A tale of two cities: How Johnstown, Milliken grow

When it comes to commercial growth and development, Milliken Mayor Linda Measner sees a difference of about two miles between Johnstown and her town.

“They have a significant presence on the interstate. We do not,” she explained. Milliken lies about two miles farther east from Interstate 25, the roadway that has come to define commercial development for many cities along the north Front Range corridor.

“In fact, we don’t really have a major roadway close enough to us that would encourage commercial and industrial growth.”

That, in part, explains Milliken’s slower economy and slower growth. Sales tax collections have slowed, and the town has sought out builders and developers to see how it can help encourage continued residential growth, Measner said.

“We have had several meetings with the developers and builders and realtors to find out if there is something we can do as a town to help them be more successful.”

As a result, Measner said, the town opted to reduce or defer construction-related fees. “It lets builders have a little bit more upfront money to work with.”

Measner and others in Milliken are looking for signs of an economy that is said to be improving. “I keep reading where the economy is turning around,” she said. “But quite honestly we haven’t seen it. So I’m not sure where that’s happening, but it doesn’t appear to be happening here.”

Johnstown bustling

Just down the way, in neighboring Johnstown, commercial development is bustling. “Last year was probably the busiest year we’ve had in Johnstown as far as building permits and construction valuation,´ said Town Administrator Roy Lauricello. “It was an extremely busy year.”

There are plenty of variables in the way of predicting whether that pace will hold in 2006, but Lauricello looks ahead optimistically. “With the development along the I-25 and (U.S. Highway) 34 corridors that we’re hopefully anticipating will come about in 2006, I think it will probably continue,” he said.

Significant commercial development in Johnstown is taking place at 2534 – an upscale mix of commercial and residential at the intersection of I-25 and U.S. 34. Joining the completed rehab hospital are The Bank of Colorado with a bank and office complex, Ethan Allan furniture and the Summit Fitness and Wellness Center.

“The infrastructure for commercial development there is in place,” Lauricello said of 2534. “The scenario is that for most of the commercial area all the roads and utilities are in, so the pad sites are virtually finished and waiting for buyers.”

There will likely be more commercial development news in coming months as the town has recently completed annexation of 495 acres north of U.S. 34 and east of Weld County Road 3. Dubbed Miracle on 34, the property features 120 acres of commercial frontage along the highway with residential development planned behind it.

In addition, John Franklin, Johnstown town planner, said, “We’re in the process of annexing a really strong commercial parcel south of U.S. 34 and east of County Road 3.”

Franklin said the Spreng-McWhinney Enterprises parcel will include “some employment, light industrial. They’ve got some rail. They’ve got some excellent design guidelines drafts out there, so it’s going to look pretty.”

Johnstown, meanwhile, has annexed land at the northeast corner of the I-25 and Colorado Highway 402 interchange. The town had previously annexed the southeast corner of the same interchange. That property is slated for a mix of residential, commercial and light industrial development, Franklin said.

Development continues at the I-25 Gateway Center, further south at Colorado Highway 60 and I-25, Franklin said. “We’re seeing new signs, so we’re hopeful that we’ll be getting plans for additional commercial buildings near I-25. We’re already getting new industrial buildings in the industrial park itself.”

Growth everywhere

Both towns have grown dramatically over the past decade. Measner, who moved to Milliken with her husband 43 years ago, recalls a village of fewer than 500 houses. Plenty has changed in the interim, she said. “For one thing we’ve got paved streets, we’ve got street lights. We have a stop light and a lot of houses have been built.”

According to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Milliken has grown from a population of 2,888 in 2000 to 5,214 in July 2005. The town’s current estimated population is about 6,000, Measner said.

In Johnstown, meanwhile, the population nearly doubled in the four-year period between 2000, when 3,826 called the town home, and 2004, when the estimated population was 6,036. Johnstown today is home to more than 7,500, Lauricello said. That number is projected to grow to 11,000 by 2010.

In Johnstown, local sales tax collection has grown dramatically. “When I started here back in 1999, almost seven years ago, we collected $272,000. In 2005 we collected just under $890,000. That is still a minimal amount but substantial growth over that period.”

In Milliken, local sales tax collection has declined in 2005. Diana Vasquez, Milliken finance director, said 2005 local sales tax was $242,755; 2004 sales tax was $257,135. That number was up over 2003, with collections of $139,514.

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