Thornton Shopping Center Redevelopment

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 15.86 acre property in April of 2024 and has successfully relocated tenants, demolished the buildings, and completed a community-based reuse visioning process.  

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REUSE PLANNING PROCESS

During the remainder of 2025, staff intends to continue environmental monitoring and cleanup activities and initiate the Redevelopment  Request for Proposals Process, as detailed in the schedule below:

SCHEDULES FOR CLEANUP AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 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). 

LATEST NEWS

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

December 13, 2024:  TDA's consultants are conducting additional testing this month of the contaminant "source area," to help narrow the scope of soil removal scheduled or the spring of 2025.  We're also preparing to conduct indoor air quality assessments at numerous residential and commercial properties downgradient of the release.

November 14, 2024:  Thornton Development Authority applied for a 2025 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant.  Proposals were due by November 14. Successful grantees will be notified in early 2025, with funding flowing at the beginning of the federal fiscal year (October 1). Check out the links below for the grant application and  key cleanup documents.

KEY DOCUMENTS GUIDING CLEANUP:

Full EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant Application [PDF/1.5MB]

Draft Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives [PDF/142KB]

CDPHE-Approved Cleanup Workplan [PDF/2MB]

Compliance Order on Consent [PDF/373KB]

Public Participation Plan [PDF/554KB]

October 24, 2024:  Thornton Shopping Center Community-Based Reuse Visioning Meeting presented the results of the highest and best use analysis and design charrette to the community and solicited additional feedback on redevelopment.  The overall intent of the community visioning process is to establish a neighborhood-based reuse vision that can be incorporated into a redevelopment Request for Proposals (RFP) in early 2025.  

Meeting Presentation Slides [PDF/17.3MB] 

August 20, 2024:  Kansas State University’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program and Community Builders helped more than 25 community members prepare conceptual ideas and sketches for the site, followed by an open house to provide additional input on potential land uses, multimodal circulation, supporting businesses and services, green space, and connections to the adjacent neighborhoods. When available, a link to the final report will be posted above under the community engagement and reuse planning schedule.

July 30, 2024:

  • All demolition/asbestos activities are complete.
  • Groundwater monitoring report for 1st half of 2024 submitted to CDPHE on June 17.
  • Offsite Indoor Air Monitoring Plan submitted to CDPHE June 17.
  • Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring Plan submitted to CDPHE June 18.
  • 3rd Quarter groundwater monitoring completed last week.
  • Supplemental Source Area Investigation Workplan pending.

July 18, 2024:  Demolition is complete!

June 13, 2024: Demolition has begun!

May 30, 2024: Sewer abandonment is expected to be completed this week. Building demolition should begin on Monday, June 3 on the east side of the complex. 

April 30, 2024:
Public Participation Plan for Environmental Cleanup Decisions [PDF/554KB]
Thornton Shopping Center Reuse Visioning Survey - for those who could not attend the April 18, 2024 session.

April 19, 2024:
Last night's community reuse visioning session was a success, with more than 100 in attendance! Facilitators from KSU's Technical Assistance for Brownfields (TAB) program and local brownfields planning group Adaapta guided the community through engaging and spirited SWOT analysis and reuse visioning exercises. For those who were unable to attend, a survey will be available on this page soon. The next step in the community input process is for the TAB team to complete a Highest and Best Use Analysis. 

April 3, 2024: Litigation Update
On March 22, 2024, the TDA and Thornton, LLC completed a five-day trial before a valuation commission. The trial was part of the TDA's eminent domain action to acquire the Thornton Shopping Center in order to carry out its urban renewal project. The purpose of the trial was to determine the "just compensation" the TDA is required to pay to the property owner in exchange for the property.  At trial, the TDA's position was just compensation should be $0 due to extensive environmental contamination of the property. The property owner's position was just compensation should be $6,340,000. The valuation commission, comprised of two former state district court judges and a Vice President of a Colorado bank, determined that just compensation was $3,065,067. The TDA previously paid $2,500,000 as a deposit in the early stages of the eminent domain action. Over the next several weeks, the TDA will submit payment of the remaining just compensation along with other costs and fees required under state law, and the district court will issue a "Rule and Order" that will be used to transfer title of the Thornton Shopping Center to the TDA. The TDA began the preliminary work on its urban renewal project in early 2023 after obtaining possession of the property and will continue working toward remediating the environmental contamination and ultimately redeveloping the property.

March 5, 2024: Status Update
Hudspeth continues to abate asbestos within the primary building from west to east and Xcel contractors are slowly deactivating the electrical systems. A demolition permit for the western half of the main structure has been submitted to the State of Colorado, which will be followed by an onsite inspection within the next two weeks, and subsequent approval assuming no issues delay the permit. Also necessary for demolition, the sanitary sewer line will be sealed at the eastern edge of the property, so the onsite system can be removed during the cleanup phase of the project, later in 2024. The 5-day valuation trial is scheduled to commence on March 18 at 8:30 a.m. in Division W, Courtroom 507 of the Adams County District Court, located at 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601.

February 13, 2024 Compliance Order on Consent Presentation to TDA [PDF/778KB]

Thornton Shopping Center Monthly Progress Report to CDPHE [PDF/148KB]

4th Quarter 2023 Quarterly Groundwater Monitoring Report [PDF/5.5MB]

January 23, 2024: Status Update
Asbestos abatement continues, with Units 8852, 8858 and 8866 under active remediation (all units west of this point have been cleared). Once all abatement is completed, demolition will commence. Q-1 quarterly groundwater sampling will take place this week, as will completion of the Q-4 2023 report. Staff will present a quarterly progress update to Council at the February 6 Planning Session. TDA is scheduled to approve the Compliance Order on Consent (COC) between CDPHE and TDA on February 13; community input on cleanup decisions will be sought for a minimum of 30 days after COC approval. Community-based site reuse planning is scheduled to commence in April 2024.

January 5, 2024: Status Update
Asbestos abatement within the main building continued, from west to east; units 8804, 8806, 8810, 8820, 8824, 8830, and 8840 have been completed and passed clearances. Unit 8850 is planned for clearance by Monday (1/8); next week's activities will include abatement of unit 8852. Our oversight contractor estimates that cold weather is slowing the overall progress slightly.

The Compliance Order on Consent with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is scheduled for TDA approval on February 13, 2024. At that time, a draft workplan for site cleanup will be posted on this website and the community will be invited to provide comments on the plan for a minimum of 30 days.

Regarding site reuse planning, staff is meeting with representatives of EPA's Technical Assistance for Brownfields team next week to begin framing up a scope of work for their assistance in convening the community. Check back here soon for more details.