I-25 corridor plan takes shape

by Amy Stogner

WESTMINSTER ? The next hot development area along Colorado’s Front Range now is being planned along I-25. The cities of Westminster and Thornton are working together to create an exciting development opportunity .

Downing, Thorpe & James Inc., a Boulder-based architectural firm, is creating a regional plan for the 2,000 to 2,200-acre area along I-25 with a unifying theme to tie all the development together. ?While the project is defined by a broader influence area around it, it is important that people develop a sense of place,? said Mike Ermisch, senior planner for DTJ.

The planning area includes land between 128th Avenue and 160th Avenue, bounded by Huron Street and Colorado Boulevard along I-25, said Susan Grafton, Westminster’s economic development manager.

As the Denver/Boulder Corridor along U.S. 36 and Interlocken gets built out, businesses are starting to look seriously at land that can be developed along I-25, said John Carpenter, Westminster’s community development director. ?I-25 goes north-south along the entire state,? he said. ?Companies can draw employees from Fort Collins, Greeley or Denver, from both the north and the south.?

Along with creating the land use plan, DTJ also is designing the bridge for the 136th interchange. ?We want the bridge to be unusual and attractive to create a memorable image as you drive by on I-25,? Carpenter said.

The interchange is scheduled to be complete in 2003, he added. Development interest along the corridor, however, already has begun.

The area along 120th Avenue already is attracting development, including the recent completion of the Avaya Communication facility just west of I-25. Avaya is a provider of communication systems and software for enterprises, including businesses, government agencies and other organizations. ?We’re seeing more interest in 120th Avenue,? Carpenter said. ?Land is being absorbed quickly, and development is shifting parallel to and north along I-25.?

DTJ’s Ermisch describes the I-25 corridor as ?an infill opportunity and an opportunity to apply smart growth principles.?

DTJ has developed a series of development alternatives for the corridor, Ermisch explained, and, while one plan preliminarily has been chosen, it still has to be approved by both Thornton and Westminster’s planning boards and city councils.

In designing the plan, DTJ considered elements from both cities’ comprehensive plans as well as open space and transportation issues. ?The goal is to create a high-quality development along this key corridor that represents a northern gateway to their communities,? Ermisch explained.

Transit opportunities

Although both Thornton and Westminster are interested in mixed-use development along the I-25 corridor, the plan for each side of the corridor will be different to accommodate each city’s goals. ?Both wanted to reflect transit opportunities,? he said. ?The Westminster side is introducing mixed-use transit-oriented development between 136th and 144th. Thornton had flood plain issues and expressed an interest in the creation of some additional open space.?

Ermisch described the Thornton side as more of a suburban area and the Westminster side, which includes an area of transit-oriented development, as more of an urban environment.

Transit-oriented development includes smaller streets, buildings closer together with proximity to trail and bus systems and work and shopping opportunities, he said.

DTJ has focused on transit-oriented development for a long time, Ermisch said. ?We had the original idea of a ZIP shuttle at FlatIron Crossing,? he said.

The goal of transit-oriented development is to create areas where pedestrians and vehicles can co-exist, Ermisch said. ?The idea is to create a special place, a people place that has an energy to it,? he said. ?You need to create a more human-scale environment.?

In an effort to encourage transit-oriented development, a new RTD park ?N Ride is being planned at about 140th Avenue, Carpenter said. Half of the facility is planned to be in Thornton and the other half in Westminster. An underpass under I-25 is designed to allow people getting off the bus on one side to cross to the other. Also, people who live in the area can use the underpass to get to the Big Dry Creek trail, Carpenter noted.

Both cities are interested in preserving open space, Ermisch added, because both have extensive trail systems, wildlife would benefit, and the visual impact would be improved. Big Dry Creek, a major greenbelt in the area, will be preserved, he said.

In addition to laying out land use along the I-25 corridor, DTJ also is working to establish design guidelines for the area to create a ?unified development as opposed to patchwork,? he said.

Although an architectural theme has not yet been selected, Ermisch said DTJ and the cities are aiming for a high-quality gateway image and a community that includes places to live, work, shop and play.

DTJ began work on the plans last May, and approval for a plan is expected by the cities within the next two months, he said.

Land Acquisition Partners 1986-1, a Denver-based development company, owns 101 acres on the northeast corner of I-25 and 136th and 80 acres at the northwest corner of 144th and I-25, said Rick White, managing partner. ?Build the interchange, and they will come,? he said.

White also is planning to develop some retail , multi-family residential units, transit-oriented development and business parks, he said. ?We are working with a Fortune 500 company on a 45-acre campus on the property at 136th,? he said.

Although White is confident his investment in the two pieces of land will pay off, he said, his developments hinge on many factors, including completion of the interchanges. ?Hang onto your hat once you’ve jumped onto your horse and watch all the dynamics take place,? he said.

White expects his land near 136th to be developed around 2003, when the interchange is complete, he said. Since it takes approximately six months to a year to go through the city’s planning and zoning and be approved and one year to build developments, he added, businesses wanting to locate in that area close to when the interchange is built already should be looking today.

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