What do you think of when you think of affordable housing? Nondescript, underfunded, and poor-quality materials might populate your memory. The United States has a storied history of publicly funded projects of the past.  That story is changing though, thanks to social, regulatory, and financial incentives put in place on the federal, state, and local levels.

The City of Boulder itself is committed to making Boulder a safe and affordable place to live and has adopted a goal that 15% of all housing be permanently affordable to low- and moderate-income households. On a regional level, Boulder is working with nine other cities and towns to help create a framework to provide affordable housing needs to even more areas.

At Sopher Sparn Architects, we find this dedication commendable and invaluable to the success and vitality of an equitable region. We enjoy working with communities to create beautiful, affordable housing that promotes healthy living and sustainability. We are proud to say that here in Colorado, we are helping to create a new future for “affordable”.

Sopher Sparn Architects has recently completed the Ciclo project, the newest addition to the affordable housing stock in Boulder. The Ciclo building completes the Valmont ‘gateway’ into the S’Park neighborhood. We are excited to tell you about it, but first, we must start from the beginning.

Back in 2000, the City of Boulder initiated a planning effort for a transit-oriented development district to support what was slated to become a future transit center. This planning effort culminated in 2007 with the adoption of the Transit Village Area Plan (TVAP). Area Plans are used by municipalities as a tool to guide development in an area and outline how a desired future may be achieved.

For the City of Boulder, the Transit Village Area Plan outlined how the vision for the area would be rooted in walkable, accessible neighborhoods with urban character and higher densities that could capitalize on available transit services. A major goal for this plan was a commitment to supporting economic diversity and expanding housing opportunities for residents of differing incomes, ethnicities, ages and abilities—a.k.a. affordable housing.

In 2011 Sopher Sparn Architects began work on the S’Park neighborhood within the Boulder Junction District, a subset area within the Transit Village Plan. We are extremely proud to announce that after a ten-year effort, a portion of our participation in the S’Park neighborhood has introduced 83 permanently affordable units into the Transit Village Area. In 2016, the Spark_west project (a partnership with Element Properties and the City of Boulder) was completed, providing 45 permanently affordable rental units, managed by Thistle Communities.

Left: S’Park_west housing, a simple density, with quality finishes, set within the street grid and overlooked by the Flatirons. Right: S’Park_west is powered by solar! The internal circulation of the car is separated from the exterior, allowing the buildings and porches to address the street and enhance the pedestrian experience.

This past month, the Ciclo project was completed, opening an additional 38 permanently affordable rental flats, managed by Boulder Housing Partners.

The Ciclo building, along with the Spark_west project, are both crucial components to the sustainable, equitable, walkable, mixed-use neighborhood vision for the area that began twenty years ago. Together, they provide an on-site affordable component, which, paired with the market rate units in the district, will create opportunities for households with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to live together and have access to retail, office space, trail and transit connections, and open space amenities.

The team at Sopher Sparn Architects provides high-quality design with any project, and this does not stop at affordable housing. We relish any opportunity to be a part of creating neighborhoods and communities for people to grow and live well. Buildings are a part of the fabric in our cities. Well-designed buildings can improve quality of life, promote healthy living, and should be available to everyone.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING

Do you want to see more high-quality affordable housing in Boulder? Did you know that the City of Boulder is currently hard at work on another area plan? Although still in its relative infancy, the East Boulder Area Plan Working Group has been meeting publicly for over a year, brainstorming what the future vision for East Boulder should be.

The working group is made up of community members interested in the future of East Boulder.  The group needs more community input! If you live in Boulder and want to voice your opinion about what Boulder needs, check out Be Heard Boulder and give your opinion. Feedback will be used to inform plan concepts that will be discussed with the Transportation Advisory Board and Planning Board upcoming meetings.