Even as Jeremy Bloom was purchasing the land to build 1151 Timber Lane, he knew it was going to be a difficult, if not impossible, project. Boulder County said they didn’t think they’d ever approve a house in that location because of light pollution. To make matters worse, the owner of the land wouldn’t accept an offer contingent upon getting said plans approved. Bloom decided to take the risk and accepted that maybe it would be a bird sanctuary or an incredible place to have a camper on weekends.
“I tried to forget about the land for months and couldn’t,” says Bloom. “It kept haunting me.”
For seven years after purchasing the land, Bloom and the team at Adam Oklesh Architecture battled red tape and the realities of building on a ridge to create what he now describes as a sanctuary. He says they did hundreds of floorplan revisions, used controlled dynamite explosions for an entire month, and even carried the oversized triple-pane windows, custom-made in Poland, through the house because they couldn’t use a full-sized crane.
“It became a game of high-stakes Tetris,” says Bloom.
For those who know Bloom, it is unsurprising that he was successful in building the impossible. He’s currently the CEO of the X Games, but before that, he was the youngest male freestyle skier to ever make the US Ski Team. He is a one-time world champion, two-time Olympian, and ten-time World Cup gold medalist. If that’s not enough, he was also drafted into the NFL after being a Freshman All-American at the University of Colorado.
“It speaks to who he is,” says Zach Zeldner. “He was challenged to build something there and met it head on.”
Zach Zeldner and Ethan Bullock worked with Bloom to list his home and help him understand the unique market that is Boulder real estate. It’s a small city surrounded by open space. Because of that, land is limited, and there’s a consistent demand from people relocating for the lifestyle and all it offers. Even in a city full of stunning homes, Bloom’s stands out.
“I don’t think anyone will create anything like this in Boulder again,” says Zeldner. “ It would be virtually impossible to do it again.”
He is, of course, speaking to the complexities of zoning and all the hurdles that Bloom jumped through—but also the experience this home has to offer. It offers views in every direction, a true sense of privacy and solitude, and it’s only eight minutes to Broadway.
“When you move from room to room, you get to engage the outdoors in different ways,” says Ethan Bullock. “The experience evolves as you walk through the house, seeing rock outcroppings, evergreen trees, and even the continental divide to the west.”
For Bloom, it’s bittersweet to sell the property. When he and his then-girlfriend, now wife, built it, the home was their dream. Now, as the realities of life and two young children brought them back into town for more flat land, treehouses, and places to run, they’re excited for the next owners to enjoy the property that’s brought them so much solace.
“I’ve always dreamed about a special place in the world to come and shut the door,” says Bloom. “It’s hard to let go, but I’m so thrilled to hand it off to someone who will really appreciate it.”
For more information, head to ZachZeldner.com/Properties/1151-Timber.