Denver’s First Major Community Benefit Achievement:
Cherokee Redevelopment of the Old Gates Rubber Factory

In February of 2006, FRESC and the coalition members of the Campaign for Responsible Development secured a set of Community Benefit Achievements at the site of the former Gates Rubber Factory.  These achievements were the result of more than three years of research, advocacy, organizing, leadership from the city and elected officials, and a process of dialogue with the private developer. 

The redevelopment project, undertaken by developer Cherokee Investment Partners, is a 50+ acre, $1 billion brownfield located on a light rail transit line and at the intersection of I-25 and Broadway in central Denver.  (A brownfield is an abandoned, idled, or underused industrial or commercial facility where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.)  

Cherokee sought $126 million in public subsidies and taxing authority to support the clean-up and redevelopment of the site into a mixed-use, transit-oriented development that will include retail, offices, housing and open space.  The CRD took the position that any project receiving that magnitude of public support should meet principles of responsible development and provide community benefits.  

The campaign began with a very small coalition of grassroots community organizations and labor unions, but quickly expanded to include more than fifty organizational and thousands of individual supporters.  A representative group of community, labor and neighborhood residents formed a negotiating committee to represent the larger coalition in discussions with public officials and the developer.  The CRD's efforts were co-chaired by Linda Meric, Executive Director of 9to5 National Association of Working Women and Leslie Moody, President of the Denver Area Labor Federation. 

The first issue the CRD addressed was environmental contamination.  In October of 2002, several workers were overcome by toxic fumes from an industrial solvent, trichloroethylene (TCE).  As a result of open record requests and research by FRESC, the CRD became aware of the nature and extent of voluntary clean-up activities of potentially harmful chemicals like TCE on the site.  Under Colorado law there is no requirement to provide notice or public involvement in such clean-up efforts, so FRESC and the CRD engaged in community organizing, lobbying, and discussion with the developer to gain information, access to the process, and to expand testing for potential human risks.  A Voluntary Clean-up Advisory Board (VCAB) was formed with representation from each of the communities surrounding the site.  The community, FRESC and the CRD also successfully convinced the state of Colorado to adopt a far more protective standard to trigger testing and for the clean-up of TCE.

In the second and third years of the campaign FRESC provided the CRD with detailed research regarding the need for jobs and affordable housing in the area.  The coalition held numerous community meetings and worked to educate neighborhoods, elected officials and the developer of model policies and success stories from other redevelopment projects across the country.  

After coming to agreement on a number of community benefits for the project, the CRD was proud to voice its support for public investment in the site at a city-council public hearing on approval of Cherokee’s subsidy package.  FRESC is committed and looks forward to working with all parties to ensure the success of all phases of the project and the implementation of the community benefits.

Community Benefit Achievements at Cherokee-Gates (PDF)

Media Coverage of the Cherokee-Gates Campaign

Monitoring and Implementation of Community Benefits at Cherokee-Gates

Profiles of the CRD's Community Benefit Achievements at Cherokee-Gates

Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Gates Cherokee Redevelopment Project: A Huge Step Forward for Low-Income People in Denver  (PDF)

Good Jobs First, Making the Connection: Transit-Oriented Development and Jobs (PDF)