April Partner Spotlight:  Holly Area Redevelopment Project (HARP)

The Urban Land Conservancy celebrates the achievements of partnerships that create opportunities to create and preserve real estate to benefits communities.  ULC’s Monthly Partner Spotlight is awarded to partners who recognize and demonstrate the value of collaboration, furthering ULC’s mission and improving lives of Denver area residents through community assets.

Congratulations to our April Partner Spotlight of the Month:   Holly Area Redevelopment Project

Since 2009, when ULC acquired the former Holly Shopping Center in northeast Park Hill, it was critical that we planned for redevelopment through a community lens.  With the help of The Denver Foundation’s Strengthening Neighborhoods Program and the City of Denver, a community visioning process was launched in partnership with ULC:  The Holly Area Redevelopment Project, now known as HARP.

Aaron Miripol, ULC President/CEO explains, “ULC recognized prior to our closing on the Holly that the future redevelopment success of the site would require the engagement of local residents and stakeholders. HARP’s role has been essential to the positive redevelopment taking place at the Holly and is an amazing partner in creating a vision in 2009 and bringing about a fantastic reality for 2014….Thank You HARP!”

HARP is a unique collaborative partnership that  has provided an authentic “community voice” in the redevelopment of the 2.6 acre Holly Square property and the creation of a Vision Plan for the surrounding 6 block area. Through the efforts of HARP partners, nearly $7M has been invested at the Holly since 2009, providing critical local services for at-risk youth, temporary and permanent local jobs and economic development opportunities in this underserved Denver neighborhood. HARP includes the following members who work tirelessly on behalf of the neighborhood:

Northeast Park Hill Residents & Stakeholders including: Northeast Park Hill Coalition, Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center, Hope Center and the Pauline Robinson Library.

City & County of Denver Office of Economic Development – investing over $300,000 to date, supported the acquisition of the site, as well as continuing support of the Holly redevelopment effort which includes capital improvements and active participation in the planning efforts.

The Denver Foundation Strengthening Neighborhoods Program –facilitating a two year community engagement process including hundreds of local residents and stakeholders, which directly resulted in a community supported Vision Plan for physical redevelopment and a set of “Good Neighbor Principles.”  These guiding Principles define the values that future development partners must embrace at Holly Square.

Hope Center – a local neighborhood institution, providing over 50 years of ongoing educational services for youth and adults with developmental disabilities.

Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver – selected as the first development partner at Holly Square. The Boys & Girls Club secured a $5M gift from the local Anschutz Foundation, signed a long term 99 year land lease with ULC and built the new Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club at Holly Square, which opened in 2013.

Impact Empowerment Group – provides youth recreation activities at the Holly Peace Courts, located on a portion of the 2.6 acre Holly Square site targeted for future redevelopment. Impact Empowerment Group is currently housed in the Vickers Boys & Girls Club and working with other neighborhood partners to create a collaborative anti-gang youth program strategy.

The Piton Foundation – investing in capital improvements to the site that engage the neighborhood’s youth and families to have a gathering place for community.  Piton’s mission is to provide opportunities for children and their families to move from poverty and dependence to self-reliance.

Community by Design – Community based planning consultant group who worked with HARP to create the “Good Neighbor Principles” and site design concepts that reflect the vision of HARP.

Mi Casa Resource Center – working to advance the economic success of working families by expanding opportunities for educational, professional and entrepreneurial advancement.

Northeast Denver Housing Center – serving the Denver community for the past 30 years, produces affordable home-ownership and rental housing.  In addition, NDHC provides housing counseling, case management and home rehabilitation services.

“HARP is not only about the local residents and community stakeholders, it is also about involving the larger community including foundations and the City of Denver in the revitalization of Holly Square,” says Tony Pickett, VP of Master Site Development at ULC and HARP Board member.  “This broad spectrum of partners is what makes HARP unique in the world of real estate.”

HARP is an innovation model and “best practice” in the effective incorporation of resident/stakeholder values and goals in community redevelopment. The challenges of Northeast Park Hill require deliberate engagement of local residents to reinforce a sense of pride and passion in the neighborhood’s positive culture stemming from its history of diversity and inclusion. The long term commitment and trust of HARP participants was built with an intentional process, which has been well documented and is now being recognized nationally and replicated in other Denver neighborhoods.

“I have worked in this area for over 32 years, and I am so impressed to see so much progress and growth take place driven by the community’s vision,” states Hope Center President/CEO and HARP Board Chair Gerie Grimes. “Northeast Park Hill is fortunate to have a voice through HARP where our visions can come to life through the collaboration of dedicated partners working with us side by side to create something special in the heart of this neighborhood.”

HARP has completed five phases of redevelopment activity according to its Vision Plan and Good Neighbor Principles, resulting in $7M of new investments and benefiting nearly 850 local residents and approximately 250 youth per day.

Thank you to all HARP members and the northeast Park Hill community for being so committed and dedicated to the redevelopment of Holly Square, and for creating a model which ULC strives to adhere to for all community real estate investments.