Menu
Location
Aurora, CO, Colorado’s 6th Congressional District
Summary
Liberty View created 59 units of senior (55+), independent living apartments designated for Veterans on the Fitzsimmons Campus. The site is located at the center of health care innovation in the metro area and is adjacent to both a bus route and within a half mile of a light rail station. The Development’s close proximity to the VA hospital will positively impact veterans by reducing commuting times and increasing access to medical and social resources. Accessibility both within the building and around the community is paramount, and the Aurora Housing Authority (AHA) is designing each unit to incorporate universal design so that residents may age in place. This design feature, coupled with staff support, allows residents to age in place. The site plan considers human-scale movement throughout the 15-acres, providing walking paths, bike storage and natural wayfinding to existing bus stops.
The project was completed on December 30, 2022, and welcomed the first residents in January of 2023. As of June, the project was fully leased. The residents have engaged in many social activities including cheering the Denver Nuggets to victory in the community room, playing Bingo, hosting BBQs and attending the annual senior gala.
Benefits & Innovation
Liberty View houses 59 veteran households over the age of 62. Liberty View has 65 total seniors living in the building. Four households have married couples. Twenty of our residents self-identified as disabled. We have almost 15% of the residents who are Hispanic/Latine/Chicane. Our other largest group is white individuals at 53% and then Black individuals at 37%. Many residents are living on income from social security. And overall average income for the property is $23,017.37.
Design: Liberty View allows for unfettered mobility and independence by incorporating universal design elements and campus wide amenities. Many residents receive medical treatment from the VA hospital, and the building is designed to allow seniors to age in place with dignity and autonomy.
Development: Unique to this project is the low-cost land, Liberty View will pay $25 per year for a 75 year ground lease. Montview and Peoria Streets are owned by the City of Aurora, while Quentin Street is owned by Colorado University. This required negotiations with both parties to grant access to the parcel.
Construction: During the most volatile period in recent history, Alliance Construction managed material price increases, supply chain delays, and public utility installation delays while still meeting a 2022 TCO date.
Sustainability: Liberty View meets the new green building standards NGBS (National green Building Standards). Residents and staff will be able to access an EV charging station restricted for their use and the location offers access to robust public transportation network including bus and light rail service.
Partner Engagement
In 1999, the Fitzsimons Army Base closed and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act provided 15-acres of surplus federal property to the Colorado Department of Human Services to house veterans. In 2002, the state constructed the Veterans Community Living Center (a skilled nursing facility). As the years ticked by, no efforts were made to expand housing or complete the site. Through local advocacy Craig Maraschky, and Representative Su Riden) HB 16-1397 was signed into law requiring the completion of the 15-acre site in 2016.
This resulted in a permanent supportive housing development on the southern parcel in 2017, and Liberty View in 2023. A multi-jurisdictional permitting process required design approval from the Fitzsimmons Design Review Board, a civil site plan approval from the City of Aurora, and a building permit from the State of Colorado.
Funding sources for this development were broad. The Colorado Department of Human Services provided the land in a low-cost lease, both state and federal tax credits were awarded for the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority after three application cycles, the Colorado Division of Housing provided a low-interest loan, and the City of Aurora provided a grant to the project. The Housing authority project based 14 vouchers to serve very low-income seniors.
In addition, received donations for resident welcome baskets from the Aurora Veterans Commission and Xcel Energy. The Arts in Public Places program has also supported the project by funding and overseeing the selection of a sculpture that will be crafted specifically for the Liberty View lawn.
Additional Needs
This development is one of three buildings on the 15-acre campus offering a continuum of housing options including independent, senior living through Aurora Housing Authority, permanent supportive housing through Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and skilled nursing through the Colorado Department of Human Services. By co-locating permanent supportive housing along with affordable senior independent living, Colorado veterans now have more options on a campus serving both health and housing needs.
There is still work to be done for our veterans, as there were 432 veterans identified in the 2022 Metro Denver Homelessness Initiative point in time study, and a predominance (37 percent) of these veterans were seniors between the ages of 55 and 64.
Funding
Contact
Allsun Kilgore
[email protected]
303.864.7826
630 Eye Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 293-5820