Brad Power, Englewood’s director of Community Development, told the Budget Advisory Committee the department has been evaluating how to implement recent state land-use laws and reported several ongoing redevelopment efforts, including a negotiated path to enable City Center redevelopment.

Power said the servicer that held the City Center ground lease sold or transferred the lease to a consortium forming New Englewood LLC. The city has negotiated terms to cancel and transfer the lease so New Englewood can begin redevelopment; under the arrangement New Englewood will be able to develop the north half of the site along Englewood Parkway in 2026, and the city will receive formal ownership of certain buildings (for example the 24 Hour Fitness building and the CitySpark retail/arts space) by the end of 2026.

Power also described internal departmental changes: the building division absorbed code compliance (former code enforcement) in September, and the department recently achieved certified-local-government status for historic preservation, opening new funding and grant opportunities. On economic development, Power said Englewood preserved its enterprise-zone designation during a redesignation process and noted the role of hospital campus investments (Craig Hospital and Swedish Medical Center) as important local revenue drivers.

Power flagged implementation challenges tied to several state land-use laws enacted in 2024–2025, including new reporting requirements that the city expects will demand unfunded staff time; he noted several cities are pursuing litigation against the state, which could affect local obligations. He closed by offering to answer questions and by supporting the city’s continued coordination with developers and council direction.

Next steps: staff expect more council direction in early 2026 on City Center transactions and plan to return to council on corridor implementation (Englewood South) in February for further policy direction.