Land Revitalization Success Stories | tPA PUB #560F19011
August 2019
Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment
DENVER, COLORADO - WESTWOOD DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT
SITE STATISTICS
•	Community: Denver, Colorado (Westwood Neighborhood, Morrison Road)
•	EPA Region 8 Lead: Stacey Eriksen, Eriksen.Stacev@epa.gov
•	Site and Use: Industrial garage and parking lot
Figure i site conditions as of September 2018.	.	Technical Assistance: Site Reuse Planning
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Morrison Road is the main artery through Denver's Westwood District and serves as a major transportation corridor into Denver. The corridor
contains older industrial properties, numerous automotive repair stations, and trailer parks. The Westwood District is transitioning from industrial
use to a neighborhood district. It has a large Hispanic population (approximately 81 %) as well as a high poverty rate (approximately 35%). The
goal of the District is to attract new businesses and create destination spaces for both residents and visitors.
PROJECT CHALLENGE
An old industrial garage and parking lot at the intersection of Morrison Road, Newton and Virginia Street provides a reuse opportunity to connect
to additional development along the corridor. BuCu West, a non-profit organization committed to promoting and supporting entrepreneurs, small
business, cultural organizations and residents in Westwood, expressed interest in purchasing the property to help facilitate the neighborhood
vision of Morrison Road as "the heart of the community" and to activate public spaces. Once any environmental contamination concerns for the
site are addressed, the Creative Center ("El Centra Creativo") will be an adaptive reuse site for micro-business space as well as a community
space for event, art, food, family, culture and performances.
HOW EPA HELPED
EPA provided land revitalzation technical assistance support, including:
•	Coordinating a three-day visioning workshop with local city officials and key
stakeholders to determine site redevelopment goals and objectives.
•	Evaluating road realignment opportuniteis for Newton St. and Virginia St.
that would enhance property use and development success.
•	Incorporating additional underutilized property to enhance the
redevelopment revision for the area and support the state-designated
Westwood Creative District aesthetics and character already established
through public art, local activism, food, creative entrepreneurs, and
cultural events.
•	Featuring site design elements, such as natural play areas for children,
green infrastructure (bioswale, rain garden buffers, permeable pavers),
shared street space, and small commercial development opportunities.
•	Developing a site design brochure to promote the reuse vision for Figure 2. Site design along the Morrison Road corridor.
Morrison Road corridor, connecting to other redevelopment projects in
the area and enhancing the underutilized industrial sites at the intersection.
COMMUNITY'S NEXT STEPS
•	Engage the larger community in the review of the
final site redevelopment plan for input and support
for the next steps.
•	Complete property acquisition of the former
industrial sites.
•	Pursue funding and development partners that
support the redevelopment vision.
•	Clarify engineering concerns with the City about
road realignment requirements.	Figure 3, Qpen space plaza des,-gn

-------