Erie moves forward with three new retail centers

The economy is a top priority for Erie residents. Only 6 percent think there is ample shopping close to home. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of residents support the town’s efforts to increase retail opportunities in Erie.

It’s always good to share good news, so here it is: The retail we’ve been working so hard to attract is on its way. In fact, during September, Erie moved forward with three new retail centers.
The Board of Trustees approved agreements resulting in the purchase of an approximately 20-acre site for the King Soopers at Vista Ridge MarketPlace shopping center, to be located at the northwest corner of Colorado Highway 7 and Sheridan Boulevard. The 20-acre MarketPlace is set to open in advance of the holidays in 2016.

The shopping center will be approximately 125,000 square feet and is designed as a one-stop “lifestyle” shopping destination. The Erie store will be the first to feature King Soopers’ new “Click List” offering online shopping where customers can schedule their pick-up time, go to a special drive-through lane and have a personal assistant load their groceries.

In addition to the MarketPlace, there will be 7,100 square feet of immediately adjacent retail stores; three stand-alone retail pad sites (each over an acre in size) and a King Soopers fuel station.

The town’s Urban Renewal Authority selected Evergreen as development partner for the Highway 287 and Arapahoe retail center. The majority of the approximately 50-acre site is located at the southeast corner of Arapahoe Road and U.S. Highway 287 with an approximately 6-acre portion located on the southwest corner of the intersection. Evergreen and the town envision a retail center suitable for large retailers along with smaller support retailers, services and restaurants.

With nearly four decades of development experience across the country, Phoenix-based Evergreen is a developer of shopping centers, single-tenant commercial, multi-family and single-family projects and provides property management, asset management and consulting services. Principal Tyler Carlson of Evergreen’s Denver office will lead the project.

In a separate action, the Board of Trustees approved the Highway 287 Urban Renewal Area Plan inclusive of Tax Increment Financing to assist in improving and completing infrastructure, and advancing private investment within its boundaries.

The board approved the Four Corners Urban Renewal Area Plan inclusive of tax-increment financing, creating the opportunity to use net new tax revenues generated by this project to help finance some related improvements.

The 45-acre Four Corners proposed mixed-use development, at the southwest corner of Erie Parkway and County Line Road, includes a variety of housing types plus 14.5 acres of Community Commercial to accommodate the type of neighborhood retail the community has been craving for years.

With a growing population, new homes, strong household incomes and increased daytime populations, retailers know they need to position themselves here sooner rather than later. With great visibility in all directions and increasing traffic from surrounding development, the Four Corners intersection is the place to be.

The Four Corners sketch plan presented by Justin McClure of RMCS LLC earlier this year represents the developer’s layout of the site. RMCS was involved in the Downtown East Louisville and Steel Ranch neighborhoods. McClure has indicated that this site would accommodate retail opportunities such as a smaller grocery store.

More information on these retail developments is online at erieco.gov/economic_development.

Paula Mehle is economic-development coordinator for the town of Erie. Contact her at 303-926-2769.

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