The Pagosa Springs Resort, a major tourist attraction in downtown Pagosa Springs. (Staff photo)
Pagosa Springs was looking to address this housing shortage while helping to redevelop downtown to create a more walkable environment that encourages visitors and locals alike to linger. To achieve that, the town applied and was chosen for technical assistance from Smart Growth America, made possible through an EPA Office of Community Revitalization Building Blocks grant. The two-day Smart Growth 101 workshop helped Pagosa Springs understand its redevelopment potential and to begin working together towards a shared vision for its future.
Moving forward with downtown revitalization projects
Pagosa Springs has three major redevelopment opportunities that will help it expand year-round housing opportunities, making it more affordable while spurring downtown redevelopment.
The first redevelopment opportunity is the former home of the town’s historic “Adobe building” in downtown, which was destroyed by a fire shortly before the workshop, displacing 16 businesses. As a result, that privately-owned site—and an adjacent town-owned property—is ripe for redevelopment. Since the workshop, the owner of the former Adobe building has decided to sell the property and the town is currently considering options for combining the two sites for a larger development project, one of Smart Growth America’s recommendations. Together, those two sites could realize even greater opportunities for artist spaces, workforce housing, and other community amenities. Sites like these in the heart of a downtown can often serve as catalysts for further redevelopment while providing new housing units in a walkable part of town.
Adjacent to downtown, another 27 acres is earmarked for mixed-use development because of a previous agreement with the owner. Planning for phase 1 of the project—which includes a hotel and conference center, commercial spaces for retail and restaurants, and new residential units for year round residents—begins this year. To better connect this new development with the downtown, officials are hoping to work with the developer to accommodate a new multimodal river crossing in the future.
Smart Growth America’s John Robert Smith addresses the workshop participants. (Staff photo)
For more information on Smart Growth America’s Technical Assistance program and how your community can request assistance from Smart Growth America on a variety of land use, development, and transportation challenges, please visit our technical assistance home page.
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