Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, announced today the latest six recipients of the Community Revitalization Grant program.
Established by SB21-252, the Colorado Community Revitalization Grant provides gap funding for projects in creative districts, historic districts, main streets or neighborhood commercial centers. These grants support projects that combine creative industry workforce housing, commercial spaces, performance space, community gathering spaces, child care centers, and retail partnerships for the purpose of economic recovery and diversification by supporting creative sector entrepreneurs, artisans, and community non-profit organizations.
Vtrove at Camp V - $2,000,000
Naturita, Colorado
Vtrove is a mixed-use space project, founded in 1942 as the town of Vancorum. The town was built by the Vanadium Corporation of America to house the engineers who worked in the nearby uranium mill. CampV was developed in 2020 to include: restoration of the 14 historic cabins, public water system, glamping tents, camp spaces, RV spots, swimming pond, art and future public trails in order to stimulate tourism around the corner of SW Colorado. CampV has curated numerous art installations through their non-profit, WEarts, which now has a home at CampV. By restoring the property, CampV will be able to educate visitors about the history of the community and the ways they can help the transitioning economy.
La Plaza Inn - $1,200,000
Walsenburg, Colorado
The La Plaza Inn project involves restoring the 2-story, 11-unit historic hotel to a mixed-use 13-unit long-term rental with an artist loft, speakeasy, and restaurant. La Plaza was recently rendered inoperable when a historic rainfall flooded the building while it was under construction. The project includes the restoration and preservation of the historic building. La Plaza will serve as an anchor, delivering a focal point for the community. La Plaza will coordinate programming with the Museum of Friends, Miner’s Plaza, and the Fox Theater. Adapting La Plaza Inn to provide long-term housing further supports economic diversification of Huerfano County and Walsenburg by creating needed workforce housing for the members of the community.
World’s Wonder View Tower - $1,500,000
Genoa, Colorado
This project, in a town with a population of 145, will support the preservation and activation of the legendary tower in order to push its role as a community gathering place, cultural center, creative business incubator and economic driver on the Eastern Plains of Colorado. In addition to restoring the tower, the project will include up to 6 lodging rooms for an artist-in-residency program, arts-based learning activities, the reopening of the building’s museum and cafe, and the establishment of a local artisan shop.
Artspace Colorado Springs - $5,000,000
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Artspace Colorado Springs will be a multi-purpose five story building that serves 51 units of multifamily affordable housing with a focus on the creative community. The building will also include commercial space, which will be artist studios once completed. This project will take place around the Downtown Colorado Springs Creative District. The project will be built to the standards of 2020 Enterprise Green Communities including photo-voltaic capacity and EV-ready parking spaces. Additionally, the building will have a public art component, taking the form of murals on vertical spaces throughout the building’s exterior, and sculptural components by Colorado artists.
Center Theater - $500,000
Center, Colorado
The Center Theater is a historic cinema and performing arts theater located in downtown Center, Colorado. The Center Theater was once a place that connected the San Luis Valley to cultures outside of the state. In fact, when it first opened, the Center Theater was one of few venues in the valley where the Mejicano community could view Spanish-language films. The project will, in turn, reimagine the Center Theater as a place for valley residents to share their own history with visitors. The Center Theater will be an ideal cultural hub for the community, bringing in different cinema, theatrical, and performing arts, as well as offering a gathering space for visiting lectures and cultural functions. In addition to the main theater space, the Center Theater has two retail spaces and three independent one-bedroom workforce housing units. Restoring these apartments will not only help bring energy to Center’s commercial center, but provide an option to diversify the housing pool.
Warehouse Food Hall - $50,000
Craig, Colorado
The Warehouse Food Hall is a space for locals of Craig, Colorado to eat, drink, and celebrate their vibrant community. The culinary arts are an important part of creative industries, and this project will feature multiple food booths from local chefs, a market offering goods from nearby farmers, a bar, and a coffee shop. The Warehouse further includes rotating displays of visual arts from local artists, as well as weekend performances from local musicians. The wifi included in the building and space for those using laptops will further provide telework space for local and traveling workers.
The Community Revitalization Program has assisted 19 communities, from Genoa to Steamboat Springs and from Fort Collins to Trinidad, across Colorado.