Make room for Boulder’s incoming new residents

When the BizWest folks asked me to throw in my two cents this month about the city of Boulder potentially purchasing the Boulder Community Hospital Broadway Campus, my initial reaction was mixed.  Part of me thinks the opportunity and significance of this site could only be fully realized by private development. On the other hand, the city can pretty much do whatever it sees fit.

So what belongs on the BCH site?

The city of Boulder has an “agreement in principle” to purchase the 8.8-acre site from Boulder Community Hospital for $40 million. “Site” seems like kind of an understatement, because $40 million includes the former main hospital building, several other buildings, lots of parking and a helicopter pad, just in case Donald Trump stops by. Seems like a good deal, right? The city has intimated that one of the primary uses it is considering for the site is additional offices for city departments and staff.

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Expansion of city office use at this location has me concerned. Is that the highest and best use of the property? One would think that with the influx of up to 3,000 Google, Uber, Twitter and SolidFire jobs in the next couple of years, the answer is simple. Clearly, we need more affordable and moderately affordable employee housing, and fast. In tandem with that (and from my experience living nearby), it seems as if it’s time for some additional neighborhood-serving retail. While both of those comments may start a firestorm at City Hall and cause angst with some of the neighborhood groups, it seems like the obvious answer to me.

Whatever happens, I think the city needs a complete and thorough process to vet the proper uses on the BCH site. I’m not talking about limited outreach centered on the vocal organized minority groups. I guess I don’t need to remind anyone of the current debacle fondly known as “right sizing” where the desires of the few overtook the requirements of the masses. It’s time to include and involve the business community in the planning process – specifically, to include those businesses serving the neighborhood, and obviously the soon-to-be major employers headed our way.  I’m thinking that the decision makers at some of the larger head count companies are getting a little concerned about employee retention at this point. Of course the neighborhood groups will have a lot of sway in the planning process, but it’s time to get the business community more involved as well.

Perhaps those in power at the city need to take a moment to really consider the “karma” of the site. I mean, after all, when you think of the sheer number of our population this facility has cared for over the last 80 years or so, it’s pretty mind-boggling. Most of my friends growing up here were either born at BCH, got patched up there or had friends or relatives that worked there, BCH was the center of our medical world. Both of my parents’ lives ended there, and my son’s life started there.

Just about everyone I know who lives or lived in Boulder has a Community Hospital story. Some of those are good stories, and some not so good, but the only way you didn’t spend some time in her hallowed halls is if your name is R2D2.

I don’t think I’m exaggerating (which I’m prone to do quite frequently) when I say that this is probably one of the most significant redevelopment sites in the history of the city of Boulder. With the enormity of the potential Civic Center area redo in downtown Boulder, which already is pretty mapped out), I question whether the city needs to focus on that for its expansion needs.

So, city of Boulder, let’s take a page out of Aspen’s playbook on employee housing.  Let’s make some room for our 3,000 or so new residents. I think it probably can be done well and with minimum disruption to the existing neighborhoods. Whatever happens, this is going to be a long and hopefully not too contentious ride. Stay tuned!

Geoffrey Keys is president of Keys Commercial Real Estate in Boulder. He can be reached at 303-447-2700 or via email at keys@keys-commercial.com.