Those who have ever wondered what it would be like to live in the heart of Downtown Colorado Springs had the chance to get an up-close look at different housing options on the Urban Living Tour on Saturday.
The tour shows people the new options and builds available in the downtown area, all to make sure it remains the gravitational center of Colorado Springs…
"We’re still seeing that same demand, that same curiosity," said Claire Swinford, the Urban Engagement Manager at the Downtown Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the arts, historic preservation and economic development.
Dowtown Partnership hosting the Urban Living Tour for the second year, allowing visitors to check out six different properties, all with units for rent.
Visitors on the tour, curious about how they’d fit into this cityscape revived by new properties.
"Just kind of opens your eyes to the – there is quite a lot going on down here and you might not know about it unless you come on the tour," said tour volunteer and attendee Tracy Anthis.
The new construction serves as a sign that urban sprawl is over and new builds are giving way to those who want to build a life here, too.
"Not having a chance to live close to their work and their play and their friends and we’re really seeing that start to shift," added Swinford.
"The point is really to allow people to imagine what it would be like for them if they lived in the heart of the city, you know, you’re minutes away from trails but you’re also minutes away from work."
Currently, there are about 600 units in the works – whether they’re recently completed, just announced or under construction.
One of the stops on the tour is also one of the largest projects under construction, the Eco apartments on East Colorado Avenue.
171 units will be available by July or August and depending on the number of bedrooms, the rent rate could be between $1,015 and $2,790.
All the properties on the tour, showing potential renters how interconnected the downtown area has become.
"It makes it more community-oriented," added Anthis.
"So even if you’re in different buildings or in different blocks since you’re going to kind of be walking the same blocks, going to the same restaurants, coffee, you kind of get to meet people and it makes more of a community feel."
The Downtown Partnership also added they’re working on creating more affordable housing opportunities, they expect those to start coming on the market in the next couple of years.
