Heart of Golden: Moving Forward

This information was presented at the Nov. 20, 2024 Heart of Golden Community Meeting. You may download the meeting display boards with the link below, or an accessible version of the meeting boards follows.

• 11-20-24 Community Meeting Display Boards

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

Reasonable Financial Terms

Golden’s Police and Municipal Building project can be constructed without a tax increase based on Golden’s strong financial position and outlook.

Two Options

Project Cost: $60,000,000

Option 1

• Financed Amount: $60,000,000
• Annual Payments: $4,400,000
• Equivalent Percent of General Fund: 9.7%

Option 2 (Current Preferred Option)

• Financed Amount: $52,500,000
• Annual Payments: $3,800,000
• Equivalent Percent of General Fund: 8.4%

City Building Costs Compared to Housing Costs

Experts will tell you not to commit more than 30% of your household income to housing costs (home loan plus taxes and insurance) or rent. The City of Golden 2023 Housing Needs Assessment shows that 21% of homeowners and 47% of renters in Golden actually pay more than 30% of their annual income for housing.

Based on the proposed 2025 City Budget, the City would be committing between 8.7 and 9.7% of our General Fund operating budget for annual payments.

City’s Financial Position

The City is in a very strong financial position to take on broader Heart of Golden projects.

• The City’s target for reserves is 10-20% of revenues.
  • At the end of 2024, the City’s total reserves for all funds will be approximately $74M, which is 58% of our total planned expenses.
  • Our 2024 projected General Fund reserve is 45% or $20.5M.
• The City also has direct Heart of Golden assets that can contribute to the overall project financial feasibility:
  • The City Hall Annex at 1000 10th St. is expected to be sold for re-use for $2.5 million to $2.75 million once we vacate the building.
  • In addition to the new building site, the City also owns approximately 3.7 acres of surface parking lots on the north side of 10th Street. Appraisals indicated a market value between $6.5 million and $7.5 million. These properties may be retained and developed as public/private partnerships, which may include housing, parking facilities, or mixed-use projects. Some property could be disposed to provide funding for future Heart of Golden projects.
  • Council and staff have been clear that City Hall is to be razed and repurposed as green space/community amenity space.

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES

Building Performance Plan

Community Drivers

• Necessary
• Cost Effective
• Community Values
• Citizen Benefits

City Council Goals

• Energy: Achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050 and align greenhouse emissions with Paris Accord.
• Waste: Reduce landfill contribution by 40% by 2030 and zero waste in municipal operations by 2030.
• Water: Reduce total water use by 15% by 2030 and develop plans for resiliency and resource recovery.

Sustainable Design Big Moves

Climate Responsive Architecture

• Orientation / Massing
• Solar control
• Daylight Natural ventilation
• Enhanced envelope

Integrated Building Systems

• Geo-exchange HVAC
• Envelope load reduction
• Heat recovery DOAS
• Thermal storage
• Low-energy lighting
• Plug load reduction

Building Decarbonization

• Electrification
• On-site renewable energy
• Energy storage / resilience
• Low embodied carbon

Water Innovation

• Water conservation
• Low water demand irrigation
• No cooling tower
• Stormwater management
• Rainwater harvesting

Energy Use Intensity

Energy Use Intensity Project Target

The total Energy Use Intensity Target is 23.7 kBtu/ft2/yr (Annual Energy Use--416,764 kWh)

• Plug Load: 9.5 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Lighting: 4.7 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Heating: 4.1 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Pumps & Fans: 2.4 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Cooling: 1.8 kBtu/ft2/yr
• DHW: 1.2 kBtu/ft2/yr

Energy Use Intensity Comparison

• Existing City Hall: 140 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Median Office: ~ 68 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Energy Star Office: ~40 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Project Target: 23.7 kBtu/ft2/yr

Cost & Value

First Cost

• Invest in the envelope to reduce the HVAC size
• Look for value/performance-added tradeoffs
• Reduce waste and improve effectiveness

Total Cost of Ownership

• Reduce energy and operational costs
• Invest in outcomes for the staff and community
• Design for resilience and flexibility

Climate & Site

PROGRAM REFINEMENT

*Design for the Community

*Design for the Environment

*Design for Safety, Security, and Efficiency

*Design for Innovation

Working Spaces

"We Work" Privately

Optimized Spaces for Focused Productivity and Dynamic Environments.

Assigned:

Defined personalized, permanent desk spaces for individual employees. These spaces offer consistency, personal storage, and proximity to key resources.

Connected:

Focuses on collaboration and interaction, with shared workstations near amenities or communal areas. encourages team engagement and fluid communication.

Sunlight:

Workspaces designed to integrate natural elements, often near windows or outdoor spaces. Promotes wellness and focus through biophilic design, using natural light and greenery.

"We Work At" Workstations

Elevated privacy and precision. Designed for focused productivity and innovation.

Temporary:

Designed for short-term use, hoteling provides flexible, on-demand desks for hybrid or remote workers. These spaces maximize efficiency, offering the tools needed for productivity without permanent assignment--ideal for task-based, mobile work.

Integrated:

Blending open collaboration zones with focus spaces, integrated workstations support seamless transitions between team and solo tasks. These ergonomic, tech-enabled spaces foster both collaboration and individual productivity, ensuring flexibility.

Assigned:

Fixed desks for employees needing a consistent space. These workstations ensure ergonomic comfort, dedicated storage, and easy access to tools and technology, supporting deep work while staying near collaborative areas.

Meeting Spaces

"We Connect In" Typical Meeting Rooms

Efficient, collaborative spaces for transparent decision-making and community engagement.

Small:

Compact, high-tech spaces designed for efficient brainstorming and decision-making. Equipped with flexible furniture and advanced technology, these rooms are ideal for intimate team discussions and quick strategy sessions.

Medium:

Versatile rooms for dynamic team interactions and productive meetings. Featuring adaptable furniture, cutting-edge technology, and natural light, these spaces are perfect for collaborative work and creative brainstorming.

"We Connect In" Think Tanks

Versatile, high-focus spaces driving collaboration and strategic excellence.

Mission:

Tailored for focused work, these spaces feature flexible seating and writable surfaces, supported by advanced technology. Ideal for both small and large tasks, they promote efficient decision-making and productivity.

All Day:

Designed for long meetings and multi-day events, these versatile rooms accommodate large groups and cross-functional teams with flexible layouts and comprehensive technology for sustained collaboration.

Inspired:

Reflecting brand identity, these comfortable spaces inspire connection and problem-solving. Stylish and functional, they provide a welcoming environment for engaging discussions and team-building.

Creative:

Dynamic and unconventional, these spaces encourage creative thinking with interactive tools and flexible layouts. They are designed to break traditional meeting norms and foster big ideas.

3-Level Design

Level 1--Partial Basement

Level 1 will feature utilities, IT and Police support, staff facilities, evidence storage, fitness, detention, and a sallyport.

Level 2--Street Level

Level 2 will feature police records and staff offices, meeting spaces, building lobby and courtroom / council chambers.

Level 3 (Upper Level)

Level 3 will have city administrative / department offices and meeting spaces.

CONCEPT DESIGNS

View from 10th & Archer

Illustration of what the building would look like from 10th and Archer.

View Across Archer

Illustration of what the building would look like from across Archer.

Concept Design View from the Southwest

Illustration of what the building would look like from the southwest.

View Looking Across Vasquez

Illustration of what the building would look like from across Vasquez.

The Heart of Golden project aims to make the Clear Creek Corridor more useable and desirable for residents while providing needed space for Police and City services.

Clear Creek Corridor Needs & Vision

Residents told us they want the Clear Creek Corridor to have more open space and gathering places. They want a usable and special place for residents.

After talking with hundreds of community members over many years, it’s clear residents support making room for more open spaces, natural areas, and places to gather within the corridor through the relocation of Police and City facilities. The City Council, City staff, and the community agree that open spaces and community amenities would be a better use of the space where City facilities along the creek currently sit. Redevelopment should not include building homes or other private development.

City Facilities

We do not have adequate space to house Police and City services. Our current buildings are dispersed, dysfunctional, in need of repair, and ineffective in meeting residents' current and future service demands.

The Police Building, City Hall, City Hall Annex, and Public Works/Community Development buildings are inadequate, outdated, insecure, and inefficient. These buildings were simply not built for their current purpose.

Spreading services across multiple buildings creates redundancy and inefficiency. These buildings are not addressing current service demands, and won’t work for what Police and City residents will need/demand in the future. They do not meet sustainability goals and renovations would be costly and inadequate to meet long-term community goals.

Solution

Constructing a Police and municipal building on the former Coors property means we can relocate City services and transform the Clear Creek Corridor into more of an asset for residents.

In 2019, Molson Coors put 7.27 acres of land and an office building up for sale. This created a rare opportunity for the City to free up the Clear Creek Corridor for resident use by relocating Police and City services. An expert study found that fixing up the old office building to meet Police and City needs would cost almost as much as building a new place that would work better for the City. Plus, purchasing the property presented an opportunity for the City to control the future of this property rather than it being controlled by a developer.

So, the City Council decided to buy the land and tear down the building, ensuring we can design a building that fits what the residents want and the Police and City require. The current state of this property and portion of the corridor is unsightly and under-utilized. It’s ripe for improvement and revitalization.

Why This Option?

The police and municipal building can be built without raising taxes. It will improve service delivery for residents and meet sustainability goals.

• We can transform the Clear Creek Corridor into a point of pride for residents.
• We can build a Police and City building without raising taxes.
• We can improve customer service, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Short-term solutions can only partially address current needs.
• Renovation and maintenance of existing buildings and acquiring office space is almost as expensive as building new and will not achieve sustainability or service delivery goals.
• This is the most financially responsible, long-term solution.
• Construction costs for a Police and City building will only increase as time goes by.

Next Steps

The City recently hired experts to design and finalize cost estimates of the Police and City building.

We’ll reach out to the community again—using traditional and new methods—to help fine-tune the details of the Police and City building to ensure it meets residents’ needs. Follow this project to stay up-to-date.

Part of our outreach and engagement efforts will include talking more with the community to figure out what amenities should be included throughout the Clear Creek Corridor.

Final Takeaways

This project is a big and rare chance to make Golden even better.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enhance our community, improve Police and City services, and ensure that the Heart of Golden reflects the values and wishes of our residents.

Why This Option?

After a thorough evaluation of options, relocating Police and City services to a new building on the old Coors property provides the best opportunity to accomplish the goals of the Heart of Golden initiative.

Decision Matrix

Comparing Four Options

The City of Golden considered four different options:

• Remodel existing buildings and lease additional space (Cost: $30,000,000)
• Complete renovation of the Coors building (Cost: $45,000,000)
• Renovate City building and build a Police building (Cost: $50,000,000)
• Build a Police and City building (Cost: $65,000,000)

When evaluated, only the final option of "Build a Police and City building" met all of the decision factors considered. Those factors are:

• Strategic investment: accomplish without raising taxes
• Improves customer service, efficiency, and sustainability
• Better security
• Transforms corridor
• Strategic investment: build/renovate now vs later
• Strategic investment: build vs renovate
• Addresses current and long-term needs
• Meets sustainability goals
• Revitalize Coors property

1960: City Hall Built

2006: Shops Building Built

2011: City Completes Clear Creek Corridor Plan

2012: Planning and Public Works Building Built

2015: City Leases Office Space at Visitor Center

2017: Purchase City Hall Annex

2018: Space Needs Study Completed

2019: Purchase of Coors Property & Heart of Golden Community Engagement Kick-off

2022: Heart of Golden Plan Adopted

2023: Updated Space Study: Preferred Building Option Identified

2024: Council Considers Contract for Design Team

Project Costs

Golden’s Police and Municipal Building has estimated per square foot hardconstruction cost lower than or comparable to many recent Front Range projects.

Golden Police / Municipal Building Overview

Comparable Public Investments

Downloadable PDF Version

Community Feedback Summary

After gathering input from more than 100 attendees at the Next Phase Kick-Off event and online, several common themes emerged. Below is a high-level summary of the most frequently mentioned topics. A full copy of all comments is available in the Reports section of this page.

Preserving Natural Spaces

• Maintain open, green, and natural areas with minimal development.
• Expand green spaces along the creek, maintain parks, and enhance native landscapes with paths, benches, and picnic tables.
• Protect waterways and maintain natural spaces near the river.

Community Events and Facilities

• Support for spaces to host festivals, farmers markets, and community activities.
• Advocacy for recreational spaces like ballfields and bike paths.

Pedestrian and Bike Infrastructure

• Prioritize bike-friendly spaces, trails, and improved connectivity, especially around the creek and parks.
• Reduce car congestion and noise; create more pedestrian zones.

Sustainability and Development

• Support for buildings designed to meet sustainability goals, including LEED certification and net-zero energy.
• Balance development while preserving Golden’s small-town charm.

Public Transit

• Strong backing for extending RTD light rail and the G-line to Golden to reduce traffic.

Increased Traffic and Parking

• Opposition to more cars, parking, and traffic congestion, particularly in already stressed areas.

Overdevelopment

• Concerns about losing Golden’s natural beauty and community character due to large developments.
• Some opposition to performance venues and further parkland expansion that could attract more tourists.
• The concept of building a Town Square was unpopular.

Community Facilities

• Mixed views on relocating the history museum, but support for expanding the library and improving facilities, such as bathrooms in Vanover Park.

Finance

• Concerns over the cost of new developments, with a desire for more transparency regarding costs and debt.

Safety and Cleanliness

• Calls to improve traffic safety on Ford Street, clean up areas like Tucker Gulch, and enforce regulations (e.g., alcohol control).
• Suggestions to implement a pass system for creek access to help fund management.
• Support for tubing with better crowd management.