Colorado Business Districts Receive Grant Award

Main Street of Fowler, CO

Three rural communities, along with the Five Points neighborhood in Denver, will receive $1.28 million in Federal grant dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation to help revitalize their downtown business districts. This funding will support production of sorely needed housing and clean-up in the community’s historic “Main Street” area, allowing for renovation of historic buildings and improvements for downtown walkways in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver, the City of Rifle on the West Slope, the City of Monte Vista in the San Luis Valley and the Town of Fowler in the southeast.

Wayne Snider, Administrator for the Town of Fowler, noted that this grant will help fund both the rehabilitation of their historic 1911 theater and extension of solar power to many stores in the main street area. Solar is already an important component of Fowler’s energy use, allowing for their energy rates to run between 40 and 50 percent of the state average. Fowler believes that these factors will influence the decisions of healthcare providers that the town is trying to recruit through CRHC's Colorado Provider Recruitment program.

We have been watching the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative closely, due to the connection between developing and maintaining community amenities and recruiting and retaining healthcare workforce. Our Colorado STRIDES Program Manager, Clint Cresawn said, “It’s my job to help healthcare providers fall in love with rural Colorado. I know healthcare providers are attracted to communities that develop and maintain their unique assets, so when two communities are competing for the attention of the same healthcare provider, amenities such as walkability, historic preservation, and housing can be the deciding factor on which community the provider chooses.”

In areas all across rural Colorado, community amenities are important not only to healthcare providers, but also to other professionals such as educators and business owners. The improvements that Fowler, Monte Vista, and Rifle will be able to make will certainly enhance their ability to recruit and retain professionals!

Congratulations, rural Colorado, on this major grant award!