What does the future of Colorado Springs hold? What will COS look like, feel like and live like in 10, 20, 30 or more years? What are the big projects and dreams for the city? Those were the questions we asked in 2017 when we first featured Big Ideas for Colorado Springs in Springs magazine.
Colorado Springs was on the move then, but it has come a long way further. Back then, COS was possibly still the best kept secret on the Colorado Front Range. Now the secret is fully out. And it’s widely known that the Colorado Demography Office projects the population of El Paso County to top 1 million and pass Denver proper by 2050. (No, that does not include the entire metro Denver area.)
How we grow is the big question, not if we will grow. Many of the projects featured in our 2017 Big Ideas series have already come to fruition, including placemaking additions like the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, the new Pikes Peak Summit House, Southern Colorado’s first Children’s Hospital and the permanent home of U.S. Space Command. At the time, Weidner Field, home of the Switchbacks FC, wasn’t even a concrete part of the City for Champions initiatives. But it has been an incredibly important addition to the city and its downtown renaissance. On the other hand, it seems a local ski resort, a high rise with the tallest observation deck in North America and a hyperloop train to get Springsters to Denver in 9 minutes will remain pipe dreams — at least for the time being. You can read our 2017 Big Ideas series here and here to measure the progress.
But it’s time to look ahead again at what’s on the horizon and what’s shaping the present and future growth of Colorado Springs. There’s a lot to look forward to on the horizon, and these projects, proposals and priorities will shape the complexion and identity of the Springs as it continuess to grow into a world-class city. So with that, we give you
17 Big Ideas for Colorado Springs in 2024
A New Front Door for the City
By now you’ve seen this project rising beside I-25 at the Northgate entrance to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Collectively called True North Commons, the $345 million project is a collection of public-private development on 32 acres. “[It] offers a new, immersive front-door experience with stunning architecture for visitors and residents alike, connecting them to both the Academy and Colorado Springs,” says Curtis Bova, general manager of the Hotel Polaris. True North Commons includes the Academy’s Hosmer Visitor Center, Hotel Polaris, retail shops, a state-of-the-art office complex and new trailhead parking for the Santa Fe Trail. We’ll break out the two largest projects specifically.
U.S. Air Force Academy Visitor Center
The visionary structure of the Hosmer Visitor Center is designed to symbolize an aircraft taking flight, and the tiered architecture looks like a series of rising wings. Inside will be a brand new state-of-the-art visitor center at the gateway of the U.S. Air Force Academy, making it more accessible to visitors than the current center 7 miles inside the Academy grounds.
“We’re designing an immersive and holistic experience to tell the Academy’s story,” said Lisa Neener, the Academy’s chief of visitor experience. “People will get a glimpse of what it’s like to go through the cadet journey and then embark in their service to the U.S. Air Force or Space Force.”
Status: Watch for opening in 2025.
Hotel Polaris
Connected to the Visitor Center by a pedestrian bridge is the 375-room Hotel Polaris with 26,000 square feet of meeting and event space. This is no basic hotel. Want to feel like an Air Force pilot, there will be three flight simulators for 737 and F-16 jets to immerse you in a multi-sensory pilot experience. Hotel Polaris will also include a full-service spa, expansive pool terrace with cabanas and guest experiences like stargazing and falconry.
“The Hotel Polaris will offer unique culinary experiences, highlighted by a three-meal dining restaurant that will celebrate an elevated approach to American comfort cuisine, a ninth floor rooftop bar with breathtaking views of Rampart Range, and a one-of-a-kind 1950s styled soda shop and rec-room,” Bova says.
Status: Hotel Polaris is targeted to open in late 2024.
Union Printers Home at Printers Hill
In 1889, the International Typographical Union created the Union Printers Home to care for its aging and sick union members. By 2020, a private nursing home group closed the site, then sold it to a group of local investors and philanthropists who wanted to save the historic castle property. Their vision has grown into a dynamic urban community that would revolutionize the area around Memorial Park with a mixture of residential, commercial and retail spaces that potentially include a boutique hotel, restaurants, gardens and more. The vision both preserves the past and propels the neighborhood into the future.
“Through our master planning process with our design firm, Sasaki, we came to the realization that the only way to save the [historic castle] property was to start dreaming bigger,” says Susan Pattee, a partner in Union Printers Home. “That was where the idea of redeveloping the land into a new city district originated from. Since making that decision, we have come to realize that even more than saving this important piece of our city’s history, we are excited about creating a community that people will enjoy for generations to come.”
Status: Union Printers Home is currently in planning, approval and investment stages. Construction could begin in 2026.
Sunset Amphitheater
The Springs levels up its live music game this summer when Sunset Amphitheater opens in August. Local entrepreneur J.W. Roth wanted to disrupt the live music industry, and he is well on his way. OneRepublic will play three shows Aug. 9-11 to christen the $90-million, 8,000-seat concert venue. Did we mention the upscale chophouse, five rooftop bars and 133 privately owned fire pit suites? Yes. Yes, we did, and you can read more about this Big Idea in our Interview: JW Roth Is Ready for Live Music at Sunset Amphitheater.
Status: Opening in August 2024.
Making Colorado Springs a World-Class American City
“We are on a journey to build an inclusive, culturally rich, economically prosperous, safe and vibrant world-class American city on a hill that shines brightly,” says Mayor Yemi Mobolade. If you’ve listened to him speak, you’ve probably heard him talk about this vision for Colorado Springs.
“My ‘big hairy audacious goal’ includes the four elements of a vibrant city,” he told us. “The most ideal city in the United States would be a city that is inclusive, meaning it’s a city where people feel welcome and valued and belong and empowered to make a difference. A city that is culturally rich is a city that celebrates its many cultural identities and fosters an environment where various cultural heritages can flourish. A city that is economically prosperous is one where residents have opportunity for economic mobility and one that enhances the quality of life. Workforce is part of that. And if you don’t have a city that is safe, you have nothing, both for residents and visitors. What do I hope for the Springs 10 or 20 years from now? That’s it. If I do my job well, if we do this well, it’s those four elements.”
Innovative Housing for Teachers
How do you recruit and hire good teachers in the face of high rents and real estate prices? Harrison School District 2 is building a $6 million duplex community with affordable rent for its teachers. The project is named Wendy’s Village after D-2 Superintendent Wendy Birhanzel, who won Colorado’s 2023 Superintendent of the Year award. The community will be built at Mountain Vista Community School on the site of an old soccer field. Each of its 20 apartments will be 352 square feet and rent for $825 a month.
Status: The project is currently in a fundraising phase.
30 West at Park Union
Downtown has been on a roll. From 2013 to 2023, downtown has totaled $2.3 billion of investment in completed, in-process or announced development. “While new projects have included cultural and events venues, hotels, apartments and a diverse mix of retail and dining establishments, there has not been new Class A office space in the central business district built in decades,” says Tracy Doherty, director of marketing and communications for Norwood Development Group. “Ask any commercial broker in town — companies are hungry for modern offices that reflect changes in how and where employees desire to work.”
That’s why Norwood has proposed 30 West, a 12-story office building in Park Union at the northwest corner of Cimarron Street and Sahwatch Street across from Weidner Field. The 194,000-square-foot building includes amenities such as a rooftop lounge, shared conferencing center, fitness and wellness studio, golf simulator and bike storage. The mixed-use 30 West also includes street-level retail and restaurant space.
Status: Pending approvals, Norwood hopes to start construction in early 2025.
Reimagining Our Waterways
Will we be able to tube and paddle Fountain and Monument Creeks? Possibly. The COS Creek Plan is a comprehensive road map to shape and reimagine the Fountain Creek Watershed.
“It’s about asking ourselves individually, what do we think about the creek? And what is it as a place of value and potential?” says Chris Lieber, principal at N.E.S. and project manager for the COS Creek Plan. “It can become a place that we take care of and value as a community — a place of hopefulness, where we value nature on par with the other special places in our region.” The primary COS Creek Plan focuses on eight new and revitalized parks over a 10-mile stretch through the heart of the city. Read more about this Big Idea in our feature COS Creek Plan Reimagines Colorado Springs Waterways.
Status: America the Beautiful Park is the first phase with construction targeted as soon as 2026-2027, but there is much planning and funding to come first.
Strategic Economic Development
In 2023, Colorado Springs saw a record high $1.3 billion in capital investment, which topped previous highs of $750 million and 2,000 new jobs in 2022. Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer attributes much of that growth to a strategic approach, and she has prioritized a vision for data-driven economic growth since becoming president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC in 2021.
“We’ve taken a very proactive approach to economic development versus reactive waiting for projects to come to us. It’s a strategy,” she says. “We have to be thoughtful in who we are and what prime industries with high paying jobs we want to invest in for our region. We want to be a community for all, but we as the Chamber & EDC want to work in primary industry. Those are companies that export primarily outside of your region. When you have primary industry, then the secondary industry comes: the retail, the hospitals, those things that are population based.”
Status: The Chamber is currently in the midst of several studies and analyses that will provide data to identify top industries and sectors to prioritize for future economic development, among other goals.
Myron Stratton Home Expansion
On July 4, 1891, Colorado Springs businessman Winfield Scott Stratton became an instant millionaire when he struck gold on the south slope of Pikes Peak, discovering his Independence Mine, one of Cripple Creek’s richest ore discoveries. When he died in 1902, he bequeathed most of his fortune to establish and maintain a home for poor people, named in memory of his father, Myron Stratton. Stratton’s legacy has endured, and in fall 2023, the Myron Stratton Home broke ground on 81 new, independent-living apartments for low-income seniors.
The expansion is funded by a $30 million donation from the Myron Stratton Foundation, the largest single donation for affordable housing by a private foundation in the state of Colorado. “By building more housing for those independent living residents that all live below the 50% Area Median Income (AMI) for El Paso County, we can better provide equitable access to opportunities, and create a more connected and inclusive community,” said Executive Director Daniel O’Rear. “We’re grateful to break ground on a project that will provide housing and services for generations to come.”
Status: The first phase of 47 apartments is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Colorado Asian Art & Culture Heritage Center, Asian Botanical Gardens and Tea House
In 2021, the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services purchased the P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter House on 8.5 acres in Cheyenne Canyon in a partnership with the Golden Lotus Foundation. The organization’s vision is to create a Colorado Asian Art and Culture Heritage Center, Botanical Gardens and Tea House to educate and represent various Asian heritages.
Status: Stage One fundraising has reached half of its $250,000 goal. The overall fundraising goal is $6 million.
Fox Run Nature Center
A new nature center will be added to Fox Run Regional Park, making it the third in the El Paso County Parks system. “Fountain Creek Nature Center is nestled next to the creek and wetlands area, while Bear Creek Nature Center sits in the shrublands at the base of the mountains,” says Todd Marts, executive director of our El Paso County Parks. “Fox Run will provide our residents and visitors with a unique ponderosa pine-Black Forest experience. We will also have an innovative tower and canopy walk that will give visitors of all ages and abilities a spectacular and seldom-seen view of the beautiful ponderosa pine forest.”
Status: The Fox Run Nature Center is currently in site planning and architectural design with public input sessions. Grand opening is targeted for early 2026.
ArtSpace
ArtSpace will help local creatives avoid being starving artists. The mixed-use ArtSpace will provide 51 one- and two-bedroom live-work units and about 20 artist studios for those making 60% or less of the Area Median Income. The downtown site is the former home of Rocky Mountain PBS and the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado.
Status: The project officially broke ground in April 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2025.
Front Range Passenger Rail
Plans have been, ahem, picking up steam to create a passenger rail network spanning 173 miles from Pueblo to Fort Collins. Last year, the project received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for planning studies. Routes are generally expected to follow existing rail corridors. The City of Colorado Springs completed an initial Station Location Study, which ultimately recommended America the Beautiful Park for a Front Range passenger depot.
Status: Planning stages with a final development plan are expected by the end of 2024. The project could appear on future ballots for sales tax support, and trains could be running in 10 to 15 years.
The Tallest Building Downtown
Currently the tallest building in downtown Colorado Springs is the 16-story Wells Fargo Tower. But VeLa Peakview would reach 36 stories filled with nearly 500 apartments and amenities such as a fitness center, conference room, outdoor pool, an indoor-outdoor bar and party room, dog runs and dog wash stations. The new mixed-use building by the O’Neil Group and VeLa Development Partners would be built on the southwest corner of Sahwatch and Costilla streets near the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
Status: The Urban Renewal Authority approved the proposal in November 2023. Ongoing studies are underway, and City Council must ultimately approve the site’s urban renewal district designation, which could take through 2024.
Affordable Workforce Housing
Affordable housing is a hot topic in the current economy. A pair of new rental communities in Southeast Springs have brought a fresh approach to rental living. Mosaica and the soon-to-open Kaleidos are designed for the “missing middle class,” those who want a neighborhood atmosphere but earn too much to qualify for housing assistance and not enough to afford soaring real estate prices, says developer Darsey Nicklasson.
The community-centric neighborhoods offer townhouse-like rentals in one- to four-bedroom layouts with large porches. Common spaces and events are designed for interacting with neighbors. “You can certainly live here and be anonymous and not talk to anybody, but our ideal resident is somebody who’s really looking for a sense of community and a desire to know their neighbors,” Nicklasson says.
Status: Mosaica opened in 2023. Kaleidos is currently pre-leasing and opens in April 2024.
What’s Next for Drake
What’s clear is that the Martin Drake Power Plant is coming down after producing coal-fired electricity for Colorado Springs for nearly a century. What’s unclear is what’s next for the site at the I-25 and Highway 24 gateway to downtown.
“From a Colorado Springs Utilities perspective, we know there will be a permanent utilities presence on the site, starting with the substation and potentially other utilities-related uses. We do not see that ever going away,” says Steve Berry, senior public affairs specialist for Colorado Springs Utilities. “Additionally, the six natural gas units commissioned last year (adjacent to the old plant) will remain on-site for several years into the future.”
Last year, the “Reimagining the Martin Drake Power Plant” community visioning report by Downtown Partnership and the Legacy Institute was delivered to the Utilities board with recommendations to guide future decisions about the site. But before any third-party development can take place, environmental studies must be completed and potential developers would have to consider mitigation costs and utilities easements.
“If the question of private development on the Drake site is ever considered, it will ultimately be considered by City Council, the City of Colorado Springs and the public,” Berry says.
Status: Any potential next-phase development of the Drake site is many years away.
Read More
Find more stories about the growth of Colorado Springs in these articles.
Downtown Development: Is This Our LoDo Moment?
What Do You Call Someone Who Lives in the Springs?
What Is Colorado Springs Like? We Asked AI
See New Downtown Apartments on the Urban Living Tour
