Two developers behind a long-planned effort to finally give Broomfield a true downtown say city staff is suddenly moving the goalposts and could stall the project before a single building goes up. Joe Vostrejs of City Street Investors and Tim Fredregill of Milender White say the 40-acre, nearly $300 million Broomfield Town Square project, which features a market hall at the old Safeway site, waterfront retail, and a swimmable lake ringed by apartments, will lose its site development plan if a qualifying building permit is not pulled by Sept. 12.
Vostrejs and Fredregill say they submitted about $30 million worth of horizontal infrastructure work last month, including restrooms and a 1,000-square-foot boathouse, assuming those permits would satisfy the requirement and preserve the approval. Broomfield staff, however, told the team that such accessory permits would not qualify, according to BusinessDen.
How the Clock Started
The city finalized the first-phase site development plan in September 2023, which started a three-year countdown to secure a first building permit. Developers say that the clock expires next September if they do not present a qualifying permit. According to the City & County of Broomfield, phase one includes roughly 471 apartments, about 63,590 square feet of commercial space, and an enlarged lake and market hall tied to the former Safeway property.
Developers Ask for an Extension
Vostrejs has asked the city for an 18-month extension beyond the September deadline and points to Denver’s recent willingness to stretch comparable approvals as a model. That request, along with the developers’ broader criticism of how city staff is interpreting the code, was outlined by BusinessDen, which reports that City Council is scheduled to weigh the extension at an April 21 meeting.
Financing and What’s on the Line
The Town Square’s financing is built on a layered structure that includes a 2019 Redevelopment and Reimbursement Agreement, metropolitan districts, and a proposed business improvement district. The intent is to cover public infrastructure costs without exposing the general fund indefinitely. City staff explained those mechanics, the limits on reimbursement, the schedule for land transfers, and other conditions in a memo to council that details capped reimbursements and timing tied to the start of horizontal infrastructure, according to a City staff memo.
What the Council Will Decide
City Council has a study session on April 21 listed on its official calendar to consider the extension request and related issues. That meeting is the next public arena where city staff and the developers are expected to lay out their competing interpretations. The same city memo notes that the deed conveying certain parcels to the developers makes the property “subject to be reclaimed by the City” if the grantees fail to commence horizontal construction or secure financing within the timelines spelled out in the contract.
Neighbors and Next Steps
Supporters argue that Town Square would finally provide Broomfield with a recognizable downtown and more local retail choices. Critics worry about increased density, traffic, and whether the financing projections will actually hold up. Project materials on the developer and district websites describe the planned mix of uses and schedule, including the enlarged lake and market hall, and the development team says it is still working to line up bond buyers and tenant commitments, according to the Broomfield Town Square MD site and Milender White’s project page…