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Three longtime downtown favorites are on the move in Colorado Springs

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Denver, Colorado Springs Once Again Listed In Top 5 In Best Cities To Live

DENVER (CBS4) – Denver and Colorado Springs swapped positions this year in the annual list of best places to live. The U.S. News & World Report ranked the 25 Best Places to Live for 2019.

(credit: CBS)

Colorado Springs dropped to third, and Denver is ranked as the second best place to live in America.

(credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus)

John Suthers, the mayor of Colorado Springs, tweeted about the designation, saying “We’re very proud to be in the top three.”

We’re very proud to be in the top three #Bestplaces to live in America for the second straight year. As #OlympicCityUSA, it’s always good to make the podium, and it’s great to see Colorado dominate the top three. https://t.co/sW4xRZNs0a @usnews

— Mayor of Colorado Springs (@MayorofCOS) April 9, 2019

Austin, Texas, was ranked No. 1 for the second year in a row.

The results are based on a public survey of thousands of people. The report relies in part on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI.

The top 10 cities this year are:

Austin Denver Colorado Springs Fayetteville, Arkansas Des Moines, Iowa Minneapolis-St. Paul San Francisco Portland Seattle Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina

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The Nation’s Housing: Class-action suit could change real estate commissions

In what could be the most far-reaching antitrust lawsuit for the real estate market in decades, the National Association of Realtors and four of the largest realty companies have been accused of a conspiracy to systematically overcharge home sellers by forcing them to pay commissions to the agents who represent the buyers of their homes.

The class-action suit, filed in federal district court in Chicago, focuses on a rule it says has been imposed by the NAR. The rule requires brokers who list sellers’ properties on local multiple listing services (MLSs) to include a “non-negotiable offer” of compensation to buyer agents. That is, once a home seller agrees in a listing to a specific split of the commission, buyers cannot later negotiate their agents’ split to a lower rate.

That requirement, the suit alleges, “saddle(s) home sellers with a cost that would be borne by the buyer in a competitive market,” where buyers pay directly for the services rendered by their agents.

In overseas markets where there is no such mandatory compensation rule for buyer agents, total commission costs tend to be lower — averaging 1 percent to 3 percent in the United Kingdom, for example — versus the 5 percent to 6 percent commonplace here. The suit alleges that if buyers in the U.S. could negotiate fees directly with the agents they choose to represent them, fees would be more competitive and lower. Today many American buyers are unaware of their agent’s commission split.

Sellers typically know the percentage because they agree to it in the listing contract. But they may wonder: Why am I required to pay the fee of the buyer’s agent, who may be negotiating against my interests in the transaction? Also, at a time when buyers often search for and find the house they want to buy online, shouldn’t compensation for a buyer’s agents be decreasing, rather than stuck in the 2.5 percent to 3.0 percent range?

Besides NAR, the suit names RE/MAX Holdings Inc., Keller Williams Realty Inc., HomeServices of America Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. as co-defendants. NAR, with 1.3 million members, is the largest trade group in the industry. The four realty companies named as defendants are behemoths: franchisor Keller Williams has approximately 180,000 agents in the U.S. and Canada; RE/MAX has 120,000 agents; Realogy includes among its brands Better Homes and Gardens, Century 21, Coldwell Banker Real Estate and ERA; HomeServices of America is a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and includes among its companies regional powers such as Long and Foster Real Estate and Edina Realty.

The plaintiff in the case is Christopher Moehrl, who sold a home in 2017 using a RE/MAX broker to list the property; the buyer was represented by Keller Williams. Moehrl paid a total commission of 6 percent. Just under half of that, 2.7 percent, went to the buyer’s agent. If Moehrl’s case is certified as a class action, the potential number of sellers affected would be massive.

It includes sellers who have paid a broker commission during the past four years in connection with a home listed by an MLS in these metropolitan areas: Richmond as well as Washington D.C.; Baltimore; Cleveland; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Houston; Las Vegas; Miami; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Salt Lake City; Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota and Fort Myers, Fla.; Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.; Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; and Colorado Springs, Colo.

NAR Vice President Mantill Williams called the suit “baseless” and said it “contains an abundance of false claims,” but he provided no specifics. Representatives of the four realty companies declined comment. But some Realtors say the suit could dismantle the compensation system as it now exists.

Anthony Lamacchia, broker-owner of Lamacchia Realty in Waltham, Mass., says that if the suit is successful “it would basically destroy buyer agency, which would not be in the best interests of buyers or sellers.” Lamacchia argues that even in an era where buyers frequently find homes online, buyer agents have important functions in managing contract negotiations, providing strategic advice and guiding clients through the process to closing.

Some brokers challenged allegations in the suit, such as buyer agents refusing to show homes with low commission splits. Alexis Eldorrado, managing broker of Eldorrado Chicago Real Estate, told me that “in reality, if the buyers have found the place they want and are interested in seeing it, NAR’s code of ethics requires the agent to show it.”

[Disclosure: Having sold a house in 2017, I am a potential class member if a class action is certified. To avoid any perceived conflict of interest, I will opt out of the class.]

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HVS Market Pulse: Colorado Springs, CO – Downtown Poised for Revitalization

Economic conditions in Downtown Colorado Springs have languished throughout the Dot.com bust, oil and gas cycles, and recessionary periods as far back as the mid-80s. While several of the Springs’ suburban areas have experienced significant growth in the commercial, industrial, residential, retail, and lodging sectors, Downtown has illustrated comparatively few signs of recovery. Urban blight has been prevalent in the city’s Central Business District, despite pockets of revitalization, such as the new U.S. Olympic Committee Headquarters, the America the Beautiful Park, the Mining Exchange Hotel conversion, the nearly completed Hilton Garden Inn, new apartments at 333 Eco, and renovations of existing structures, like the Antlers Hotel. In 2013, the Colorado Economic Development Commission (CEDC) was awarded grants under the state’s Regional Tourism Act; the amount equates to $120.5 million in the form of a tourism-improvement rebate of state sales tax over 30 years. These funds are intended to support the development of new projects designed to revitalize economically challenged areas and promote the region’s $1.35-billion annual tourism industry. According to the Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority, earmarked under the initiative are projects to attract approximately 1.2 million visitors annually, including over 500,000 new out-of-state tourists.

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Brexit agreement is the right one: Belgium’s Michel

Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel arrives at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium March 22, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the deal reached by European leaders in the early hours of Friday morning to grant Britain a conditional Brexit delay was the right one and gave clarity.

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Colorado Springs: 5 Open Houses Near You (PICS)

(Realtor)

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — If you’re in the market for a new home, you’ve likely already combed through all the internet listings for your area. And while you’ve probably gotten a decent idea of what these homes are like from the photos, there’s just no comparison to witnessing the real thing.

Ready to start hunting? To help you out, we’ve made a list of the five latest homes to hit the open-house circuit in the Colorado Springs area. That way, you can get a feel for what’s out there before committing to anything.

Below is an address, photo, price, home size and open-house time for each property on our list — including one with 4 beds and 3 baths for $595,000, and another with 3 beds and 3 baths for $282,000.

Like what you see? Simply click on any address in the list to get additional photos and details. Happy house hunting!

1. 6009 Rowdy Dr, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80924

Price: $550,000 Size: 3,748 sq. ft., 5 beds, and 4 baths Open house: Sunday, March 3rd at 1:00 pm

Price: $300,000 Size: 1,022 sq. ft, 3 beds, and 1 bath Open house: Saturday, March 2nd at 11:00 am

Price: $282,000 Size: 1,488 sq. ft., 3 beds, and 3 baths Open house: Saturday, March 2nd at 1:00 pm

Price: $595,000 Size: 3,499 sq. ft., 4 beds, and 3 baths Open house: Saturday, March 2nd at 1:00 pm

Price: $407,000 Size: 3,436 sq. ft., 4 beds, and 3 baths Open house: Saturday, March 2nd at 1:00 pm

That’s not all! Keep scrolling for more listings. And there are even more open houses for you to check out in our real-estate section for the Colorado Springs area.

Photos courtesy of Realtor.com

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Rockets’ P.J. Tucker doesn’t back down from LeBron James assignment

LOS ANGELES – Lakers forward LeBron James has averaged 26.5 points on 52.5 percent shooting in two games against the Rockets this season. But in the fourth quarters and the overtime of those games he had just two field goals on 10 attempts in the Rockets’ wins.

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker would not claim to have stopped James or even had worn him down while battling with James throughout those games. But Tucker said he has gone against James so often for so long that he does not back down from the force that stuns many players.

"You do what you can as a defender to try to discourage him from being able to score and affect the game," Tucker said. "LeBron is so good sometimes no matter what you do he’s going to do that. During games, you don’t pay attention to it. You just keep playing and try to win the game.

"Every year I’ve been in the NBA I’ve been assigned to LeBron. I’ve been playing against him since we were little kids. It’s something that’s been going on for a long time."

SOLOMON: Owner won’t be so happy if Rockets don’t get in gear

Jonathan.Feigen@chron.com

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Your Healthy Family: New minimally invasive breast tumor treatment available in CO

COLORADO SPRINGS – UCHealth Memorial Hospital’s Breast Surgery Program is now the first in Colorado to use a new technology that can freeze a lesion in the breast, killing the tumor cells and helping patients who are candidates for the procedure avoid surgery.

Dr. Laura Pomerenke, a breast surgeon with UCHealth Memorial explains, “A fibroadenoma is the most common tumor in young women. About 10 percent of women will get a fibroadenoma at some time, but not all of them need to be treated.”

A fibroadenoma is also referred to as a fatty tumor that is benign. However, if the mass is causing the patient concern or discomfort they can be removed.

“Before this, our only options were to watch them, or to take them to surgery.” says Dr. Pomerenke.

Now cryoablation – also known as tumor freezing – is another option for removing these fatty tumors, and the procedure can be done right in the surgeon’s office while the patient is awake and alert instead of in an operating room. “Basically we can freeze these tumors in the office. It’s minimally invasive and there is very little pain afterwords. When the tumor thaws, it’s basically reabsorbed by the body.”

Dr. Pomerenke explains, “Under local anesthesia we use ultrasound to watch the tumor. We pass the probe through the mass, and then the computer determines how long the liquid nitrogen goes through the needle that creates an ice ball around the tumor. The whole procedure is about 12 minutes. The patients have very little discomfort. We don’t like cutting up young healthy breasts for benign things, so this is a nice option. The nice thing is there’s an itty bitty little nick in the skin versus having a bigger scar.”

In our next story, we’ll hear from the first patient to receive this treatment in Colorado. If you have questions, you can follow up with the UCHealth breast surgery program.

UCHealth is a proud sponsor of Your Healthy Family

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Business Briefs and Kudos

Business Briefs Students network with construction companies

Fifteen local construction companies and Careers in Construction, a workforce-development program powered by The Colorado Springs Housing & Building Association and Associated General Contractors of Colorado, partnered to host the inaugural Career Pathways Fair Jan. 17 at The Pinery at The Hill, introducing more than 60 CIC high school students to the variety of careers available in the industry.

CIC students are earning Department of Labor-recognized certificates in carpentry, electrical and plumbing, allowing them to start a career directly after high school. The fair allowed students to not only learn more about construction careers, but also meet successful tradespeople who could help them gauge their own potential in the industry.

CIC students from the following districts attended the fair: Harrison School District 2; Widefield School District 3; Colorado Springs School District 11; and District 49.

HFF secures $102.5M

Holliday Fenoglio Fowler L.P. secured $102.5 million in financing for a 13-building suburban office portfolio totaling more than 1 million square feet in Colorado Springs. The HFF team worked on behalf of the borrower, Crescent Real Estate LLC, to secure the five-year, floating-rate acquisition loan through Bank of America Merrill Lynch. At 75 percent leased, the portfolio’s rent roll consists of a wide range of industry sectors — aerospace, government and military/defense contractors, technology and health care. Major credit tenants include Northrop Grumman, Army National Guard, GSA, The Spectranetics Corporation, Booz Allen Hamilton and United Healthcare. The HFF debt placement team representing the borrower included senior managing director Trey Morsbach, managing director Jim Curtin and director Leon McBroom.

New staff, board members join Visit COS

Visit Colorado Springs has hired staff and promoted existing staff.

• Jane Blazer, who recently moved to the Springs, is the new marketing coordinator, responsible for marketing outreach and supporting the marketing manager and the chief innovation officer. (jane@visitcos.com, 719-685-7637)

• Dina Chiaravalloti, with VCOS since January 2017 and formerly group servicing manager, has been promoted to sales manager, responsible for working with Colorado associations, military reunions, education, fraternal, government, hobby, special events and third-party planners. (dina@visitcos.com, 719-685-7625)

• Holly Taylor is the group servicing coordinator, responsible for providing servicing to all group markets as well as coordinating and assisting with military, class and family reunions, day meetings, holiday parties, student and youth groups and weddings. (holly@visitcos.com, 719-685-7626)

• Denise Noble, with VCOS since March 2012 and formerly the partnership coordinator, has been promoted to partner relations manager, responsible for partner relationship-building, account reviews, website updates, invoicing, email communications, event planning and execution and supporting the director of partnership development. (denise@visitcos.com, 719-685-7621)

• The Colorado Tourism Office named Chelsy Offutt, director of communications, a member of the 2019 class for the Colorado Tourism Leadership Journey, a year-long executive training program aimed at building the state tourism industry’s bench strength.

• Crystal LaTier joined the VCOS Board of Directors as a non-voting El Paso County representative. LaTier is the housing authority executive director and interim economic development executive director with the county’s Economic Development Department, where she has worked since 2010. LaTier oversees the administration of the County’s Community Development Block Grant Program.

• Becky Leinweber joined the VCOS Board as a voting member. She is executive director of Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance where she strengthens the outdoor recreation industry for the Pikes Peak region through leadership and collaboration. She also co-owns Angler’s Covey in Colorado Springs with her husband David.

• Dave Harris has rejoined the VCOS Board as a voting member, having served on the Board for 18 years and its executive committee for eight. Harris co-owns and operates Pikes Peak Ghost Town with his wife and has previously served eight years as President of Pikes Peak Region Attractions.

Kudos Schuck Communities celebrates 50 years, hires new CEO and VP

Schuck Communities is celebrating 50 years in business by passing the torch to new leaders. Brock Chapman joined Schuck Communities as president and CEO in October and Mike DeGrant has joined the team as the new VP of development. Chapman is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and Urban Land Institute. He was an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, teaching marketing strategy courses to graduate students; and served on a Regis University Corporate Advisory Board.

DeGrant recently finished his term as president of the Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs, where he helped advance multiple initiatives, including the implementation of construction education in schools to give students who are not college-bound the skills to pursue a career in the trades. His current and past community service includes serving on the boards of HBA Cares, the Homeless Initiative Trustee Committee, the Continuum of Care Governing Board, and the Partnership for Community Design board, among others.

PPWFC announces State of the Workforce award winners

The Pikes Peak Workforce Center presented four awards at its State of the Workforce breakfast Jan. 16 at the DoubleTree Hotel.

The event included opening remarks by Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers and keynote speaker Josh Davies, CEO of The Center for Work Ethic Development. The award winners were:

• 2018 Champion of Prosperity Award — Pikes Peak Community College IT Department/Mustafa Akcadogan.

• 2018 Pikes Peak Workforce Center Employee of the Year — Toya Graham.

• 2018 Teller County Employer of the Year — Bronco Billy’s.

• 2018 El Paso County Employer of the Year — ConcealFab.

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SAG Awards 2019: Stars shine on the red carpet

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Snowstorm throws forecasters a curve, causes havoc on north El Paso County roads

A storm that crossed up forecasters with heavier snow than expected swept through the Pikes Peak region Friday, causing havoc for drivers north of Colorado Springs.

About 24 vehicles were involved in a pileup around 10:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of Interstate 25 near Monument, Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gary Cutler said. No serious injuries were reported.

What had been predicted as a minor dusting turned into a full-blown snowstorm beginning Friday morning.

Areas around Monument got more than 8 inches of snow, National Weather Service meteorologist Klint Skelly said.

“We’ve got so much traffic coming down the roadway at this point that they can’t get the tow trucks in to move some of these vehicles out and it’s backing everything up,” Cutler said Friday evening. “We’ve actually been requesting that everybody avoid the area and we’re asking people if they could exchange info just so we can get the roadway clear.”

A “jackknifed” semi on Colorado 105 was blocking the parallel road west of the interstate, Cutler said.

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4 Colorado Springs Area Open Houses To Stop By

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Sometimes shopping for a house online doesn’t quite do the trick. While listing photographs can help, they’re no stand-in for the real thing. That’s where open houses come in handy: No more guessing!

Ready to see what’s out there? To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the four latest homes on the open-house circuit in the Colorado Springs area. That way, you can get a feel for what’s out there without committing to a house blindly.

Below is an address, photo, price, home size and open-house time for each property on our list — including one with 4 beds and 3 baths for $280,000, and another with 4 beds and 4 baths for $464,000.

Want more information on one of the listings? Just click on any address to learn more. Happy house hunting!

1. 7230 Blue Pond Pt, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80922

Price: $280,000 Size: 2,138 sq. ft., 4 beds, and 3 baths Open house: Sunday, January 13th at 2:00 am

Price: $464,000 Size: 2,527 sq. ft, 4 beds, and 4 baths Open house: Saturday, January 12th at 11:00 am

Price: $849,000 Size: 4,752 sq. ft., 5 beds, and 4 baths Open house: Saturday, January 12th at 1:00 pm

Price: $426,000 Size: 2,527 sq. ft., 5 beds, and 4 baths Open house: Saturday, January 12th at 11:00 am

That’s not all! Keep scrolling for more listings. And there are even more open houses for you to check out in Patch’s real-estate section for the Colorado Springs area.

Photos courtesy of Realtor.com

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Best Dispensary In Colorado Springs Now Offering Assorted Tea

(MENAFN – GetNews) Colorado Springs dispensary is excited to announce they now offer the amazing cannabis-infused herbal tea Colorado Springs, CO – January 3, 2019 – The Dankery, located just off Interpark Drive, is the premier dispensary for edibles and medicinal cannabis in Colorado Springs. The company offers everything folks looking for dispensaries in Colorado Springs could want, including flower, concentrates, prerolls, edibles, clones, seeds, accessories, and even gear. In addition to the great menu and vast variety of options, the Colorado Springs dispensary is excited to announce they now offer the amazing cannabis-infused herbal tea which has been gaining popularity recently. According to the THT, the medicinal teas designed with a solventless extraction, for a mild slow-releasing medication. The company believes this product is great for those who have digestive, stomach, or lung issues.

Local Colorado Cannabis patients are looking for new and different methods of partaking in medicinals, and herbal tea is a delightful addition to available options. The medicinal tea is made by a local Colorado company, which makes the addition to Dankery’s menu of goods highly appropriate. The Colorado Springs dispensary prides themselves on providing medicinal cannabis options from local companies.

In addition to providing the patrons of Colorado Springs with select local goods, the shop also has the best dispensary staff you will find in Colorado Springs, which consists of highly trained Budtenders who act as the dispensary patients’ personal confidant, they are here to assist patients in selecting strains based on their specific medical needs and personal preferences. The dispensary Budtenders are educated in the panoply of medicating methods and are very happy to help patients find the best options appropriate for them, which may even include the company’s newest addition, medicinal cannabis Tea.

The Colorado Springs dispensary is open 7 days a week starting at 9:00 am

The business encourages folks in the Colorado Springs area to check out their dispensary menu on their website at http://bit.ly/2SBq2Kf

Media Contact Company Name: The Dankery Contact Person: Kris Fowlkes Email: Send Email Phone: (719) 644-1800 Address:3745 Interpark Dr City: Colorado Springs State: CO Country: United States Website: dankery.co/

MENAFN0301201900703268ID1097922024

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Colorado Springs credit union executive retiring after winning nearly every major business award

Just after Winter interned and then accepted a job at CIG in 1972, Houston-based energy giant Coastal Corp. approached the company about merging. CIG rejected the offer, but Coastal then launched a hostile and eventually successful takeover, and Winter thought the newest employees would quickly be shown the door.

"I knew nothing about the business. I had been recruited for the job because of the internship and I didn’t get any other job offers because we were in the middle of an economic downturn," Winter said. "I was pretty green during the takeover and people seem to go easily during those types of situations."

Instead, Winter, now 68, would spend 29 years with CIG and later add safety, administrative services, audio-visual, building management, the mail room and even the company’s aviation department to her management responsibilities.

"I have been able to survive and gain more responsibility over time," she said. "A lot of life is about luck, but it is also about doing a good job, improving and growing."

She eventually took early retirement in another subsequent merger and joined Ent Credit Union as its vice president of human resources just as southern Colorado’s largest financial institution was gearing up for a major growth spurt. She would later shift responsibilities to Ent’s philanthropy and community outreach, and now plans to retire (for a second time) Jan. 4, though she’ll remain active with several local nonprofits.

Winter is stepping down after receiving just about every major business award in the city, including the Athena Award from the chamber and the Accolades Business Executive of the Year from the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

She has served as a board member of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and eventually its foundation, where she now serves as chair; Discover Goodwill Foundation, the Pikes Peak United Way, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, Silver Key Senior Services and the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. She also serves on a committee that helps decide what road projects will be financed by its road repair sales tax.

She also helped put together a 15-year marketing and operating agreement, which included naming rights, worth $12.6 million that helped finance construction of the Ent Center for the Arts on the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus. The $60 million center opened early this year and includes a 700-seat theater and several other performance venues and art galleries.

She credits longtime CIG presidents Thomas Pelican and Peter King for mentoring and believing in her, which helped Winter both advance her career and learn skills as she took on more responsibilities. Winter said she was a "pretty good student" of business and management and learned quickly that high-ranking mentors could "take you under their wing and help you grow."

After nearly three decades at CIG, Winter saw they she wasn’t likely to survive the company’s next merger with El Paso Corp. in 2001. She helped set up severance packages for 375 employees who left CIG when El Paso acquired Coastal, and took one of those packages herself, believing that she was "lucky to retire early."

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Colorado Springs could soon be No. 1 housing market in U.S., according to report

Colorado Springs’ housing market has ranked as one of the country’s hottest during much of 2018 because of strong demand and rising prices, according to national publications and real estate groups.

Next year, it could be No. 1 in the nation.

In its annual report that looks at housing markets to watch, online real estate service Trulia ranks Colorado Springs as the No. 1 market poised for growth in 2019. That ranking indicates sales and prices could remain on the upswing in the Springs next year.

Trulia looked at the nation’s 100 largest housing markets and ranked them based on five indicators: job growth over the past year; a tight supply of rental properties; the affordability of homes for first-time buyers; a large share of millennials who represent more potential entry-level buyers; and data that indicate more people are researching moves to Colorado Springs instead of leaving the city.

Colorado Springs’ strong year-over-year job growth and its large percentage of millennials helped propel it to the No. 1 ranking in Trulia’s report; the city came in at No. 8 among the 100 largest housing markets in job growth and millennial population.

The Springs was followed in Trulia’s report by Grand Rapids, Mich., which had ranked No. 1 heading into 2018. Other top 10 metro areas in the report were Jacksonville, Fla.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Austin, Texas; Fresno, Calif.; Phoenix; Columbia, S.C.; El Paso, Texas; and Oklahoma City.

While well-known growth areas such as Phoenix and Austin made the top 10, smaller markets have much to offer, Trulia senior economist Cheryl Young wrote in a report summary.

The report “highlights markets relatively close to more-expensive metros, but far enough away to offer their own attractions and opportunities without many of the mounting affordability concerns that mark those marquee names,” Young said. “Think Colorado Springs instead of Denver, and Bakersfield and Fresno instead of Los Angeles and the Bay Area.”

Barber, a veteran real estate agent and developer, said he’s skeptical about the methodology used by Trulia and others who’ve ranked the Springs’ housing market and quality of life. And, he said, the local housing market cooled off during the second of 2018; for example, sellers of homes priced at $350,000 and below fielded fewer multiple offers.

Still, Barber said, the Springs’ housing market should see reasonable growth in 2019. The area’s employment picture has improved, Barber said, and consumers are more apt to buy homes when they feel good about their jobs. The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and other institutions are expanding, while some sectors of the economy — such as tourism — are healthy, he said.

Beyond the top 10 housing markets in Trulia’s report, the online service expects the nation’s overall housing market to slow somewhat in 2019.

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State gives Colorado Springs 1-year extension to get started on City for Champions projects

DENVER • Colorado Springs was granted a year extension by the state Thursday to meet the “substantial work” requirement for two of four City for Champions projects.

City officials and their partners requested an extension last month because physical work had not begun on the sports and events center, split between two downtown locations, and the new Air Force Academy visitors center.

Both projects had until Dec. 16 to meet the deadline to retain millions in state sales tax rebates over 30 years.

The Colorado Economic Development Commission’s decision was needed Thursday because the looming deadline had created uncertainty surrounding the projects.

“The sooner we can approve this we can alleviate that doubt and allow them to move forward on their projects,” Jeff Kraft, who directs the commission’s Division of Business Funding and Incentives, told the commission.

“Unanimous,” Bob Cope, Colorado Springs’ economic development officer, said with a smile and a nod.

Cope said the vote didn’t surprise him, “but it’s still good to have.”

With that extension, the commission will meet again with city staff next month to discuss specifically what must be done to meet the “substantial work” deadline.

After the vote, Cope said the requirement will likely involve physical construction, which can begin as soon as next summer.

The sports and event center and the Air Force Academy visitors center are two of four projects proposed in the summer of 2013 by city officials and civic leaders. The projects, dubbed City for Champions, were intended to boost tourism and inject life into the city’s then-sagging economy.

The city applied for funds under the state’s Regional Tourism Act, and the commission on Dec. 16, 2013, awarded $120.5 million in state sales tax rebates over 30 years

The other two projects slated for funding are expected to meet this year’s deadline for “substantial progress.” The Olympic Museum is under construction, and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs broke ground last month on the sports medicine and performance center planned there.

The sports and events center project was considered dead in the water a year ago, and the $28 million in promised state financing was assumed lost. But Cope, alongside Mayor John Suthers and others, unveiled plans to resurrect the project this summer.

The first part of that project is a 10,000-seat stadium for the Switchbacks minor league soccer team at CityGate, a vacant block southwest of Cimarron and Sahwatch streets. That stadium would be accompanied by a seven-story building to the south with apartments and businesses. The second part is a 3,000-seat indoor arena on the south side of Colorado College’s campus, which will serve as the new home for the men’s ice hockey team.

The stadium and arena are meant to bookend downtown on the north and south and infuse the blocks in between with cash and out-of-state visitors.

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Colorado Springs area art events starting Nov. 1

Courtesy of adspay

Work by Julie Evans — Opens Thursday, meet the artists 1 p.m. Nov. 11, Carnelian Coffee, 2428 W. Colorado Ave. Exhibit runs through Nov. 30; 471-0789.

Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame Portrait Exhibit — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Pikes Peak Community College, Centennial Campus, 5675 S. Academy Blvd.; 502-4100.

“Forum of the Figure” Reception — 5-8 p.m. Dec. 5, Orly’s Art Gallery, 730 S. Tejon St.; 630-3371.

“Art of the Southwest: 1840s to Present” — Through Nov. 11, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., $5-$10; 634-5583, csfineartscenter.org.

“Colors of Autumn” — Works by Joseph Bohler, Charles Pabst, Tim Cox and Bill Tuttle, through Nov. 17, Art Gallery of the Rockies, 5039 N. Academy Blvd.; artgalleryoftherockies.com.

“The Shadows” — Works by Matte Refic, through Nov. 30, Pikes Peak Community College, Downtown Studio Campus, 100 W. Pikes Peak Ave.; 502-3135.

“Showcase” — Works of more than 60 artists, through Nov. 30, Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave.; cottonwoodcenter forthearts.com.

“Human Imprint: Histories of Women at Historic Colorado Mining Sites” — Through Dec. 8, Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 North Gate Blvd., regular admission applies; wmmi.org.

“Colorado Springs, a Changing Landscape” — Photos by eight Pikes Peak Community College students, through Dec. 15, El Paso County offices, Centennial Hall, 200 S. Cascade Ave.; info@rhyolitepress.com.

“Balance in Action: Audubon from an Artist’s Perspective” — Through Dec. 16, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., $5-$10; 634-5583, csfineartscenter.org.

“In the Borderland of Sleep” — Works by Teri Homick, through Dec. 31, Rico’s Café & Wine Bar, 322 N. Tejon St.; 578-5549.

“The League of Wives: Vietnam’s POW/MIA Allies and Advocates” — Through Dec. 31, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, 215 S. Tejon St.; cspm.org.

“Los Colores y Texturas de San Miguel de Allende” — Works by Jo Carol Ciborowski, through Jan. 2, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery, 616 S. Tejon St.; 520-1899, liaison@cottonwood centerforthearts.com.

Virgil Ortiz: “Revolution — Rise Against the Invasion” — Through Jan. 6, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., $5-$10; 634-5583, csfineartscenter.org.

“Desert ArtLAB: Ecologies of Resistance” — Through Jan. 13, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., $5-$10; 634-5583, csfineartscenter.org.

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: “In the Footsteps of My Ancestors” — Through Feb. 10, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., $5-$10; 634-5583, csfineartscenter.org.

“P.S. I Love You: A Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer” — Through March 17, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., $5-$10; 634-5583, csfineartscenter.org.

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