Radian partnered with the Urban Land Conservancy and other neighborhood organizations to create Denver’s first-ever Equitable Development Plan surrounding the 38th & Blake Station: including the Five Points, Cole, Globeville, and Elyria Swansea neighborhoods.
why does it matter
Transit-oriented development is booming in Colorado and leading to economic growth and improved access to jobs and services; however, it is also fostering unprecedented rates of displacement and loss of affordable housing. A set of promising new planning, policy, and placemaking techniques can help preserve equity and affordability while ensuring that development and investment are inclusive, improving livability outcomes for everyone. By combining equitable placemaking with the City of Denver’s new Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Policy and Incentive Overlay, this Equitable Development Plan will set a precedent for effective public-private collaboration that advances local opportunity for community members and developers.
Equitable outcomes come about when smart, intentional strategies are put in place to ensure that everyone can participate in and benefit from decisions that shape their neighborhoods.
Policy Link
Who does this impact?
Rooted in placemaking and community engagement, this Equitable Development Plan empowers longtime residents in the 38th & Blake Station Area to participate in the development process of their own neighborhoods, while leveraging city policies and developer incentives as funding mechanisms to finance community-identified priorities and mitigate the negative effects of gentrification.
Phase I
Phase I of the 38th & Blake Station Area Equitable Development Plan consists of an analysis of existing and future community metrics, and outlines how the proposed development can strengthen the community. Through an involved stakeholder engagement process, Phase I resulted in the creation of a process for stakeholders to identify and prioritize needed community benefits such as food access, affordable housing, early childhood education, and more.
What’s next?
Radian and its partners are invested in preventing commercial displacement and being a positive force in the community. As a result, we will continue the development of the 38th & Blake Equitable Development Plan by completing a a rigorous community needs assessment, translating the results into a variety of community benefit options for developers. Phase II of the Equitable Development Plan will include the creation of a CBA coalition and the implementation of two CBA’s.If you’re interested in learning more about the 38th & Blake Equitable Development Plan, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’d love to hear from you and work together to create healthy and inclusive communities.
