The Boulder City Council Thursday put a unanimous stamp of approval on the massive redevelopment project called Williams Village II, with a new space planned for the Dark Horse Tavern.
Council members’ approval came with a nod to the developers’ many planned improvements to the project, such as making it more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.
The council on Oct. 23 voted 7-2 to call up the 2952 Baseline Road proposal, with council members asserting that the 416,927-square-foot project was simply too big for the council not to weigh in further. The project envisions the redevelopment of 7.96 acres of a 9.86 acre site.
The planned center, just east of U.S. Highway 36, south of Baseline Road and west of 30th Street, would include redevelopment of buildings that house the Dark Horse Tavern, Sprouts Farmers Market, Moe’s Original BBQ, Cosmo’s Pizza, Dairy Queen, Carelli’s of Boulder and other businesses. The Broker Inn would not be affected.
Potential demolition of the Dark Horse generated considerable comments at prior public hearings about earlier plans for Williams Village II. The iconic Dark Horse has been a Boulder staple for 50 years and is known for its eclectic collection of antique artifacts hanging from the ceiling. While its existing building will be demolished, a new space will be developed for the business.
The plan
Property owner George Williams LLLP’s plan calls for five new buildings with 427 dwelling units, 122 of which will be student-oriented apartments ranging from studios to six-bedroom units — and 58,365 square feet of commercial space. Developers noted that many existing businesses have sought to remain at the center, including Sprouts, Cosmo’s Pizza and Dairy Queen.
A highlight of the project as it has evolved is what is called a “woonerf,” a European concept and a Dutch term for a “living street.” It’s a shared public space where pedestrians and cyclists take precedence. While vehicles are allowed, for drop-offs and pickups, they are not prioritized. Another central feature is the central village, which all of the five buildings on the site surround and overlook.
Bill Holicky, a principal with Coburn Development Inc., told the council that the original concept of the center was auto-dominated, and they heard council members loud and clear that they wanted something different.
“The whole point of a neighborhood center was car-dominant,” Holicky said. “Everything we heard from you was, ‘Don’t do that … invent something.’”
Then came the idea of a woonerf. While there are few around the Midwest, Holicky said they are hard to do.
“But it worked in this case,” he said. “It’s a street but in name only. It’s really a bike path. … It opened the site up, and we can keep cars to a minimum on this site. You told us to make it something that couldn’t be (found) anywhere. Our concept plan could have been anywhere. But we heard, ‘Make it a place that has an identity.’ So we came up with the idea of a village center, the heart of the neighborhood, and it’s what makes it special.”
The project was originally proposed in 2023, and it has gone through many layers of approval and dissection through city advisory boards and the Boulder planning commission, which voted 6-1 to approve the project.
“This project has really grown in leaps in bounds since we’ve seen it last,” said outgoing mayor pro-tem Lauren Folkerts on her last night on the council. “I appreciate someone coming in and doing something different and new. I thank you for diving into the woonerf, creating a variety of scales in outdoor spaces, and putting a focus on activating that outdoor space to make it a shining public amenity.”
Council Member Matt Benjamin also lauded the updated plans: “I support where this project is going,” he said. “It’s evolved significantly, which shows a lot of listening to the community. The de-emphasis on cars, and the sound baffling on (Hwy) 36, it’s not a half-to but a want, and a nice touch.
“I can’t say we’re not going to miss the Dark Horse, but out of the ashes other things can come,” Benjamin said.
Three residents opted to discuss the project in the public hearing, including David Ensign, who lives in the neighborhood and daily runs and bikes through the area.
“This is a great area to provide housing for students and non-students,” Ensign said. “It’s near services, and it’s at a transportation crossroad, so it’s a model area for a transit-oriented development. We’re seeing single-family homes converted into student housing, and this development will ease that. The existing conditions include a lot of run-down surface parking and outdated structures. … When you open woonerfs, it can be game-changing for us users. … This is a dicey part of Baseline, so let’s see improvement in safety.”
Council Member Mark Wallach said he still had concerns about the project attracting enough commercial uses to fill the space.
“This project has evolved nicely,” he said. “I remain concerned about your ability to fill the commercial spaces and how well that will work out, but frankly, that will be your challenge, and I’m happy to proceed with it and give the opportunity to make something. It’s a very intriguing and appropriate project for the area.”
