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Englewood Community Development reports steady permitting, City Center ground-lease transfer and new development partners
Summary
Community Development Director Brad Power reported on department staffing, permitting volumes, economic programs and that the City Center ground lease transferred Dec. 20 to a new servicer; two local development firms will present to council next week about potential redevelopment approaches.
Brad Power, Englewood Director of Community Development, briefed the Budget Advisory Committee on Feb. 25 about department operations, development activity and the City Center ground-lease transfer that closed Dec. 20.
Power said the department has 17 full‑time employees and that the group has been fully staffed since early 2023. "One of the things I'm particularly proud of is the level of commitment that folks across the Department bring toward their work," he said, noting 1,300 building permits processed in 2024 and a wide range of projects from an 81‑unit affordable apartment to small business openings.
The department reported business openings of roughly 100 in the prior year, and Power said building‑inspection response time remains high: inspections are scheduled and completed within a short turnaround and permitting is now fully online. Power also described two homeowner programs: an Englewood Energy Efficiency program funded through federal Community Development Block Grant funds and a business grant program that provides up to $10,000 to eligible small businesses for capital investments in exchange for business training.
On regional transportation and microtransit, Power said the city's shuttle (formerly the trolley) has been rebranded as the BERT and that the city secured approximately $300,000 per year from RTD in federal funding for the service through 2026 to expand hours and add Saturday service.
City Center: Power said the City Center ground lease — originally set up with a long-term ground lease after the property's redevelopment in the late 1990s — was transferred Dec. 20 to a new servicing group, which selected a joint venture of two Denver-area firms: Ogilvy Partners and DPC Companies. He said the new team will present to City Council at a study session next Monday to discuss their perspective, timing and next steps for potential redevelopment of the leased site.
Power framed City Center as a complex asset with a 75‑year ground-lease structure and roughly 50 years remaining on the current lease; he said constrained legal roles for the prior servicer limited redevelopment options and that the new group hopes to pursue longer‑term investment strategies with the city.
Additional items: Power said the city completed a first full year using the new development code adopted in late 2023 and that the Affordable Housing Task Force presented recommendations to council in January; staff will return with those recommendations for council direction. Power also said zoning and code changes at the state level are creating new reporting and implementation tasks for the department.
Ending: Power said the department will bring the City Center development team to council next week and will continue work on South Broadway public‑realm planning, affordable‑housing follow‑up and staffing succession planning for veteran inspection staff.
