Developers involved in Union Station tackling Broomfield Civic Center project

BROOMFIELD — Denver-based developers Urban Neighborhoods Inc. and City Street Investors LLC have signed a memorandum of understanding to take the first steps in developing Broomfield’s Civic Center project.

The Broomfield City Council voted 9-0 earlier this week to work with Urban Neighborhoods, led by Dana Crawford, and City Street Investors, led by Joe Vostrejs, on the public-private project that was first envisioned in 2008.

Crawford and Vostrejs were part of a development group that recently revitalized Denver’s Union Station.

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Broomfield’s project area consists of 61 acres at the northeast corner of Main Street and First Avenue that includes several city and county buildings, such as the library and police station, situated around a community park. There is a 9.8-acre undeveloped piece of land purchased by the city in 1999 that the city is hoping to see used, with a mix of uses to help tie the area together as a walkable, central gathering place that would include small, locally owned businesses and shops, and some housing.

Urban Neighborhoods and City Street Investors were chosen over Marcel Arsenault’s Louisville-based Real Capital Solutions, the two groups that responded to a request for proposal and had discussions with city staff.

Under the memorandum, the process will begin with focus groups for the community to present its thoughts on what should be included in the project.

“We need to dig deep and find out what is wanted and what is needed,” Vostrejs said Thursday. City staff said at the meeting Tuesday that information gathered at previous public focus groups will be added to information gathered at the upcoming focus groups.

The second step will be to hire a planning consultant by the developers to create a plan reflecting the input from the focus sessions.

And a financial model will be created to identify the costs and determine city, county and BURA roles as well as those of the developers in the financing of the project.

The city council will need to vote again before work can begin.