Urban Land Institute panel urges mixed-use, public plaza and phased redevelopment for Geneva Village

An Urban Land Institute technical advisory panel told the Littleton City Council on Sept. 23 that Geneva Village should be treated as a catalytic, mixed‑use project anchored by a new public plaza, surrounding housing and civic uses, and careful reuse of existing buildings. Rodney Milton, executive director of Urban Land Institute Colorado, described the three‑day panel as “a higher level brainstorming session” intended to generate options rather than a finished plan.

The panelists focused on the 2.8‑acre Geneva Village parcel as a starting point for a larger northern gateway to downtown Littleton. They proposed a public plaza for events, a mix of rental and for‑sale housing including workforce and attainable units, retail that faces green space rather than parking, and incorporation of public art and cultural elements to reflect the area’s history.

Why it matters: the parcel is city‑owned and adjacent to civic properties, so decisions about its future could shape traffic, open space and economic activity on Littleton’s northern edge. Panelists told the council that redevelopment would require public investment and private partnerships and that the city’s choices about land disposition and incentives will determine the project’s scale and timing.

Key recommendations and financing options - Use the parcel as a catalyst for the surrounding district and pursue a master plan that tests options for adjoining properties while focusing first on the city‑owned site. Panelists emphasized preserving and reusing existing structures where feasible. - Issue a market RFP to solicit developer concepts and gauge interest; the panel said an RFP could clarify who would pursue the site and what financing packages might look like. - Leverage the city’s Downtown Development Authority and tax‑increment financing (TIF) to fund infrastructure and gap financing. The panel noted that property‑tax increment requires transfer to a private, taxable owner and that sales tax from new retail and lodging tax from a potential boutique hotel could be included in a TIF district. - Consider public‑private partnership models: sell the site to a developer, sell and lease back a new municipal facility, or partner with a developer to build a smaller City Hall and redevelop the remainder. Other tools suggested included bonding, lines of credit, metropolitan districts and certificates of participation.

Timing and next steps Panelists outlined a typical timeline: about one year to run an RFP, roughly six months to negotiate agreements, two to three years for entitlements, and another three years for construction — a multi‑year effort the panel estimated could take up to six years from launch to built outcomes. Staff and panelists recommended continued public engagement, use of the DDA for financing, and identification of “project champions” to steward continuity across council turnover.

Council members asked practical questions about what would require subsidy (panelists pointed primarily to affordability and public plaza/open‑space improvements), whether the parcel should be subdivided, and how the city’s capacity should be organized to manage an RFP and potential partnership. Staff said work to integrate Geneva Village planning with the city’s 2026 facilities master plan, capital planning and transportation master plan is already on next year’s work plan.

Quotes from the meeting Rodney Milton, executive director, Urban Land Institute Colorado: “Our technical advisory panels are really an extraordinary way of getting into community. Helping you brainstorm with some folks that are just absolutely excellent and do this work.”

Kathleen Osher, Deputy Manager: “We want to make sure we’re bringing in outside ideas from the market through an RFP process…to solicit ideas from developers who are experts in developing multi‑use properties like this.”

Ending No formal decisions were taken at the Sept. 23 study session. Staff said the likely next steps are further internal planning in 2026, a council study session series, and — if council directs — an RFP or similar market outreach to test development interest and terms. The city emphasized that panel recommendations are brainstorming, not an adopted plan.