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Group seeks more say at Union Station

By Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 15, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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A coalition of labor, environmental and affordable-housing advocates is demanding more say in private redevelopment around Denver Union Station.

Citing the amount of public money going into FasTracks construction at the 19-acre station site - and the potentially profitable base that creates for economic development - the coalition said Monday the city should insist on inclusion of low-income housing, better jobs and small-business opportunities.

About 130 supporters rallied Monday at the City and County Building to listen to speeches. They marched around the building while a delegation delivered signed cards to Mayor John Hickenlooper's office asking for more public input.

About $477 million in public money is expected to go into converting the historic station into the central hub of seven FasTracks rail corridors.

But the money doesn't go to the private developer, Union Station Neighborhood Co., which will be the source of $27 million of it through the purchase of building sites there.

The public money all goes to the transit improvements, including station renovation, tracks, platforms and stations, said Roger Sherman, spokesman for RTD and its partners in Union Station - Denver, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Regional Council of Governments.

The developer will coordinate the construction of the transit improvements and build privately financed commercial, retail and residential structures. That extra development will provide the tax base expected to generate revenues to pay off additional financing for the transit improvements.

flynnk@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5247

Comments

  • April 15, 2008

    8:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Mtn__Gator writes:

    Denver has done such a great turn around in the city, why in the world would we want to provide "low income" housing. We all know what that leads to! Low income house can be found out in eastern Aurora, there is an abundance of that. I do support small business ventures, that certainly would help.

  • April 15, 2008

    12:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Bob299 writes:

    The plan for Union Station had a lengthy public process. All they will serve to do is gum up the process.