John Scarffe, Nederland.

Downtown Colorado, Inc., hosted a conference in Boulder on April 10, 2018. As part of the conference, attendees took a bus to Nederland and toured the town, courtesy of long-time conference participants Ron Mitchell and Katrina Harms.

Following the tour, attendees packed the HubNed room for a panel presentation on Nederland redevelopment efforts. Camille Thorsen, of HubNed, said this is a new co-working space for students, freelancers and others who want an office space where they have internet access and can work efficiently.

“Share a work space, commute less. People feel comfortable, creative and part of the community to get the job done,” Thorsen said.

As part of the Peak to Peak Conference of Downtown Colorado, Inc., Jim Leggit, Denver architect, served as moderator for a panel about Nederland redevelopment. He said it was part of a Downtown Colorado study in 2015.

Other panelists were Steve Art, economic development manager in Wheatridge and President of DCI. He has been overseeing major construction downtown for three years.

Ron Mitchell, longtime Nederland resident who explained the history of Nederland and his involvement with the town, sponsored the bus tour. Mitchell said he came to

Nederland in the mid-50s and fell in love with the town.

Nederland has changed dramatically over the past 61 years. Ron graduated as a structural engineer and got involved in real estate. He did a simplified blind study and interviewed people in the businesses in town.

He realized that at some point Nederland would need to redevelop, and he started the lifelong project of buying property. He brought Architect Dave Carlson out of retirement, and he took the town documents and housing needs study, including Vision 2020 and the Comprehensive Plan, to give the community what it wants.

Mitchell held three open houses and asked the community to come and give ideas. Carlson took those and Nancy Blackwell did the planning and development. Blackwell said the centerpiece of the redevelopment is the downtown main block at Second and Snyder streets.

After studying documents very carefully, they came up with a series of plans and reflected back on documents. The key concept for the projects is that it’s all based on sustainability, environmental, social and economic.

Also on the panel were two consultants involved with Mitchell, Dave Carlson with Oz Architects, and Nancy Blackwood, who are familiar with the project.

Nederland Town Administrator Karen Gerrity has been with the town for seven months and was with City of Broomfield previously as the cultural affairs manager. “Her expertise in nonprofit organizations will be valuable, and the Town is fortunate to have her”, Leggit said.

Susan Schneider, chair of the Nederland Downtown Development Authority, has worked in Nederland for 12 years and at Citywide Bank for eight. She is on the board of The Backdoor Theater as well.

“What Ron has done he’s purchased these properties with the idea that three residential sites would be affordable housing that address that need and that would be the first phase and then develop the downtown core, that will be a game changer for all of Nederland,” Blackwell said.

Workforce housing on the hill will be provided, and it will all be in walking distance of the core block, one on Middle Boulder Creek that will serve a number of purposes, storm drainage that will clean the water and release it back into the creek. That’s also the site for a secondary access needed across the river, and this would provide either emergency or full access.

They are looking at relocation of the Pioneer Inn and have a great plan that is inspired by the existing building with the upper floor roof top as dining. A key component for the core block is to create the opportunity for an event street, widely successful in Greeley. They can close the street and do festival events that feed off the restaurant spaces.

The project would have 150 units, 40 residential units and loft spaces for artists as well as parking. That is another sustainable aspect, hiding the parking underground and taking advantage of the slope.

Leggit said that was good to hear. Some of the conference attendees from Monument are talking about the same issues. They have events where they close Second Street and it draws a crowd like the Frozen Dead Guy Festival does in Nederland.

Many of the comments on the Nederland tour had to do with the historic nature of the town, and he asked for reactions from the attendees about the town. Reactions included: funky, hodgepodge, tired, down home, quirky and weird.

Gerrity said it is a very active downtown with concerts and activities, and people live right next door. They came here for the environment and nature, so you must have a sensibility around this mix so people who bought homes here feel like they are valued.

Carlson has focused his career on urban design and mountain planning. This was an opportunity to bring thoughts together about what could happen in Nederland. He wanted to reduce mass to two stories, smaller pedestrian blocks. It’s an appealing size of block with an interior courtyard that will be out of the wind and a pocket of sun.

Mitchell said they can have events but are cognizant of homes nearby, and the courtyard will shield the sound.

Public comments included: “It’s like a mini Breckenridge.” One lady proposed doing the Entertainment District now.

Gerrity said the town doesn’t have to have an Entertainment District. “We have the systems in place. Leggit said the study with DCI identified several locations and suggested having events by the Visitor’s Center, and they are a part of the master plan. One member asked what is the economic impact? Is there a projected increase?

Mitchell said that it will result in an income increase of a million dollars or more annually. After about 40 minutes of discussion, the bus tour back to Boulder left and the DCI conference attendees boarded the bus and returned home.