Affordable Housing, Public Park, and Community Benefits included
Denver City Council approved a monumental plan for development on the parking lots of Ball Arena in the Auraria Neighborhood of Council District 3. Council held four (4) public hearings and voted on six (6) separate bills related to the property.
The property is over 50 acres and is positioned to build an estimated 6,000 homes, of which 18 percent must be affordable and of those, 20 percent will be two-bedrooms and 15 percent will be three-bedrooms. The development must include a 3-acre signature park that will be transferred to Denver Parks and Recreation after it is built to ensure it is a publicly accessible community park. The Development agreement additionally includes commitments to local jobs to build and permanent jobs once it is constructed.
Of particular importance, last week, a community committee made up of stakeholders and surrounding neighborhood representatives signed an historic Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Kroenke Sports Entertainment (KSE) that includes a number of agreements that are mirrored in the City’s Development Agreement (DA) in affordable housing, workforce and open space. But the CBA goes far beyond what the city included in their Development Agreement; commitments that speak to the precise advocacy only a community group can do. Community agreements include a $16 million dollar Community Investment Fund that includes supporting Indigenous and Displaced Aurarian students on Auraria Campus, youth programming and internships, tenant eviction assistance, down payment assistance, funding for art and commitments for local artists, as well as connectivity into Sun Valley, Lower Downtown and La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhoods.
Many headlines will be about the agreement that City Council approved to extend the Arena Agreement for the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche until 2050, which is a critical piece for Denver fans and our local and regional economy. However, as Council members who represent residents and neighborhoods, it is the agreements that will impact how a new community is built and who will benefit from its development that is our highest priority.
Councilwoman Jamie Torres, who represents District 3 said, “This development along with its sister-development, River Mile, are in an area that was once the gathering place of tribes for millennia, it also tragically flooded in 1965, which led to the displacement of a largely Mexican-American neighborhood. There are many course corrections in bringing back homes and development to this hallowed ground. These developments will have to mitigate flood risk along their section of the South Platte River and build a new safe and reflective corner of the Auraria Neighborhood.”
Council President Amanda P. Sandoval said, “I am deeply proud to have worked alongside Councilwoman Torres, and our communities on the Ball Arena rezoning. This transformative project embodies Denver’s commitment to equitable growth, creating affordable housing, local jobs, and a community park that will serve generations to come. It’s more than just development—it’s a reflection of our values and dedica- tion to ensuring that our neighborhoods thrive for the future while honoring the history and people of this land.”
We are honored to have played our role in ensuring development is responsible and responsive to a wide variety of resident and stakeholder interests. Our work is not just about zoning, it is about the next seven generations and improving outcomes that will outlive us long into the future.
SOURCE: COUNCIL WOMAN JAMIE TORRES’ OFFICE
