Building Community in Montbello

FreshLo Hub

Community-Driven Development
for the community by the community

THE GROUNDBREAKING!

The Montbello FreshLo Initiative is well underway. It was a historic day, March 2nd 2023, when this project finally broke ground proving that Community-Drive Development is possible!

FreshLo Hub

FreshLo Hub is the Montbello Organizing Committee's comprehensive community economic development program designed to create a place in the community that promotes cultural heritage, rejuvenates physical spaces, improves health outcomes, and brings diverse people together.  The mixed-use development project, which will be located in the heart of Montbello, was driven by the needs of the community with thousands of Montbello residents participating in the conceptualization and planning.

 The FreshLo Hub site is located at 12444 East Albrook Drive and will include: 

  • 97 Units of Affordable Housing (1, 2 & 3 bedrooms)
  • Daily Table grocery store
  • FreshLo/ARTS Cultural Arts Education Center
  • WellPower mental health services
  • Office, retail and meeting spaces for businesses and nonprofits

Partners and Funders
Montbello Organizing Committee thanks the community, project team and funders for making the vision of the FreshLo Hub a reality.

-Developers: Montbello Organizing Committee and FLO Development Services, LLC
-Architects and Engineers: The Roybal Corporation with Van Meter Williams and Pollack, LLP; Desibl Studio
-Tax Credit Consultants: S.B. Clark Companies
-General Contractors: Alliance Construction Solutions and Gilmore Construction Corporation

Partners: Colorado Black Arts Movement DBA FreshLo/ARTS, WellPower, Daily Table, Montbello Building Community Wealth Center

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Affordable Housing

The FreshLo Hub will include a six-story, affordable housing building with 97 apartments ranging from one- to three-bedrooms. This building will be the only affordable housing development in Montbello that provides multi-bedroom units suitable for families earning 30, 50, 60 and 70 percent of area median income (AMI). Residents will enjoy multiple amenities including:

  • Full appliance packages with microwaves and ovens
  • In-unit washers and dryers
  • Parking
  • Common and fitness rooms
  • Patio space for community gardens and outdoor programming

The application process will begin early 2024. For more information regarding elgibility contact [email protected] 

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Grocery Store

The catalyst for creating the FreshLo Hub was Montbello’s need for a community grocery store. That need will be fulfilled by the addition of a new grocery store, Daily Table. Daily Table is a nonprofit grocery operator, which will provide fresh and healthy food at affordable prices.  Montbello’s Daily Table is expected to open by the end of 2023 and will include 5,200 square feet of grocery space with culturally relevant offerings including:

  • Grocery staples
  • Fresh Produce
  • Made-from-Scratch prepared foods
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Arts Education Center

A brand-new Cultural Arts Education Center constructed solely for arts programs and arts education will anchor the FreshLo Hub. Colorado Black Arts Movement DBA FreshLo/ARTS (Artists, Residents, Teachers, Students)  will manage programming in the new facility including:

  • On-site performing arts
  • Presentation arts
  • Arts education
  • Arts programming in partnership with Denver Public Schools
  • Classes for the community provided by outside nonprofits

The 16,000 sq ft Cultural Arts Education Center will include a 4,100 sq ft flexible theater/presentation space, rehearsal and recital rooms and lobby gallery space.  Groundbreaking will occur at the end of 2023 and the Center is expected to be completed in late 2024.

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Wellness Services

The FreshLo Hub has been designed as a central and welcoming place for healthy living, cultural exploration and safe gatherings. A key component of the Hub is wellness and mental health services including:

  1. WellPower, formerly Mental Health Center of Denver, will be located in the six-story Affordable Housing Building (otherwise known as the residential building) and provide mental health services and programming for youth, families, individuals and the community at-large.
  2. Montbello Solutions, a community-driven collaborative of organizations, providers, and holistic wellness professionals that offer programs and services to address the community’s mental health needs, will be housed on the first floor of the Affordable Housing Building. Examples of no-cost culturally relevant wellness options offered through Montbello Solutions include:
  • Holistic Mental Health Workshops
  • Yoga Classes
  • Grief Support
  • Youth Programs in Collaboration with the Struggle of Love Foundation
  • Health and Wellness Coaching
  • Family Fun Wellness in collaboration with Academy 360
  • Classes designed to enhance the knowledge and health of the community such as nutrition, food preparation and healthy eating.
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Retail and Non-Profit Space

The Montbello Organizing Committee is committed to helping Montbello residents to further business employment and ownership opportunities, combat gentrification and create pathways to sustain generational wealth. The FreshLo Hub includes space for local retailers, nonprofit organizations and a retail incubation storefront for aspiring entrepreneurs to test products.

Retail
Approximately 7,500 sq feet of retail space will be available adjacent to the Daily Table grocery store. A percentage of the available commercial space will be reserved for local Montbello business owners, particularly female-identifying entrepreneurs and those from minority backgrounds.  

Building Community Wealth
Sponsored by MOC, this initiative provides technical assistance to entrepreneurs to start or grow a business. Located within FreshLo’s Affordable Housing Building, Building Community Wealth will offer:

  • 12-week Building Community Wealth training/mentorship programs in English and Spanish. Participants receive entrepreneur training, small business loan assistance, technical support and a path towards a small business incubator/real estate acquisition.
  • Hands-on support in areas including marketing and research, credit and financing, planning for business success, and more.
  • Retail incubation space for entrepreneurs to showcase new products at kiosks and test business concepts.

Nonprofit Office and Meeting Space
Nonprofits that serve low-income Coloradoans will be provided office space within the FreshLo Hub. In addition, space will be available for community gatherings and fellowship among community leaders/groups seeking to bring voice to community members.

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Funding / Donors / Investors

The FreshLo Hub project budget is estimated at $85 million and consists of a diverse mix of capital sources:

  • LIHTC (Low-Income Housing Tax Credits)
  • NMTC (New Markets Tax Credits)
  • Construction Loans
  • Government Grants
  • Philanthropic Contributions
  • Impact Investments

Investment Opportunities

MOC is currently raising $10 million in capital contributions for the FreshLo Hub. Additionally, MOC is looking for $3 million in Program-Related Investments/Impact Investments.

  • Give: make a tax-deductible donation. Gifts of $100 or more are eligible for a 25% Colorado Enterprise Zone State Tax Credit.
  • Invest: For accredited investors or investments through a donor-advised fund, make an impact investment. Program-Related Investments (PRIs) are project loans of $100,000 or more and will receive a 2% interest payment. Contact MOC at [email protected] for a term sheet or more information.

Funders, Donors and Impact Investors
Funders, donors and impact investors who have contributed to the Montbello FreshLo Hub include:

AJL Foundation
Anonymous
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
Burgess Services
Citi Community Capital
City and County of Denver
     -DEDO
     -HOST
Colorado Creative Industries 
Colorado Division of Housing
Colorado Enterprise Fund
The Colorado Health Foundation
CHFA (LIHTC and Capital Magnet Fund)
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (ARPA)
The Colorado Trust
The Denver Foundation
FLO Development Services, LLC
Gates Family Foundation
Impact Development Fund
Kaiser Permanente    
Kresge Foundation
Mile High Connects/SPARCC
Montbello Organizing Committee Board of Directors
Montbello Organizing Committee Staff
U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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FreshLo Hub Partners

Montbello Organizing Committee thanks the community, project team and funders for making the vision of the FreshLo Hub a reality.

The FreshLo Hub Project Team

  • Developers: MOC and FLO Development Services, LLC
  • Architects and Engineers: Roybal & Van Meter Williams Pollack and Desibl
  • Tax Credit Consultants: S.B. Clark Financial Services
  • General Contractors: Alliance, Gilmore Construction Corp.
  • Partners: Colorado Black Arts Movement DBA FreshLo/ARTS, WellPower (formerly Mental Health Center of Denver), Daily Table

Montbello Organizing Committee

Leading Community Organization

The Denver Foundation

Funder

The Colorado Health Foundation

Funder

The Kresge Foundation

Funder

Burgess Services

Developer

Van Meter Williams Pollack

Architech

Milgrom & Daskam

Legal Counsel

SB Clark Companies

Tax Consultants

Daily Table

Grocery Partner

FLO Development Services

Developer

Colorado Black Arts Movement

Cultural Arts Partner

The Roybal Corporation

Architech

Alliance Construction

General Contractor

Gilmore Construction Corp.

General Contractor

Gomez Howard Group

Public Relations Firm

DAE Group

Construction Firm