Thornton Shopping Center Redevelopment

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Coming in 2026! Mixed-use Developers Wanted!

  • 15.6 Acres at Washington and 88th
  • Stay tuned for RFQ/RFP Opportunity
  • Questions? Call Chad Howell, Redevelopment Administrator, at 303-538-7390.

Welcome to the Thornton Shopping Center Redevelopment Page, dedicated to providing useful information relative to the revitalization of this prime redevelopment opportunity, located at 8800 Washington Street. Thornton Development Authority (TDA) took title to the 15.6 acre property in April of 2024 and has successfully relocated tenants, demolished the buildings, and completed a community-based reuse visioning process. During the remainder of 2025 and into early 2026, staff intends to continue environmental monitoring and cleanup activities and initiate the Redevelopment  Solicitation Process, as detailed in the schedule below:

SCHEDULES FOR CLEANUP AND REDEVELOPMENT SOLICITATION PROCESSES (these dates are subject to change based on unforeseen conditions, but the major tasks and the order in which they will take place are accurate). 

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP SCHEDULE: Community members can expect to see excavation activities beginning in February 2026 and concluding by the end of July 2026, necessary to complete removal of soil and bedrock contaminated with historic dry-cleaning chemicals.  This complicated work involves a number state-approved work plans dealing with the following components:

  • Removal and proper disposal of a portion of the former building’s foundation
  • Removal and proper disposal of asbestos water pipes
  • Removal and eventual reuse of clean overburden soils
  • De-watering and proper treatment/disposal of contaminated groundwater
  • Removal and proper disposal of contaminated soil/ bedrock up to a total depth of 24 feet
  • Removal and proper disposal of sanitary sewer pipes
  • Placement of a remediation amendment in the base of the excavation

  • Backfilling of the excavation with clean overburden and engineered fill, topped with crushed gravel

    This work is part of Thornton’s commitment to remedy a decades-old environmental problem, thereby restoring the site’s commercial viability.  The cleanup work is also necessary before a developer can revitalize this signature site.  Environmental cleanup of the dry cleaning chemical perchloroethylene (PCE) is a complicated process which requires a tremendous amount of groundwater and indoor air monitoring data.  After active remediation activities are completed in July 2026, the remaining onsite groundwater contamination, as well as that which has migrated downgradient to the southeast, will require long-term treatment and monitoring.  Mitigation of any resulting vapor intrusion issues will also be required.  For additional technical cleanup information, please see "Environmental Cleanup Status" pull-down tab below.

  • REDEVELOPMENT SOLICITATION PROCESS SCHEDULE:  
    • NAIOP Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge [PDF/283KB]: January-May 2025:  this contest between graduate real estate programs at two major universities provides an aspirational glimpse at possible futures for the site.
    • Redevelopment Solicitation Process:  August 2025-March 2026
      • Civistruct has been retained to help us evaluate site market conditions and zoning and then compile a Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposals (RFQ/RFP) developer solicitation process targeting both regional and national prospects.  
      • City staff anticipates conducting the actual redevelopment solicitation in 2026.
  • COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REUSE PLANNING PROCESS
  • February 18, 2026 Thornton Shopping Center Update
  • EPA Technical Assistance for Brownfields (TAB) program: April-October 2024:  The TAB team successfully shepherded a series of community meetings and analyses to enable community members to craft a vision for the site's reuse.  Links to this important work are found below.  TAB's Scope of Work

LATEST NEWS

January 30, 2026:  A community meeting is scheduled for February 18, 5:30-7:00 at Community Connections, 9471 Dorothy Boulevard, Thornton, CO 80229 to provide updates on redevelopment progress and an opportunity to vote on an interim name for the Thornton Shopping Center. 

October 21, 2025:  Site Evaluation and Development Framework [PDF/3MB], presented to Council by Civistruct Strategy + Development.

September 12, 2025:  Staff is working with consulting firm Civistruct to design and implement a nationwide search for a redevelopment team that will embrace the community reuse vision for the site.  The first step, a site evaluation, will be presented to a Council Planning Session on October 21;  the analysis will provide a zoning and regulatory assessment, market analysis, discussion of tools available to make the site more attractive to developers, and a look at five different redevelopment scenarios.

August 5, 2025:  Five contracting companies were prequalified to bid on forthcoming environmental cleanup work.  Staff expects bidding to be complete by the end of September and excavation work will commence in November.

July 10, 2025:  A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for remediation contractors was issued by the City of Thornton’s Contracts & Purchasing Division on July 9; responses are due on August 6.  Qualified contractors will be invited to bid on the contaminated soil removal and disposal project; the most recent work plan revisions were submitted to CDPHE on June 20 and we expect approval shortly.

May 8, 2025:  Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge Final Press Release [PDF/300KB]

April 30, 2025:  Congratulations to the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, whose Thornton Gateway Project won the 2025 Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge.  Special thanks also to the Runner-Up, Miller's Market proposal, produced by the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder.  Both proposals will help inform the City of Thornton's Request for Proposals (RFP) process as we seek an innovative redevelopment project for the site.

January 16, 2025:  NAIOP and Land Title hosted a special event to kick off the 23rd Annual Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge. The event highlighted this year’s focus: the redevelopment of the historic 15.6-acre Thornton Shopping Center site, located at 88th Avenue and Washington Street in Thornton. This year’s project sponsor, the City of Thornton, is seeking innovative solutions to reinvigorate this cornerstone property in their community. The vision is to transform the site into a vibrant hub that attracts diverse users, residents, and visitors for years to come. 

Graduate student teams from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Denver will compete to deliver the most feasible and creative vision for the property’s future. Their challenge will include exploring various development strategies and innovative financing options to meet the City’s objectives while addressing the unique characteristics and needs of the site.

The event brought together industry professionals, community leaders, and special guests, providing a platform to discuss the project’s significance and potential impact on Thornton’s growth and economic development. Attendees had the opportunity to tour the site and learn about its potential. This year’s Real Estate Challenge promises to be an exciting showcase of creativity and collaboration

 

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