After over a decade in the making, Liberty View at Fitzsimons in Aurora, Colorado, started to welcome its first residents—veterans 62 and older—at the start of the year.
The 59-unit affordable housing community from Aurora Housing Authority is located on the former Fitzsimons Army base, which closed in the late 1990s. In addition to affordable housing, the campus includes the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, as well as transit, restaurants, and parks.
Executive director Craig A. Maraschky says Liberty View is a legacy project for the Aurora Housing Authority.
“We want to give back to veterans who generally don’t ask for anything, and we’re honored to do this project,” says Maraschky, an Army veteran. “It’s nice to give something back to these men and women who are older and need housing.”
The one- and two-bedroom community is serving veterans, including some formerly homeless, who earn between 30% and 60% of the area median income. In addition, 14 Section 8 vouchers are assisting lower-income veterans.
Jordan Spencer
Amenities include a community room and kitchen, outdoor tables and chairs, parcel lockers, a laundry room on each floor, resident gardens, EV-ready parking spaces, a fitness room, a library, and a computer lab. A service coordinator also will help connect residents to nearby resources as well as social events and activities.
According to Maraschky, leasing has been going well, with lease-up expected to be completed this spring. He adds that the demand is certainly there, with the state being home to many military installations, including the Air Force Academy and Space Command.
“I think there’s a lot of camaraderie among the veterans. There’s a common bond among veterans regardless of the service they were in,” he says. “We’re excited to see the veterans move in and fulfill the vision that we had.”
Another notable aspect of the development was the build time. In a time of supply chain challenges and labor shortages, general contractor Alliance Construction built the development in 11 months, when most projects are closer to 16 months in Colorado, even though it was touch and go at the end getting electric meters.
The $20 million development, which was designed by architect Studio Completiva, was financed with 4% federal low-income housing tax credits and state tax credits from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, with equity provided by Boston Financial. Additional financing came from FirstBank, which provided construction and permanent debt, as well as money from the city and state. The housing authority also contributed owner equity.