Image courtesy of AngelView at Twin Lakes.It all started when Austin resident Alan Elias and his family fell in love with Colorado and began to search for a mountain property on which to build a second home. “We spent a couple years searching through Colorado, just trying to find that special spot for us,” Elias says.
Then he saw two big lakes near Leadville on a map—Twin Lakes, a tiny unincorporated town in Lake County. “I met a guy who owned property near the lakes who ran a Christian camp and asked him if he was interested in selling. He said with the right number, he would.” This was in 2009. After a few failed attempts—“He just didn’t want to let go of that beautiful property”—the 75-acre purchase was completed in August 2017.
What began as a place for a second home turned into an idea for a luxury development. “For me, this land is a piece of heaven,” Elias says. “I felt selfish keeping it to myself.”
The 75 acres—AngelView 1—is divided into 18 lots, each at least three acres. A subsequent purchase of an adjacent property (AngelView 2) is 80 acres, to be subdivided into 21 wooded lots. Architectural restrictions will be minimal, with the main rule being that property owners can only develop 20% of the lot. “That still allows for a large home,” Elias says, “but we want the whole property to coexist with nature.”
Photo courtesy of AngelView at Twin Lakes.The development is still in early stages, but Elias is currently accepting lot reservations. The first completed amenity is the clubhouse, a renovated 100-year-old cabin that was on the property. An event center is also in the works. “The greatest amenity we have is 2,700 acres of water,” Elias says. In addition to Twin Lakes, the property also includes ancient wetlands, called fens, which will be protected against future development. “For those that love nature and wildlife, we’ve hired an adventure concierge to encourage people to get out of their beautiful homes and just take a hike or to go take their kids or grandkids to fish and create memories.”
Far from being “out in the middle of nowhere,” AngelView is close enough to other mountain playgrounds for a day trip: 38 miles from Aspen, about 60 miles from Beaver Creek and Breckenridge and a quick 20 miles from the historic town of Leadville.
