DENVER, Colo., March 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Denver community of Montbello was in a celebratory mood as the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase I of the Montbello FreshLo project took place on March 2nd. The Montbello FreshLo Hub is a community-inspired and directed project that will create a space for residents to live, shop, convene, experience art, improve their health and more. Dignitaries welcomed Montbello residents and delivered messages touting the importance of the new project.
“Affordable housing options in Montbello are expanding thanks to community-driven solutions like the FreshLo Hub,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “This project is a testament to the power of community organizing, and we’re proud to invest Denver resources to enrich quality of life in this great neighborhood.”
Phase I includes a six-story building with 97 affordable housing units ranging from one- to -three bedrooms for individuals and families living at 30% and 50-70% AMI. The building will also house a mental health center, office and retail space on the first floor. Construction of Phase I is expected to be completed in late 2024.
Donna Garnett, executive director of the Montbello Organizing Committee, who has worked tirelessly toward groundbreaking day, was pleased by the large crowd that gathered for the ceremony, saying, “It’s so rewarding to be surrounded today by our friends, neighbors and supporters as we break ground on the Montbello FreshLo Hub. This is a community-inspired, community-directed, and ultimately, community-owned project that will help ensure that Montbello thrives and celebrates its unique and vibrant culture. We look forward to the construction of the building and to also having a community grocery store, cultural arts education center, business incubator and nonprofit meeting space located in our community.”
Delivering on the community’s request for a multi-use project that includes new resources that support infrastructure growth required a dedicated project team. For Montbello, it included:
- Developers: Montbello Organizing Committee and FLO Development Services, LLC
- Architects and Engineers: The Roybal Corporation with Van Meter Williams and Pollack, LLP; Desibl Studio
- Tax Credit Consultants: S.B. Clark Companies
- General Contractors: Alliance Construction Solutions and Gilmore Construction Corporation
- Partners: Colorado Black Arts Movement DBA FreshLo/ARTS, WellPower, Daily Table, Montbello Building Community Wealth Center
Denise Burgess, President and CEO of Burgess Services, who has been involved since the early planning phase of the Montbello FreshLo Hub reflected, “The insistence and ability for the Montbello Organizing Committee to create opportunities for inclusiveness at every level of this project is a direct reflection of the purpose and continued success of this project.”
The overall Montbello FreshLo Hub project budget is estimated at $85 million and consists of a diverse mix of capital sources - Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, Construction Loans, Government Grants, Philanthropic Contributions and Impact Investments. Phase II will feature a grocery store, a cultural arts education center, and a business incubator.
Funders, donors and impact investors who have contributed to the Montbello FreshLo Hub include:
- AJL Foundation
- Anonymous
- Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
- Burgess Services
- Citi Community Capital
- City and County of Denver
- DEDO
- HOST
- Colorado Creative Industries
- Colorado Division of Housing
- Colorado Enterprise Fund
- The Colorado Health Foundation
- CHFA (LIHTC and Capital Magnet Fund)
- Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (ARPA)
- The Colorado Trust
- The Denver Foundation
- FLO Development Services, LLC
- Gates Family Foundation
- Impact Development Fund
- Kaiser Permanente
- Kresge Foundation
- Mile High Connects/SPARCC
- Montbello Organizing Committee Board of Directors
- Montbello Organizing Committee Staff
- U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
ABOUT MONTBELLO ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (MOC): Montbello Organizing Committee’s mission is to galvanize Montbello residents and provide them with the tools and resources necessary to develop their leadership skills to proactively address the issues affecting their community and quality of life. To learn more, visit www.montbelloorganizing.org or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @MontbelloOrg.
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