DMA Plaza morphs into The Remington with remodel
FORT COLLINS — The former DMA Plaza apartment building at 300 Remington St. in downtown Fort Collins has taken on a new life as The Remington, a senior living facility.
The newly remodeled and refurbished 11-story facility, updated from its 1973 origins, has now been unveiled to the public with a virtual grand opening available to view online.
“People who were familiar with the old DMA Plaza should be prepared to be amazed,” Mike Sollenberger, board president, said in a written statement. “Working together with dozens of community partners, we’ve modernized this landmark apartment building into a new senior affordable housing community for downtown Fort Collins.”
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The Remington site was originally a school parking lot, which the Downtown Merchants Association — that’s where the DMA moniker originated — bought from the Poudre School District in 1969. The DMA Plaza senior living facility was built in 1973.
The new renovation updated the exterior along with new heating, ventilation, lighting, plumbing, electrical and fire suppression. Architecture +, VFLA and Brinkman Construction worked on the project. New features include a fitness center, conference room and outdoor patio.
According to information from the board of The Remington, the city of Fort Collins provided $2.5 million toward the project through community development block grants. The project aligns with the city’s affordable housing plan of preserving long-term affordable housing and providing services for the most vulnerable populations.
Susan Kirkpatrick, former Fort Collins mayor and downtown business owner, has served on The Remington (former DMA Plaza) board for about 10 years. She said that instead of partnering with other organizations, “The very thoughtful board decided to remain an independent, private not-for-profit, and I think in the long haul, that will be a great benefit to the residents, and to the building itself, as there’s more flexibility.”
The project also received $1 million from the Colorado Division of Housing. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority authorized $15 million in tax credits, which were purchased by Midwest Housing Equity Group to become an investor in The Remington.
“I want to give a big thank you to our executive director, Lori French,” Sollenberger said. “She has made herself into a very competent construction person after this experience, and she deserves a lot of credit for what we have achieved.” Sollenberger also thanked consultant Dan Morgan from DGMA for his assistance.
The grand opening ceremony can be viewed at TheRemington.org.
