Harley Baldwin

Harley Baldwin
Baldwin in a 1993 Aspen Historical Society photo
Born	(1945-04-17)April 17, 1945 Chicago
Died	January 23, 2005(2005-01-23) (aged 59) New York City
Cause of death	Kidney cancer
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Syracuse University
Occupation	Property developer, art dealer
Known for	Participating in the high end business development of Aspen, Colorado; a partner in the development of Bridgemarket in Manhattan
Home town	Manhattan, Aspen
Partner(s)	Richard Edwards

Harley Baldwin (April 17, 1945 – January 23, 2005) was an American developer and art dealer who divided his time between residences in Aspen, Colorado, and New York City. He was best known for his successes in the former community, where the upscale boutiques and exclusive nightclub that opened in two historic buildings he renovated eventually lent the ski-resort community the nickname "Glitter Gulch". While this was controversial in a community that had long prided itself on its lack of pretention, he was generally seen positively in Aspen

Born in Chicago to an Air Force colonel in 1945, he grew up a military brat on bases all over the United States. He earned a degree in international relations from Syracuse University and initially worked in New York City as a welfare caseworker and promotions director for Show magazine. After a year, still under a draft deferment, he left the city and drove west with a family fortune of $1,200. At a turn in the road he decided to go to Aspen.

Soon after arriving in Aspen, he rented a trailer to live in. He bought some pans and groceries and started selling crêpes from the red Popcorn Wagon, which is still used for that purpose in Aspen today. This earned him enough money to buy the trailer. and, four months later, a ranch. This was the beginning of a career in real estate. With a partner, he bought land on the shores of Ruedi Reservoir outside nearby Basalt, recently created by damming the Fryingpan River, and subdivided it into Ruedi Shores.

In 1971, he persuaded Robert Orville Anderson, then chairman of Atlantic Richfield, to lend him $170,000 ($1,005,000 in contemporary dollars) to buy the aging Brand Building in downtown Aspen, across from Aspen City Hall. Built in 1891, near the end of the Colorado Silver Boom that had spurred the city's initial growth, it had been used as a gas station for much of the 20th century and was slated for demolition. After the purchase, Baldwin restored it.