Major renovation on tap for downtown Wellington

WELLINGTON — The downtown district in Wellington is set to undergo a major renovation over the next couple years, thanks largely to more than $4.4 million in grant money awarded to the town by various state and federal agencies.

Business owners and residents can get a look at the initial design planning at a town hall meeting planned for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 15 at the Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Ave.

The Cleveland Avenue construction project is planned to upgrade street infrastructure, stormwater drainage, pedestrian safety, lighting, parking and business access. Adding ramps at all intersections in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards will improve the overall accessibility downtown, providing benefits for vulnerable users, school children, pedestrians and cyclists.

Working with partners such as the Wellington Main Street Program and Safe Routes to School, the town already has secured $4,476,822 in funding from state and federal agencies through three grant programs administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation. By leveraging those funds, town staff significantly reduced Wellington’s matching requirement for the project.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for our town and for our downtown business community,” said Erin Jerome, president of the Wellington Main Street Program, in a prepared statement. “This will create a safer, more accessible space for community members to enjoy downtown Wellington and increase opportunities for our businesses to thrive.”

During its April 9 regular meeting, Wellington’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to award a contract for the project’s design and construction management to Fort Collins-based J-U-B Engineers. That company has started work on the first 30% of the project’s design, which is due for completion in late July.

While it is a town project, many of its exact specifications are controlled by CDOT because, as both the giver of the grants and the owner of the right-of-way on Cleveland Avenue, it is potentially impacted by the project’s construction plan.

“In our 2021 Comprehensive Plan, residents placed significant emphasis on revitalizing our downtown, and the upcoming redesign of Cleveland Avenue presents a unique opportunity for our community to embark on a legacy project,” Deputy Town Administrator Kelly Houghteling said in a news release. “The town recognizes the importance of community input in ensuring the success of this endeavor. We invite you to be a part of shaping our downtown into a vibrant destination for generations to come.”

J-U-B aims to submit the project’s final plan by late autumn or early winter this year, so the town can award a construction contract for the project in early 2025. Construction work is slated to begin in late winter or early spring, and the project is scheduled for completion in late 2026.

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