A Shared Investment in Downtown Fort Collins
For more than 45 years, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has served as the primary steward of caring for the heart of Fort Collins.
The DDA exists to support a downtown that works for everyone.
We build public and private investment partnerships that foster economic, cultural, and social growth in our Central Business District — investing in infrastructure and public spaces, partnering with property and business owners on complex projects, and caring for downtown long after the ribbon is cut.
To build public and private investment partnerships that foster economic, cultural, and social growth in the Central Business District.
A downtown that is authentic to its history, safe and welcoming, economically strong and resilient, and designed for people — with walkable, vibrant public spaces that serve residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
The DDA District
The DDA district covers approximately 783 acres. The district is divided into several distinct neighborhoods, each with its own character.
- The historic city center is located at the intersection of College Avenue and Mountain Avenue.
- The downtown core contains most of the area’s historic buildings, primarily featuring two- and three-story structures.
- Areas north and east of downtown, as well as along the Poudre River, have a more industrial character.
- The river corridor and surrounding areas also include a mix of restaurants, residences, and office buildings.
- Banks, professional offices, and government buildings are primarily located west of the downtown core.
What Stewardship Means
Everything has a lifespan. If you’re not maintaining it or reinvesting in it, it falls into disrepair, and the cycle of urban decay emerges.
Downtown Fort Collins is often referred to as our community’s crown jewel. A place with that kind of rhythm, heartbeat, and soul needs a steward. The DDA’s role is not just about building new things — it’s to care for downtown over time.
That means maintaining public spaces, plazas, and alleyways; investing in infrastructure before it fails; and supporting long-term economic health rather than short-term wins.
A Balance of Old and New
Downtown succeeds when we protect what makes it special and make room for what comes next. We protect historic buildings and character — the Linden Hotel, the Avery Building, and the storefronts that give Old Town its identity — alongside the local, independent businesses that make downtown feel one-of-a-kind.
At the same time, we support new housing, new businesses, and evolving transportation. Projects like Uncommon, Oak 140, Confluence, Flats at the Oval, and Penny Flats have added homes downtown. New modes like bikes, scooters, and transit are welcomed alongside cars. The guiding principle is simple: no matter how you arrive, downtown is a place where you park once and walk.
Image above of Downtown Fort Collins at the intersection of Linden Street and East Mountain Avenue during the 1970s
The Downtown You Experience Every Day
Many of the things people love most about Downtown Fort Collins don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of a coordinated effort to keep downtown active, welcoming, and worth visiting.
You see it in our summer flower display — 45,000 locally grown plants placed in partnership with the City of Fort Collins. You see it again in winter, when 80,000 holiday lights fill the treetops across 22 block faces. You see it in the alley murals and public art of the Fort Collins Mural Project, in the preservation of historic buildings and new architecture that provide the backdrop for daily living, and in the streetscape and place-making details that make downtown feel cared for year-round.
How the DDA Serves the Community
For Residents
Safe, clean, and accessible public spaces. A vibrant downtown that enhances daily life. Long-term care of the shared infrastructure residents rely on.
For Property Owners
Investments that strengthen property value. Partnership on complex redevelopment projects. Infrastructure that supports growth over time.
For Business Owners and Lessees
A destination that attracts customers. Support during construction and transitions. Access to the Business Marketing and Communications Program and the Downtown Gift Card Program, which keeps dollars local.
Why Stewardship Matters
Without ongoing investment and a steward to mind the details, infrastructure ages, public spaces lose their appeal, and private investment slows. The DDA helps ensure downtown continues to move forward intentionally, not reactively.
Our Story
1970s–Early 1980s
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, downtowns across the United States were in significant decline, often influenced by a lack of investment and new commercial development in the suburbs. Downtown Fort Collins faced the same pressures — declining activity and stalled improvement efforts. Local leaders, property owners, business owners, and residents came together to create a long-term solution.
1980s
In 1981, property owners, businesses, and downtown residents voted to establish the Downtown Development Authority.
In the years that followed, the DDA and a local developer, Gene Mitchell planned Old Town Square, and financed the first public parking structure.
Just a few years later the DDA helped relocate the BNSF railroad switching operations on Mason Street out of downtown to reclaim land for future development.
Today
Four decades later, that foundation still shapes how downtown grows and it has manifested in more than 120 public private-partnerships that resulted in thousands of new housing units, numerous new commercial buildings, and tens of millions of dollars invested by the DDA to ensure the intentional caretaking of the central business district.
A Proven Model for Downtown Success
Many of the DDA’s investments have been acknowledged by industry leaders, including the Urban Land Institute, Engineering News-Record, and the Construction Management Association.
Downtown Fort Collins didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of decades of intentional investment, partnership, and care. The DDA exists to ensure that continues — today and into the future.
