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Construction Coming to Your Neighborhood? Let’s work together.#

Dear Fort Collins business owner,#

Improving the entire community is our number one goal while completing safety and infrastructure projects. 

Nevertheless, we understand construction can burden local business. So when it comes to impacts, we want to help you navigate City processes and connect you with the right people before, during and after construction. We believe the impacts related to construction can be manageable, and with the right tools, even minimized.  

Your business is important to our community. In that spirit, our team has prepared this Construction Tool Kit to help mitigate major construction issues for your business. This handout contains a list of suggestions as well as a short resource directory offering the best contact information for whatever arises. 

To get started: 

  • Read through the Construction Tool Kit 
  • Understand the details of the upcoming project and what resources are available to you 
  • Create a plan based on that information  

Please reach out if there is anything we can do. In the meantime, ask questions and utilize the resources available to help minimize the construction impacts to your business. We wish you continued success! 

Economic Health Office, City of Fort Collins 

SeonAh Kendall - Director, Economic Sustainability 
Michael Bussmann – Business Liaison for Capital Projects, mbussmann@fcgov.com 

 

People looking at equipment on street

Construction Tool Kit#

Before Construction#

  • Read up on the project to better understand the details and potential impacts of the construction. Find project information online at www.FCGOV.com/Digs.  
  • Engage with the City’s Business Liaison and the Project Managers.
    • Share upcoming business calendar (sidewalk sales, annual events, busy holidays, etc).
    • Consult with City staff regarding upcoming traffic control measures.
    • Discuss signage needs and requests with the City before the project begins.
  • Look to capitalize on potentially slower traffic with projects or remodel plans.
  • Consider your staffing and inventory levels.
  • Identify and secure resources needed to help your communication plan including:
    • Detour maps
    • Project details
    • Timeline visuals
  • Parking offsets for customers and staff
  • Work with the Multicultural Business and Entrepreneurship Center (MBEC) or Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for business health and resiliency ideas. Contact information for these resources can be found at the end of this document.
  • Consider subscribing to the Economic Health Office’s monthly newsletter to receive helpful updates on programs or resources for businesses. Sign up for City newsletters at www.fcgov.com/subscriptions/. 
  • Make a detailed success plan to navigate the duration of construction. 

COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS, STAFF AND SUPPLIERS 

  • Notify customers and other stakeholders early of items like project scheduling, detours, and access information. 
  • Post relevant construction information to your website and social media channels. 
  • Regularly update your staff and keep current information by the phone/cash wrap for easy customer communication. 
  • Discuss concerns with landlord/property owner. 

WORK WITH NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES 

  • Exchange contact information and build relationships with neighboring businesses. 
  • Engage your local business association. If none exists, consider forming your own formal or informal group.  
  • Consider pooling marketing resources with neighbors to create a construction and neighborhood awareness campaign. 
  • Talk to other businesses who have been affected by previous projects about best practices that worked for them during construction. 

During Construction#

  • Get to know construction workers/City staff on site. They can be great allies and contacts. 
  • Continue to include construction and access information in any advertising, social media, and on your website.
    • Launch a construction-focused marketing campaign.
    • Provide specials or promotions targeted to construction workers.
    • Host events and attention-grabbing celebrations to keep your business top of mind.
  • Continue dialogue with the Business Liaison and your Project Managers.
    • Talk about ongoing, or unaddressed concerns.
    • Discuss ideas concerning adjustments to signage, traffic control, and access.  

After Construction#

  • Reach out to suppliers, landlords and customers about the finished project.
  • Celebrate! Make a splash, promote the reopening of the area.
  • Share experiences and support businesses that may undergo a similar construction period. 

Business Resources#

City Resources

Business Support Resources 

Public Safety and Services non-emergency contacts

More Information#

Map highlighting Walnut Street

Walnut Street businesses were impacted by a full road closure for two months – January and February 2018. This stretch of town is often considered the jewel of Fort Collins and businesses were concerned about the economic impact. In response, the businesses joined together to communicate, collaborate, and celebrate. 

THEIR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS INCLUDED: 

  • Appointing a team leader to communicate on behalf of all businesses. 
  • Sharing early feedback with the project manager to adjust the timeline and project logistics. 
  • Windows on Walnut – live painting from a local artist that encouraged residents and customers to vote for the best window art. 
  • Where’s Walnut – an interactive scavenger hunt that led to prizes for customers. 
  • A new website using dollars from participating merchants to market the street together. 
  • Updates at City Council meetings. 
  • Cohesive parking pass validation requests from multiple Walnut Street businesses. 
  • A neighborhood website: shopwalnutstreet.com 

General construction project terms: 

  • Capital Project: A City term for City projects involving the purchase or construction of property, or reconstruction on a property. Often a capital project encompasses the purchase of land and the construction of a building or facility, or major street construction or reconstruction. 
  • Development Project: A third-party development project that the City must approve through its development review process. 
  • Development Review: An approval process to ensure new development is in alignment with the community’s vision for Fort Collins, as stated in City Plan and the Land Use Code.
  • Construction Mitigation: Processes, functions, and activities intended to limit the negative economic impact to businesses during times of disruption including construction, street work, and capital projects. 
  • Sign Code: The existing sign regulations that generally protect community aesthetics, preserve and enhance property values, and protect public safety.
  • Stakeholder: An individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a project.
  • Public Right-of-Way: Public right-of-way is land owned by the City for transportation purposes. Right-of-way is necessary to ensure that streets and sidewalks can be constructed as well as maintained, and to ensure that the public use of streets and sidewalks is not infringed. Public utility infrastructure may also be installed and maintained in public right-of-way. 

Other terms that may come up during construction: 

  • Economic Health Office: The Economic Health Office is a business champion across the City organization, and exists to support businesses in expansion and attraction, redevelopment opportunities and innovation. 
  • Strategic Objectives: The City has seven Strategic Objectives or areas of focus through its Strategic Plan that guides City operations. They are: Neighborhood Livability and Social Health, Economic Health, Environmental Health, Culture and Recreation, Safe Community, Transportation and High-Performing Government. 
  • Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO): A budgeting system driven by strategic goals and performance toward those goals. Its purpose is to align the services delivered by the City with the community’s priorities through alignment with the Strategic Plan and seven Strategic Objectives.
  • Budget Offer: As part of the biannual Budgeting for Outcomes or “BFO” system, departments submit budget offers for ongoing services or enhancements. Enhancement offers can fund one-time projects or new ongoing programs. Each strategic outcome area has a team – including two residents - that reviews budget offers before the City Manager’s leadership team proposes a biannual budget to City Council. 
  • Keep Fort Collins Great: The Keep Fort Collins Great (KFCG) .85% dedicated tax will sunset December 31, 2020. On February 5, 2019, City Council referred a ballot measure regarding Keep Fort Collins Great revenue replacement to the April 2, 2019, ballot. Fort Collins voters passed the ballot by 61%. This measure will continue the .85% tax by increasing the on-going tax rate by .60% and adding a renewable .25% tax through 2030. The City of Fort Collins uses this revenue stream for road improvement projects, increased staffing and facilities for our emergency responders, diverse needs in the Parks and Recreation department, and other community priorities. 

Campus West Merchants Association 

  • Business and property owners in the West Elizabeth corridor 
  • campuswestmerch@gmail.com 
  • campuswestshops.com

Downtown Development Authority 

  • Stimulates redevelopment in the central business district 
  • Todd Dangerfield, Project Manager 
  • tdangerfield@fcgov.com 
  • downtownfortcollins.org 

Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce 

  • Promotes and empowers the interests of the business community 
  • Ann Hutchison, President and CEO 
  • ahutchison@fcchamber.org 
  • Fortcollinschamber.com  

Midtown Business Association 

  • Advocates and promotes businesses along College Avenue from Harmony Road to Prospect Road 
  • Brian Fabrizio, President 
  • midtownfoco@gmail.com 
  • midtownfortcollins.org 

Midtown Business Improvement District 

  • Special taxing district designed to support Midtown commercial property owners and businesses 
  • Jamie Giellis 
  • midtownfoco@gmail.com 
  • midtownfc.org 

North Fort Collins Business Association 

  • Business and property owners that promote the North Fort Collins corridor 
  • Greg Woods, Secretary 
  • info@nfcba.org 
  • nfcba.org 

River District 

Visit Fort Collins 

  • Official visitor information source for Fort Collins 
  • Cynthia Eichler, President and CEO 
  • cynthia@ftcollins.com 
  • visitftcollins.com 

 

Often grant opportunities exist. When avaible we will have them at the link below.  

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