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Boulder council unanimously approves 427‑unit Baseline Road redevelopment
Summary
The Boulder City Council voted unanimously Nov. 20 to approve a redevelopment of 2952 Baseline Road that will replace a largely auto‑oriented shopping center with five mixed‑use buildings, 427 dwelling units (including 122 student units), and roughly 58,365 sq ft of commercial space, subject to staff conditions.
The Boulder City Council approved a site and use review for a major redevelopment at 2952 Baseline Road, voting unanimously to allow five new buildings with 427 dwelling units, 122 student‑oriented units, and about 58,365 square feet of commercial space. The decision, made after a public hearing and more than two years of concept review, includes a requested height modification allowing portions of the project to reach up to 55 feet.
City planning staff said the project replaces roughly 7.96 acres of the existing 9.86‑acre site and aims to transform an auto‑dominated shopping center into a walkable mixed‑use village with a central plaza, a new multi‑use path connecting Baseline Road and US 36, and a two‑story grocery store space designed to accommodate a Sprouts market. "The proposal establishes a sense of arrival, improves safety and connectivity, and supports alternatives to single‑occupant vehicles," Principal Planner Chandler Vench told council during the hearing.
Applicant representatives described design and community goals that shaped the current plan. Bill Holliku of Coburn Architecture said the team shifted the site from a conventional car‑oriented center to a "wunderf"‑style living street in which pedestrians and cyclists take priority while still accommodating necessary vehicle access. "Our aim was to change it from a community center in quotes to something real — a place that actually functions for people," Holliku said.
Developer Andy Bush of Morgan Creek Ventures noted sustainability features and low‑carbon construction pilots: "We're putting two cross‑laminated timber buildings in as laboratories on either end of the boulevard to demonstrate low‑carbon construction at scale," he said. The project also includes a sizeable transportation demand management package, paid ecopass subscriptions for a limited term, and indoor bike parking for hundreds of bicycles.
Speakers during the public hearing voiced a mixture of support and concern. Neighbors raised questions about scale, student‑marketed six‑bedroom units, traffic and parking, and the short‑term fate of long‑standing businesses on the site. Supporters said the design improves pedestrian safety and will relieve pressure on nearby single‑family neighborhoods now being converted to student housing.
Council members praised the project's evolution in response to advisory board input and required conditions, including additional ground‑level programmatic elements and extra e‑bike parking, and then moved to adopt the staff memorandum and recommended conditions of approval. A roll call recorded unanimous approval. Staff will coordinate final technical documents and permit review, with conditions recorded as part of the site and use review approvals (LUR2024‑000071 and LUR2024‑000072).
