Breaking the Fourth Wall: Week of May 8

Today we continue our weekly "Breaking the Fourth Wall" series that directs the blog's spotlight toward a particularly innovative or promising affordable housing project, luminary, or organization. 

Image Credit: Norris Design 

The object of today's Breaking the Fourth Wall affection is the Mariposa project in Denver's La Alma/Lincoln Park district. Mariposa has received high praise in recent months- notably from Professor Kaid Benfield in his article for The Atlantic Cities and on the NRDC's excellent Switchboard blog- and for good reason. The project, owned and managed by the Denver Housing Authority (DHA), is a mixed-income redevelopment effort that is unlike many other mixed-income initiatives in that it expresses a true commitment to maintaining the 270 public housing units while infusing the neighborhood with new services, commercial opportunities, and transit options. Mariposa checks every box in affordable housing innovation- it is a green community, a sterling example of transit-oriented development, and has flourished through consultation and collaboration with current low-income residents.

Energy Efficiency 

Image Credit: Mithūn 

Mariposa, like many other developments in Denver, is committed to creating a community that thrives on being green. Last year, the Mariposa completed the first phase of the middle-income and market-rate homes being added to the preserved affordable housing units, which included 100 LEED-Platinum apartments. These energy-efficient new homes are aimed at reducing pollution, controlling stormwater runoff, and curbing inefficient wastes in Mariposa. The project's master plan also includes a "green streets" initiative with lush tree plantings, broad sidewalks, and street patterns that promote walking and community engagement.

Transit Oriented Development

Mariposa's plan also encourages connection to public transit, with a promenade for direct light rail access. The plan's forthcoming phases also include efforts to create a stronger transit node at the neighborhood's 10th and Osage Station and increase residents' connectivity to the Santa Fe Arts District and many of Denver's cultural offerings. The transit orientation of Mariposa also presents residents greater access to access employment opportunities, high-quality healthcare, and the downtown core. On a note that combines transit accessibility and green living, the neighborhood will also be linked to the Cherry Creek and Platte River bike trails.

Community Partnerships

Perhaps Mariposa's most refreshing feature is the effort taken by the DHA to coordinate their redevelopment plans with the current residents of La Alma/Lincoln Park. In order to alleviate some of the pressures faced by low-income residents faced with the arrival of gentrifiers, the DHA undertook a process of identifying the highest priority issues of neighborhood residents, created a Resident Transition Plan focused on preventing the displacement and dissatisfaction of residents, and held a series of public meeting where community input was solicited, encouraged, and integrated into the planning process and final plan. Results of these public meetings and
cooperation with community organizations include plans for opening a health clinic in the neighborhood as well as expanding of ESL/GED classes, and childcare resources. 

The much-feted Mariposa community looks to be a model for sustainable, attractive, transit-oriented, and community-based development for residents of all incomes. It preserves affordable housing and community identity while introducing a host of new services and amenities to a culturally diverse Denver neighborhood and could serve as an example for affordable housing development in other cities undergoing rapid change and redevelopment.