Ground broken on first phase of Libretto project

BRIGHTON — On Friday, city officials broke ground on the first phase of the Libretto senior living community and held a reception at City Hall.
    “Libretto phase one consists of 28 units of affordable senior housing and the conversion of a former library to a future community center for the Libretto residents,” Assistant Executive Director of the Brighton Housing Authority Joseph Espinosa said.

Photo by Crystal Nelson

City officials and members of Brighton Urban Renewal Authority Board participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the Libretto project. From left: Marv Falconburg, Linda Gonzales, Dave Rose, Jac Cuney, Rich Gonzales and City Manager Manuel Esquibel.

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    The project, which is on a 3.5-acre site located at the corner of South Eighth Avenue and Jessup Street, will have 70 apartments once it’s complete and will be designed in compliance with sustainable principles identified in the Enterprise Green Communities program.
    Brighton Housing Authority and its development partner Hendricks Communities, LCC partnered with Brighton Urban Renewal Authority and the city to bring Libretto apartments to the former library site. The library will be rehabilitated into a future community center and will also incorporate the sustainable green building principals, according to Espinosa.
    Speaking on behalf of the Brighton Housing Authority Board was Chairwoman Jessica Ford. Ford said Libretto is an “important” and “significant” project for many reasons.
    “It’s certainly addressing our local need for affordable housing as our waitlist for public housing is several years long,” she said. “And Libretto is providing 210 jobs, 190 of those in construction and 20 in engineering contracts.”
    Ford said the housing authority board is “very excited” about Libretto and the future of Brighton Housing Authority is very bright.
    Mark Hendricks, President of Hendricks Communities, LLC, said he’s only been to two ground breakings in all the years he’s been building affordable housing and both have been with the city of Brighton because the leaders and people in Brighton care more than most others.
    “We’re doing our part to create a viable housing authority in the City of Brighton,” he said, adding that the housing authority will own close to 200 affordable senior housing units that Hendricks Communities has been a part of, with a value of over $35 million.
    Hendricks said those properties will enhance the housing authority’s ability to generate cash flow, management fees, refinance fees, etc. and that owning those assets is how housing authority’s thrive.
    Mayor Dick McLean said the Libretto project is “just fantastic.”
    “What a great, great step in the program the Brighton Housing Authority has put together,” he said. “We’ve come so far in the city and now we’re replacing another piece of the decaying units at the (Platte Valley) Manor.”
    Current tenants of the Platte Valley Manor will have the first opportunity to occupy Libretto Phase 1, as the existing manor is scheduled for disposition and redevelopment.
    According to Espinosa, Shaw Construction has already begun the dirt moving at the site. He said in regards to the completion of the first phase of the project, it’s anticipated that the residents will celebrate New Year’s Eve this year in their new units.