Development doesn’t just happen by itself

Consider the possibility that the Mcwhinney master finance agreement that was created in 2004 is a victim of its own success. It has resulted in massive infrastructure investments including the revamping of the I-25/34 and I-25/crossroads interchanges, and the I-25 transit center that is currently being constructed. The fruits of the master finance agreement also put Loveland on the regional retail map and created over 8,000 jobs. And Thompson School District has seen $33 million in property improvements, between the expansion of Mountain View High School and the construction and expansion of High Plains School. But because all of these improvements occurred gradually over the course of 20 years (the 25-year agreement will lapse in 2029), the public doesn’t connect these effects to the overarching cause. Loveland would be a very different city today without the 2004 master finance agreement.

So development doesn’t just happen by itself. The idea that, given time, “something” will emerge in lieu of a Tif-financed Centerra South development is questionable. At the Feb. 7 meeting, Mcwhinney manager Abby Kirkbride shared that the current location and condition of the parcel of land will require $36 million in upfront infrastructure costs — before a single building permit can be issued. That is likely a main reason for the land remaining vacant for so long. Big projects take big money and big planning. This new development is a great opportunity for the future of Loveland, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

— Don Marostica, Loveland