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January 2026 | December 2025 | November 2025

January 2026

Westerly named Community of the Year

Erie's Westerly, an almost 800-acre master-planned community developed by Southern Land Co., was honored as Community of the Year at the Denver Marketing & Merchandising (MAME) Awards, presented by the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, recognizing excellence in overall community marketing and design. The award highlights Westerly’s thoughtful design, integration with its environment, creative use of space and materials, appealing architecture and strong sales performance. In addition to the top community honor, Westerly won a MAME award for Best Video, and two team members received individual accolades for outstanding professional achievements. When complete, the community is expected to include about 3,100 homes and over 290 acres of parks and open space.

A Second Act for Historic Park Theatre

A nonprofit foundation has agreed to lease and manage the historic 112-year-old Park Theatre in downtown Estes Park, planning to lead efforts to renovate and preserve the nearly century-old cinema as a community arts venue. The Park Theatre, one of the oldest movie theaters in the region, will be overseen by the foundation to ensure its continued operation and revitalization for film showings, live performances and other cultural events, marking a new chapter in maintaining this treasured local landmark.

Colorado Labor Market Holds Steady

Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down by one-tenth of a percentage point between August and September in the most recent state labor report from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, even as reporting was delayed by the federal government shutdown. Local jobless rates varied in September, with Broomfield at 3.7% and Weld County at 4.3%, while average weekly hours dipped slightly and average hourly earnings rose above the national average. Click here to read more.

December 2025

Fort Collins Utilities Earns National Award for Energy Innovation

Fort Collins Utilities has been honored with the Frost & Sullivan "Excellence in Resourcefulness – Energy" award, recognizing its innovative, community-focused approach to energy management. The utility has implemented programs like Time-of-Use pricing and a distributed energy resources management system (DERMS), partnering with Itron to integrate smart thermostats, EV chargers, and grid-interactive devices. These measures have enabled the city to shift about 750 MWh of energy annually to cleaner off-peak periods, reduce stress on grid infrastructure, and advance the city’s goals of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Click here to read more.

Wellington Launches First-Ever Transportation & Mobility Plan

The Town of Wellington has launched its first Transportation and Mobility Plan — a community-driven roadmap to guide future investments in streets, sidewalks, trails, and travel options to improve how residents and visitors move around town. The plan aims to enhance safety, better manage growth, and strengthen everyday connections between neighborhoods, schools, and local businesses. The town is inviting residents to provide feedback via an interactive online map and survey, and staff will also gather input at community events over the next several weeks. The plan is slated for development throughout 2026, with multiple opportunities for public involvement. Click here for project updates and to explore an interactive map.

A New Look at RMNP's Beginnings

The Rocky Mountain Conservancy has released a new history book highlighting the early exploration, origins, and formative years of Rocky Mountain National Park—offering readers a rich, detailed look at how the beloved park came to be. It’s an engaging read for park enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone who cherishes Colorado’s natural legacy. And with the holidays around the corner, it also makes a perfect gift—available for purchase along with other books and maps at rmconservancy.org/product-category/books-maps/.

November 2025

TheTravel.com: Fort Collins named a most peaceful city

TheTravel.com recently featured Fort Collins as the most peaceful place in the state and among the top in the U.S., citing research that measured low average noise levels and high access to green spaces as key criteria. The outlet points to outdoor amenities like Horsetooth Reservoir, Lory State Park and the Cache la Poudre River whitewater area as underpinning the city's blend of natural tranquility and community-oriented recreation. The combination of manageable noise, abundant parks and trails, and a small-city feel with outdoor access all contribute to its "peaceful place" designation. Click here to read the full article.

USDA Relocation sparks new economic momentum for Colorado

The relocation of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to Fort Collins presents a significant economic opportunity for Colorado's agricultural sector, which already underpins nearly 200,000 jobs and billions in state economic output. The Institute projects that if up to 2,600 USDA employees relocate by 2026, the move could generate as much as $1.4 billion in business output and contribute around $854 million to Colorado's GDP. The relocation also strengthens Colorado's agricultural innovation ecosystem by aligning USDA resources with regional assets like Colorado State University and boosting collaboration, research, and workforce development in the industry. Click here to read the full report.

IRES 3rd Quarter Report

Information and Real Estate Services (IRES) recently released their Q3 2025 MarketWatch Report. In Larimer County, the median sales price was $600,000 for Q3-2025, a 1.1% increase year-over-year. The number of closed sales was up 14.5% increasing to 1,319. In Weld County, the median sales price was $514,945 for Q3-2025, a 0.1% decrease year-over-year. The number of closed sales was down 1.5%, coming in at 1,392. In Boulder County, the median sales price was $840,000 for Q3-2025, a 2.4% year-over-year increase. The number of closed sales was up 7.4%, coming in at 898.