AURORA, Colo. — Joe Fox has called northwest Aurora home for the past seven years.
“We have incredible arts, we have incredible food,” he said.
Aurora city leaders want to bring that kind of energy back to the East Colfax corridor and are looking into the best ways to make that happen.
The city has been working with the consulting firm Progressive Urban Management Associates, as well as going directly to residents.
“I think the deep concern from the neighborhood is we want to ensure that we can keep the character of the neighborhood, the working class roots, the diversity, all the things that make Northwest Aurora really cool,” said Fox.
Neighborhood organizations like the Dayton Street Opportunity Center echo this sentiment.
“We have an opportunity to say, ‘Well, what should be here?’ And so that's really exciting. And to be a part of the process and to lend your voice to that, to reshaping your community, is monumental,” said Maisha Fields, the organization’s executive director and founder.
At the end of 2024, the northwest Aurora community lost its Walgreens and Walmart stores — two lifelines for those without vehicles, according to community advocates. The growing number of boarded-up businesses is a concern residents want to see addressed, along with things like food insecurity and more affordable housing.
“That de-investment in people into communities, into children, has had grave impacts on our community. And so now, this gives us an opportunity to reinvest and to hopefully make sure that community is a part of the process,” said Fields.
The city is considering adding a downtown development authority (DDA) as well as a community development corporation (CDC), which would ultimately help with the area’s revitalization and economic development.
“We will be looking at coming back to [Aurora City Council] towards the end of the summer, this summer, with more finite recommendations and input from the community itself,” said City of Aurora redevelopment manager Andrea Amonick.
While efforts to revitalize the area have been in the works for years, community members told Denver7 this is the first time they feel like there's real momentum.
“We're also seeing just the numbers [in neighborhood organizations] swell as people want to participate, learn about what's happening, and want to be involved in the conversation,” said Mateos Alvarez, who represents the registered neighborhood association Original Aurora Neighbors.
“This is really a neighborhood effort, not the city telling the neighborhood what it can provide,” said Amonick.
If Aurora City Council moves forward with the creation of a DDA, voters in that district would have to approve it during the November election. The CDC, on the other hand, would not require a vote.
Meanwhile, community input meetings are underway. The next is set for Saturday, April 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Paris Elementary.
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