In late August 2023, Builders FirstSource quietly opened its new lumberyard facility in Carbondale. Located just north of the City Market shopping complex on Highway 133, it was the culmination of a years-long process leading to the consolidation of the company’s three operations in the Roaring Fork Valley (Aspen, Willits and Glenwood Springs) at the Carbondale location. The Aspen yard is closed, and the Willits showroom was recreated in Carbondale; the Glenwood location remains for storage.
In December 2022, The Sopris Sun published a story on the facility as construction was just getting underway and wanted to find out what its presence has meant to the community now that it has been open for a while.
The impression is positive. Doug Williams, Builders’ market manager, told The Sun, “I have had an overwhelming response of ‘Glad you’re here.’” That sentiment was echoed by Carbondale Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, who said that the lumberyard “hit the sweet spot” for commercial development along the 133 corridor.
Much of that can be attributed to the rigorous planning and development process preceding groundbreaking at the site. Bohmfalk cited the “strong” Unified Development Code the Town adopted a decade ago, noting, “A lot of requirements had to be met.”
First and foremost, the new facility could not resemble a “big box,” metal-sided type of store, like a Walmart or Lowe’s. Bohmfalk said that it needed to “fit in” with the rural, ranch-type of surroundings. Williams concurred, saying, “The design was based off the farmlands that are around us here. We were very in tune with what the desires of the community were when it came to going through this [design] process, and it was expensive.”
The result is what looks like an assemblage of various-sized farm buildings that has even incorporated a large Carbondale Creative District symbol into one of the walls. The large materials-storage yard is largely hidden from view.
When asked about clientele, Williams said, “Primarily, our core customer is the builder, although we do a ton of business with homeowners. We handle everybody, but we’re not a home center; we don’t do paint and things like that. We focus primarily on, ‘What do our contractors need in the market?’” He continued, “Contractors and trades have a place to go to where we carry a lot of bulk product, and we have what they need when they need it. And that, in turn, helps the homeowner user.”
One of the early questions was whether traffic would increase significantly in the area. That has proved not to be the case. Bohmfalk pointed out that “all traffic concerns had been discussed” during planning, and that “the traffic study was accurate.” He noted that the different peak-use periods at the lumberyard, market complex and ANB Bank north of Builders “distributes traffic throughout the day.”
Heavy truck traffic is mainly early in the morning — “Typically, Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Williams said — and is busier during the summer building season. He continued, “I really don’t think it’s much different than what we originally anticipated, which is still a really low use and impact based on the size and volume of tax-generated dollars that a facility like this does.”
Williams also mentioned the contribution that Builders has made toward the planned roundabout at 133 and Industrial Way, adding, “We designed egress at this facility with that roundabout in mind. So, semis … [will have] a very easy in and out of the highway.” Bohmfalk mentioned that there are plans to extend Industrial Way eastward to Eighth Street.
The increase in sales-tax revenue appears to be significant. Christy Chicoine, the Town’s finance director, acknowledged that “there is revenue increase for sales tax because it is a new store,” but she couldn’t specifically say how much that increase has been — in part because the Town now uses a different collection system that includes “No Physical Presence” (i.e., online) tax revenue. However, in the Town’s May 2024 sales tax report, the category “Construction/Build” shows a significant increase in revenue for the first three months of 2024 compared to previous years.
Williams also mentioned the significance of “ancillary” purchases. “They’re stopping here at the end of the day, and then they’re going to hit the grocery store right here so they don’t have to make another stop” on the way home.
When asked why Builders wasn’t open on weekends, Williams responded, “We have discussed it many, many times,” but, “one of the biggest challenges … is the labor pool.” He added, “There are just not enough people” despite the company’s “pretty good” compensation and “phenomenal” benefits package.
“We’ve been extremely appreciative to the Town [and] the community in general,” Williams concluded. “It’s been a great move for us, and I truly feel that it was a great move for Carbondale.”
Builders FirstSource pulls its weight
