Golden Urban Renewal Authority (GURA)

The Golden Urban Renewal Authority (GURA) supports the City of Golden by assisting in the redevelopment of blighted property to help sustainable development thrive. Improving physical conditions contributes to economic stability and vitality by meeting the goals of the Comprehensive Plan, Golden Vision 2030, City Council Resolution 2161, and all appropriate neighborhood plans. With the creation of an urban renewal area, new tax revenues resulting from taxable improvements may be reinvested in the area for purposes of public benefit.

Watch the video above to learn more about GURA’s downtown project.

GURA Urban Renewal Project Area Map

Click on the map below to see all of GURA urban renewal and the DDA areas.

Downtown Urban Renewal Area

GURA was established in 1989 to maintain and enhance Golden’s downtown. The 1989 Golden Urban Renewal Plan, 2007 Downtown Character Plan, 2011 Comprehensive Plan, and Golden Vision 2030 helped guide GURA’s downtown project.

Colorado State law limits urban renewal projects to 25 years. The GURA downtown project concluded at the end of 2014. Thus, the Golden Downtown Development Authority (DDA) now currently administers many of GURA’s downtown programs.

A DDA is a necessary entity that keeps downtown Golden a vibrant place.

Central Neighborhoods Urban Renewal Area

In 2008, many commercial property owners in the area requested that City Council and GURA should consider creating an urban renewal project to catalyze revitalization of this neighborhood’s commercial zone. Since 2008, the City adopted Golden Vision 2030, the 2011 Comprehensive Plan, and a broadly supported Central Neighborhoods Plan. The above mentioned planning documents laid the framework for the Central Neighborhood Urban Renewal Plan.

Adopted in 2013, the Central Neighborhoods Urban Renewal Plan provides guidance to GURA as it helps to implement projects. GURA provides the area with blight remediation, redevelopment assistance, public infrastructure improvements, and business attraction/retention.

Parfet/Briarwood Urban Renewal Area

The Parfet/Briarwood Urban Renewal Plan was approved in 2013 and the plan was designed in part to help finance an apartment building and infrastructure upgrades. The urban renewal plan incorporates criteria outlined in the 2011 Comprehensive Plan, as well as, the 8th and 9th Street Neighborhood Plan. The apartment complex offers 99 units of much-needed, high quality rentals to central Golden.

West Colfax Urban Renewal Area

The West Colfax Urban Renewal Area plays a unique role in the ongoing and future success of the City’s largest commercial corridor (West Colfax Avenue), and largest concentration of multi-tenant light industrial commercial space (Corporate Center Business Park). The urban renewal area has the opportunity to complement and support the primary job creation and expansion activities that occur in Corporate Center and to facilitate desirable commercial, retail, and mixed use projects within the area. The urban renewal area also creates the opportunity to create a substantial step toward the community’s goals for the Colfax Corridor. In its current blighted state, the West Colfax Urban Renewal Area is not achieving any of these community goals.

One or more public-private partnerships to facilitate redevelopment of this area, along with other improvements, would prove substantially beneficial to the City by eliminating or preventing occurrence or reoccurrence of conditions of slum, blight, or blighting conditions.

Helpful Documents

GURA Board Meetings

GURA’s Board of Commissioners is composed of seven volunteers who generally reside or have property or business interests in Golden. The GURA Board meets publicly on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers.

To view agendas of upcoming meetings or view minutes or stream audio of meetings, visit our Agenda, Minutes, Web Casts, Schedule page.

To view archived agendas and minutes from meetings prior to June 2015, please visit our Document Center.

Board Members

Board Members Term Ends
Dhruva Musunuru – Vice Chair April 2025
Ross Gammill April 2027
Yen Chau April 2026
Daniel Brisson – Chair April 2023
Marissa Trout April 2027
Adam Schiche April 2026
Robert Reed April 2023

COG Mesa

 Golden was named after Thomas L. Golden,
a gold prospector who arrived in Jefferson County in 1858.

Additional Resources

City of Golden, Colorado
COG Mesa
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