My Main Street - Downtown Parker

November 3, 2022

Downtown Parker is improving and will look different in years to come since the Town sold their vacant land to a developer in 2022. These properties (as stated below) have been vacant for quite some time, for many different reasons, according to the Town's Planning Department and Partnering for Parkers Progress (P3). The Residents of Parker were asked in 2018, in a public engagement survey/outreach, on "what they would like to see in the downtown area." Town Council members also during the year of 2021-22 had discussions on this input from the Town residents (from 2018) and further narrowed down the list of acceptable uses in this downtown area. There has been resident engagement on these land parcels, at all public Town Councils meetings throughout the last decade and to current day.

This current Town Council has taken strategic action, with the Town Planners and P3 Board of Directors to develop our downtown area when Confluence Companies (the Developer) approached the Town in November 2021 to develop all properties. Prior to this time, between 2019 to 2021, some Developers did submit offers on properties for a single property. No other Developer had come forward during this time, in the last decade, and offered to develop all properties. When Confluence approached the Town Planners and Town Council on this matter, they immediately began considering this offer and started researching this matter.

https://www.parkeronline.org/mainstreetplan

https://www.parkeronline.org/597/Greater-Downtown-District-Standards

The land parcels are as follows:

Property Acquisition Dates:

Schoolhouse lot – 1995;
Pine Curve – 2001 & 2002;
Pace Lots 2A & 2B – 2006;
East Main lot – 2013; and
19801 E. Maintstreet - (PAR) – 2014.

For more information on Confluence Companies, see the link below:

https://www.confluenceco.com/real-estate-capabilities/

What is this project all about? This is a $275 million public-private investment,the largest in Parker's history for these mixed use land parcels. This implements a decades long plan to activate and grow the downtown, increase services and enhance economic vitality for Parker. A few highlights of the project include: more than 14,000 square feet of commercial office space, and an estimated 574 residential spaces, including for sale condominiums will be available; parking garage near the Parker Arts Center will contain 250 additional parking spaces; an outdoor community plaza, a new public park and art installation.

Can the new improvement have only historical look? Why or why not?

The Town does not have a designated historic district for the properties on this project. The Town does have a local historic preservation law that identifies and provides some protection to the few remaining historic buildings in Town, most of which are found in the downtown area.

Where will the new restaurants and commercial be located?

The Town master plan and zoning regulations for the downtown area require that new development on Mainstreet have commercial space on the bottom floor (ground floor). The idea is that this commercial space will activate Mainstreet and keep the downtown area a lively, energetic place for residents and visitors to enjoy. We expect that the new commercial space on the bottom floor (ground floor) of new development on Mainstreet will be used by restaurants, shops and maybe a few offices.

You may be interested in the following additional information about development in the downtown area on Mainstreet:

Parker Mainstreet Master Plan: https://www.parkerco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/22353/Parker-Mainstreet-MP-Full-Report

Parker My Mainstreet: https://www.p3parker.com/my-mainstreet-implementation

Confluence Companies, My Mainstreet Project Site: https://mymainstreetparker.com/

Oversight of Project: This entire site has a Plan Use Development that has certain requirements, and at each stage of this development, this site will be approved by Town Council members. and P3 Board of Directors and be in accordance with feedback from these board members and town residents input.

https://www.letstalkparker.org/mymainstreet-implementation

Action to implement Development: The Town of Parker, thru Town Council, entered into an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with Confluence Companies during the month of January 2022. A master plan concept was presented to Town Council by Confluence Companies during the month of April 2022 during a Town Council meeting.

On September 6, 2022, the Parker Town Council and P3 Board of Directors approved the purchase and sale agreements with Confluence Companies for the six land parcels associated with the My Mainstreet Project. The project completion timeline is from 2023 to 2030, for full completion of the improved downtown area. On November 7, 2022, a Development Agreement was approved by Parker Town Council and P3 with Confluence Companies. In December of 2022, all five parcels were sold to Confluence Companies. All plans for the land parcels are in accordance with the Parker 2035 Master Plan and My Main street Master Plan.

What will this new downtown look like? The Town of Parker, and P3 are working closely with Confluence Companies on creating a new future for the downtown Parker area. Each property will have a unique design that allows a more walkable, vibrant and vital downtown area for Parker and Douglas County residents. Confluence Companies will create a "walkable" and vibrant downtown that brings people together in Parker. There will be mixed use buildings with restaurants, commercial space, housing and more. The goal is to have commercial (retail, restaurants, office space ) on the first floor of these buildings and office space/housing on the second floors and above. The height limitation for these buildings downtown is 60 feet or 4 stories. Use of a stepped back design is being contemplated for areas in front of the Parker Arts Center.

Why mixed use development downtown? Many folks desired only "commercial or restaurants" downtown and not any additional housing. Confluence Companies did a careful study of whether this was possible or not and concluded that "financially this does not work, at all." Confluence companies decided to develop a mixed use environment with both residential and commercial to subsidize the cost of the commerical space. Tony DiSimone, CEO of Confluence companies stated that "it is difficult to deliver restaurant space by itself because its typically only large national chain restaurants that would have the money to build something." The goal in Parker is to keep the authenticity of the local area and bring in those small local businesses and local restaurants, not large national chains.

What about Parking and traffic downtown? There will be a new parking garage downtown for 297 spaces near the Parker Arts Center on the current surface parking lot east of the PACE center, providing more spaces than is currently at PACE. This will keep the traffic away from the front of the PACE center and allow folks to park in a more centralized area, where they can walk downtown.

Public Participation: As these projects progress, there will be an "open houses" to the public and public comment will be taken for all five sites. Confluence Companies must follow all Land Development Ordinances, Codes and Site plans for design and implementation on these properties that Parker has in place. Confluence Companies will be required to provide quarterly and annual reports to the Town on it's progress and follow all regular processes for development, that the Town currently has in place for this $3 million public-private partnership.

Transparency for this project: As we progress in moving forward with plans to improve the downtown District in Parker, here are some websites to review, so you can understand this project, get involved and get your questions answered.

My Mainstreet Project 2018 Page - https://www.p3parker.com/my-mainstreet

My Mainstreet Implementation - https://www.p3parker.com/my-mainstreet-implementation

Let’s Talk Parker My Mainstreet 2018 - https://www.letstalkparker.org/my-mainstreet

Let’s Talk Parker My Mainstreet Implementation - https://www.letstalkparker.org/mymainstreet-implementation

https://www.letstalkparker.org/my-mainstreet

Press Articles on My Mainstreet:

https://parkerchronicle.net/stories/parker-hears-first-look-at-possible-mainstreet-developments,392710

https://milehighcre.com/confluence-companies-under-contract-on-six-land-parcels-in-parker/

https://douglascountynewspress.net/stories/parker-business-owners-and-residents-have-difference-views-on-downtown-development,406969

https://highlandsranchherald.net/stories/parker-approves-development-agreement-with-confluence-companies,406968

Catch up on your local newspaper reading for Douglas County and Parker!

https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/douglas-county-news-press/