New Legacy Charter School

Aurora

Original Aurora

New Legacy is ULC’s first real estate investment in Original Aurora. What was once a vacant bowling alley is now a brand new 23,000-square-foot high school and childcare facility. New Legacy Charter School was built in 2014, opened in 2015, and serves pregnant and parenting teens between the ages of 14 and 21. The school provides both high school and parenting education while providing on-site childcare. ULC’s partnership with New Legacy brings a new investment into Original Aurora, new jobs, and opportunities for the unique population the school serves. New Legacy School purchased the building in the fall of 2020. The land will remain in ULC’s 99-year ground lease.

Oxford Vista

Aurora

Meadow Hills/Summit Park Neighborhoods

Formerly known as the Excelsior Youth Center, Oxford Vista is a 31-acre campus totaling over 148,000 square feet of building space in Southeast Aurora. The 17 buildings include an administrative area, residential dormitories, a pool, free standing cottages, gymnasium, auditorium space and small kitchens. AmeriCorps – Southwest Region is headquartered at Oxford Vista, leasing 70,000 sf of space and hosting upwards of 300 young adults onsite for training purposes. ULC took on the ownership of the campus through a donation based on our mission of providing permanent affordability through beneficial real estate preservation and development. ULC implemented a $3.3 million energy efficiency capital project in 2019, which was completed in the fall of 2020. The sustainable upgrades include a 430 kilowatt solar array and a geothermal heating and cooling system. The campus will eventually operate at near net-zero electricity. To watch a virtual tour of our upgrades, click here!

South Platte Crossing/Adams Tower

Commerce City

ULC acquired South Platte Crossing in December 2018 with the Metro Denver Impact Facility (MDIF) to preserve critical office space along a transit corridor. This was ULC’s first acquisition in Commerce City, and directly aligns with our mission to provide affordable office space to mission minded organizations and nonprofits. The six story building is located 1/4 mile from the 72nd Ave and Colorado Blvd station on RTD’s N Line Commuter Rail, which opened in fall of 2020. South Platte Crossing is 80,000 sf, and formerly served as the Adams County Human Services headquarters. In the future, ULC will allocate a one-acre parcel on the site for the future development of permanently affordable housing. The site will utilize 9% tax credits and is slated for completion in 2022.

Habitat for Humanity Denver Home Improvement Outlet

Denver

Baker

ULC helped finance the acquisition of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver’s Denver Home Improvement Outlet (30,000 sf warehouse), located at 70 Rio Grande Boulevard, by providing Habitat with a below market bridge loan. Working in partnership with Habitat, the Home Improvement Outlet is open to the public and provides a valuable source of cash flow to Habitat’s home-building program through the sale of donated building materials, tools, appliances, and furniture.  In 2008 the bridge loan was fully paid back to ULC.  8 permanent jobs were created, serving over 1,000 households annually.

Renaissance Apartments at North Colorado Station

Denver

Clayton Neighborhood

A real estate company donated this former Budget motel to ULC in 2006.  The previous 40-unit property was located in Denver at 40th & Colorado Boulevard and has been redeveloped into a mix of 103 affordable units with on-site supportive services by CCH.  Located on a high frequency bus route and near the 40th & Colorado rail station, this new development opened in 2016 as an exemplar of transit-oriented development. 50 new jobs were created through this development.

Cole Train

Denver

Cole Neighborhood

Cole Train was once the vacant portion of the Tramway Nonprofit Center building and was not fit for use due to the unstable structure. ULC demolished the warehouse and is currently reviewing development plans for affordable for-sale housing. ULC will retain ownership of the land in a 99-year ground lease, selling the development rights to a partner for the construction of 58 condos and 20,000 square feet of community-serving commercial space. Palisade Partners, the developer, is in the final phase of the City of Denver approvals.

Beloved Community Tiny Home Village

Denver

Cole/Five Points/RiNo Neighborhoods

Opened in July 2017, Beloved Community Tiny Home Village was created as an innovative approach to house those experiencing homelessness. The village originally consisted of 11 sleeping units, a shared bathing facility and a community gathering space and was housed on ULC’s land at Blake TOD. Beloved Community leased the land for $1 per month until the village moved to their new location in Globeville in 2019. The tiny home village is the first of its kind in Colorado, and has been an extremely successful transitional housing model.

Chestnut Lofts

Denver

Cole/Five Points/RiNo Neighborhoods

The site is approximately 6,800 s.f. located on the edge of the South Platte River. Jeff Shanahan of Shanahan Development LLC has proposed 49 permanently affordable residential condominium for-sale units with 3,800 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. Chestnut Lofts will allow families earning between 63%-80% AMI an opportunity for homeownership in the rising Denver housing market. ULC will hold ownership of the land in a 99-year ground lease. Shanahan is working with Studio Completiva on the schematic design work of the development and has started construction.

Blake TOD/ Walnut Street Lofts

Denver

Cole/Five Points/RiNo Neighborhoods

Blake TOD is a 1.4-acre property at 38th Street and Walnut Street. This property is located on the first stop on RTD’s A-Line Commuter Rail connecting Downtown Union Station to Denver International Airport. It was financed through the Calvert Facility Fund as part of the Ours to Own Initiative. ULC paid off the Calvert Fund in March of 2021.

Walnut Street Lofts was originally a part of ULC’s Blake TOD property, which ULC acquired in November 2011 through Denver’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Fund. In 2017, ULC announced our partnership with Medici Consulting Group (MCG) after they were awarded low-income housing tax credits. In March 2019, MCG broke ground on 66 units of permanently affordable housing on the corner of 38th and Walnut on the southeast side of the property. Walnut Street Lofts was completed in 2020 and fully leased as of fall 2020. It joined ULC’s growing community land trust (CLT) to ensure permanent affordability and long-term community impact.

Tramway Nonprofit Center

Denver

Cole Neighborhood

ULC redeveloped this 115 year old, former Denver Tramway Company transportation and maintenance facility in 20017. Located in northeast Denver at 35th Ave & Franklin St, the 65,000 sf Tramway occupies a full city block and houses over 15 nonprofits. Tramway Nonprofit Center provides over 120 jobs and serves roughly 8,000 people annually. In 2017, ULC demolished Tramway’s vacant warehouse. The land, now known as Cole Train, is slated for the future development of affordable housing.

Curtis Park Nonprofit Center/ Curtis Park Community Center

Denver

Curtis Park Neighborhood

ULC acquired the Curtis Park Community Center and Curtis Park Nonprofit Center in January 2012 with support from Denver’s OED. The properties were owned for 70 years by American Baptist Church of the Rocky Mountain Region, who sold it to ULC to ensure the centers would remain a long-term asset to the community. The two buildings include: a 13,000 sf community center and a smaller 5,700 sf office building. ULC renovated the community center to become a campus for Family Star Montessori Program, who purchased the building from ULC in 2017 in a 99 year ground lease. Multiple nonprofits work in the adjacent Curtis Park Nonprofit Center. These building support approximately 50 jobs.

25th & Stout

Denver

Curtis Park Neighborhood

ULC acquired this site with a focus on affordable town home construction. Due to prohibitive zoning, the development was unable to move forward and ULC sold the land in 2015.

Viña Apartments at 48th and Race

Denver

Elyria-Swansea Neighborhood

Urban Land Conservancy purchased Race TOD in April of 2015 using the Calvert Facility Fund with additional loan support from the City and County of Denver. The transit oriented development (TOD) is located two blocks from RTD’s 48th & Brighton commuter rail station on the North Line which opens in September. It will provide both permanently affordable and market rate housing options, as well as over 45,000 square feet of community serving commercial space in the Elyria- Swansea neighborhood. It will be the new home of Tepeyac Community Health, a 25 year old nonprofit health clinic providing culturally competent care and preventative health services to the medically underserved. 150 apartments at Viña Apartments opened in 2022 and have more than quadrupled the supply of permanently affordable housing in the area.

ColfaxLab

Denver

East Colfax Neighborhood

ULC purchased the former Citywide Banks Building in late 2021. The three-story office building sits on 1.77 acres of developed land and improvements, including a 24,228 sf office/retail building, 120 surface parking spaces, and a 1,456 sf building that includes an eight-lane bank drive-thru. In collaboration with the Fax Partnership, ULC has helped create a community-driven steering committee to guide the redevelopment process. The large building is serving as community-serving space for nonprofits. The parking area will be redeveloped into permanent affordable housing.

Mountain View Nonprofit Tower

Denver

North Capitol Hill Neighborhood

ULC acquired the 35,000 sf building in August 2014 as a multi-tenant nonprofit center preservation. The seven story property houses 18 nonprofits and is located in central Denver 1 block off of Colfax Avenue. In 2016, ULC completed over $1.2 million in renovations, which includes a new elevator and restroom ADA compliant upgrades. Mountain View Nonprofit Tower serves as a community hub for nonprofit and mission based organizations dedicated to working in the Denver community. This property was originally acquired with the Calvert Facility Fund and has since been refinanced for a long-term hold.

2000 Block of Glenarm

Denver

North Capitol Hill Neighborhood

ULC in partnership with St. Andrew’s Church, land banked two parking lots surrounding the church. In 2017 ULC sold ownership of these lots to St. Andrew’s Church to support their vision of an affordable housing development in downtown Denver.

303 ArtWay

Denver

Northeast Park Hill Neighborhood

303 ArtWay is a future 4 mile pedestrian and bike loop connecting the 40th and Colorado Station to Holly Square. In an effort to increase connectivity and mobility throughout the community, the trail will also highlight the visionaries, artists, leaders and community activists who have brought so much life to this unique and diverse neighborhood. In 2018, 303 ArtWay created a goal action plan to guide the future development, and is currently in the process of scheduling pop-up events, design workshops and community walks to determine future art installations, wayfinding signage and pedestrian infrastructure.

ArtWay North

Denver

Northeast Park Hill Neighborhood

ULC purchased the 9.4-acre Park Hill Village West (PHVW) site in 2013 using the Denver TOD Fund. This was ULC’s largest acquisition using Denver’s TOD Fund. Located at the 40^th & Colorado station along RTD’s A-Line commuter rail, this is an area of northeast Denver where many families lack access to affordable housing, high-performing schools, and quality healthcare.  This investment opportunity created a new partnership between ULC, Piton, and Gary Community Investments to support ULC’s development plans to create community benefits.

Park Hill Station apartments opened in 2016. These 156 permanently affordable homes are phase one of this master site development, with future phases of construction to be planned upon community outreach and engagement and could include up to 300,000 sf of community and commercial space as well as additional housing. ArtWay North is a destination along the future 303 ArtWay.

Holly Square

Denver

Northeast Park Hill Neighborhood

The destruction of the Holly Square Shopping Center in May 2008 as a result of gang arson left a major void in the heart of this proud community. Together with support from the City of Denver, ULC acquired the 2.6 acre site in 2009. ULC immediately commenced an extensive community engagement process to determine future redevelopment plans. Today Holly Square is a vibrant community hub, catering primarily to children. The site is home to the Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club, a 25,000 community serving building and an outdoor gathering space. It is also home to the Center for African American Health. CAAH purchased the building from ULC in 2021 and has a ground lease for 99 years to ensure permanent affordability.

Dahlia Apartments

Denver

Northeast Park Hill

ULC acquired the Dahlia Apartments in 2009, the first acquisition made with the Denver TOD Fund. The property consists of six buildings with a total of 36, two bedroom affordable apartments.

Park Hill Campus 

Denver

South Park Hill

On June 8, 2021, Urban Land Conservancy (ULC), Denver Public Schools (DPS), and Denver Housing Authority (DHA) finalized the purchase of the former Johnson & Wales University Denver campus in Denver’s Park Hill Neighborhood. Through the partnership of our three organizations, as well as additional partners St. Elizabeth’s School, Kitchen Network, Work Options, and Archway Housing, we expand our collective impact to create a public space that will promote health, economic security, community spaces, quality education, affordable housing, culinary arts training, and more.

The campus will eventually be home to Denver School of the Arts. Archway Communities will redevelop the existing dorms into affordable housing for families.

Evans Station Lofts

Denver

Overland Neighborhood

This site is the 4th property ULC acquired using Denver’s TOD Fund. This 1-acre site located directly across the street from the Evans Light Rail Station was purchased in June of 2011 for $1.2M. ULC partnered with Medici Communities LLC in the development of 50 affordable units and 7,500 sf of commercial space. This 5 story development is the first family low income housing tax credit project at an existing light rail station along RTD’s FasTracks, and serves households with incomes ranging from 30% to 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).  Approximately 60 temporary jobs were created during the construction of this project, and 6-8 permanent jobs were created upon project completion.

NEWSED Multi-Tenant Non-Profit Center

Denver

Santa Fe Arts District

In 2009, ULC provided a Program Related Investment to NEWSED to purchase a building in the Santa Fe Arts District. NEWSED sold the building and repaid their loan in 2016.

Santa Fe Ten

Denver

Santa Fe Arts District

In 2011, ULC acquired Santa Fe Ten for $1.35 million using Denver’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Fund. ULC purchased this property as an affordable housing preservation in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The site includes 16 units of affordable apartments, over 7,400 square feet of retail space and a newly renovated warehouse to provide affordable rental property for mission minded organizations.

Social Enterprise Foundry

Denver

Sun Valley Neighborhood

Acquired in the summer of 2014, the Foundry is a 45,000 sf warehouse newly created shared space in Denver’s Sun Valley neighborhood. Three nonprofits, including Blue Star Recyclers, Energy Resource Center and Mile High Youth Corps, work out of the Foundry and all focus on sustainable and environmental services supporting the Denver metro area. The Foundry brings approximately 100 new jobs to the Sun Valley neighborhood, which is planned for redevelopment through a new City plan and Denver Housing Authority master housing redevelopment. This property was financed through the Calvert Facility Fund as part of the Ours to Own Initiative where community members can invest as little as $20 to invest in their own neighborhoods through small business creation and real estate preservation and development.

Garden Court at Yale Station

Denver

University Hills Neighborhood

In 2010, ULC acquired a 1.5 acre site for $1.3 million, using Denver’s TOD Fund. In 2016, ULC’s development partners completed construction of the Garden Court Apartments which include 66 units of affordable housing. The apartments are located at the Yale Light Rail Station along RTD’s E and F lines. To support true affordability along a major transit corridor, each apartment received an RTD EcoPass.

Vassar

Denver

University Hills

ULC acquired this property in 2014 at the Yale Light Rail Station to support additional development within the station area.

Jody Apartments

Denver

Villa Park Neighborhood

ULC acquired the Jody Apartments in 2007 as affordable housing preservation in partnership with NEWSED. The 62 permanently affordable apartments sit adjacent to the Sheridan Light Rail Station on RTD’s W Line. NEWSED owns and operates the apartments, while ULC owns the land through a 99-year land lease. This guarantees long-term affordability for future generations.  3 jobs were created for property management and 10 temporary jobs were created for rehab work on the buildings. Sheridan Station also sits next door. Potential for 50 permanent jobs will be created upon redevelopment of this site which will include up to 200 new apartments and 25,000 sf of commercial space.

La Tela

Denver

Villa Park Neighborhood

ULC purchased this land using the Metro Denver Impact Facility (MDIF) and held the land until Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) was able to secure financing to develop 92 permanently affordable for-sale condos. Located along a high-frequency bus route, this land is a unique opportunity to create affordable homeownership opportunities in Denver. ECLT purchased the land from ULC in 2020 and has begun construction on the condos in partnership with Shanahan Development, which should be complete in mid-2021. This was the first MDIF loan that was fully repaid.

Sheridan Station Apartments

Denver

Villa Park

The land at Sheridan Station was acquired by ULC in 2014. ULC partnered with Brinshore and Mile High Development for the development of 133 units of affordable housing that broke ground in 2019. The site also includes additional land for future development

Sheridan East

Denver

Villa Park Neighborhood

Sheridan East consists of two properties acquired by ULC in 2012 and 2015, both through the TOD Fund. This future master site development will include affordable housing plus community serving/commercial space. The site is located adjacent to the Sheridan Light Rail Station on RTD’s W Line.

Mile High Vista

Denver

West Colfax Neighborhood

ULC purchased this 2+ acre parcel of land along west Denver’s FasTracks light rail corridor and is the master developer of the site that includes the new 28,000 sf Corky Gonzalez Denver Library, a mixed-use development including 80 affordable apartments and 10,000 sf of commercial space by Del Norte Neighborhood Development Corp, and land for future development. This was ULC’s first Master Site Development.

This 2.1 acre acquisition, using the TOD Fund, created a catalytic transit oriented community on West Colfax and the Knox and Decatur light rail stations. Del Norte purchased 0.8 acres of the site for the Avondale Apartments and the City and County of Denver purchased 0.8 acres of the site for the library. ULC completed infrastructure work on the site in 2012, and due to the extensive remediation requirements, made a $500,000 permanent investment into the library. 125 temporary jobs and 65 permanent jobs were created from this development. The final phase of development will include future permanently affordable housing.

Tennyson Center for Children

Denver

West Highland

Tennyson Center for Children (TCC) was ULC’s first real estate investment, a critical preservation of a school campus serving abused and neglected children for over 100 years. ULC sold the Center back to TCC in 2011 furthering ULC’s mission to preserve community assets in perpetuity.

Thriftway

Denver

Westwood Neighborhood

Located on Morrison Road in southwest Denver, this property holds great significance for the Westwood neighborhood. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) was critical to this purchase. Thriftway building served many purposes since its construction in the 1950s, but for 15 years was abandoned which led to a building reputation for crime. ULC demolished the building in summer 2014, and with it, the negative sentiments that controlled the site. Westwood Unidos, a resident-led neighborhood collaborative, led a community visioning process with ULC to determine an interim use for the site. In June 2017 ULC celebrated the opening of the Thriftway Pocket Park. Long term plans for the site are to create a beneficial development that directly addresses community needs.

ReVision

Denver

Westwood Neighborhood

ReVision is a Westwood neighborhood-focused nonprofit that works with community residents to create, sustainable urban gardens at their homes, to grow/produce for their consumption, as well as for sale to vendors. ReVision has two buildings located on a 1.7-acre site. In April of 2022, ULC and ReVision entered into a partnership. ULC has a 99-year land lease while ReVision maintains ownership of the improvements, in addition to leasing 10,000 sf for their continued gardening operations. Both organizations view one acre of undeveloped land on the site as a mixed-use redevelopment opportunity to include affordable housing.

Harlan Nonprofit Center East

Lakewood

Martindale Neighborhood

Harlan Nonprofit Center East is Urban Land Conservancy’s second acquisition in Lakewood. The 29,000 square foot nonprofit building is home to the Lutheran Family Services headquarters, serving 30,000 individuals annually. ULC purchased the building for $3.7 million in November 2018. Harlan was also ULC’s first acquisition using the Metro Denver Impact Facility (MDIF).

Harlan Nonprofit Center West

Lakewood

Martindale Neighborhood

Harlan Nonprofit Center West is Urban Land Conservancy’s third acquisition in Lakewood. The 26,000 square foot nonprofit building is home to Easterseals Colorado, a longstanding charitable organization founded in 1926. Harlan West is located adjacent to Harlan Nonprofit Center East, which ULC acquired in November 2018. The office building is less than one-half mile from two high-frequency bus routes and one mile from the Belmar Shopping District. Harlan West was ULC’s fifth property acquisition using the Metro Denver Impact Facility (MDIF). MDIF supports ULC’s real estate acquisitions to create and preserve the affordability of housing, nonprofit facilities, schools and community serving space across Metro Denver.

Villas at Wadsworth Station

Lakewood

Morse Park/Rural Acres Neighborhoods

In 2012, ULC made our first acquisition in Lakewood with the purchase of the Villas at Wadsworth Station and in 2018 completed over $2.3 million in building improvements. With support from the Colorado Division of Housing, this acquisition successfully preserved 100 units of permanently affordable housing along transit. The villas are located at the Wadsworth Light Rail Station on RTD’s W line.

In late 2017 ULC closed on a 4% tax credit refinance of the property and in 2018 completed $2.3M in renovations, without increasing rent for tenants. The property is comprised of one and two-bedroom apartments, supporting residents earning between 30%-80% of AMI. ULC owns the buildings and the land to ensure permanent affordability.

Holly Park

Westminster

Federal Heights

In December 2018, ULC acquired this six-acre site in Westminster for the future development of affordable for-sale townhouses. Westminster Economic Development Authority, the prior owner, chose to partner with ULC to navigate the complex history of this property and ultimately bring permanently affordable homeownership opportunities to complete this community.

Westminster TOD I

Westminster

Urban Land Conservancy acquired Westminster TOD I, also known as the Brown Construction Building, in July 2019 with the Metro Denver Impact Facility (MDIF). The single story office building is centrally located in the City of Westminster’s planned redevelopment area, and less than two blocks from the Westminster Commuter Rail Station. This was ULC’s second property acquisition in Westminster as we continue to expand throughout the Greater Denver region.

Westminster TOD II

Westminster

Urban Land Conservancy acquired Westminster TOD II, also known as the Westminster Triangle, in September 2019 using the Metro Denver Impact Facility (MDIF). The 4.5 vacant parcel is centrally located in the City of Westminster’s planned redevelopment area, and two blocks from the Westminster Commuter Rail Station. This was ULC’s third property acquisition in Westminster as we continue to expand throughout the Greater Denver region.