Broomfield seeks RFPs for civic center

BROOMFIELD – The city of Broomfield believes the timing is right to see its Civic Center Master Plan – and the new housing, retail and office space envisioned in it – come to fruition.

The city put out a request for proposals last month soliciting plans from developers for 9.8 acres owned by Broomfield at the northeast corner of Main Street and First Avenue. Proposals are due January 14.

Deputy city and county manager Kevin Standbridge said Thursday that few proposals have come in since the RFP went out in November. But he said it’s normal to see the majority of them come in close to the deadline.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Exploring & expressing grief

Support groups and events, as well as creative therapies and professional counseling, are all ways in which Pathways supports individuals dealing with grief and loss.

Broomfield purchased the land in 1999 for $2.35 million with the intent of using it for a mixed-use development and creating a focal point for the community. The parcel is bordered by Main Street to the west, First Avenue to the south, Lamar Street to the east and the winding Community Park Road to the north. The Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library is across Community Park Road to the north, while several local government buildings sit beyond that across a community park. Near the southeast corner of the property sits the North Metro Fire Rescue Authority.

The vision is for all of that to be encompassed in a park-like, walkable environment with a variety of uses.

The city put out an RFP for the area about four years ago, but Standbridge said city council at the time was unimpressed with any of the options that came back. The city then worked with Denver developer Dana Crawford on creating the master plan for the area in 2010. But with the economy at rock bottom at that point, the city didn’t feel it was a good time to push the project forward.

Recently, though, the residential and commercial real estate sectors have been booming.

“That’s what prompted us to put the request out (now),” Standbridge said.

The city’s vision, which is really just a roadmap for potential developers at this point, includes up to 100 residential units, likely either townhouses or condominiums. Standbridge said there would also be somewhere around 30,000 square feet of retail space and 18,000 square feet of offices. Strong pedestrian and bicycle access would be key components to complement boulevard streets. Most of the new building space would be along First Avenue and Main Street on the south and west edges of the property.

Standbridge said the parcel’s location in the core of Broomfield was key to picking that location for such a development.

“We’re really focused on creating a gathering place for the community,” he said.

Standbridge said the hope is that an agreement with a developer could be reached by next summer, with build-out occurring over the 18-24 months after that.

The city’s request for proposals can be viewed here: http://www.ci.broomfield.co.us/DocumentCenter/View/6399