INVEST IN THE

With Support from the Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Authority

Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Authority

The URA seeks to promote projects which will provide public benefit and demonstrate environmental and cultural sustainability and fiscal prudence.

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LETTER FROM DEBBIE SAGEN, MSURA BOARD CHAIR

Since its formation in 2006, the Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Authority (MSURA) has collaborated with property owners, entrepreneurs, non-profits and local governments to continue to improve the Eastside Urban Renewal Area by developing new public infrastructure and encouraging private redevelopment. 

The MSURA uses the tax increment financing revenue (TIF) generated from increased sales and property tax receipts to fund its activities including improving public infrastructure such as sidewalks and landscaping, drainage improvements, art installations, transportation improvements and park enhancements.

In recent years, TIF funding has also been used to help property owners redevelop to eliminate blight and foster economic growth.  Improvements to these properties has resulted in an increase in tax revenues.

The MSURA will continue to offer matching façade and site development grants to property owners to upgrade the appearance and enhance the use of their properties.  In addition to 3 sculptures installed in recent years, two additional new art pieces are slated to be installed in the area in 2024 and 2025. By continuing to provide financial assistance to owners and tenants to improve their properties and provide new amenities in the area, the MSURA continues to encourage healthy economic growth in this area of Manitou Springs.

LATEST URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS

THE COMMUNITY VISION

The mission of the Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Authority is to encourage private investment and reinvestment in targeted areas while strengthening the tax base of the whole city. The Authority promotes partnerships and collaboration with other groups in an effort to advance the City’s goals of sound urban planning, fiscal prudence and cultural sensitivity. Through multiple project initiatives, our objective is to facilitate development of balanced, sustainable environments where people live, work and come together as a community.

While many flock to our small city to visit, the 4,710 (2022 census date) residents know what a special place Manitou Springs is to live. There is a strong sense of community in our eclectic city, with locals taking advantage of the many historic, arts, cultural, and natural resources available in the area while loyally supporting Manitou Springs businesses.  The Gateway to Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Area offers the opportunity for a unique destination retail market for the Pikes Peak region.

The Gateway to Manitou Springs is in need of revitalization and that’s where you come in. This important gateway to our city needs investors with ideas and a desire to make this area a distinctive place for the local community to live, work and play. We’re interested in a mix of land uses as well as creatively designed mixed-use buildings that will serve both residents and tourists and serve to diversify the City’s economy. Are you interested in this unique opportunity?

Click here for the Manitou Urban Renewal Plan

Manitou Springs offers a unique opportunity to invest not only in property and land, but also in a community that welcomes fresh ideas. Our community has outlined a shared vision for the Gateway to Manitou urban renewal area through a comprehensive planning process called Plan Manitou. Plan Manitou includes specific guidance for land uses, density, and design for development in the MSURA; this is expressed in a new “Gateway Mixed-Use” land use designation for the area in the City’s “Future Land Use Plan.”

Residents are loyal to Manitou Springs businesses and have identified a desire to conduct more of their daily business within the city limits instead of travelling to Colorado Springs. Local entrepreneurs and businesses are highly encouraged to expand or develop new business models in the Gateway to Manitou area. The city is looking for new ways to adapt and redevelop existing properties and develop the available infill land. This means mixed-use, unique, non-traditional, and boutique options are in high demand. As a community, we’re also interested in supporting environmentally friendly building development, which is further detailed in Plan Manitou’s “Land Use & Built Environment” policies.

Our shared community vision presents a significant opportunity for investment in the Gateway to Manitou urban renewal area.

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