HUD honors Fort Collins efforts
Fort Collins is one of 14 communities nationwide to be recognized by HUD for reducing regulations that inflate the cost of homes. Efforts that earned the northern Colorado community the Robert L. Woodson Jr. Award include creating a public-private affordable housing board to make recommendations on housing reforms to the City Council. As a result, over the past 10 years, more than 1,000 units of market-
rate and assisted affordable housing have been built.
DU law school is green
The University of Denver College of Law earned Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The new $64 million Frank H. Ricketson Jr. Law Building is the first law school to receive the certification.
The 184,000-square-foot building uses 40 percent less electricity, gas and water than a conventionally built structure.
Historic saloon to be preserved
White Construction Group has been awarded a $2.5 million contract to preserve the historic Crook’s Palace saloon in Black Hawk. The project includes masonry, interior and exterior woodwork and painting. The project also includes the demolition of a nonhistoric addition and construction of a 3,127-square-foot restaurant and kitchen. Castle Rock-based White Construction will complete the project in February.
– Margaret Jackson
Rate on 30-year mortgage falls for 2nd week
The average fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage in the United States fell for a second week, to 5.77 percent, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. The rate compares with 5.8 percent in the week ended Aug. 18 and is the lowest in a month. The one-year adjustable rate averaged 4.56 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate fell to 5.35 percent. Below are average mortgage rates in Denver, Adams and Arapahoe counties as of Thursday and the previous 52 weeks. The one-year Treasury bill average reported by the Federal Reserve Bank is 3.89 percent. The Cost of Funds Index for June from the Federal Home Loan Bank (11th District) was 2.676 percent.
