Loveland's Gallery Flats project wins downtown award

Downtown Colorado Inc. names new apartment complex best infill development

Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Edgar Piedra of Denver-based Stripe a Lot paints numbers on parking spaces at the Gallery Flats apartment building at East Sixth Street and Lincoln Avenue in downtown Loveland on May 23 in preparation for the complex's opening June 1. Downtown Colorado Inc. has named the project the best infill development in the state for 2014. ( Craig Young )

LOVELAND -- The Gallery Flats apartment project that opened June 1 in downtown Loveland has been named Colorado's top new downtown construction project by Downtown Colorado Inc.

The five-story, 66-unit apartment building at the southwest corner of Sixth Street and Lincoln Avenue was the result of a collaboration between Fort Collins developer Brinkman Partners and the city of Loveland.

The city had identified the property, a former bank building that was temporarily housing museum collections, as the site for a "catalyst project" to help revive downtown Loveland by bringing more residents to the area.

The city sold the property to Brinkman at a discount, and the Loveland Urban Renewal Authority committed $1.5 million in public improvements, to be repaid through tax-increment financing over 14 years, according to a release from the city sent Thursday afternoon.

"We're excited to receive this award," Mike Scholl, the economic development manager for the city who facilitated the partnership with Brinkman, said in the release. "Gallery Flats has already been a great success and serves as another symbol of what's to come in downtown Loveland."

Gallery Flats won the Governor's Award for new construction, infill or redevelopment projects given by Downtown Colorado Inc., a private nonprofit group that promotes development of downtown commercial districts and town centers.

The award will be conferred at a dinner and reception at 5:30 p.m. Sept 11 at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins during the organization's Vibrant Colorado Downtowns Conference.

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Loveland's Gallery Flats project wins downtown award