Durango City Council formally introduced a sale of municipal property in Three Springs to Volunteers of America on Tuesday, in effect proposing the city donate land to the national nonprofit.
The VOA plans to build 53 affordable senior housing units on a 1.62-acre property near Mercy Regional Medical Center’s campus. But the nonprofit doesn’t own the land; the city does. It was donated to the municipality by Three Springs development group GRVP.
City councilors at Tuesday’s meeting approved a purchase and sale agreement to sell the land to the VOA for $10. Councilors voted 4 to 0 – Chris Bettin did not attend the meeting.
The agreement, and its accompanying land transfer and subdivision ordinances, must be approved by city councilors once more after hearing public testimony about the project at their regular meeting May 21.
Volunteers of America began organizing plans in 2017 to develop 1.62 acres of property in Three Springs for affordable senior housing. In succeeding years, Durango’s Planning Commission and City Council approved plans and subdivisions needed to build the project, and the VOA got a Low Income Housing Tax Credit award from the state of Colorado.
“This is the culmination of several years of work with the VOA,” said Assistant City Manager Kevin Hall in his presentation to council. “They’re on the home stretch.”
If approved, the land transfer would be effective May 31 and will be the final step the VOA needs to start construction. Development is expected to start this year, finishing by fall 2020, developers said previously.
bhauff@durangoherald.com
