15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Fifth Floor – Aurora, CO 80012 303-326-8804 – urbanrenewal@auroragov.org
	Overview Working in partnership with property owners, developers, investors, other stakeholders and the community, the City of Aurora Urban Renewal Division plans, promotes and coordinates development and redevelopment projects in the city’s seven urban renewal areas. The division also provides assistance and resources to current and prospective business and property owners to help enhance the quality of businesses in place and revitalize the urban renewal areas and surrounding communities.
	Fitzsimons Urban Renewal Plan The Fitzsimons Urban Renewal Area was established in 2001 to provide financing tools for redevelopment in the area. Redevelopment projects have been approved or are under construction in the FBA at key intersections such as Colfax and Potomac, Colfax and Ursula and Colfax and Peoria. As a result, the majority of structures fronting Colfax have been demolished and new mixed-use high density development is planned or under construction. Most of the remaining properties in the FBA have been assembled by developers and are in some stage of the planning process Colorado Science and Technology Park This urban renewal area was established by City Council in 2008 to encourage redevelopment and provide financing for the 160-acre bio-science research park north of Montview Boulevard on the Fitzsimons campus. The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC) medical campus in combination with the Colorado Science and Technology Park project is the largest medically-related redevelopment project in the United States west of the Mississippi River.
	Fletcher Plaza Urban Renewal Area The Colfax Avenue area around Fletcher Plaza is the historic center of Original Aurora. Public investment in the Fox Arts Center, MLK Library/Municipal Services Building, medians, public art, streetscape programs, alleyway paving projects, and Fletcher Plaza have helped contribute to redevelopment of the area and prevent deterioration of property values and overall appearance. Colfax Avenue’s historically poor image is dissipating and is emerging as envisioned with the recruitment of new and redevelopment projects, but continued improvement is needed. More information on activities in Original Aurora can be found in Chapter V.B Original Aurora.
	City Center Urban Renewal Area. Since the late 1970s, Aurora City Center has been planned as the city’s downtown. This regional center is undergoing major changes. At 772 acres, City Center has its own zoning district that promotes master planned development. Recent development includes the new Aurora Municipal Center, the Arapahoe County Administrative Offices, the City Place retail center, refurbishment of the Aurora Town Center (formerly the Aurora Mall), and the construction 450 higher density residential units. Alameda Avenue streetscape improvements were installed following the development of consultant-prepared guidelines to create an overall City Center urban design theme. The master plan for the Centerpoint parcel (now branded as Metro Center) was approved in 2008 and development plans for the site are actively proceeding. A new RTD bus transfer station is open and operating and the site will also accommodate a light rail station in the future. In 2009, recognizing the progress already made toward the City Center vision, City Council terminated the City Center Urban Renewal Area and created the smaller City Center II Urban Renewal Area (137 acres) to address redevelopment on the remaining vacant land in City Center related to the approved Metro Center project, and future redevelopment needs of three adjacent existing retail centers. More information about the activities at City Center is contained in Chapter V.G City Center.
	CornerStar Urban Renewal Area. Located at the southwest corner of Parker Road and Arapahoe Road, this retail “power center” opened in 2008. It removed a serious flooding and drainage obstacle along Cherry Creek that had discouraged development on the site. The new center serves surrounding neighborhoods and draws sales tax revenue to Aurora from adjacent areas.
	Buckingham Urban Renewal Area. This area was created by City Council in 2008 to encourage the redevelopment of the vacant Buckingham Mall site at Mississippi and Havana. This project served as a catalyst for the creation of the Havana Business Improvement District (BID) which plans to revitalize the entire Havana business area from 6th Avenue to Dartmouth. The Gardens on Havana project, which has replaced the former Buckingham Mall, is being developed as a mixed-use project serving surrounding neighborhoods in Aurora and adjacent Denver. The phase I grand opening of the site was held in March 2009.
	High Point Urban Renewal Area. Created by City Council in 2006, the urban renewal designation is being used primarily as a financing mechanism for this proposed hotel/resort project in the E-470 area of Aurora near Denver International Airport.