Page 59 - Denver, CO Adaptive Reuse Program

Recommendations for Current Incentive Programs

i. Incorporate incentive information on adaptive reuse
webpage
While information about each of the incentive programs can be
found online, there is not currently a consolidated location for
information about financial incentives or other assistance. In order
for applicants to effectively plan their adaptive reuse project before
jumping into the permitting stage, a single location for informa-
tion about incentives is needed. Incentive information should be
included in the User’s Handbook and the adaptive reuse web-
page, which should be linked from each department webpage so
applicants can access the information from many avenues. Once
the Coordinator position is established, they can help provide this
information to applicants as well.

Ongoing, Related Projects
In order to be successful, the adaptive reuse program must work
with other programs and address other initiatives.

i. East and East Central Area Plans
The current drafts of the East and East Central Area Plans pro-
vide a vision for land use, urban design, housing, mobility, parks
and the local economy for the next 20 years. Among the policy
recommendations in these plans, “establishing an adaptive reuse
ordinance that eliminates existing barriers to reusing structures”
is noted, and highlights the importance of studying existing reg-
ulations to determine ways to facilitate the adaptive reuse of
properties along the corridor. While these plans are expected to be
adopted in 2020, this paper is the first of a series of implementa-
tion actions from the Area Plans that have begun.

ii. Colfax Corridor Connections: Bus Rapid Transit
Since 2017, the City has been working to establish a Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT) system along Colfax Avenue. This project identi-
fies a series of stops along East Colfax that would increase access
to 280,000 jobs and provide a faster travel time for destinations
along the corridor, connecting travelers from Union Station to the
Anschutz Medical Campus. Its location along East Colfax will also
serve the adaptive reuse projects in the project area identified for
this study. The development phase of the BRT project is expected
to begin in 2022. This upgraded transit system provides hope for
increased pedestrian and bus traffic, and easier access, to the many
destinations along East Colfax, including adaptively reused build-
ings.

Adaptive Reuse Strategy Paper 55