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Westminster City Council Approves Novera Business District

March 8, 2023
Walking in a park
This article is a repost. The original article, titled “Westminster City Council Approves Novera Business District” was published in the March 1, 2023 edition of the Colorado Real Estate Journal

Shuck Chapman Cos. received unanimous Westminster City Council approval Oct. 24 for the Novera Business District (previously named Foster Farms). The preliminary development plan for the 80-acre property abutting Interstate 25 north of 136th Avenue is aligned with the city of Westminster’s vision as a key employment hub and major northern gateway to the city. Proximity to the St. Anthony North Health Campus makes it ideal for medical offices, research and development labs, medical facilities, and retail users. The Novera vision creates a vibrant employment center, attracting high-profile tenants; is a catalyst for local investment, job creation, and additional sustainable tax base; and creates a new and expanding employment base for the city of Westminster.

sustainable architecture and regenerative landscape
sustainable architecture and regenerative landscape

The Novera Business District Master Plan:

  • Responds to the ongoing changing demand for office and employment uses, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and brought about by rapidly expanding internet communication and information sharing that has dramatically changed the nature of work in many industries, and is also a response to continuing significant job growth in the health care and life sciences industry along the Front Range.
  • Supports important public policy by creating opportunities for employment and job growth in a mixed-use campus setting with a focus on land use diversity, multimodal transportation, connectivity and sustainability.

Guiding principals for Novera include:

  • Creating an integrated open space system and multi-modal transportation network. Including access to public transit, access to regional recreation, and an interconnected bicycle and pedestrian trail system that improves walkability and safe, convenience pedestrian access.
  • Maintaining Westminster’s high-quality design and community character with development that maintains the enhanced public realm and architectural character of the community while considering limited natural resources.
  • Using sustainable design and construction practices, with a focus on site, infrastructure, landscape and building design.

A business improvement district has been approved by City Council for Novera.

men biking
multimodal transport

As with most large-scale phased developments, this is an important finance mechanism needed to construct and maintain the infrastructure necessary to support the business district in the current competitive environment. In this case, the primary focus of Novera is on commercial and nonresidential development types. In addition to having traditional government powers to finance, construct, operate and maintain public infrastructure, BIDs are a means to improve business attraction and retention, further enhancing the competitiveness of Novera Business District within the marketplace by allowing it to attract and retain desirable businesses and tenants.

Novera is the largest vacant, contiguous property in Westminster with significant I-25 visibility, which is beneficial for office, hospitality and commercial development. Adding daytime population will further energize Westminster’s North I-25 Focus Area. To finally accomplish these entitlement milestones for Novera took a collaborative effort with numerous stake holders: city officials and staff, designers and consultants. According to Eric Chekal, vice president with Schuck Chapman Cos., “All involved are looking forward to the next evolutionary stage of this property, bringing Novera to market. The city of Westminster and Schuck-Chapman Cos. have invested a lot of resources into the area surrounding Novera and in the entitlement process to achieve a common vision. We have faith in this new planning and design approach and are very excited to soon realize the results of this investment with the vertical development of Novera,”

Consilium Design will continue to be integrally involved with the design and development of Novera as will Craig Paton with Transwestern, who is leading the marketing and brokerage responsibilities.