Housing Authority Chooses Heitler for Hope VI Work

Eleven development firms submitted proposals to DHA in response to the request for qualifications and proposals in late July. DHA quickly narrowed the field and by mid-August the DHA selection committee recommended a short list of three potential developers to the board of commissioners.

Heitler Development LLC, is an affiliate of Heitler Development, Inc. a real estate development and consulting firm that hasoperated in central Denver since 1967. The managing member of the company is Bruce F. Heitler.

The Park Avenue HOPE VI will leverage $115.6 million of private investment, of which $87.9 million will be for construction costs of 874 new mixed-income housing units. The project is a five-phase project and Phase I is in its initial stages. The project is planned for completion in five years.

"DHA and the development partner will be implementing Phase II of themaster plan for new mixed-income rental and home ownership by the end of the year," says Sal Carpio, executive director of the agency. "And our first new town homes will be under construction this time next year."

Bruce Heitler says this will be the largest project ever undertaken by his firm. However, he notes as chairman of the non-development Lowry Redevelopment Authority, he is in charge of a $1-billion-plus mixed-use project at the former Air Force Base. He tells GlobeSt.com the mixed-use Hope VI project is not only important for the residences who will buy or rent homes there, but also is crucial for the entire fabric of that under-utilized sector of the city.