City of Denver Targets Former Goodyear Site for Affordable Housing Development

The City and County of Denver is moving forward with plans to purchase two parcels at 1460 and 1480 Tremont Place in downtown for $2.5 million, with the goal of redeveloping the site into 100% affordable housing.

The land, totaling 12,500 square feet, is currently home to a 4,866-square-foot former Goodyear auto repair shop, which would be demolished. Zoned D-C "Downtown Core," though a zoning change is pending, the property sits near the Denver Pavilions and Webb Municipal Building, and city officials say it represents a rare opportunity to bring new affordable units to the heart of downtown.

Denver’s finance department has requested $2.5 million in contingency funds from the Capital Improvement Fund to acquire the site. While the finance and business committee unanimously advanced the measure, some councilmembers expressed concerns about using emergency reserves for the purchase, particularly as the city faces financial uncertainty ahead of a proposed $1 billion bond measure this November. Officials explained that contingency funds have previously supported real estate purchases, including the nearby Denver Post building, and emphasized the difficulty of timing such opportunities within the city’s regular budget cycles.

If approved by City Council on Oct. 20, the city will move to issue a request for proposals to select a developer for the project. Denver is considering several options, including selling or leasing the land, but no timeline has been set for the RFP or construction. If built, the project would mark the first city-owned affordable housing development in downtown Denver.