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Smart Growth In Action: Lowry Neighborhood Project, Denver/Aurora, Colorado
 In 1994, the Lowry Air Force Base closed, offering Denver and Aurora, the two communities with jurisdiction over the base's property, a chance to use the former military base to create a new neighborhood. From 1991 to 1993, the communities embarked on an intensive planning process with local residents and businesses. The reuse plan was completed even before the base closed, and this early planning contributed to the successful redevelopment. The plan called for 4,500 homes, 2 million square feet of commercial space, schools, and 800 acres of parks and recreational amenities. This development would blend with the surrounding neighborhoods, include a diversity of home styles and prices, be pedestrian friendly, and provide easy access to parks, schools, and businesses. Lowry developed architectural design guidelines to help ensure high-quality construction and design.
Building on its legacy in education as an Air Force training center, Lowry currently is home to three early childhood centers, five primary schools, a private high school, and two adult learning institutions. Employers find Lowry attractive because of the amenities within walking distance (restaurants, parks, and shops) and the proximity of the site to employee housing and schools. The town center has more than 40 shops, including a full-service grocery store, and is designed so that employees and residents can walk to it. Apartment buildings adjacent to the center help to create a lively atmosphere.
Lowry retained many of the distinctive and historic features from the base. For example, two of the massive hangars were preserved and now serve as the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. Many of the officers' quarters have been redeveloped as high-end housing, while the enormous, 1,000-man barracks building has been transformed into apartments for senior citizens. The original steam plant has been redeveloped into the Power House Lofts and, on the parade grounds, loft homes have been constructed on Officers' Row.
Sidewalks line every street in Lowry, and a trail system connects to parks, the town center, and the popular neighborhood library. Lowry also provides residents with real-time transit information and bike parking and storage to encourage alternatives to driving.
The redevelopment authority estimates that between 1994 and 2005, the entire Lowry redevelopment created a $5.7 billion gross economic impact and created a tax base where there was none previously. Extensive community involvement, thoughtful attention to design principles, and neighborhoods with lasting amenities have ensured Lowry's success.
Go back to the Smart Growth Projects page.
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Conservation: An Investment That Pays from Trust for Public Land is intended to help agency personnel and community conservationists make the case for conservation as a long-term economic investment.
Based on the National Building Museum's exhibit, Green Community is a collection of thought-provoking essays that illuminate the connections among personal health, community health, and our planet's health.
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