s my partner. I trust his judgment, and I know he wants this community to succeed as much as I do.”
Paul with Joe Smith, Mark Moore and Wade Harris from Collegiate Peaks Bank at the “box setting” ceremony
It’s the blend of local investment and big-bank resources that Paul values most. Collegiate Peaks is backed by the strength of Glacier Bancorp, but still makes decisions at the community level. “They’re local. They’re fast. And they care,” Paul says. “That combination is magic.”
Looking Ahead
The Crossing’s first phase is well underway, but Paul’s vision doesn’t stop there.
A state-of-the-art grocery store is planned next door—a major upgrade for the entire region—and Phase Two will incorporate commercial spaces into the neighborhood. Paul envisions a food hall where beloved food trucks can grow into year-round businesses, offices for local accountants and insurance providers, and even health and wellness spaces. For residents, it means being able to walk or bike to get groceries, meet a neighbor for coffee, or run errands without driving the 35 minutes to Salida.
“It’s about building more than homes,” Paul says. “It’s about creating a community where people can live, work, and connect. That’s what makes a town thrive.”
Building a Legacy That Lasts
The Crossing is more than a development. It’s a vision for how small towns can grow with intention—honoring history, embracing diversity, and ensuring that the people who make the community thrive have a place in its future. And behind it all, it’s proof of what can happen when a local bank believes in that vision, too.
“I just want to sit on a street corner and see people enjoying their neighborhood,” he says. “Kids playing in the parks. Neighbors meeting for coffee. Families proud to call Buena Vista home. That’s when I’ll know we did the right thing.”
Let’s Build What’s Next, Together
At Collegiate Peaks Bank, we believe in investing in people, projects, and communities that shape Colorado’s future. Whether you’re building homes, businesses, or dreams, our team is here to help you navigate every step. Connect with us today to see how working with a bank who believes in your mission can power your next chapter.