Once upon a time, there was a little farming town called Brighton, known for a Great Western Sugar refinery and surrounding fields of sugar beets.
But dramatic changes have come to that little town. Since the 2000 Census, Brighton’s population is up 122 percent, to 21,608, and its average household income has jumped more than 17 percent, to $65,750.
Brighton’s location near DIA and its dramatic growth have led to it being named second among the seven most notable high-growth communities in the U.S. by the Gadberry Group, which provides data for retailers looking for potentially profitable locations.
But growth isn’t always good for cities’ historic downtowns. Brighton has developed in a common pattern, with new housing and commercial development built on its outer edges, thus weakening the old downtown core.
To prevent the deterioration of its downtown, in 2001 voters approved the creation of the Brighton Urban Renewal Authority (BURA), funded by a dedicated property tax. Then, a year ago, the city brought citizens together to develop a “blueprint” for the future of the old downtown.
The resulting plan helped the community focus on a few key projects, according to Manuel Esquibel, assistant city manager. One project involved a city block that was the site of an abandoned lumber yard and armory.
At about the same time, the Rangeview Library District was looking for a location for a new library. BURA and the district reached an agreement to build the library downtown, where it would spur private investment. BURA purchased the lumber yard-armory property for $1 million, and the library district pledged to build a new, $6 million library on the former lumber yard site. Construction is due to being this summer.
Now, BURA plans to restore the armory and convert it to a performing arts center. Construction of the armory is expected to begin this spring.
The redevelopment effort is already bringing new life to the area. Brighton’s vacant Union Pacific Railroad depot has been purchased by a private investor, who has restored its façade and opened it as a restaurant.
Another large, vacant site is also being tackled. About five years ago, the Platte Valley Medical Center built a new hospital near Highway 76; the 80,000-square-foot building it left behind stood vacant until BURA purchased it for $3 million. Part of the property was renovated and is being used by Salud Clinic, which provides health care for indigent people. Community Reach, a mental health agency, will be using a floor of the hospital for offices and treatment facilities.
Esquibel says the vision of Brighton residents was for the hospital to become a “life-long learning and resource center,” so BURA encouraged Head Start to inhabit the garden level, and is working with the State Division of Workforce Development to provide an engineering and science training center for high school students.
In addition, Front Range Community College is “very close” to locating a campus at the site, Esquibel says.
Adams County has been supportive of the project. It is interested in installing a job training center at the old hospital and is providing some assistance for Head Start’s space renovations. The State Division of Local Affairs has provided two grants totaling $1 million. Most surprising of all, neighboring Weld County has contributed almost $900,000 to the project. “The commissioners see that it will serve both counties,” Esquibel says.
The transformation of Brighton’s historic downtown illustrates the importance of urban renewal for cities needing to revitalize aging centers. This important tool, which is used by more than 40 cities across Colorado, helps cities strengthen their local economy and tax base. The legislature should avoid doing anything that would weaken that tool — and the communities that benefit from its use.
