Aurora city leaders are pushing forward with plans to breathe new life into the East Colfax corridor, while keeping longtime residents and business owners at the table.
Aurora City Council voted to move forward with creating a downtown development authority (DDA) for the East Colfax Avenue corridor. The proposal will go before voters in November, and, if approved, the DDA would provide funding for infrastructure, business support and community improvements.
Aaron Vega, project manager for Aurora’s library and cultural services, says the work already underway reflects a different approach than what some big cities have taken.
“Economic development is scary when you’re talking about neighborhoods where folks have had their businesses here for a long time,” Vega said. “We’ve learned lessons from other places on how to do it correctly and make sure a lot of people get a seat at the table.”
Vega lives just blocks from East Colfax and calls the district the beating heart of Aurora. He says its diversity, art scene and food culture make it unique, and worth protecting as change comes.
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One major anchor is The People’s Building, an arts hub the city transformed from an abandoned furniture store into a small theater and gallery space for local artists. There’s currently work on display by artist, Tony Nguyen.
The district also supports small businesses like Bahn & Butter and Manos Sagrados, which was recently awarded a city grant for its mission supporting BIPOC, femme, queer, and disabled artists.
“There’s a really strong community here whether it’s food and beverage or arts and culture,” Vega said. “We’re changing the narrative about East Colfax by showing the incredible things already happening here.”
The neighborhood is also home to venues like the Aurora Fox Arts Center and MLK Library. The library is undergoing a $2.5 million renovation to double its space, expand youth areas, and add a new maker space for sewing, 3D printing and other creative tools.
Ginger White Brunetti, Aurora’s director of library and cultural services, says the MLK Library is more than just a place to check out books.
“It’s a place where you can search for and apply for a job, get help with your resume, or take part in programs that make people feel like they belong,” Brunetti said. “Libraries are really the backbone of a community.”
The renovations, funded in part by federal dollars, will also support entrepreneurship by giving residents access to equipment that could launch small businesses.
“We want families to feel safe here, to bring their kids, read a book, take a program, and feel like this is their library,” Brunetti said.
Until voters head to the polls, city leaders are asking residents to stay engaged, share their ideas and take part in shaping the future of one of Aurora’s most storied corridors.
Vega believes this is the first time in years in the district that everyone is really marching in step, including artists, business owners and city planners. Strategic plans for the library system, the arts district recertification and the DDA are all moving forward at once.
“It feels like everything now is starting to point in the same direction,” Vega said. “Nothing good happens fast, but, if we keep investing in the people and culture that make East Colfax special, we can make it better without losing what makes it unique.”