By Dan Karpiel

The Surveyor

There are some details to still be ironed out and the final version of the site will likely look somewhat different from the current model, but plans are being made for a mixed-use development in West Berthoud, on the northeast corner of Mountain Avenue and Highway 287.

The current plans for the development, called Berthoud Gateway, feature commercial properties on the southern end abutting Mountain Avenue with multifamily homes on the northern portion. The plan has been through several revisions already and is currently in the review phase with the Berthoud Planning Commission.

As Berthoud Community Development Director, Curt Freese, explained, “I know we’ve made dozens of comments for revisions and clarification on this development, and with the dozens of public comments, I would expect there would be some revisions to the plan before this is scheduled for hearing.”

Nearly 10 years ago the site was purchased with the plan being to but a Safeway grocery store as the anchor commercial tenant. Safeway backed out and the site was sold to current developers Jay Stoner and Scott Charpentier with the company is Berthoud Gateway LLC, according to Freese. As Walt Elish, Berthoud Economic Development Director, told the Surveyor in January, “With this new ownership, they’re going to want to do something with that, it’s not just going to sit there. We’re working with their broker on doing that and that’s encouraging because it’s a great site.”

Rumors began circulating on social media in 2019 that there was a chance Dollar General, a nationwide discount retail chain, was considering setting up shop in Berthoud, potentially in the Gateway development. The company has since backed out. Elish noted, “(Dollar General) thought we were a good location for one of their stores but for now it just didn’t work out.”

LC Real Estate, out of Loveland, has partnered with the town of Berthoud and, Elish’s department in particular, to help with the prospective commercial site plans. Elish and L.C. Real Estate are working together to attract commercial tenants. Elish explained, “In the meetings we’ve had with them, they’re really willing to work with us on the look of that site, in terms of meeting the requirements of the Mountain Avenue corridor plan.”

While there are no tenants at this time for the site, the prospective of retail stores, office sites and restaurants are all possibilities, Elish said. He further noted that the town is moving forward as the COVID-19 pandemic will sooner or later run its course and the town and the owners of the Gateway location want to be ready to begin marketing and promoting the site to potential developers, for both the commercial and residential parcels of the site.

Elish cautioned however that every commercial entity has different requirements for local population saying that Berthoud will need to continue to grow from its current population of roughly 8,000 in order to become a destination for significant commercial development. Continued growth and development are positive signs, Elish said, as are the TPC Colorado Golf Course and the recreation center at Waggener Farm Park, which will be opening its door in 2021.

As Elish explained, “The way retailers look at communities and locations, it’s all about the demographics – how many people live within minutes of the site. Each retailer has different criteria, for some, it might be 10 minutes, some 15, some five minutes, or some even say 1 mile or 2 miles; it’s important we continue to go forward with additional development if we want additional retail.”