Heart of Golden: How We Got Here

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Consultation has concluded

Heart of Golden 2020 logo - Creating a lasting legacy in our city

Background

The City of Golden purchased 7.27 acres of land east of Ford Street along the Clear Creek Corridor which now gives the Golden community the opportunity to address several longstanding community goals:

  • Enhancing civic and cultural community activities
  • Realizing the potential of the creek corridor
  • Consolidating and improving municipal facilities and service delivery

Heart of Golden Visioning Workshops

  • The City hosted two Heart of Golden Visioning Workshops and online engagement opportunities in January and February 2020. Each workshop began with a project update and had a feedback activity, which allowed direct community comments and suggestions.

Three key questions that were addressed at this workshop:

  1. What does your dream corridor look like?
  2. What uses would you like to see and where?
  3. What uses are most important to you?

Heart of Golden Refining Workshop

  • The City hosted one Heart of Golden Refining Workshop and online engagement opportunities before the pandemic began.

Three key questions will be addressed at this workshop:

  1. What key features do you like most ?
  2. What key features do you like least?
  3. What is missing?

Heart of Golden: Still Beating

  • The City is hosting online stakeholder meetings, focus group meetings, and more engagement opportunities to continue to clarify and address:
  1. What key features do you like most ?
  2. What key features do you like least?
  3. What is missing?

Visit our Heart of Golden page for updated information and new opportunities for public engagement.

Background

The City of Golden purchased 7.27 acres of land east of Ford Street along the Clear Creek Corridor which now gives the Golden community the opportunity to address several longstanding community goals:

  • Enhancing civic and cultural community activities
  • Realizing the potential of the creek corridor
  • Consolidating and improving municipal facilities and service delivery

Heart of Golden Visioning Workshops

  • The City hosted two Heart of Golden Visioning Workshops and online engagement opportunities in January and February 2020. Each workshop began with a project update and had a feedback activity, which allowed direct community comments and suggestions.

Three key questions that were addressed at this workshop:

  1. What does your dream corridor look like?
  2. What uses would you like to see and where?
  3. What uses are most important to you?

Heart of Golden Refining Workshop

  • The City hosted one Heart of Golden Refining Workshop and online engagement opportunities before the pandemic began.

Three key questions will be addressed at this workshop:

  1. What key features do you like most ?
  2. What key features do you like least?
  3. What is missing?

Heart of Golden: Still Beating

  • The City is hosting online stakeholder meetings, focus group meetings, and more engagement opportunities to continue to clarify and address:
  1. What key features do you like most ?
  2. What key features do you like least?
  3. What is missing?

Visit our Heart of Golden page for updated information and new opportunities for public engagement.

Consultation has concluded
  • A Tour of Supporting Documents

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    The Heart of Golden 2020 project is grand in scope with a lot of plans, studies and other documents that pave the way forward to where we are now in the process. We wanted to make it a little easier to follow that paper path and give you a description and a link to each document that will help you understand the project. Here we go!

    Community Engagement Worksheet

    The initial thought process and plan for Heart of Golden 2020 community engagement efforts.

    Heart of Golden 2020 Flyer

    Flyer distributed at public meetings with dates of scheduled workshops.

    Presentation from Dec. 12

    PDF of presentation given to City Council regarding plans for public participation in the Heart of Golden 2020 project.

    PowerPoint from Nov. 7

    PowerPoint presentation given to City Council that determined it would cost $6 million to bring the building up to code and $40+ million to adapt the building for other uses.

    Building Feasibility Study

    Full architectural study on the feasibility of using 311 10th St. as a Civic Center that determined it would cost $6 million to bring the building up to code and $40+ million to adapt it for other uses.

    Civic Campus Planning Memo

    An update to Council on plans and timeline for the Civic Center/Clear Creek engagement process.

    Building Feasibility Memo

    Overview of the feasibility study results.

    CCCC Planning Process Memo

    Preliminary look at what planning for the Civic Center/Clear Creek engagement plan process could look like.

    Golden Needs Assessment

    This is a study done in 2018, before we knew MillerCoors would be selling its property at 311 10th St. It details the current state of city facilities, along with projected needs of as much as 70,000 additional square footage in the next 20 years.

    2010 Clear Creek Master Plan

    A plan finalized in 2010 to discuss the vision and goals for the Clear Creek Corridor. This was based on city buildings remaining where they currently are, before other land became available.

    Press Release

    Release to media announcing the City’s purchase of 7.2 acres of property from MillerCoors.

    Building Purchase Council Memorandum

    Details from staff presented to City Council for consideration of land acquisition.

    Central Golden Land Comps

    Redevelopment land comparisons in Central Golden.

    Resolution 2664

    City Council’s official approval of the purchase of land from MillerCoors.


  • Engagement kicks off with successful open house

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    supporting image

    This past Sunday, the City of Golden kicked off its public engagement process for the Heart of Golden 2020 project. More than 70 people came to see the building that currently stands at 311 10th St. (part of the City’s acquisition) and then tour the full parcel of additional land available to us for redevelopment. Many people left comments and thoughts on maps of the area, and many others are providing feedback here on Guiding Golden.

    There are many more chances ahead for you to get involved too! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help change the future of the Corridor, located right in the heart of our beautiful city. Subscribe to this page by clicking the "Subscribe" button on the lower right of the page. We'll send out emails when important updates are added to the page and make sure you know about the very latest engagement dates and other ways you can contribute.


  • Public Statement on Property Acquisition Negotiations

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    The City of Golden is releasing this public statement to inform the Golden community and general public as to the City’s progress on negotiations related to land acquisition in east downtown Golden, commonly known as Goosetown.

    On April 11, 2019, City Council approved a purchase agreement with MillerCoors USA for the acquisition of approximately 7.2 acres at 311 10th Street in downtown Golden. The agreed upon purchase price for the property is $12.25 million.

    Since that time, the City has been conducting due diligence evaluations and inspections of the property for the potential future use of a civic and cultural center for the community. It has been anticipated that the current 160,000 square foot office building on the site would be renovated to become the home of Golden city government as well as that of other public and not-for-profit cultural entities, including the Golden History Museum. To that end, in June, City Council approved Ordinance 2112, which authorized the City to issue Certificates of Participation not to exceed $24 million to fund the acquisition and renovation costs.

    In early July, the City received final inspection reports from its consultants that revealed two issues related to the planned transaction. First, to clear the title for transfer of the property, the City needs to resolve permanent easements currently held by Coors on the property, which, if left unresolved, would limit the City’s future use of the property. Second, the City received an inspection report from its consultant team that indicated a number of maintenance and design issues with the existing office building that will increase the overall cost to renovate the building for use as a future civic and cultural center. As currently anticipated, these improvements and renovations would exceed the $24 million approved by City Council in June.

    City staff, pursuant to City Council guidance and direction, continues to negotiate these final elements of the deal with MillerCoors USA. The City has until August 9, 2019, to resolve these remaining items. Should the City not be able to resolve these items prior to that deadline, the purchase agreement will expire.

    If the final elements of the transaction are able to be successfully negotiated, it is anticipated that in order to achieve the vision of creating a vibrant civic and cultural center, significantly more dollars would be necessary beyond $24 million. As such, the City would launch an extensive community
    engagement effort to gather input from the community on determining the size and scope of the project, whether renovating the existing building or building a new structure is more appropriate, how much the community is comfortable in spending on this project, and what sources of revenue might be necessary to pay for the costs of the project. Additionally, community input will be essential on determining future uses of the remaining City-owned property in the Clear Creek corridor.

    City Council has held a number of executive sessions in recent weeks to discuss specific points of negotiation of the deal. As Council continues to scrutinize and evaluate the final terms of this transaction, it is committed to making a decision on the property acquisition that considers the City’s short and long-term financial interests as well as the future civic and cultural needs of our community. This opportunity continues to represent a bold and visionary prospect for the City’s future and the input of our citizens will ultimately be important on what a future civic and cultural center could look like, should the acquisition of this property be successful.

    As new information is available, it will be posted here at GuidingGolden.com. If members of the public have initial comments they would like to share with City Council on this matter, they can be posted here on GuidingGolden.com under the "Tell Us What You Think" tab, or emailed directly to CityCouncil@cityofgolden.net.
  • Council Endorses Purchase of Coors Property

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    During the City Council meeting on April 11, 2019, Golden City Council approved a resolution endorsing a contract to purchase the Miller/Coors property at 311 10th Street.

    Please view the Council Memorandum and Resolution 2664 below. You can also view a video from the Council meeting when the resolution was presented and approved.



  • City of Golden and Coors Agree to Terms on Property Acquisition

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    The City has been in negotiations with Coors and has reached agreement on terms for the purchase that include:

    • A 160,000 square foot office building at 311 10th St.

    • 7.1 acres of land on multiple parcels

    • The sale price of $12.25 million

    • The agreement that Coors Employees will consolidate to one or two floors and can remain in building (without paying rent) until Jan. 30, 2020

    • A significant amount of office furniture included in purchase price

    The Golden City Council will vote on the purchase agreement at its regular meeting on April 11, 2019.

    With the purchase, the City of Golden intends to renovate the office building into a new Civic Center, which will include City of Golden administrative offices, the Golden Police Department, the Golden History Museum, and space for other community cultural entities. Under the plan, the proposed Civic Center would replace the existing City Hall building at 911 10th Street as the home to Golden city government.
    “We envision a vibrant gathering place for the community with consolidated City offices as well as room for some of our cultural entities to expand and thrive,” said City Manager Jason Slowinski. “This project will help address some of the community’s capital needs recently identified by the Golden Investment Task Force.”

    The Golden Investment Task Force is a City Council-appointed working group that met throughout 2018 to help identify and prioritize Golden’s future capital investment needs. The purchase also allows the City greater control over the future development of the Clear Creek corridor in downtown Golden. If the purchase is approved, the City will engage in a lengthy public input process to determine future land uses of the existing City Hall and History Museum sites as well as the additional acreage acquired in the purchase.
    More information regarding the work of the Golden Investment Task Force can be obtained at www.guidinggolden.com/golden-investment-forums.