House-hunt frustration in Vail inspired Denver builder's affordable focus.

• Author: Smith, Kathy

It seems wherever you drive in Denver, signs marking new housing developments most often read "homes from the $300s, $400s and above."

And that's not the high end of the market.

Andy Wallace, owner of Denver-based FrontierLiving, lived in the Vail Valley in the late '80s, and learned firsthand about the lack of affordable housing there when he and his wife set out to buy their first home.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

With few options available, Wallace created FrontierLiving and built condominiums, town-homes and single-family houses for the employees in the valley.

But it's not just mountain communities that suffer a dearth of affordable housing.

Demand in the Denver metro area is at an unprecedented high. Wallace found that out when he researched the Denver market in the late '90s.

"We built the first development in 1999," he said. The 320-unit condominium project sold out in less than a year. The Southeast Business Partnership endorsed the project, and, in fact, employees or members of the partnership purchased nearly 30 percent of the community. "Since then we've worked on five more housing projects," Wallace said.

Frontier is dedicated to filling a void in the affordable, entry-level housing market.

Developments Wallace builds provide quality constructed homes, and a community structure that encourages homeowners to convene in a social environment.

"We build the clubhouse, swimming pool and fitness center first so the homeowners have an opportunity to meet each other," Wallace says. "It's also a commitment to the home buyers that we are completing the project and committed to their needs."

FrontierLiving projects include developments in Thornton, Parker and Aurora.

Each development ranges from 300 to 450 homes, and each has...