Denver and Aurora Unveil $2B Joint Venture

"We've started to think and talk regionally, and now, we're acting regionally," says Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. "HighPointe at DIA will become the first of what I hope to be many examples of how much we can accomplish when we work together," the mayor adds. "Our two neighboring cities, and indeed the entire region, have much to gain through this type of collaboration. A new day has dawned in the metro area."

Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer agrees. " We have been talking about regional cooperation," and now it is a reality, says Tauer, recently elected as Aurora's mayor, replacing his father, Paul Tauer.

Landmark Properties Group and the Catellus Development Corp. are jointly developing HighPointe at DIA. "Our goal is to work with both Denver and Aurora to make HighPointe at DIA the most exciting and successful mixed-use project in the metro area," says Landmark president Ray Pittman.

Preliminary plans call for more than 500 acres of public open space, including an 18-hole golf course, a 350-room conference center/resort hotel, a high-end business park that could acommodate thousands of new jobs in the area, up to one million sf of new retail and commercial space, and a residential community combining single-family and multifamily homes in a master-planned setting.

The administrations of both cities will work with Landmark over the next 60 days to create a comprehensive development process and action plan for the property, which would then be submitted to both the Denver and Aurora city councils for consideration. This proposal will specify boundaries of the project, establish a process for the joint planning and possible rezoning of the property, and develop a single set of design and development guidelinesand standards. It may include revenue sharing for each city and a framework for water and sewer service, fees, inspections, and other steps in the development process.

Both city councils must take action on any proposal inorder for it to take effect.