City of Longmont

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City of Longmont

JOB GROWTH; FLOUR MILL REDEVELOPMENT; TAX DISTRICT; LIFEBRIDGE SUED
· Job growth in Longmont hit a five-year high this year, according to the Longmont Area Economic Council, with the recovery of 369 primary jobs from January through June. 2005 is also the first time since 2001 that the commercial building vacancy rate in the city fell below 20 percent.
· Developer, Don Berlund has been having informal discussions with city officials about turning the Golden West flour mill into a vibrant mixed-use development featuring condos, offices, and retail. A formal proposal may emerge as early as August when Berlund is expected to ask for significant city financial assistance (approximately $1 million) to make the project viable.
· Developers of a shopping center along the Ken Pratt Blvd. extension gained City Council approval to establish a special taxing district to finance infrastructure in late June. The District would contribute up to $4.3 million to pay for streets, sewers and bridges and will speed up development of the project. The shopping center, Harvest Junction, is planned for a Lowes Home Improvement Store, Petco, and a Michael’s crafts store. The project is situated in three floodplains, making it more expensive to develop.
· Fifteen homeowners near a proposed 360-acre+ LifeBridge Church development north of Colo. 66, west of U.S. 287, are suing to redraw the project boundaries. At issue is land between two ditches near the homes that owners say LifeBridge granted them as part of a 2003 deal to install two portable buildings on the existing church site along the eastern edge of the project site.