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City presents quarterly downtown and housing update; downtown hotel groundbreaking, Hunt Avenue work and new housing projects highlighted
Summary
City staff reported progress on a downtown hotel groundbreaking, Hunt Avenue improvements, banners and façade projects, housing rehabilitation planning, a housing comp-plan grant and the Tierra Zool housing groundbreaking.
City planning and economic development staff presented a quarterly downtown and housing update at the June 4 Alamosa City Council meeting, highlighting a downtown hotel groundbreaking, progress on the Hunt Avenue project, façade and retail planning for the Valley Textile building, and several housing initiatives.
Downtown activity: Staff said a downtown hotel groundbreaking had strong community turnout and called the project a major milestone. Officials also described a potential second boutique hotel and announced pole-banner artwork selected by the Main Street committee that features native flowers, sand dunes, a mountain peak and an elk.
“We might get two because a boutique one is opening nearby,” the presenter said of downtown lodging; the banners were praised by the printing vendor as “one of the most beautiful designs they've ever seen.”
Hunt Avenue and multimodal funding: Staff reported ongoing utility coordination with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and said the city advanced to CDOT’s second round for multimodal opportunity funding for the next Hunt Avenue block south of Main Street. Staff cautioned that available multimodal funds have been reduced at the state level and said the city was not highly optimistic about winning the grant, but viewed the second-round placement as positive.
Valley Textile and downtown retail: Owner James Billings is relocating Valley Lock and Security and Billings Electric into the renovated Valley Textile building. The city said the owner is undertaking façade improvements and creating storefront units that will be available for lease and that the planning commission reviewed the façade plans.
Housing initiatives: Staff described a high-profile groundbreaking for a Tierra Zul housing project and summarized a completed housing rehab technical-assistance grant that produced an 80-page report with four recommended programs intended to help homeowners avoid demolition. The city also secured a state grant ($50,000) toward a combined comprehensive plan and housing needs assessment required under recent state statutes; staff said the city is partnering with Alamosa County on that effort.
Other housing work included ongoing meetings with behavioral health and housing coalition partners, progress at Horizon Heights, and steps toward pursuing historic tax credits for a project known as Boyd by preparing a professional RFP to secure national historic designation.
Why it matters: City staff portrayed these items as part of a coordinated economic development and housing strategy intended to revitalize downtown, increase housing supply, and preserve existing housing stock.
Next steps: Staff said they continue to coordinate utility work on Hunt Avenue with CDOT and to seek grants; they will pursue the comp plan and housing needs assessment with county partners and move forward with the recommended housing rehab programs as resources permit.
