St. John Properties, Inc. has initiated the construction of Simms Technology Park, an 81-acre mixed-use business community in Broomfield. Upon completion, the project will support nearly 600,000 square feet of single-story and multi-story office and flex/R&D space, in addition to complementary retail amenities. The full-service commercial real estate development and management company recently held a ceremony for the groundbreaking of the first phase of the project which includes one single-story office building comprising 41,000 square feet of space and two flex/R&D buildings combining for nearly 70,000 square feet of space. All three buildings, comprising just over 110,000 square feet of space, will be designed for LEED certification and are expected to deliver next summer.
Last summer, The Broomfield City Council granted approval for St. John Properties to begin development activities on Simms Technology Park, a $125 million project situated at the intersection of N Simms Street and W 112th Avenue in Broomfield County. Over the past six months, St. John Properties has proceeded with site grading and prepping infrastructure activities at the new business community. The company acquired the parcel from Brocade Communications Systems, LLC in 2020. In total St. John Properties currently owns and manages more than 1.5 million square feet of commercial space across four business communities in Colorado since first opening its Colorado regional office in 1987.
“Simms Technology Park is perfectly designed and positioned to address the emerging real estate needs of a wide range of companies exploring the suburban Denver area,” stated Brandon Jenkins, St. John Properties’ regional partner for Colorado. “The long-term philosophy of St. John Properties, and what differentiates the company from its peers, is to construct product on a speculative basis so we can respond quickly and provide immediate solutions to varied space requirements. We’re extremely grateful for the partnership and support from Broomfield City and County officials who have recognized that Simms Technology Park will become a significant job generator, a place for businesses to grow and prosper, and a long-term contributor to the local tax base.”
In addition to constructing the initial three buildings, St. John Properties is currently marketing the sale or ground lease of four pad sites ranging from 1.5 acres to 2 acres that can support numerous uses including restaurants, convenience stores/gas stations, and fast food. The final development plan is expected to consist of 14 buildings and support more than 2,000 jobs.
“Our research indicates a significant pent-up demand for different categories requiring free-standing buildings, particularly retail establishments with drive-through lanes,” added Jenkins. “In addition to the captured audience provided by employees within Simms Technology Park, users will have immediate access to the Boulder and Denver markets along the U.S. 36 northwest ‘creative corridor’ of the Denver metropolitan area.”
“Broomfield is home to a thriving community of innovative companies who are spearheading the development of cutting-edge ideas, services, and products for customers globally. We take great pride in our prominent bioscience, information technology and advanced manufacturing enterprises, and eagerly anticipate the arrival of numerous others, particularly at locations such as Simms Technology Park,” stated Guyleen Castriotta, mayor of the City and County of Broomfield. “This hub for innovation and technology is beginning its journey with the groundbreaking ceremony for several buildings. Eventually, the campus will include more than eighteen structures, likely becoming the future headquarters for 30-50 firms dedicated to research, design, prototyping, testing and the global delivery of products and services.”
Included in the first phase of this development, St. John Properties will complete significant upgrades to W 112th Avenue and N. Simms Street including the addition of sidewalks, lighting, supplemental landscaping, upgraded turn lanes, and road lane expansions. Two new public roads, Doppler Drive and Brocade Parkway, will also be constructed and bisect the site. Brocade Parkway was also renamed to Quantum Parkway as part of the plan. Development plans also include nearly one mile of new 10-foot-wide public recreational trails along Walnut Creek.
Additional St. John Properties projects in Colorado include Corporate Center, a fourteen-building 600,000-square-foot business community in Golden; Sixth Avenue Place, a 145,000-square-foot project in Golden; and Walnut Creek Business Park, which contains more than 200,000 square feet of space in the City of Westminster. These three business communities are cumulatively 96 percent leased, feature more than 150 tenants and support more than 5,300 jobs.
