AN ADVISORY SERVICES PANEL REPORT E-470 Corridor …uli.org/wp-content/uploads/ULI-Documents/Commerce-City-CO-v6.pdf · uses for the E-470 corridor. Specifically, the panel focused

A N A D V I S O R Y S E R V I C E S P A N E L R E P O R T

E-470 CorridorCommerce City, Colorado

Urban LandInstitute$

E-470 CorridorCommerce City, ColoradoStrategies for Growth on the Northern Range

October 1–6, 2006An Advisory Services Panel Report

ULI–the Urban Land Institute1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.Suite 500 WestWashington, D.C. 20007-5201

An Advisory Services Panel Report2

The mission of the Urban Land Institute is toprovide leadership in the responsible use ofland and in creating and sustaining thrivingcommunities worldwide. ULI is committed to:

• Bringing together leaders from across the fieldsof real estate and land use policy to exchangebest practices and serve community needs;

• Fostering collaboration within and beyondULI’s membership through mentoring, dia-logue, and problem solving;

• Exploring issues of urbanization, conservation,regeneration, land use, capital formation, andsustainable development;

• Advancing land use policies and design prac-tices that respect the uniqueness of both builtand natural environments;

• Sharing knowledge through education, appliedresearch, publishing, and electronic media; and

• Sustaining a diverse global network of localpractice and advisory efforts that address cur-rent and future challenges.

Established in 1936, the Institute today has morethan 35,000 members from 90 countries, represent-ing the entire spectrum of the land use and devel-opment disciplines. Professionals representedinclude developers, builders, property owners, in-vestors, architects, public officials, planners, realestate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers,financiers, academics, students, and librarians.ULI relies heavily on the experience of its mem-bers. It is through member involvement and infor-mation resources that ULI has been able to setstandards of excellence in development practice.The Institute has long been recognized as one ofthe world’s most respected and widely quotedsources of objective information on urban plan-ning, growth, and development.

About ULI–the Urban Land Institute

©2007 by ULI–the Urban Land Institute1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 500 WestWashington, D.C. 20007-5201

All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or anypart of the contents without written permission of the copy-right holder is prohibited.

Cover photo by Jason Scully.

Commerce City, Colorado, October 1–6, 2006 3

The goal of ULI’s Advisory Services Programis to bring the finest expertise in the realestate field to bear on complex land use plan-ning and development projects, programs,

and policies. Since 1947, this program has assem-bled well over 400 ULI-member teams to helpsponsors find creative, practical solutions forissues such as downtown redevelopment, landmanagement strategies, evaluation of develop-ment potential, growth management, communityrevitalization, brownfields redevelopment, mili-tary base reuse, provision of low-cost and afford-able housing, and asset management strategies,among other matters. A wide variety of public,private, and nonprofit organizations have con-tracted for ULI’s Advisory Services.

Each panel team is composed of highly qualifiedprofessionals who volunteer their time to ULI.They are chosen for their knowledge of the paneltopic and screened to ensure their objectivity.ULI’s interdisciplinary panel teams provide aholistic look at development problems. A re-spected ULI member who has previous panelexperience chairs each panel.

The agenda for a five-day panel assignment is in-tensive. It includes an in-depth briefing day com-posed of a tour of the site and meetings with spon-sor representatives; a day of hour-long interviewsof typically 50 to 75 key community representa-tives; and two days of formulating recommenda-tions. Many long nights of discussion precede thepanel’s conclusions. On the final day on site, thepanel makes an oral presentation of its findingsand conclusions to the sponsor. A written report isprepared and published.

Because the sponsoring entities are responsiblefor significant preparation before the panel’s visit,including sending extensive briefing materials toeach member and arranging for the panel to meetwith key local community members and stake-holders in the project under consideration, partici-

pants in ULI’s five-day panel assignments areable to make accurate assessments of a sponsor’sissues and to provide recommendations in a com-pressed amount of time.

A major strength of the program is ULI’s uniqueability to draw on the knowledge and expertise ofits members, including land developers and own-ers, public officials, academicians, representativesof financial institutions, and others. In fulfillmentof the mission of the Urban Land Institute, thisAdvisory Services panel report is intended toprovide objective advice that will promote the re-sponsible use of land to enhance the environment.

ULI Program StaffWilliam P. KistlerExecutive Vice President, Exchange Group

Rachelle L. LevittExecutive Vice President, Information Group

Thomas W. EitlerDirector, Advisory Services

Nicholas GabelSenior Associate, Advisory Services

Carmen McCormickPanel Coordinator, Advisory Services

Romana KernsAdministrative Assistant

Nancy H. StewartDirector, Book Program

Laura Glassman, Publications Professionals LLCManuscript Editor

Betsy Van BuskirkArt Director

Martha LoomisDesktop Publishing Specialist/Graphics

Kim RuschGraphics

Craig ChapmanDirector, Publishing Operations

About ULI Advisory Services


On behalf of the Urban Land Institute, thepanel extends its thanks to the citizens ofCommerce City for allowing it the opportu-nity to help shape the city’s future. The

panel was made welcome by the entire communityand enjoyed its stay immensely. In particular, thepanel wishes to thank the members of the Com-merce City government, including Mayor SeanFord and Mayor Pro Tem René Bullock, and citycouncil members Reba Drotar, Scott Jacquith,Tony Johnson, Orval Lewis, Paul Natale, TracySnyder, and Kathy Teter.

The assistance of the city manager’s office was es-sential to the successful completion of this project,and the panel extends its deepest gratitude toGregg Clements, interim city manager, and hisstaff, especially Pat Green, chief of staff, andLeigh Ann Noell, executive administrator in thecity manager’s office. The panel also thanks DarenSterling, city engineer, and Tom Acre, regional

projects manager. In addition, this panel wouldnot have been possible without the efforts of theplanning department, especially Chris Cramer,planning manager, and Steve Timms, city planner.

A well-prepared briefing book is essential for anexcellent panel experience. Terri Brown, the coor-dinator for community planning and developmentservices, and her staff, Lysa Gallegos and Angel-ica Chavarria, put together a high-quality bookthat was a rich resource for the panelists.

Finally, the panel acknowledges the more than 40individuals who participated in conversations withpanel members. As community leaders represent-ing a wide range of perspectives on how the re-gion should develop, their input was essential informulating the panel’s recommendations.

Acknowledgments


ULI Panel and Project Staff 6

Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment 7

The Context: A New Paradigm 13

Market Analysis 15

Planning and Design 21

Development Strategies and Implementation 26

Conclusion 32

About the Panel 33

Contents


Panel ChairRay BrownArchitect/DesignerSelf Tucker Architecture, Inc.Memphis, Tennessee

Panel MembersThomas CurleyGroup Vice PresidentThe HOK Planning GroupNew York, New York

Peter FrenchDirector of OperationsPlum Creek DevelopmentAustin, Texas

Con HoweDirectorULI Center for the WestLos Angeles, California

William C. LawrencePresidentCityscope, Inc.Jamestown, Rhode Island

ULI Project DirectorsNicholas GabelSenior Associate, Advisory Services

Jason ScullySenior Associate and Editor, Development Case Studies

ULI On-Site CoordinatorCarmen McCormickPanel Coordinator, Advisory Services

ULI Panel and Project Staff


Afast-growing suburb located about sevenmiles northeast of Denver, Colorado, Com-merce City finds itself at a crossroads(both physical and metaphorical). When it

first incorporated in 1952, Commerce City becamethe natural choice for locating farm implement andtrucking firms, oil refineries, steel supply compa-nies, grain elevators, and mills because of its prox-imity to the former Stapleton Airport, three rail-roads, and many highways.

Commerce City’s refineries and industrial uses,while providing a strong and stable economicbase, set the tone for how the city was defined byresidents of the larger Denver metropolitan area.Since the 1990s, the city has worked to createan image that moves past industry and empha-sizes the municipality’s quality of life and sense of community.

Today, the city is experiencing an amazing levelof growth and change. It has grown from beingalmost solely a center for agribusiness and heavyindustry and is becoming a balanced community of homes for all incomes and ages, sophisticatedsports venues, and new parks at a scale previouslyunknown in Commerce City. As the city grows,tough decisions need to be made about how newdevelopment occurs and what form it should take.Fortunately, the city has many assets that make itwell poised to seize its destiny.

One of the city’s greatest assets is the Rocky Moun-tain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. When thewildlife refuge opens, it will become an invaluablerecreation area and teaching tool for understand-ing and enjoying the wildlife and natural condi-tions of the High Plains.

Commerce City’s proximity to Denver Interna-tional Airport (DIA) potentially provides superblong-term prospects for continued growth andeconomic development that can, in part, serve theneeds of the passengers who travel to and through

Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment

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DIA. A proposed expansion of the airport will in-crease the demand for developable land nearby inthe area.

Furthermore, Commerce City’s leaders will needto remember that their marketplace for develop-ment is not just the Denver region but ratherworldwide. ULI has documented how communi-ties located near other major world-class airports(such as Dulles International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport) have experi-enced a substantial increase in the growth of landuses such as meeting and conference centers, ho-tels, offices, and entertainment. The city can takeadvantage of the opportunities DIA presents byaggressively recruiting such compatible world-market users and offering appropriate incentivesfor them to choose to locate in Commerce City.

The connection to the entire northern area of theDenver metropolitan region represented by E-470and the regional arterial roadways—Tower Road,East 120th Avenue, East 104th Avenue, and East96th Avenue—provides ready access from commu-nities throughout the area to the existing and po-tential national and regional destinations that canbe offered in Commerce City. Therefore, one ofthe city’s greatest resources for the future is thelarge parcels of undeveloped land in the E-470

corridor. That so much of this land is already as-sembled into massive tracts under single owner-ship offers an unprecedented ability to manageand guide growth in ways most beneficial to theentire Commerce City community.

The Study AreaThe panel was called in to determine the best landuses for the E-470 corridor. Specifically, the panelfocused on the area bounded by the Rocky Moun-tain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and TowerRoad on the west, 120th Avenue to the north, theDenver County line on the south, and DIA to theeast. That area comprises approximately 10.5square miles, or 6,720 acres of land. Of that total,approximately 3,300 acres are annexed into Com-merce City, with the remainder lying within unin-corporated Adams County. The study area is inthe portion of Commerce City called the NorthernRange (originally referred to as the New Lands inthe 1993 New Lands Comprehensive Plan for thearea). The Northern Range refers to the areanortheast of the core city of Commerce City. It isalso to the north and the east of the Rocky Moun-tain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.

The land in the study area is largely undeveloped,consisting mostly of historic farmland prairie. Sig-nificant on-site features include two floodplains—Second Creek and Third Creek—located in gentlearroyo depressions that carry stormwater north-westerly toward the Platte River Basin. Thesewatershed features are the backbone of the Com-merce City Parks and Open Space Plan and are tobe retained as natural features in the townscapeof the Northern Range area of Commerce City. Asthe city develops, they are to be improved withwalkways and trails—linking the Rocky MountainArsenal National Wildlife Refuge with Barr Lakejust north of the study area. These localized sys-tems, in turn, are to be linked with the regionwide50-mile trail system encompassing the PlatteRiver and leading into downtown Denver. In addi-tion, the site has a shallow valley between E-470and DIA. Low-rise development in this valley willlikely not be completely visible from the westernportions of the Northern Range. This natural de-pression combined with the adjacent land usesalso creates a sound buffer for the site.

Located at the nexus oftwo railroad lines, the for-mer Stapleton Airport,and many highways,Commerce City was ableto position itself as a cen-ter of industry for theDenver area in the 1950s.

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Bisecting the study area from north to south,E-470 is a new toll expressway that when com-plete will encircle the Denver area. Within thestudy area, E-470 has three four-way interchangesat 120th, 104th, and 96th avenues. The express-way connects Interstate 70 with Interstate 25 andwill serve as a critical regional transportation link-age as the northeastern quadrant of the Denverregion expands.

The road network in this part of Commerce Citygenerally adheres to the one-mile section grid ofDenver. Not all portions of the study area haveroad improvements in place, however, and in no

areas are the arterial systems yet constructed tothe standards that will be required to serve thenew development ultimately expected here. Inaddition, a vital link to the regional network ismissing. Tower Road is a critical north-southarterial, and some day it must be connected toPeña Boulevard if the regional network is to func-tion effectively.

Regional east-west traffic is constrained in thevicinity between East 120th Avenue and thesouthern project boundary by DIA and the wild-life refuge. North-south traffic is similarly con-strained to the Tower Road corridor between

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and therefore prevent future development thatcould take advantage of the site’s proximity to theairport and to the growing needs of this section ofthe Denver metropolitan area.

In this rapidly growing metropolitan area, thestudy area presents many distinctive developmentopportunities. The panel’s assignment, set forthby the city, was to define the most beneficial typesof development and land uses, to determine an ap-propriate balance and mix of uses, and to identifyspecific and practical development strategies forthe corridor.

Findings and RecommendationsThe panel proposes that Commerce City embracea “new paradigm” for defining and thinking aboutits future in a 21st-century global economy. Theworld is shrinking as communications technologies

Aurora and Brighton at the southerly portion ofthe study area and E-470. These constraints callfor a careful assessment of development capacityand call for the ultimate provision of transit in theentire northern section of Commerce City.

The Panel’s AssignmentThe panel convened at the invitation of CommerceCity to evaluate development opportunities withinthe E-470 corridor as a supplement to the NewLands Plan created by the city. Under the NewLands Plan, much of the study area was designatedfor mixed-use development and was intended tobring balance to a city experiencing explosive, butalmost exclusively residential, growth. Within thisland use designation, however, much room for in-terpretation exists. Furthermore, the high levelsof demand for housing have threatened to over-whelm any of the other potential uses for the land

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Left: When completed,the E-470 toll express-way, currently a majortransportation spinethrough the study area,will serve as a beltwaysystem encircling theDenver metropolitan area.Below: The panelists tourthe study area.

allow people from around the globe to share ideasand work products. To be successful in the 21stcentury, cities must take advantage of the oppor-tunities created by changes in the global economy.

The panel proposes challenging and visionaryideas for land uses and developments that suggestways in which Commerce City can position itselfto take advantage of its cultural, historical, andnatural context and of its current growth trend—to reinvent itself as well as to distinguish itself asthe most forward-thinking, growth-oriented, andprogressive community in the Denver region.

The panel offers support for these ideas by sug-gesting that market forces now at work will, inthe long term, result in development opportunitiesthat may not be currently apparent but that, if fol-lowed, can result in Commerce City’s taking aleadership role in local growth and progress.

Finally, the panel offers suggestions for tools thecity can use to attract development consistentwith its new civic vision that will result in a mu-tual win for the community at large, as well as itslandowners and developers.

The panel commends Commerce City for initiatingsuch a valuable long-range planning process andstrongly supports the continued development ofthe Northern Range as supplemented and modi-fied by the recommendations suggested in this re-port. However, the hard work is just beginning forthe people of Commerce City.

Implementing the plan will require an attitude ofnimble flexibility, but without sacrificing the prin-ciples and policies that are proven to lead to themost successful outcomes. Although continuingthe practice of approving subdivisions instead ofrequiring conformance to proven principles andcivic goals is tempting, civic leaders must be wiseenough to resist the current enormous marketpressures to surrender long-term success forshort-term gains.

Civic leaders must be strong enough to consis-tently resist proposed developments that wouldnegatively affect achieving the civic vision. In-stead, the city must work closely with those devel-opers who are willing to buy into the civic visionby giving them a clear and certain process and byproviding appropriate incentives that encourage


projects consistent with the vision. Likewise, thecity must be prepared to assist other developersin modifying their plans so they result in projectsthat extend the civic vision. Providing some pref-erence to those developers who are willing to helpthe city achieve its overall civic vision and goals isnot inappropriate, provided that all such relation-ships are conducted openly, publicly, and honestly.

The panel recommends that the city’s leaders inboth the public and private sectors join in respon-sibility with each other to create working partner-ships with those private interests who understand

and support the civic vision. Achieving successwill require three qualities:

• The vision to see things that others miss;

• The leadership to convince others to join inachieving the vision;

• The will to maintain a consistent and steadycourse toward the vision despite pressures toabandon it for short-term gains.

Tensions between the“old city” and the “newcity” must be replaced by a new paradigm thatemphasizes the accom-modation of regionallyand nationally significantdevelopments.


Commerce City has a long history of re-gional significance to the Denver metropol-itan area. The history and the industrialbase on which the town is founded are at

once a point of pride for the core of the communityand a source of conflict. This fact creates a chal-lenging hurdle for Commerce City in its efforts torebrand itself as a life-cycle community where itsresidents can live, work, and play. As the citysearches for a way in which to balance its indus-trial past with its hopes for a suburban future, itneeds to understand the context in which thesechanges are taking place.

Before getting into the detailed presentations ofmarket, development strategies, urban design,and implementation, the panel suggests using theconcept of a “paradigm shift” to perceive the city.The existing paradigm of Commerce City pits the“old city” against the “new city.” The city is eithera “sink” for industrial development and undesir-able uses in the larger metropolitan area or it is afast-growing community of new suburban single-family homes.

Ironically, the uses closely identified with the “oldcity”—the two major oil refineries, the extensiveindustrial and distribution facilities that serve thewhole region, the waste transfer station, the re-gional landfill, and the old Rocky Mountain Arse-nal when it was used as a munitions factory and achemical manufacturing facility—are regionallysignificant and play a critical role in the overallDenver metropolitan area. Commerce City mustmove away from this old paradigm and toward anew vision of the city.

This new paradigm calls for the continuation ofthe municipality’s rich past as a place that accom-modates developments of regional and nationalsignificance. Such developments, the panel en-visions, are places that offer services that are crit-ically important to the functioning of the entireregion or that create a regional or national level

of attraction to them. If these new uses are des-tination attractions that draw in hundreds ofthousands of visitors each year, the city’s imagewill change for the better and will be more re-flective of the new uses rather than of the “oldcity” paradigm.

The panel has already identified two nationallysignificant developments in the area. The DenverInternational Airport, although not located inCommerce City, is already a major internationaldestination. Also, the Rocky Mountain ArsenalNational Wildlife Refuge promises to become anational ecotourism destination with many oppor-tunities for a wide range of outdoor activities,such as fishing and observing wildlife.

Another example consistent with the new para-digm is the 20,000-seat Kroenke Sports Stadiumunder construction for the Colorado Rapids soccerteam. When completed, the stadium will include24 soccer fields and will have the potential to hostother entertainment events.

Because major portions of the study area arebuffered from the potential for normal land useconflicts thanks to the large areas surrounding thesite—including the 27-square-mile wildlife refugeto the west, the 53-square-mile DIA to the east,the four-square-mile Barr Lake State Park and itsrelated conservation easements to the north, andthe one-square-mile Browning Ferris Industries,

The Context: A New Paradigm

Like the rest of the Den-ver area, Commerce City’seconomic past was closelytied to oil production. CO

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Inc., landfill to the south—the list of potentialdevelopment opportunities is quite long. Takingfull advantage of these buffers, future nationallyand regionally significant development projectscould include large employment generators, dif-ficult-to-site land uses, recreational destinationsthat capitalize on unique natural features, retailshopping destinations, and regional entertain-ment attractions.

While the range of potential developments is quiteextensive, one portion of the development areacalls for a very specific development pattern. Thebuffering produced by the existing large-scaleuses is particularly apparent in the “hourglass”shape of the study area at the southern end. Thesouthern area’s proximity to the entrance of DIAsuggests the potential for a somewhat differentset of users than the northeastern section of thestudy area. Development in this area should tar-

get business travelers and support the businessand logistics opportunities created by having alarge international airport for a neighbor.

The bottom line is that Commerce City has histor-ically provided and continues to provide key func-tions servicing the critical needs of the region, butit should also seek out and site nationally and re-gionally significant developments on a majority ofthe study area. These unique uses could be diffi-cult to site in other parts of the region, and theyshould be sited here only on the condition thateconomic benefits accrue to the city as a result.Bringing in these regionally and nationally signifi-cant developments can create opportunities tofund necessary infrastructure and to finance com-munity development and place-making projects inother parts of the city, especially its older sections.

The 27-square-mileRocky Mountain ArsenalNational Wildlife Refugeis at the western borderof the study area.


The main focus of the panel’s report is the con-cept of making Commerce City a regionallyand nationally significant community. Thecity’s history and image as an industrial cen-

ter should not be forgotten as the plans are laidfor the future. Changing the image of CommerceCity will be achieved by embracing the elementsthat have made and continue to make CommerceCity special. By creating a strong and identifiablesense of place, Commerce City can help overcomesome of the market factors that might otherwiselimit its potential in the short run.

The panel has examined market information at thefollowing market areas: the study area, the North-ern Range, the present downtown core of Com-merce City, and the northeast area in the DIAPartnership District. In particular, the DIA Part-nership study provides a metropolitan view withthe “capture” for the DIA northeast district thatis cited for this report.

Clearly, existing and proposed development proj-ects just outside the study area will compete withprojects located in the study area. How well proj-ects within the study area successfully competewith projects outside the study area—and Com-merce City’s borders—and capture their share ofprojected demand figures will depend on how welldevelopers and owners are able to respond tomarket forces.

Before getting into specific recommendations byland use type, the panel must state its belief thatthe United States and the entire world are at thebeginning of a new era in commerce. This changeis perhaps as profound as the introduction of theprinting press or the industrial revolution. Accord-ing to the recent book The World Is Flat by ThomasFriedman, starting about 2000, this change wascaused by the interaction of a number of historicfactors, including the following:

• The emergence of Internet and broadband tech-nologies;

• The introduction of billions of people in China,India, and the former Soviet Union to the globalmarketplace;

• Changes from vertical to horizontal integrationin business processes;

• Distinctions between routine functions (that canbe outsourced) and value-added functions (thatcannot be outsourced).

Given the conclusions drawn in The World Is Flatand the multitude of changes occurring in howcommerce is conducted around the world, cautionis necessary when applying local real estate ab-sorption numbers at the beginning of this neweconomic reality. The relatively low levels of ab-sorption in the Commerce City area may be al-tered because of new demands not currently antic-ipated. DIA makes the region particularly wellpositioned to benefit from the transformationsthat are creating a new global economy.

Residential DemandRegarding existing residential projects in theNorthern Range, 55 subdivisions are in variousstages of entitlement and construction. Active res-idential projects constitute about 7,800 acres, al-

Market Analysis

Since the 1990s, Com-merce City has sought to become a balancedresidential communityrather than one definedby its industrial uses.CO

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lowing for 36,000 dwelling units, or about 90,000residents at buildout. At 2,500 acres, includinga planned town center adjacent to E-470, thenew master-planned community of Reunion isthe largest planned-unit development (PUD) in the area.

In 2005, the Northern Range had a population ofabout 20,000, and it is expected to grow to about28,300 by 2010. This rate is about 900 dwellingunits a year. Furthermore, the DIA northeast dis-trict is projected to grow by about 4,000 dwellingunits per year over the next ten years, with a pro-jected per year average of 2,800 single-family de-tached units and 1,200 attached units.

Developers have been clamoring to submit andgain entitlements on large parcels with plans formany more units than predicted in the previousparagraph. Because of the weakness in demandfor other types of development, landowners aretrying to respond to perceived market opportuni-ties in residential development. In general, saleshave been declining over the last six months, tothe point where developers with approved platmaps for sale are finding no prospective buyers.At the rate of 1,500 units absorbed per year, thecity has already entitled ten years of absorption.

Although it is too early to tell, the possibility ex-ists that difficult times for home sales may arise inthe near future and that foreclosures on existinghomes will increase if house prices decline ab-solutely. In other words, the housing boom thathelped sparked the need for this panel appears tohave peaked in the short term. This trend doesnot remove the need for another vision for thestudy area, which is a component of a largermixed-use development.

Retail DemandIn general, the sequence related to the develop-ment of new communities places housing first, fol-lowed by retail services. Usually, shortly afterhousing construction, the residents move in andcreate a demand for neighborhood commercialservices, such as banks, fast-food restaurants,laundries/dry cleaners, and hardware stores. Thenthe specialty retail and restaurants move in. As anarea grows, large-store formats or big-box retail-ers show up; then finally regional destination re-tail, such as regional malls, outlets malls, and life-style centers, appear.

Some neighborhood commercial is just starting tocome to Reunion, around East 104th Avenue andTower Road. The developer has also announced

Just west of the studyarea sits the master-planned community ofReunion.


the siting of a Wal-Mart store on East 104th Av-enue adjacent to both E-470 and the proposedtown center site between East 104th and East112th avenues. Detailed plans for the town centerhave not been released.

Other developers have plans for other key inter-sections on the major arterials in the NorthernRange, eventually providing some choices in shop-ping not currently available. As a rule, nationalchains have relatively strict minimum thresholds,such as the number of “rooftops,” for approvingnew stores in burgeoning areas. The city shouldtalk with different national chains to determinethresholds to evaluate whether sufficient homesare approved and being built to meet residents’retail needs.

Overall in the DIA northeast district, 2.6 millionsquare feet of retail currently exists. The DIAPartnership study projects a demand of 145,000square feet per year for the period between 2004and 2014. At current floor/area ratios, that de-mand translates to 15 acres developed per year, or153 acres over 10 years. Unless a development ofregional significance occurs, little of this could beexpected to locate in the study area in that timeframe—most of it going to the area west of Cham-bers Road where a majority of the rooftops is cur-rently located.

Many major competing projects already exist orare proposed for the DIA northeast district. Theprimary examples are listed here:

• Prairie Center (510 acres of commercial) is inthe city of Brighton.

• High Point (hundreds of acres of mixed-usecommercial) is located in the cities of Auroraand Denver, just south of the study area onTower Road.

• Prairie Gateway (240 acres of mixed use) is inCommerce City.

• Some sections of the Stapleton redevelopment,including the large specialty commercial devel-opment visible from the intersection of Inter-states 270 and 70, located in Denver and justsouth of Commerce City, includes a Harkinsmovie theater, a Bass Pro Shop, Circuit City,

Super Target, Macy’s, eight other anchor ten-ants, and numerous restaurants.

• DIA retail is notable primarily because it is in-tended for those waiting at the terminal, notarea demand. If DIA were to develop otheruses (like 1,000 hotel rooms), the retail mall inthe airport may take on additional significance.

All of these sites will compete with the study areafor major name anchors. Larger scale generallytranslates to market success. Getting retailstarted in a burgeoning area is risky and difficultat the beginning of the development cycle.

Office Space and Multitenant DemandThe panel has identified office space and multi-tenant-demand projects in the DIA northeast dis-trict that also will be a source of competition foranything that is developed in the study area. Onesource of competition will come from the office andmultitenant components in the retail projects dis-cussed in the previous section.

According to the DIA study in 2004, the DIAnortheast district had an office base of about 3 mil-lion square feet, or 2.7 percent of the total officespace in the Denver metropolitan region. The va-cancy rate for this space was about 20 percent.Additional projected demand for the period from2004 to 2014 is about 106,000 square feet per year.

Similarly, in 2004, the DIA northeast district had amultitenant base of about 1.9 million square feet,with a vacancy rate of about 24 percent. Projecteddemand for the period from 2004 to 2014 is ex-pected to be about 135,000 square feet per year.

Because the success ofretail and office develop-ment depends on thepresence of a sufficientnumber of residents,commercial uses will notcome to the study areafor a long time unlessregionally and nationallysignificant developmentsare sited there.

Following a pattern similar to that of the growthof retail services in new communities, demand forsmall-scale office space tends to arise after small-scale retail spaces have been established, which,as mentioned previously, is preceded by housingunits. Larger-scale office tends to be built after a critical mass of other uses is in place or in re-sponse to the needs of specific users and tenants.Unless a development of regional or national sig-nificance is sited in the study area, large-scale of-fice developments will not be forthcoming untilmuch later in the development cycle.

Industrial DemandCommerce City is known for its industrial base lo-cated on much of the area between Highway 2 andInterstate 76. The DIA northeast district is pro-jected to absorb 51 percent of metropolitan Den-ver’s industrial space at the rate of about 1.2 mil-lion square feet per year between 2004 and 2014.Because of its proximity to the airport, CommerceCity is well located to absorb some of this indus-trial growth. However, the city faces many chal-lenges in capturing this development type.

One major challenge is that other industrial proj-ects are already on the ground or in the planningstages. The Front Range project south and east of the airport in Aurora is vying for a multimodaldistribution and warehousing site with a small airport and rail-yard transfer facilities that areplanned to help trains bypass the Platte Valley indowntown Denver. In addition, the Front RangeAirport has more than 2,000 acres committed toheavy industrial uses.


Already working to capture the growth expectedfrom DIA, the city of Aurora has designated thou-sands of acres south of the airport for industrialdevelopment. The city is also working with devel-opers to approach DIA about setting up “throughthe fence” arrangements for airport cargo uses.(Through the fence arrangements are agreementsin which properties adjacent to an airport are al-lowed to move products and personnel from offsite onto the airport’s land by passing over theirshared border rather than entering the airportthrough its formal entrances.)

Another major challenge for Commerce City isthat the airport has its cargo terminals on thesouth side of the airport. Original plans called forthe terminals and the uses that accompany themto go on the north end of the airport, but the dis-tances from markets and transportation provedtoo far for customers. These south-side terminalspresent much greater development opportunitiesfor the cities of Denver and Aurora than for Com-merce City, whose boundaries are on the west andnorth sides of the airport.

Moreover, actual tonnage shipped from the airporthas declined over the last few years. Original pro-jections for airport-related cargo have not beenrealized, caused by the decline in “hub and spoke”model shipment, among other factors.

The major impediment for near-term industrialuses in the study area, however, relates to twoother issues within the study area itself. First isthe lack of infrastructure that serves areas imme-diately adjacent to the airport. Water and sewerfacilities need to be brought to these areas tomake development of any kind feasible. In manycases, roads also would need to be brought to thesites. Second, the expense of the E-470 tollwayprecludes trucks from using this efficient north-south expressway system. For example, an 18-wheel (five-axle) truck pays a one-way toll of$24.00 to go 26 miles from Interstate 70 to Inter-state 25. With other routes available that aretoll-free, the majority of drivers will opt to by-pass E-470.

Because the city already has a relative low-costindustrial area with excellent access to the (non-toll) expressway system, development of airport-

Proximity to both down-town and the DenverInternational Airport canserve as a major enginefor growth and economicdevelopment in the study area.

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related cargo and industrial uses in the studyarea—and the entire Northern Range—is belowexpectations. With cheap land available near thecurrent on-airport cargo facilities south of the air-port, development potential in the study area isunlikely in the short term. Should the tolls on E-470 go away and the cargo functions be shifted tothe north side of the airport as originally planned,then Commerce City would be in an excellent po-sition to encourage these uses.

Hospitality Industry

As one would expect, DIA has generated signifi-cant demand for hotel and conference facilities.Currently, the Tower Road area south of PeñaBoulevard has 1,324 rooms in ten hotels. TheGateway Park area has 1,343 rooms in eight ho-tels. In total, 2,667 rooms exist near DIA. Despitethe rapid increase in the number of hotels alongTower Road south of Peña Boulevard, demand forhotels and hospitality services may have out-stripped supply—not only for rooms, but also forconference facilities close to the airport.

Because of this apparent need, the panel recom-mends that the city aggressively seek a new hoteland conference center as its first anchor for thenew “urban core.” The city has an opportunity tobeat the competition and launch a critical compo-nent for its new community. Also, within the DIAcharter is the potential for the airport to build upto a 1,000-room hotel within its boundary. If thecity moves quickly, it should be able to beat thecompetition.

Market Potential SummaryCurrent projections of future land uses are weakbecause the metropolitan Denver economy is com-ing out of a period of low absorption for employ-ment-related uses. Therefore, past trends are notthe best indicators of future trends. In addition,theorists such as Thomas Friedman are predictingthe growth of a new global economy that empha-sizes value-added skills and international competi-tion and that is facilitated by innovations in

telecommunications technology (namely the lowcosts of accessing the Internet). The new globaleconomy may change the prospects for cargo han-dling at DIA.

Assuming that retail growth will obey the conven-tional pattern of following housing, neighborhoodretail will continue to be built in response to thehouses already on the ground in the study areaand the Northern Range. Developers are alreadypoised to build when the national retail chains de-termine that the area is ready for them. Potentialretail developments may perhaps be acceleratedby providing siting incentives. Quick action by thecity in facilitating the site selection of other landuses could preempt deals in competing markets.

Like retail uses, development of office space in thestudy area will—to the extent that the demandexists—follow the development of other uses, es-pecially in the proposed urban core. And as for re-tail, the city can create incentives to lure officetenants to the area.

The short-term outlook for industrial uses in thestudy area is weak. They will continue to be sitedwest of Highway 2 in Commerce City, and airport-

Far left: South of PeñaBoulevard in Denver,hotels and facilities sup-portive of business travel-ers are springing up totake advantage of proper-ties near the airport.Below, left: Developmenton the open plains of theNorthern Range increasessteadily—in 2005, theNorthern Range had apopulation of 20,000,which is expected to growto about 28,300 by 2010.

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related industrial uses will continue to locatethemselves south of the existing cargo terminalson airport property or in Aurora. A possibility ex-ists for a brighter outlook in the long term, how-ever, if cargo terminals are located on the northend of the airport, as originally anticipated.

Given the analysis of demand by real estate sector,the greatest short-term demand will be from de-velopers of large, specialized land uses—the pre-viously mentioned developments of regional andnational significance. Bringing regionally andnationally significant developments to the regionwould jump-start the demand for office and retailuses that would otherwise be contingent on resi-dential growth.

Although the level of demand for land to be usedfor developments of regional and national signifi-cance is not determinable at this time, the panelbelieves that a number of features make the studyarea highly attractive. These features include thesite’s proximity to downtown, the airport, and theRocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge,combined with the noise buffering created by thenearby large-scale land uses and the fact that landassembly costs will be small because huge sectionsof property are owned by few individuals.

The one-square-mile BFIlandfill, the 53-square-mile DIA, the 27-square-mile Rocky MountainArsenal National WildlifeRefuge, and the four-square-mile Barr Lakerecreation and conserva-tion area surround thestudy area and can poten-tially buffer land uses inthe study area from therest of Commerce City.


As discussed in the Market Analysis section,growth is coming to the Northern Range;yet the commercial component will be con-tingent on residential growth. So far, the

Northern Range has been the receiving area ofsignificant residential development in the last sev-eral years, and these developments are beginningto set the character for this section of CommerceCity. Retail services are as yet inadequate to serveresidents’ needs. However, a long-needed super-market will be provided when Wal-Mart completesa new store near the corner of East 104th Avenueand E-470. This facility will be the anchor for a towncenter retail development to be provided withinthe Reunion PUD—the large master-planned com-munity developed by Shea Homes west of the studyarea. Current development plans suggest that East104th Avenue will become one of the primary re-tail arterials in the Northern Range area.

With the households coming in to support morecommercial development, the panel cautions thepeople of Commerce City on the advisability ofstrip commercial development. The better-planned communities are trading this strip pat-tern for the more-traditional retail centers thatprovide pedestrian village environments thatserve as community focal points for their lives.

Currently, the emerging image in the NorthernRange is far from consistent in quality. Trulyhealthy communities provide high-quality livingenvironments for everyone. The city needs to setand adhere to high standards of housing, commu-nity planning, public area infrastructure, andparks and open space. Then the city must enforcecompliance from developers.

Development PlanThis study has identified a development plan thatis directly derivative of the regional positioning,the physical constraints, and the truly terrific op-

portunities of Commerce City’s Northern Range.The plan is intended not only to serve the emerginglocal needs of the city but also to provide a physi-cal framework for the eventual capture of the high-value development that Commerce City’s regionalassets will eventually draw. This concept has fourplanning districts that are meant to complementexisting uses and topography while taking advan-tage of the large undeveloped parcels of land.

The traditional neighborhood development districtin the northwest part of the study area builds offthe existing fabric of single-family homes. Cradledbetween the wildlife refuge and the airport in thesouthern section of the study area is the districtthat will be devoted to nationally and regionallysignificant developments. The northeastern sideof the study area, east of E-470, is land that is wellsuited to large-scale employment opportunities.And the middle of the study area, between East104th, East 88th Avenue, Tower Road, and E-470,is reserved for the urban core district—a mixed-use area where all of the uses will overlap, form-ing a high-density focal point for Commerce City.

A Traditional Neighborhood DistrictThe planning and design quality of Commerce Cityhas in the last few years trended upward. Althoughrecently significant steps have been made, indica-tors suggest that market forces may be pulling thatstandard down instead of up. Commerce City shouldnot allow this downward trend to happen. Plan-ning standards should be implemented that followthe best practices for healthy neighborhoods, sus-tainable landscapes, and social equity. Rather thancreating enclosed neighborhood enclaves, gatingthe city precincts, these neighborhoods should beinterconnected by streets, walkways, park sys-tems, and greenways. Careful attention must bepaid to housing mix, street size, lot size, and pro-viding opportunities for walking and pedestrianactivity.

Planning and Design


Consisting predominantly of single-family houses,the area north of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Na-tional Wildlife Refuge and west of the study areais the logical choice for locating new homes. Newdevelopments are able to build off the existing in-frastructure of residential communities. Althoughhousing will be concentrated here, the entire studyarea is still zoned for mixed use, and dwelling unitscould, with careful planning and design, be locatedelsewhere in the study area.

Large-Scale Employment OpportunitiesMuch of the land adjacent to the airport is wellsuited for very large floor plate uses and is near orfalls within the 60 day-night level (DNL) contour

of the airport air-traffic patterns that is deemedunsuitable for residential occupation. (DNL is anindex the federal government uses to measure andcompare noise levels.) The northern edge of thestudy area falls within this noise contour. Proper-ties within the noise contour present a fallow op-portunity area that can be brought to bear fruitwith the right public/private partnerships. Suchlarge-scale users, including production facilities,distribution centers, and corporate campuses, willcome with special land area and environmental re-quirements. This site would also be perfect for ahigh-profile employment center, such as a corpo-rate headquarters. With the proper economic de-velopment strategy, Commerce City can capture

Proposed land uses forthe study area. East 120th Avenue

East 112th Avenue

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East 96th AvenueEast 96th Avenue

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this category of tenants. Also, many large-scaleusers can be lured to the Denver region who willview proximity to DIA as a major asset.

The panel’s suggested employment district includesall of the noise contours in the northern area andcontinues south until East 88th Avenue. This out-line will allow the district to take full advantage ofthe off-ramps from E-470 at both East 88th Ave-nue and East 104th Avenue.

To an extent, this development would be greatlysupported by the creation of “through the fence”agreements with DIA. This area would also bene-fit from the expansion of the airport and if the pro-posed siting of cargo facilities on the northernedge of the airport property ever comes to pass.Even if no changes to the airport take place, thisdistrict’s two E-470 off-ramps make it a prime lo-cation for corporations interesting in being closeto a major airport.

Developments of National and RegionalSignificanceDevelopments of national and regional significanceshould be located at three regional “doorways”: thefront doorway to Denver International Airport,

the northern doorway to the city of Aurora, andthe southeastern doorway to Commerce City.This positioning along the E-470 corridor betweenthe airport, the Peña Boulevard corridor, and theRocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refugeprovides superb access, excellent visibility, and avariety of regional assets at its doorstep.

Major attractions and destinations belong in thesouthern portion of the study corridor and thearea immediately south of it—including those thatwould particularly benefit from adjacency to thePeña Boulevard corridor. They might also includedestinations that specifically serve or reflect theColorado outdoors lifestyle.

The Urban CoreHighway interchanges are value generators. TheE-470 corridor is a terrific opportunity for Com-merce City to seize the development demand thatwill eventually arrive at the East 120th, East104th, and East 96th Avenue interchanges. Nev-ertheless, development along E-470 is a long-termgoal because E-470 is a toll road, and currentlydrivers prefer to take Tower Road. Developmentsaround the traffic nodes at both Tower and E-470

1. The intersection of E-470 and Tower Roadlooking east.2. The intersection of East104th Avenue and E-470looking northwest.3. The intersection of East96th Avenue and E-470looking northwest.4. The intersection of East88th Avenue and E-470looking northwest.

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must be “shaped”—for maximum financial return,for optimum infrastructure investment, and forthe enjoyment and delight of the people of Com-merce City.

The area between Tower Road and E-470 is theperfect place to concentrate a high-density mix ofdevelopment types to form a new urban core. Thiscore area must be constructed at a density thatprovides a cohesive sense of place. This new urbancore should not be dominated by the automobilebut should be the realm of the pedestrian. All des-tinations should be within the urban core andshould be within a five-minute walk from the cen-ter. Many destinations must be available to choosefrom: workplaces, a great hotel, terrific restau-rants, a public library, educational outreach cen-ters, art galleries, and movie theaters—to name afew. These destinations should be located alongcity streets consisting of three- and four-storybuildings (in both mixed-use and single-use config-urations). Finally, at the center of the urban core,a great public square should be designed that isactive day and night and beautiful though everyseason.

To create and preserve this great place, plannersmust reserve the urban core for multifamily resi-dential living to the exclusion of single-family de-

tached homes. This place must provide a signifi-cant number of nonretail jobs as its employmentbase, yet provide a variety of pedestrian-servingretail establishments and entertainment usesadding up to a signature urban destination. Andequally important, this urban core must be shapedby density and served by urban plazas, amenitizedstreet-wall streets, and pedestrian connectionsthat attract people, especially members of the sur-rounding community.

Smart Growth on the Suburban FringeDrawing circles on a map to indicate where differ-ent uses should go is the easy part. Care must betaken to ensure that the design and urban form ofthe new development enhance and improve thequality of life for the citizens of both CommerceCity and the entire Denver metropolitan region.Crucial for the planning and design of all futuredevelopments in the area will be consideration ofthe special issues of growth at the edges of subur-bia, because while today it is the edge, tomorrowthe edge will be the heart of a new community.Also, when the infrastructure has been laid, thestreets paved, and the parcels divided, the citywill have no second chances. Commerce City hasone chance to build out correctly, or it will spendmuch more time and money fixing mistakes.

The city must plan formultiple transit options inthe study area.


Create a Vision and Stick to ItMost important, the city must have in place ashared vision of the future. The panel recognizesthat its endeavors are a first step in this direction,but the entire community must form a sharedvision of the future of their city and then use thisvision as the basis for a growth plan. When every-body is on the same page, there can be no devia-tions from the vision. Any exceptions will creatediscontent and disinvestment in the plan. Further-more, small changes to the plan can add up to afinished product that is completely different fromwhat was first envisioned.

Protect Green Infrastructure and NaturalEnvironmental SystemsOne of the main reasons why people move to thesuburbs is for the greenery, the open spaces, andthe rural character. Ironically, the high demandfor a rural lifestyle can very rapidly transformfarmlands and pastures into congested intersec-tions bordered by concrete and parking lots. Asmentioned earlier, the panelists note that a Com-merce City park plan already exists, which is partof a larger proposed regional system of green-ways. However, the need to protect the naturalbeauty, greenery, and floodplains of the region asthe city grows bears repeating. These greenspaces should form the base of the city’s green in-frastructure. Green infrastructure is a commu-nity’s natural life-support system—a strategicallyplanned and managed network of habitat, parks,greenways, conservation easements, and workinglands with conservation value that support nativespecies, maintain natural ecological processes, sus-tain air and water resources, and contribute to thehealth and quality of the community’s life.

Focusing on the green infrastructure also helpsprotect an area’s environmental systems and canhelp conserve resources. Open spaces and flood-plains not only improve the quality of life for resi-dents by providing space for recreation and prox-imity to natural beauty, but these places whendesigned correctly also can save water, filter pol-lutants in rainwater, and decrease the amount ofstormwater runoff that ends up in sewers.

Plan for Multiple Transit OptionsAlthough such considerations may seem prema-ture, Commerce City’s plans for the Northern

Range must include multiple transit options. Oneof the biggest challenges for growing suburbs istraffic congestion. Commerce City is in an advan-tageous position to plan and shape its transporta-tion infrastructure before demand exists for it.The panel recommends looking at Denver’s othersuburban cities and neighborhoods for examplesof what works and what does not. One of Com-merce City’s goals in this area must be to makesure that the Regional Transit District system ofcommuter and light-rail trains includes multiplestops in the Northern Range.

Designing a Balanced CommunityCommerce City must plan for growth as a 21st-century community. Doing so will involve lookingback at its past, taking into account today’s growthdemands, and anticipating long-term demand inthe future. An assessment of this type leads to theconclusion that Commerce City must use its ter-rific assets to embrace the best attributes that acity can develop.

These assets include, but are not limited to, thefollowing:

• A properly scaled and beautiful street frame-work;

• A wide variety of employment opportunitiesboth in type and in income;

• Great interconnected neighborhoods;

• Urban places of vitality and delight;

• Superb public parks linked by greenway net-works;

• A celebration of the climate and the regionalecology;

• One-of-a-kind destinations drawing national andinternational visitors.

All these attributes should be integrated in a ra-tional development framework that provides forthe flexibility that real-world cities need to grow,breathe, and prosper.


Commerce City faces many challenges asboth it and the Denver metropolitan regiongrow. Chief among these is determininghow the city can provide greater clarity

and direction in managing growth while simulta-neously allowing for flexibility in uses and timing.Similarly, how does the city provide good devel-opment opportunities now, yet preserve greateropportunities for development in key areas in thefuture? Finally, how does the city keep the com-petitive advantage of lower land costs and simpleapproval processes while setting and enforcinghigh standards that will attract high-quality de-velopment and improve the city’s image?

Development StrategyA fundamental responsibility of local governmentis to regulate its land uses and development. Thisregulation is intelligently done only in the contextof planning for regional growth. Commerce City isvery fortunate in its location in a part of the Den-ver metropolitan region that is well poised for fu-ture development.

In the face of the remarkable growth in the lastfive years, Commerce City has ratcheted up bothits expertise and experience in planning for growthand economic development and in reviewing andapproving development proposals. Given the pro-jected growth and potential opportunities overthe next ten years, however, Commerce City willhave to accelerate its learning curve.

Current plans for the E-470 corridor and thepanel’s study area show a sea of red—red is thecolor used to indicate that this area has been des-ignated for mixed-use development. This land useshows a well-intended indication of the desire for aflexible mix of uses over a vast undeveloped area.The problem is that without greater definition—or differentiation—of this “red sea,” owners anddevelopers have no useful guidance, and the real

potential exists that development decisions madein the next five years will impede far greater eco-nomic opportunities in a ten-, 20-, and 30-yeartime horizon. Fortunately, given the scale of thearea, enough land exists to handle all of the city’sneeds, if properly sorted out. The city’s immediatefuture planning needs—of which this panel is apart—is to do that sorting out.

The goals of this sorting process must be to

• Provide flexibility in timing and uses, in re-sponse to market;

• Retain nimbleness to seize significant economicdevelopment opportunities;

• Limit leap-frog development;

• Give clearer direction so the private market canintelligently respond, taking into account:

• The potential within the market for variousdevelopment types;

• Regional access;

• Availability and likelihood of infrastructure(especially water and sanitation);

• Noise contours created by DIA;

• Past development plans;

• Growth boundaries.

ImplementationDevelopment strategies are implemented by theconfluence of the city’s plans, zoning, and approvalprocess, and the actions and investment of the de-velopment community. Although Commerce Cityhas the usual array of zoning and subdivision con-trols under Colorado law, as this developmentstrategy moves forward, the city will need to use

Development Strategies andImplementation


additional tools—tools that have been used else-where in the region and nation.

The clearest example for where additional plan-ning and new implementation tools will be neededis for the future urban core (as discussed in thePlanning and Design section of this report). Thethree existing interchanges with E-470 in Com-merce City—at 96th Avenue, 104th Avenue, and120th Avenue—present the best long-term oppor-tunity for creating urban centers by attractingfirst-class office space, regional retail, and multi-family housing. The city’s tools for implementingthe strategy for these urban centers must

• Preserve the long-term economic opportunitywhile allowing initial development to establishthe urban center’s presence;

• Accentuate the regional access;

• Ensure the necessary infrastructure for thecenter’s phased development;

• Ensure the center’s mixed-use character andurban sense of place by linking various uses and by applying appropriate design and sitingrequirements.

Achieving this goal will require more-detailedplans, with resultant zoning, for the areas sur-rounding each of these intersections. In light ofthe existing activity and infrastructure, and thestrongest current potential, the area around theintersection of 104th Avenue, Tower Road, and E-470—the site designated in the Planning and

Design section for the urban core—is the mostlogical place to start more-detailed plans.

The conceptual plans for the Reunion Town Cen-ter are potentially a good starting place for the fu-ture urban center because the town center couldprovide a transition from retail and services to themore-intense future uses intended to serve a re-gional market and draw from a regional employ-ment force.

Further planning should result in a special zoningdistrict with phased entitlements and phased in-frastructure covering up to a 20- to 30-year timehorizon. Foremost, it should permit immediatedevelopment of market opportunities that arisewhile not precluding or impeding larger-scale de-velopment that can occur as the regional marketmatures. The actual zoning must be flexible andnot overly prescriptive but must ensure—over time—the higher intensity and mixed-use character.

District plans can be an excellent tool for linkinguses in a variety of ways to ensure a mixed-usecharacter. One technique is to use phasing trig-gers that divide the significant overall entitle-ments into phases. Each phase would have a cer-tain quantity of specific uses, such as number ofhousing units or square footage of various com-mercial uses. The sequencing within each phase ofdevelopment is up to the developer and the mar-ket, but the next phase of entitlements is not trig-gered until all these uses have been built.

The sponsor briefs thepanelists on the challengesfacing the study area.


Similarly, the sitingand urban design ofthis future urban dis-trict must be ensuredby guidelines containedin the zoning. Suchguidelines may requirethe preservation of keysites, interim uses, orthe ability for sites tointensify over time.For example, other dis-tricts have urbanized over time by replacing sur-face parking with structures and adding additionaluses and density to adjacent parcels. This evolu-tion over time should be planned in advancerather than jerry-rigged.

Phasing development over decades is very chal-lenging. Existing developments—including officeparks and shopping malls—that did not contem-plate, or plan for, additional uses and intensitiesare being retrofitted to take full advantage of agrowing and maturing market. In this region, Bel-mar is a successful example of the reconstructionof a shopping mall. Here in Commerce City, whichis at the very front end of its economic growth, thephasing and evolution of the growth of these keyfuture urban centers must be planned now.

The city has the legal right to undertake and ap-prove district plans and its zoning. Typically, tobe most effective, the plan should be undertakenin concert with the major property owners. Al-though the direction and cost of such a joint plan-ning effort will depend on the interest and so-phistication of the landowners, the city shouldnot be in the position of only reacting to a devel-opment proposal. Numerous examples of plansand zoning for phased development exist that canbe modeled for the appropriate mix of flexibilityand requirements.

How the city regulates regional development out-side the proposed urban centers is also crucial. Ifthe greater-intensity development can occur vir-tually anywhere, the potential market for the urbancenters where such development is best locatedwill be dissipated.

The city’s implementation of the developmentstrategies for these huge areas outside the sug-

gested urban centerlikely will not requirenew tools. What it willrequire is the formal-ization of the higheststandards that have al-ready been used byCommerce City in themost successful resi-dential subdivisions todate and, most impor-tant, the consistent

application of those standards. Such standardsshould not be rigid, but they should be high andthey must be adhered to even in a softening resi-dential market.

It is not the city’s responsibility to compensate formarket fluctuations by cheapening its standards.Everyone interviewed believes that the long-termgrowth prospects for the Northern Range arevery good. The city is in the marketplace for thelong haul, and its standards should establish along-term, high-quality community and the imagethat Commerce City seeks. Some of the least-expensive new housing in the region can be pro-vided, not by low standards, but by requiring avariety of housing types and lot sizes through theexisting PUD process. In this manner, CommerceCity will be in the business of creating communi-ties not just subdivisions.

Bringing Private Developers to the TableThe implementation of the plan discussed in thisreport involves creating an urban core, strength-ening of the city’s residential design guidelines,aggressively pursuing nationally and regionallysignificant uses, and preserving the northeasternquadrant of the study area for major employmentusers. The plan requires a long-term perspectivethat the panel believes is shared by several of thelocal landowners and developers. This shared be-lief is good news for all involved from the stand-point that the policy makers and private sectorpartners see a common market reality for theirspecific areas of influence.

A tremendous amount of active and proposed de-velopment activity exists across the NorthernRange and within the study area. In addition to

The city is fortunatebecause the study area iscomposed of large parcelsowned by a small groupof individuals or families,which will save on anyland assembly costs.

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the large number ofsingle-family develop-ments, numerous largetracts have prelimi-nary PUDs in placeand are in the processof being planned anddesigned. Some of themixed-use develop-ment being contem-plated falls outside the2030 Urban GrowthBoundary and within the 60 DNL noise contour of DIA. Although the early conceptual plans formany of these projects will not be totally in keep-ing with Commerce City’s new vision for thestudy area, likely some elements of those planswill complement the new concept.

The development community will continue to eyethe Northern Range because of its excellent re-gional location, low land costs, and proximity toDIA. The panel believes that Commerce City hasa reputation as being an easy place for developersto do business. This positive reputation is impor-tant for the community and will help drive pros-pects and projects to the area. The fact that devel-opment wants to locate in the Northern Range isimportant, and how the city manages that devel-opment is imperative to its future.

Commerce City is fortunate to have a small num-ber of landowners who control large parcels in theNorthern Range area. Members of the staff andcouncil would be well advised to initiate outreachto those landowners for maintaining positive com-munication about the new plans for the area. Thepanel understands that this effort is already un-derway, and the participation of these landownersin the ULI advisory services panel process indi-cates the willingness for partnership from bothsides of the dais.

Simplify the Regulatory EnvironmentThe city should undertake several specific tasks tomake its vision for Commerce City a reality. First,the city must simplify the regulatory environmentthat governs the study area. Presently, at leastfive comprehensive or regional plans direct thetype, scale, and nature of development within thestudy area. Among those plans are the Metro Vi-

sion 2030 plan, theCommerce City ZoningOrdinance, the NewLands TransportationPlan, and the NewLands ComprehensivePlan 1992. Now, in ad-dition to those existingplans, the ULI advi-sory service panel rec-ommendations will beconsidered. On top of

those, each developer will have its own uniquePUD ordinance. From the developer’s perspec-tive, the sheer number of plans and rules is daunt-ing. Furthermore, the city’s ability to monitor de-velopment for compliance under such a complexsystem would likely be compromised.

Implement Form-Based CodesThe city must simplify the rules so that its desirescan be clearly understood and its standards metwith a minimum of complication and complexity.The panel does not suggest that the city shouldlower its standards in any way, but it must simplyfind a more efficient way to convey them. Devel-oping form-based guidelines for the NorthernRange study area that use 80 percent imageryand 20 percent text would satisfy this need. Form-based codes rely on less-prescriptive design stan-dards and the 80/20 split between graphic rep-resentations and prescriptive standards allowsdevelopers to quickly grasp the desires of the city.

The use of imagery and broad overlay use dis-tricts also enables the city to set the tone andpriority of area development while maintaining ahigh level of flexibility. Rather than rewriting sig-nificant portions of prescriptive code, staff simplyswaps or adds additional imagery to broaden ormore narrowly define the desired function andaesthetic of an area or use.

Provide Incentives, Consistency, and StabilityDemonstrations of stability and consistency willultimately create an environment of confidencethat promotes good development practices. De-velopers need to know what the rules are and thatall similar projects are treated equally. The cityshould also create opportunities to reward a proj-ect that reaches to improve the built environment

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Developers and city staffmust work together indeveloping the study areato benefit all parties, orspend a lot of time andmoney in the future to fixtheir mistakes.

or answers a critical need for the community. Theextraordinary efforts made by the city to workwith private development partners to developthe Prairie Gateway complex illustrate a recentexample of an incentive-based approach to com-munity building.

The next critical component for the city is the con-sistent application of its codes. Consistency cre-ates a comfort level for landowners and develop-ers that they will be treated fairly by the city. Thepledge by the city to uphold this standard is goingto be critically important for the city’s ability tomaintain positive relationships with landownersand developers during the coming years. If devel-opers meet or exceed the standards CommerceCity has set for the area, the city should feel com-fortable working with them.

Providing incentives to groups who endeavor toimprove the built environment and whose projectswill make substantial economic contributions tothe community should be strongly encouraged. Al-ternatively, exceptions may be considered for de-velopments that provide a specific market nicheidentified by the city as necessary for the realiza-tion of Commerce City’s ultimate mission to be abalanced and complete community where peoplecan live, work, and play.

Create “Buy In” from DevelopersThe expectations of private sector builders anddevelopers will need to be managed proactivelyfor the city to be successful in implementing itsnew vision for the Northern Range. City counciland staff members should expect push-back fromsome members of the development community asthey come to terms with the policy change in theNorthern Range. The level of reaction to thesenew policies and priorities will depend on their ef-fect on each active project and the stage of devel-opment or entitlement of those active projects. Noone wants to be told “no” in the short term, even ifthey recognize the value of these new policiesover the long term.

A secondary recommendation for the implementa-tion of the proposed study area plan is for Com-merce City to create buy-in among its private sec-tor partners by clearly demonstrating themutually beneficial long-range economic effects of

following the ULI recommendations. Specifically,the city needs to quantify the incremental valuethat all parties will realize by holding out for de-velopments of national and regional significancerather than following more conventional butfaster development models. The city must commu-nicate to all parties that everyone benefits whenthings are well planned and designed.

Plan for InfrastructureSome landowners and members of the develop-ment community may be under the impressionthat the city is responsible for funding the major-ity of transportation and utility infrastructure.Commerce City has already begun to establish aprecedent of requiring developers to make sub-stantial contributions to infrastructure to begindevelopment. The panel recommends that theseinitiatives be expanded.

The city should be prepared to hear builders ex-press concerns about their ability to compete inthe marketplace if they are required to spend ad-ditional sums building public infrastructure. Com-merce City has already shown a willingness to ad-dress this concern by allowing the use of metrodistricts and by requiring that property ownersjoin the General Improvement District (GID) be-fore they may develop. By requiring all develop-ment tracts to be included in the GID, the city in-creases the pool of incremental property tax,which gives the GID greater bonding capacity.

Presently, the city’s impact fee structure fundsroughly one-half of the costs associated with newdevelopment. From the developers’ standpoint,they would like to see this percentage increase.That is not realistic and certainly not in the city’sbest interest.

Considering the vast amount of land within thestudy area and the economic reality associatedwith bringing utility and transportation infra-structure to the study area, Commerce Cityshould create a development sequencing plan thatclearly defines the order in which infrastructurewill be developed. If a developer wishes to leap-frog to an unserved parcel, it should be requiredto fund the lion’s share of the required infrastruc-ture. Conversely, should a project of regional sig-nificance present itself on an outlying parcel, the



city may consider participating more extensivelyas an incentive to the desired development. Thecity’s participation in the Buffalo Run Golf Course,the Rapids Soccer Stadium, and the Prairie Gate-way demonstrate its willingness to flex its eco-nomic development muscle in the name of worthyprojects. This spirit must continue to ensure thetimely success of future projects in the study area.

The responsibility for policy makers is to createpublic policy and development guidelines that en-courage, among other things, the proper balancebetween residential and commercial development.The responsibility of the private sector is to bringits vision, energy, and experiences to the places itintends to create for the benefit of the community.The invitation to the ULI advisory panel illus-trates the city’s strong desire to create policy thatis proactive and successful. This panel hopes thatthe private sector players will regard the panel’srecommendations as more than abstract theories.

It can also hope that the legacy of ULI’s advisoryservice panel program will help bridge the gap be-tween the perspectives held by those two groups.

The creation of meaningful partnerships will becritical to the future success of Commerce City.The panel repeatedly heard from the sitting citycouncil of its desire to make Commerce City abalanced and special place. This vision for the fu-ture of Commerce City will not be achievablewithout the support and commitment by privatesector partners to participate in that vision. Thecity is urged to take its dream seriously and be-lieve in both its ability and authority to makeCommerce City the balanced community the citywants it to be.


didates will embrace challenge and have proventrack records of innovation and creativity. Thesecandidates will have a history of results, not sim-ply maintenance. Finally, the city management of-fice must be given the freedom and tools to ag-gressively seek out the best solutions that promoteand advance the civic vision.

The private sector must be completely on boardwith the new vision, and the city must workclosely to find, create, and ensure win-win solu-tions to development issues. The private sectormust be an active and integral part of the civic de-velopment team. The city must study the ways inwhich the great American cities came into being,then examine the respective roles of public andprivate sectors and determine what of that historyis applicable today.

The city is the civic leadership and therefore it hasthe opportunity to lay the groundwork for whathappens for generations. The city is also thekeeper and implementer of civic visions. It mustbe wise and thoughtful in how it makes policy, andit must base its decisions on the understandingthat every decision affects the lives of the resi-dents’ children and their children. The city mustbe expansive in its vision, clear about its mission,firm in its convictions, committed to principled ac-tion, steadfast in its willingness to seek creativeand ambitious solutions, and assertive in its pur-poseful leadership.

The panel recognizes that Commerce City is incompetition with the surrounding communities,but with assertive and concerted action the citycan excel. Great civic leadership, public and pri-vate, is the stuff of legend in America. The panelchallenges the city to join those historic leaders inmaking history.

The panel believes Commerce City has fiveoutstanding attributes that, taken together,offer a singular prospect for future commu-nity success:

• A unique location between two valuable re-sources, Denver International Airport and theRocky Mountain Arsenal National WildlifeRefuge;

• The ability to accommodate unique develop-ments of national and regional significance;

• Large tracts of undeveloped land that lendthemselves to these uses;

• The opportunity to develop a brand-new urbancore;

• The potential to leverage these developments tofund the rehabilitation and rebuilding of exist-ing older neighborhoods.

This report challenges the public and private civicleaders of Commerce City to join in implementinga new vision for the future. Commerce City hasthe opportunity to become a hub of business andentertainment activity—an active, bustling centerthat is attractive in the region as a place peoplewant to live because of the quality of life and spe-cial destinations to be found here.

The city must shift its paradigm to embrace a vi-sion of the future that is beyond everything thathas been discussed before this report. The citymust fully embrace a belief that it can be what-ever it chooses to be.

To do so, the city must search for and retain thebest possible city management team. In additionto high-quality management, vision and leadershipwill be essential attributes in this new team. Thestaff must be driven by a sense of purpose andmission and come to the table with broad rangesof experience and wide worldviews. The ideal can-

Conclusion


About the Panel

Ray BrownPanel ChairMemphis, Tennessee

Brown offers architectural and urban design con-sulting services to diverse clients, including mu-nicipalities, community development corpora-tions, downtown redevelopment agencies, privatedevelopers, and architects. He has more than 25years of experience in both architectural andurban design. However, his passion is for down-town and neighborhood design and planning andfor designing buildings that enhance the existingurban fabric.

Brown prefers projects that have the best poten-tial for improving the quality of life for disadvan-taged urban residents in at-risk neighborhoods.As a practicing architect, he has designed bothsingle-family homes and multifamily projects thatcombine today’s construction techniques with his-torical design precedents to produce affordablebuildings that comfortably fit their contexts.

During his tenure as vice president for develop-ment of the Memphis Center City Commission,Brown reviewed proposals for downtown develop-ment projects that conformed to the overall Mem-phis downtown development goals and financialincentive eligibility requirements, evaluated andselected sites for proposed projects, and preparedpreliminary development pro formas.

Brown is an active member of the Urban Land In-stitute and the Congress for New Urbanism andhas participated in ULI advisory panels in citiesacross the country.

Thomas CurleyNew York, New York

Curley’s projects can be found on six continentsfor clients as diverse as the Walt Disney Company,

the Guggenheim Museum, the city of New York,the U.S. Air Force, the National Capital PlanningCommission, the city of Washington, D.C., the NewJersey Nets, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Curley has designed new towns in the Philippines,China, and Australia and recently completed asubmission for the 2008 Olympic Village in Bei-jing. He was the lead designer for Phase II Euro-Disney in Marne la-Valle and provided strategicplanning for 9,000 acres of Disney property southof the Disney World Resort in Florida. His mostrecent works include the reconstruction of down-town Beirut, for which he won an international de-sign award for excellence from the Congress forNew Urbanism. In addition, Curley was one of theauthors of the Legacy Plan for Washington, D.C.,for the National Capital Planning Commission,and he is currently the lead planner for the masterplanning of Capitol Hill for Congress. Curley be-lieves that to be called to service on public proj-ects is the highest honor an architect can achieve.

Curley graduated from the Southern CaliforniaInstitute for Architecture with graduate degreesin architecture and urban design.

Peter FrenchAustin, Texas

After graduating from Trinity University with aBS in business administration, French started hisreal estate career in Houston, working for threeyears as a tenant and landlord representative. Hespent two years with Chicago-based Equis Corpo-ration and one year with Cresa Partners. Afterparticipating in the redevelopment and leasing oftwo historic mixed-use buildings in Houston’s cen-tral business district, French transitioned intoreal estate development.

In 2001 he moved to Kyle, Texas, to work on the2,200-acre mixed-use new urban community, Plum


Creek. As director of operations for Plum CreekDevelopment, French became half of the two-mandevelopment team managing that complex proj-ect. Construction of Plum Creek began in 1999,and to date more than 1,400 lots have been devel-oped and more than 1,200 homes occupied. Thelargest planned unit development in Hays County,Plum Creek has several hundred acres of mixed-use property and has been selected as a futuretransit site for the Austin–San Antonio CommuterRail District. The project has entitlements for wellover 8,000 dwelling units and over 1,500 acres re-main undeveloped, providing Plum Creek a strongand unique position in the Interstate-35 corridor’sfuture.

In 2005, Plum Creek was selected by the AustinBusiness Journal as the Master-Planned Commu-nity of the Year, and in 2006 Plum Creek wasnamed the New Development of the Year at theinaugural Envision Central Texas CommunityStewardship Awards.

Since his arrival in Kyle in 2001, French has beenvery active in the local community. He served fortwo years as president of the Kyle Area Chamberof Commerce and was appointed to the city’s Citi-zen Water Development Advisory Board and thecity’s Economic Development Committee. He cur-rently serves on the private fundraising Founda-tion Board of the Central Texas Medical Centerand was selected to participate in the 2006 RealEstate Council of Austin’s Leadership Develop-ment Class. French is a Young Leader member ofthe Urban Land Institute, and he is presently acandidate for the CCIM designation.

Con HoweLos Angeles, California

Howe is the director of the Urban Land Insti-tute’s Center for Balanced Development in theWest. The center’s role is to focus ULI’s nationalwork on the special land development issues of thefast-growing western United States.

Howe served as the director of planning for thecity of Los Angeles from 1992 to 2005. His workincluded revising the city’s general plan to providea comprehensive strategy for growth; updating

the city’s 35 community plans; streamlining thedevelopment permitting process; and creatingnew zoning to encourage mixed-use projects, af-fordable housing, and the adaptive use of olderstructures.

From 1987 to 1991, he served as the executive di-rector of the New York City Planning Departmentwhere he directed a staff of 400 located in a cen-tral office and in five borough offices. Earlier, asdirector of the agency’s Manhattan office, hehelped direct major commercial growth to WestMidtown and established urban design andpreservation requirements for the city’s TheaterDistrict and Times Square.

Before coming to New York City, Howe was exec-utive director of the Massachusetts Land Bank, astate redevelopment agency, and served in thegovernor’s office.

Howe received a master’s degree from MIT’sSchool of Architecture and Planning and an under-graduate degree from Yale.

William C. LawrenceJamestown, Rhode Island

Lawrence has more than 25 years of in-depthbackground and experience in real-world problemsolving, strategy formation, feasibility assess-ment, and project management for complex realestate development projects. As principal ofCityscope, Inc., he engages in developing projectsand providing contract services in project man-agement and consulting to both public and privateclients. Cityscope specializes in value creation forclient assets, including strategic planning and as-sessment, asset positioning and management, andpublic and private financing.

Lawrence wrote the winning proposal and wasdesignated a co-project manager for a $275 millionmultiblock commercial development between anew Amtrak station on the northeast rail corridorand the TF Green Airport as a joint venture be-tween the Bulfinch Companies; the city of War-wick, Rhode Island; and the state of Rhode Island.He has assisted a Boston community developmentcorporation in planning a large commercial devel-


opment on excess public lands. Before that assign-ment, Lawrence was the contract project managerto outsource the Massachusetts Bay Transit Au-thority real estate group with annual revenues inexcess of $5 million.

Prior to starting Cityscope, as director of seaportplanning and development at the MassachusettsPort Authority, Lawrence planned and developeda diverse portfolio of public sector real estate as-sets on 400 acres. Before that, he created and di-rected public sector real estate consulting groupsin Los Angeles and Boston for Kenneth Leventhal& Company (now E&Y Kenneth Leventhal RealEstate Consulting), a national CPA firm. Prior tothat, he founded and managed for 12 years theWilliam C. Lawrence Company, a market feasibil-ity and economic development consulting firm lo-cated in Pasadena, California, and, for four years,he managed environmental policy planning at two

large West Coast new community developers, theIrvine Company and Mission Viejo.

Lawrence has a master’s degree in city and re-gional planning from the Harvard Graduate Schoolof Design; a master’s degree in business admin-stration from Pepperdine University, Malibu; anda BA in Political Science from Trinity College,Hartford. He was awarded the Thomas J. WatsonTraveling Fellowship to study new town planningin Europe and India after college. He is currentlya full member of the Urban Land Institute andhas been a full member of NAIOP and the Councilon Urban and Economic Development. Interestedin regional planning issues, Lawrence is a guber-natorial appointment to the Boston MetropolitanArea Planning Commission and a member of itsExecutive Committee.