The State of Colorado has officially launched a public-private partnership (P3) solicitation for the redevelopment of a 41-acre, state-owned site near Lookout Mountain in Golden, marking one of the region’s most significant publicly led mixed-use housing opportunities in recent years.
Dubbed Golden Range at Lookout Mountain, the initiative seeks an experienced master developer to transform the underutilized parcel into a mixed-use community anchored by affordable and attainable housing. The Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify development teams capable of executing the state’s long-term vision for the site.
The property is located west of the intersection of Johnson Road and South Golden Road, near Fossil Trace Golf Club, and was identified through a statewide review of surplus and underutilized public land suitable for housing development.
Affordable Housing-Centered Mixed-Use Vision
Housing delivery is the central driver of the Golden Range plan. Affordable units are expected to comply with Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) requirements, while attainable housing will target households earning 80% to 120% of Area Median Income (AMI). The program also allows for complementary commercial uses and community-serving amenities, positioning the site as a walkable, mixed-use district rather than a single-purpose residential project.
A master planning and feasibility study completed in late 2024 established the development framework, including density assumptions, infrastructure considerations, and phasing concepts. The state has emphasized sustainability, long-term affordability, and community integration as key evaluation criteria.
RFQ Timeline and Next Steps
The RFQ was released December 19, 2025, with a mandatory site visit held January 22, 2026. Statements of Qualifications are due March 17, 2026.
Following developer selection, the project will advance into pre-development, including entitlement coordination, design development, community engagement, and financial structuring. Assuming approvals proceed as anticipated, construction could begin in late 2027 or early 2028.
Strategic Location, Complex Entitlement Landscape
The site’s proximity to Golden’s established residential neighborhoods, regional trail systems, and foothills recreation assets offers strong long-term fundamentals, though developers will need to navigate community sensitivity, infrastructure planning, and environmental considerations typical of foothills-adjacent projects.
For Colorado, Golden Range represents a high-profile test of the P3 model as a tool to accelerate housing production on public land—particularly in high-demand, land-constrained submarkets.
As housing costs continue to pressure Front Range communities, the Golden Range at Lookout Mountain project underscores the state’s push to leverage public assets to catalyze mixed-income development at scale.
Click here for the request for qualifications.
