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Brighton staff map city buildings and ask council which properties to prioritize for reuse or investment
Summary
Staff presented an inventory of city facilities — City Hall, Historic City Hall, Main Street Creatives, the armory (transfer mid‑2027), police facilities and others — and asked council for guidance on reuse, equitable lease structures for nonprofits and prioritizing capital investments; council flagged downtown vitality, affordable housing opportunities, and the armory transfer as areas for follow‑up.
City staff presented a city facilities update that cataloged major municipal properties, described current uses and proposed possible future uses to inform council direction on reinvestment, reuse or disposition.
Pierce Miller (Budget & Innovation) and Patrick Rome (Facilities and Fleet) walked council through City Hall and several downtown assets — Historic City Hall, Main Street Creatives, the depot and the Brighton Museum Campus — and highlighted the armory, which the city expects to take ownership of when Burra’s arrangement sunsets in mid‑2027. Miller said the armory will require budgeted upgrades when it transfers and that staff are already identifying likely costs for the 2027 budget cycle.
Staff also reviewed operational facilities: the police department (space constrained), the Municipal Service Center (opened January 2025) and a recently purchased building at 133 South 27th Avenue that will serve as additional police office and training space; the RecPlex expansion (under construction); and the Sue Corbett Active Adult Center, for which a feasibility study is budgeted.
Council members raised questions about leases and equity: some nonprofits (Almost Home, Housing Authority) receive rent‑free space because those organizations serve vulnerable populations, while other tenants (the Chamber, Main Street Creatives leaseholder) pay cost recovery or discounted rates. Finance Director Katrina Asher explained city policy varies by tenant type: nonprofits that directly serve vulnerable populations receive free space, other nonprofits pay near‑cost or discounted rates, and some artist spaces are structured as managed leases rather than formal nonprofit entities.
Several councilors asked staff to provide a catalog of all city properties (excluding parks/open space) and requested more detail on lease terms, costs (utilities, maintenance) and the value of holding particular properties. Staff said a 2022 Economic & Planning Systems (EPS) report and an internal catalog exist and that they will provide the documentation requested, including lease terms and annual cost/recovery data.
Council also discussed potential uses for underused land and facilities to support affordable housing or other civic priorities, and members urged staff to consider equity in how city spaces are offered to community partners. A few council members emphasized the armory and rec center as community assets deserving continued investment despite operating losses; others urged prudence and requested additional cost/benefit analysis.
Staff noted some facilities (e.g., the old wastewater treatment site) are being used for storage and community events (trash bash) and would require investment to be repurposed for different uses. The presentation closed with staff offering to return with additional property‑level data and specific recommendations for prioritization.
