Golden Urban Renewal looking to future

“The Golden Urban Renewal Authority won an Urban Land Institute 2013 Impact Award for its successful 24-year effort to revitalize downtown Golden.

GURA was presented with the award Dec. 12 at the ULI Colorado-Denver district’s inaugural Impact Awards in Denver. The category in which GURA was recognized names a project of community influence completed within the past seven years. It was up against other projects such as Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center and the Mariposa neighborhood redevelopment in Denver.

“My impression was they thought that this project had positive lessons to share for other medium and small downtowns looking for revitalization strategies,” Michael Leccese, executive director of ULI Colorado, said of why the judges chose GURA.

GURA’s tax-increment financing for the downtown projects ends this year. The voter-approved Downtown Development Authority will take over downtown benefit programs to be funded by a special 5-mill downtown property tax.”

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Klemaier, Josie. Denver Post 9 January 2014.