Editor's Note: 'Our Colorado' stories help natives and newcomers navigate the challenges related to our rapidly growing state, including real estate and development, homelessness, transportation and more. To comment on this or other 360 stories, email us at OurCO@TheDenverChannel.com. See more 'Our Colorado' stories here.
DENVER -- As the housing market continues to grow in Colorado, older communities are feeling those growing pains. The City of Denver is preparing to tear down the Sun Valley Projects near Broncos Stadium at Mile High to redevelop and build new homes.
People who grew up in the Sun Valley Projects gathered at Fairview Elementary School over the weekend for a reunion and to march around the neighborhood one last time before the changes take place.
"We all just grew up together here,” said Joan Cordova, who grew up in Sun Valley. “This is where I met my first boyfriend, (where) I had two kids; and my grandparents lived here."
Darlene Romero also grew up in the Sun Valley area and said she will miss the place she called home.
“I am sad to see it go,” said Romero. She said she also knows this is part of the growth we are continuing to see in the Denver metro area.
“It’s going to be good for the environment and the change of pace in this area,” said Romero. “The economy and everything, the change of scenery."
As the Sun Valley Projects are in the process of being torn down, residents rallying around the homes hope the city will provide affordable options for residents.
“I just hope whatever they put here is enough so people can afford it that are still here because they are going to have to leave and that’s really sad,” said Cordova.
Denver City Councilman Paul López attended the gathering in Sun Valley. He explained the plans the city has for redeveloping the neighborhood.
“We want to make sure that we have that middle income,” said López. “It doesn’t matter if it's public housing, it doesn’t matter if it's affordable at 60 percent or market rate. Folks should be living in dignity, folks should have upgraded systems. We shouldn’t have to worry about our plumbing.”