By Jon Buerge, president of Urban Villages.
As Urban Villages celebrates 20 years in business, we’re excited to look back on our projects that have helped reshape Denver’s most beloved neighborhoods over the years – infusing them with nature, sustainability, and community. Our milestone opening of the Populus hotel is the perfect culmination of these past two decades and serves not only as a symbol of inspiring, nature-forward architecture in Denver but as a catalyst for where we believe the future of sustainability development is heading. However, our mission of building spaces that have a positive and lasting legacy on our planet goes back much further.
At my core, I am an environmentalist. Growing up in Aspen, I was constantly immersed in the beauty and power of Colorado’s natural landscape. From skiing in the Rockies to hiking among the towering aspen trees, the outdoors was more than just a backdrop — it was a way of life. This deep connection to nature shaped my perspective on how we live and build in the world. It instilled in me a belief that development should not only serve people but also respect and enhance the environment that sustains us.
It was this passion for sustainability that led me to Urban Villages 15 years ago. At the time, I was drawn to the company’s unique vision, led by Founder and CEO Grant McCargo, that development could harmonize with the surrounding natural world and preserve the character of historic spaces while being financially successful. Grant’s simple advice that to have the most impact you must show people how to make money doing the right thing truly resonated with me and still guides the company today.
Over the past two decades, Urban Villages has redefined the potential of real estate by merging innovation, sustainability, and community impact to create some of Denver’s most iconic LoDo developments. One noteworthy example is Denver’s Sugar Block, where we transformed one of the city’s most historically relevant buildings into modern workspace, retail, apartments and more. Today, the Historic Sugar Building, SugarCube, and SugarSquare all have some of the highest rents and lowest turnover in downtown Denver, despite their 1900s origins. Others include the revitalization of Larimer Square and Union Station, both of which transformed beloved but forgotten landmarks into the vibrant, culturally rich hubs they are today. All are perfect examples of how adaptive reuse can preserve a city’s heritage while breathing new life into its streets.
This October, we opened the doors to Populus in Civic Center Park. More than just a hotel, Populus is a bold statement about the future of sustainable design and serves as a model for how architecture can positively contribute to the health of both the environment and the community. As the country’s first carbon-positive hotel, Populus offsets more carbon than it emits over its lifecycle, thanks to sustainable building materials, energy-efficient systems, the acquisition of 7,000 tons of certified carbon credits, planting a tree for every night’s stay, and more. However, our approach goes far beyond carbon offsets to include collaborating with local farms to promote regenerative practices, using 100 percent renewable electricity, turning all food waste into compost to be returned to local farmers, and design that connects guests to nature in the heart of the city. We believe that transparency around Populus’ sustainability efforts — and inviting guests to actively play a role in them — will help push the entire industry towards a greener future.
As we celebrate 20 years of Urban Villages, our commitment to shaping the future of real estate remains unwavering. We understand that the real estate industry has a critical role to play in addressing the climate crisis. Through projects that focus on sustainability, adaptive reuse, and community impact, we’re demonstrating that development can be a force for good, creating vibrant, resilient communities that will stand the test of time.
Looking ahead to the next 20 years, we’re more focused than ever on investing in the next great neighborhoods, in Colorado and beyond, while setting new standards for what real estate can achieve. We believe the future of cities lies in spaces that balance economic success, environmental responsibility, and social equity. By continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible, Urban Villages will lead the way in creating the cities of tomorrow, and we hope to inspire other developers to join us.
Jon Buerge is the president of Urban Villages, where he is responsible for all development activities, new company acquisitions, corporate growth, and strategic positioning of all real estate assets. A seasoned leader with two decades of real estate development experience – over 15 years of which have been spent at Urban Villages – Buerge’s expertise spans real estate, investment management, land regulations, market analysis, construction law, due diligence, development, and property management, among many others.
