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The Colorado Springs City Council approved demolishing former El Paso County buildings along Union Boulevard across from Memorial Park to make way for a new affordable housing complex. Founders of Ithaka Land, a partner in the proposed complex, are questioning some of its recent real estate deals among other concerns and asking the state to investigate.
Mary Shinn, The Gazette
Steve Handen, a former Catholic priest who started Colorado Springs first soup kitchen, is the founder of a columbarium, where the ashes of those who died on the streets are buried. He is among those who is questioning Ithaka Land’s recent decisions and asking the state to investigate.
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The Colorado Springs City Council approved demolishing former El Paso County buildings along Union Boulevard across from Memorial Park to make way for a new affordable housing complex. Founders of Ithaka Land, a partner in the proposed complex, are questioning some of its recent real estate deals among other concerns and asking the state to investigate.
Mary Shinn, The Gazette
Steve Handen, a former Catholic priest who started Colorado Springs first soup kitchen, is the founder of a columbarium, where the ashes of those who died on the streets are buried. He is among those who is questioning Ithaka Land’s recent decisions and asking the state to investigate.
The Colorado Springs City Council unanimously approved plans Tuesday for up to 1,729 homes across almost 300 acres on the eastern edge of town in Banning Lewis Ranch, after some council members raised questions about plans for lower-density housing amid an affordability crisis.
Oakwood Homes is proposing the new neighborhood that will be bounded by Dublin Boulevard along its northern edge and Stetson Hills Boulevard along the southern edge. It is one of seven neighborhoods planned for the area that will cover 2,500 acres, said Rick Haering with LAI Design Group. This new area will have 28 acres of parks that will connect to trails, he said.
By a vote of 9 to 0, Colorado Springs City Council recently reaffirmed the historic preservation design standards for the Old North End residential area north of Colorado College. That means remodeling of homes and new construction will continue to conform to the traditional historic look of the neighborhood turn of the 20th century Victorian.
This was the second time of late City Council has supported historic preservation. Council voted to adopt the city’s updated Historic Preservation Master Plan, also known as HistCOS.
Why does the Old North End get this special treatment from the city government? More important, should other neighborhoods join the Old North End by protecting their historic look with historic preservation overlay zoning?
The city of Colorado Springs has received an additional $11 million in federal rental assistance to help keep residents in their homes ahead of the end of a federal moratorium on evictions in June.
The recent judicial order to stay the federal protections for renters may cause a rise in evictions locally, but Steve Posey, the city s community development division manager, said he doesn t think it is reason for panic, he told the Colorado Springs City Council Monday.
The Apartment Association of Southern Colorado is reporting that more than 90% of tenants are paying rent, he said. The Pikes Peak United Way is also planning to provide individualized help to those who may struggle to apply for rental assistance on their own and landlords can apply to receive the assistance directly, he said.