A look back at Arvada in 2017: Urban Renewal sparks controversy throughout town
“The process of Urban Renewal in Arvada has been questioned by citizens in Arvada more than ever this year.
A proposed six-story building with 256 apartments and 40,000 square feet of retail shops that would rise from the ground next to the Gold Line station has been the cause of much of the controversy.
The controversy stems from the city’s decision to sell the 8.25-acre site, valued at $4.4 million, to developer Trammell Crow Co. for $30 and provide it with $13 million in tax incentives.
Arvada officials contend the project is a well-planned and long-term investment that will not only bring new life to the area, but also pour revenue far exceeding the land’s value into city coffers over the years. However, Arvada for all the People, which describes itself as a government watchdog organization, calls the transaction “a bribe” and worries about the development obstructing views and creating congestion.
Arvada for all the People, however, believes urban renewal authorities, in general, should not be dictating the type of development to be built or offering tax incentives.
The proposed development would be built in phases from 2018 to 2020 on the three parcels, bounded by Vance Street and Wadsworth Boulevard on the west and east, and between West 56th and Grandview avenues. A Regional Transportation District parking lot takes up about half of the site; a 35-foot hill rises from a large portion along Grandview Avenue.
The land is owned by three entities — RTD, City of Arvada and AURA — and was appraised in 2015 at $4.4 million. In December of that year, AURA signed a development and disposition agreement with Trammell Crow Co. to sell the land for $30. In return, the developer must build the high-density and retail project that the city wants. The Urban Renewal area expires in 2034 — 25 years from the 2009 approval of the Olde Town Station Urban Renewal Plan.”
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Fortier, Ahanna. Arvada Press 3 January 2018.