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Broomfield Town Square Development

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Broomfield Town Square approved! On Sept. 13, 2023 Broomfield City Council and BURA approved the Site Development Plan for the Broomfield Town Square. Moving forward, construction and project updates will be found on the developer’s website: Broomfield Town Square Alliance website.

You can learn more about the history of this project, including how community input shaped the guiding principles of this development, by reading below. Additional information about the Concept Review can be found on the Broomfield Town Square Concept page.


Aerial rendering of the proposed Broomfield Town Square Development.

Broomfield Town Square Approved!

On Sept. 13, 2023, the Broomfield City Council and the Broomfield Urban Renewal Authority (BURA) unanimously approved the site-specific development plans for the first phase of the Broomfield Town Square.

The first phase of development includes:

  • Approximately 471 multi-family (apartment) residential units and 12 townhomes
  • Approximately 63,590 square feet of commercial development including a new market hall in the former Safeway building
  • An enlarged lake with trails and gathering areas incorporated throughout such as a plaza near E. 1st Ave, a beach and future boathouse at the northwest edge of the lake, restaurants and in smaller settings in various locations around the lake
  • Space for a potential future expansion of the Broomfield Library/Auditorium facility on the east side of the expanded lake
  • Parking primarily located within parking structures set within the mixed-use buildings
  • Realignment of Community Park Drive
  • Site improvements such as grading, drainage and utilities to serve the site
  • Income-aligned housing is required. The developer has the option to provide on-site units or pay a cash-in-lieu fee to the City and County of Broomfield to apply to other affordable housing developments within Broomfield.

The Developer, the Broomfield Town Square Alliance, anticipates the construction document preparation and permit review period will take place in 2024 and construction to begin in 2025.


Community Engagement Summary

The Broomfield Town Square went through an extensive public engagement process over the years including focus sessions, neighborhood meetings, concept review meetings, public hearings and comment forums on Broomfield Voice. Public comments included a range of opinions and questions ranging from support to opposition.

Comments in opposition to or questioning elements of the project included:

  • Concerns about the lake (various concerns from preferring less or no lake and preserving/providing more play area, lake maintenance including goose management, safety, water source/concern for water use, etc.)
  • The project density and height
  • Traffic
  • Trails/connectivity
  • The lack of RTD transit service in the area
  • Impacts to the First Filing neighborhood (such as parking overflow into the neighborhood)
  • Debt associated with the project
  • Opposition to the use of taxpayer money to support the project
  • Reserving space for potential Broomfield Library/Auditorium expansion
  • Not enough retail vs adding retail that might compete with existing businesses.
  • Additional comments asked about accessibility, light pollution, incorporating affordable housing, pedestrian safety and connectivity, including pollinator-friendly landscaping, and keeping the tennis courts.

Comments in support of the proposal included:

  • Excitement about creating a special place - a downtown for Broomfield - where people can gather and also bring out-of-town visitors.
  • Support expressed for redeveloping the long vacant former Safeway store into a market hall
  • Support for expanding the lake and recreational opportunities associated with the lake.
  • Providing local shopping and dining opportunities and keeping tax revenue in Broomfield.
  • The public hearing held on Sept. 12, 2022, in particular, had a very strong turnout of people expressing support for the project and eager to see it be realized.

The approved development plans addressed numerous comments and concerns by incorporating:

  • A robust trail/pedestrian network including an accessible grand staircase and a pedestrian-activated flashing light at E. 1st Ave connecting the market hall on the south to the plaza, lake and mixed-use development to the north
  • Dark-skylighting
  • Low water and pollinator-friendly landscaping
  • A four-story building height restriction for the mixed-use building at Main St and E. 1st Ave with the fourth floor west elevation setback from the primary facade to appear more like a three-story building
  • Lake safety measures such as a railing and other design mitigation techniques around the lake
  • A commitment to retain the existing tennis courts
  • Electric vehicle and ADA parking
  • Land area for a potential future expansion of the Broomfield Library/Auditorium
  • The plans anticipate there will be public art although the details have yet to be determined

City and County of Broomfield staff and external agencies (including Boulder Valley School District, North Metro Fire Rescue District, Colorado Department of Transportation, and Mile High Flood District, among others) reviewed the plans and various technical and engineering studies, and associated revisions provided by the development team, over the course of approximately two years. Concerns of a technical nature were addressed in engineering reports on traffic, parking, drainage, utilities, etc. and were adapted into the development plan as applicable. Affordable housing and project financing details were established in separate previously-approved agreements. In addition, City Council approved a code amendment to address overflow parking concerns for the Broomfield Heights neighborhood which will allow residents to work together to submit an application requiring permit parking on neighborhood streets if desired.

Due to the extensive scope of the project, the plans were considered at two separate public hearings. The zoning and subdivision plat were considered and approved at a public hearing in September 2022 and the site development plans was finalized and approved the following year in September 2023.


Developer's rendering of amphitheater seating leading to the lake with buildings rising in the backgroundDeveloper's rendering of a plaza with children playing in a fountain


Broomfield Town Square Approved!

On Sept. 13, 2023, the Broomfield City Council and the Broomfield Urban Renewal Authority (BURA) unanimously approved the site-specific development plans for the first phase of the Broomfield Town Square.

The first phase of development includes:

  • Approximately 471 multi-family (apartment) residential units and 12 townhomes
  • Approximately 63,590 square feet of commercial development including a new market hall in the former Safeway building
  • An enlarged lake with trails and gathering areas incorporated throughout such as a plaza near E. 1st Ave, a beach and future boathouse at the northwest edge of the lake, restaurants and in smaller settings in various locations around the lake
  • Space for a potential future expansion of the Broomfield Library/Auditorium facility on the east side of the expanded lake
  • Parking primarily located within parking structures set within the mixed-use buildings
  • Realignment of Community Park Drive
  • Site improvements such as grading, drainage and utilities to serve the site
  • Income-aligned housing is required. The developer has the option to provide on-site units or pay a cash-in-lieu fee to the City and County of Broomfield to apply to other affordable housing developments within Broomfield.

The Developer, the Broomfield Town Square Alliance, anticipates the construction document preparation and permit review period will take place in 2024 and construction to begin in 2025.


Community Engagement Summary

The Broomfield Town Square went through an extensive public engagement process over the years including focus sessions, neighborhood meetings, concept review meetings, public hearings and comment forums on Broomfield Voice. Public comments included a range of opinions and questions ranging from support to opposition.

Comments in opposition to or questioning elements of the project included:

  • Concerns about the lake (various concerns from preferring less or no lake and preserving/providing more play area, lake maintenance including goose management, safety, water source/concern for water use, etc.)
  • The project density and height
  • Traffic
  • Trails/connectivity
  • The lack of RTD transit service in the area
  • Impacts to the First Filing neighborhood (such as parking overflow into the neighborhood)
  • Debt associated with the project
  • Opposition to the use of taxpayer money to support the project
  • Reserving space for potential Broomfield Library/Auditorium expansion
  • Not enough retail vs adding retail that might compete with existing businesses.
  • Additional comments asked about accessibility, light pollution, incorporating affordable housing, pedestrian safety and connectivity, including pollinator-friendly landscaping, and keeping the tennis courts.

Comments in support of the proposal included:

  • Excitement about creating a special place - a downtown for Broomfield - where people can gather and also bring out-of-town visitors.
  • Support expressed for redeveloping the long vacant former Safeway store into a market hall
  • Support for expanding the lake and recreational opportunities associated with the lake.
  • Providing local shopping and dining opportunities and keeping tax revenue in Broomfield.
  • The public hearing held on Sept. 12, 2022, in particular, had a very strong turnout of people expressing support for the project and eager to see it be realized.

The approved development plans addressed numerous comments and concerns by incorporating:

  • A robust trail/pedestrian network including an accessible grand staircase and a pedestrian-activated flashing light at E. 1st Ave connecting the market hall on the south to the plaza, lake and mixed-use development to the north
  • Dark-skylighting
  • Low water and pollinator-friendly landscaping
  • A four-story building height restriction for the mixed-use building at Main St and E. 1st Ave with the fourth floor west elevation setback from the primary facade to appear more like a three-story building
  • Lake safety measures such as a railing and other design mitigation techniques around the lake
  • A commitment to retain the existing tennis courts
  • Electric vehicle and ADA parking
  • Land area for a potential future expansion of the Broomfield Library/Auditorium
  • The plans anticipate there will be public art although the details have yet to be determined

City and County of Broomfield staff and external agencies (including Boulder Valley School District, North Metro Fire Rescue District, Colorado Department of Transportation, and Mile High Flood District, among others) reviewed the plans and various technical and engineering studies, and associated revisions provided by the development team, over the course of approximately two years. Concerns of a technical nature were addressed in engineering reports on traffic, parking, drainage, utilities, etc. and were adapted into the development plan as applicable. Affordable housing and project financing details were established in separate previously-approved agreements. In addition, City Council approved a code amendment to address overflow parking concerns for the Broomfield Heights neighborhood which will allow residents to work together to submit an application requiring permit parking on neighborhood streets if desired.

Due to the extensive scope of the project, the plans were considered at two separate public hearings. The zoning and subdivision plat were considered and approved at a public hearing in September 2022 and the site development plans was finalized and approved the following year in September 2023.


Developer's rendering of amphitheater seating leading to the lake with buildings rising in the backgroundDeveloper's rendering of a plaza with children playing in a fountain


ARCHIVED

Broomfield Town Square approved! On Sept. 13, 2023 Broomfield City Council and BURA approved the Site Development Plan for the Broomfield Town Square. Moving forward, construction and project updates will be found on the developer’s website: Broomfield Town Square Alliance website.

You can learn more about the history of this project, including how community input shaped the guiding principles of this development, by reading below. Additional information about the Concept Review can be found on the Broomfield Town Square Concept page.


  • Land Use Development Application Submitted - January 27, 2021

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    supporting image

    The Broomfield Town Square Alliance, Broomfield's development partner, submitted a land-use development application for the Broomfield Town Square on January 27, 2021. The application has been referred for the initial 30-day review and comment by staff and external agencies. The overall process typically requires several months of coordination on the review and revisions and culminates with public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission (a recommending body) and City Council (final decision authority).

    There are no public hearings currently scheduled. This page will be updated once hearing dates are available. Public notice will be provided in advance of the hearings.

    Links to key documents may be found in the Document Library (upper right corner of the Voice page).


    Image depicts an aerial plan of the Broomfield Town Square Development. It features an enlarged lake, mixed-use residential units north of 1st Avenue and retail south of 1st Avenue.

  • Broomfield Town Square Concept Review Meeting - May 26, 2020

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    City Council considered a concept review application on May 26, 2020.
    Click here for a link to the video of the meeting.
    Click here for a link to the meeting agenda.
    Click here for a link to the conceptual plans.


  • Broomfield Town Square (Civic Center) Development - Concept Review Submitted April 28, 2020

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    A concept review application for the Broomfield Town Center (Civic Center) development has been submitted. This concept application includes a preliminary site design proposal; as well as, conceptual design guidelines. Click this story to visit the concept review page for more information and links to the concept application document(s).

  • 2017 - 2019: Based on Community Input, a Preliminary Vision is Crafted

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    The guiding principles and preliminary vision for the Broomfield Town Square emerged through a series of community focus sessions held in January 2017 and shared at a community presentation in February 2017. The Guiding Principles called for creating:

    • A signature Town Square that is uniquely Broomfield.
    • An authentic Town Square for the Broomfield community including a curated mix of retail/restaurants - ideally local and unique to the area.
    • An interconnected and pedestrian-friendly network of streets, promenades, trails, and public spaces to knit the Town Square into the surrounding community.
    • A built environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle and community and incorporates opportunities for public art.
    • A Town Square that embodies resilient and environmentally sustainable strategies into the construction and function of the public realm and built environment.


    Civitas, an urban and landscape design firm, was selected to prepare conceptual plans and a video of the Civic Center (now referred to as the Broomfield Town Square). The video and graphics were shared with the community in 2018 (see Project Timeline for links). The initial plans envisioned:

    • A substantially enlarged Community Park Pond wrapping around the Library and Auditorium towards E. 1st Avenue
    • Extensive plaza and walking areas including outdoor dining, entertainment areas and public art
    • Approximately 50,000 sf of retail and restaurant uses, a 100-room inn, 22 row-houses, approximately 365 dwelling units, re-purposing of the Safeway building into 25,000 sf of retail, 15,000 sf of co-working space, 10,000 sf of community space and 10,000 sf of common area. The plans depicted mixed-use buildings with ground-floor commercial/restaurant space and residential on the upper floors.

  • Civic Center Update - Nov. 14, 2019

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    At Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, councilmembers approved and authorized the execution of a Redevelopment and Reimbursement Agreement with Broomfield Town Square Alliance LLC, in connection with the Civic Center Project (view the memo).

    The Redevelopment and Reimbursement Agreement addresses generally, the sharing of revenues generated from within the property by Broomfield and BURA with the developer, the character of development to occur, management of the project, affordable housing, the conveyance of property to the developer and the extent of public improvements.

    A timeline for the overall project may be viewed here.

    The preparation of zoning documents has begun. They are expected to be submitted to the City and County in early 2020, and are tentatively scheduled to be presented to the City Council for its consideration in late spring of 2020.

    Additional actions regarding this project that will be presented to the City Council over the next six-months include consideration of the formation/reformation of an urban renewal district, an urban renewal plan, a cooperation agreement among BURA and the City and County, formation of a business improvement district and a metropolitan district service plan.

    The BURA approved Resolution No. 2019-249-UR, on October 28, 2019, approving the proposed Agreement.

    Completion of the Civic Center is called for in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan and has been an ongoing priority of the City Council.

    Based on community input and focus groups, the plans generally propose:
    • A substantially enlarged Community Park Pond wrapping around the Library and Auditorium towards First Avenue;
    • Extensive plaza and walking areas including outdoor dining, entertainment areas, and public art;
    • Approximately 50,000 square feet of retail and restaurant uses, a 100 room inn, 22 row-houses;
    • Approximately 365 dwelling units including opportunities for affordable housing;
    • A re-purposing of the Safeway building into 25,000 square feet of retail area, 15,000 square feet of co-working space, 10,000 square feet of community space and 10,000 square feet of common area.

  • Civic Center Update - April 23, 2019

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    Read the April 23, 2019 council memo here.

    Update summary - With the cost and revenue estimates and financial model, the development partners have been meeting with City staff on a regular basis. The meetings are now occurring on a semi-weekly basis. The meetings are to negotiate a development agreement for the Civic Center. These discussions include the formation of a new urban renewal district, and formation of a metropolitan district and likely a business improvement district, all of which are necessary to address the financial gap. Staff will be requesting in May, approval of a pre-development agreement with the development partners that will obligate Broomfield to provide $400,000 for additional civil engineering and design services. These additional services will allow for refinement of cost estimates, enhancing confidence for all parties on the financial risks involved.

    A timeline for the overall project may be viewed here.

    At the conclusion of the steps outlined in the MOU, it is expected that a development agreement will be drafted and considered by the parties with firm commitments for the project plan, financing plan, timeline, and final product in October of this year. Discussion on zoning strategies are also underway and preparation of zoning documents will commence shortly.

  • Civic Center Creative Consortium Meeting

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    You're invited to the Civic Center Creative Consortium meeting on Saturday, October 27 from 9-11 a.m at the Broomfield Auditorium (3 Community Park Road). This meeting is hosted by the Turnpike Arts District. Participants will be encouraged help imagine, innovate and establish the future of the arts in relation to the proposed Civic Center project.

  • Civic Center Project Negotiations

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    In November, the City and County of Broomfield will negotiate business terms with our development partners, Urban Neighborhoods and City Street Ventures who have agreements with Milender White to be the general contractor and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for legal representation. After that, the City and County of Broomfield will develop a financing plan, complete the zoning process and further agreements with development partners, commence construction and continue to involve and inform residents on progress.