Energize Denver Ordinance 2.0 and Colorado Building Decarbonization Program Updates

ABOUT: In 2021, Denver adopted the “Energize Denver” ordinance requiring large commercial and multifamily buildings to meet strict energy performance targets to help the City and County of Denver meet emissions reduction goals. Shortly after, the State of Colorado passed HB21-1286, establishing statewide Building Performance Standards. Together, these two programs created overlapping, and at times, conflicting, compliance requirements for building owners, prompting the need for further clarification.

NAIOP has been actively engaged in these policy conversations to ensure our members who are directly impacted by these mandates, can meet requirements without facing unreasonable burdens.

Meet Bill Ranshaw

Sr. Director of Community Relations, Snyder Building Construction 
LinkedIn Profile | Company Website

2025 NAIOP Golf Classic Recap: New Course, Big Wins, and Tournament Highlights

June 17 | West Woods Golf Club, Arvada

NAIOP Colorado’s annual Golf Classic was held on June 17 at West Woods Golf Club in Arvada—marking the first time the tournament took place at this scenic, 27-hole course. The new location offered a fresh layout, ideal weather, and a strong setting for both networking and competition. The tournament sold out once again, drawing commercial real estate professionals from across the region for a full day on the greens.

Submitted by Hayleigh DeLoach, Published June 2025

It started in a high school accounting class in Birmingham, Alabama, where students played Monopoly every day and tracked their game like real accountants. “We had to pass ‘Go’ and literally debit cash and credit income,” she laughed. “That’s when I knew I loved business and numbers.” That experience sparked her decision to pursue an accounting degree at Jacksonville State University.

After college, Mara landed a role at Barber Dairies, a regional milk and dairy distributor as well as one of Alabama’s largest real estate owners. There, she worked as the mall accountant for Century Plaza, a million square foot mall.

University of Denver Wins 2025 Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge with Visionary “Thornton Gateway” Redevelopment

Submitted by Stacy Stout, BRANDiac Strategies

DENVER, COLO. – The University of Denver has claimed the coveted Tracey Wilkes NAIOP Cup at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge (RMREC), hosted by NAIOP Colorado and presented by Land Title Guarantee Company. Blue Jay Development, the winning team from the University of Denver, impressed judges and a full house of real estate professionals with their comprehensive redevelopment proposal for the Thornton Shopping Center site — a transformative project at the heart of South Thornton. 

Populous Leads Vision for $1 Billion Cascadia Falls Entertainment District in Greeley

Submitted by Matthew Breest, Populous

The team at Populous are helping shape one of Northern Colorado’s most ambitious mixed-use developments. For the past 24 months, Populous has been leading the master planning and design of Cascadia Falls, a $1 billion entertainment district backed by The Water Valley Company and the City of Greeley.

Denver NWSL Breaks Records and Reveals Plans for First-Ever Women’s Pro Soccer Stadium in Colorado

Submitted by Matthew Breest, Populous

Populous shared recent media coverage highlighting exciting progress in professional women’s sports infrastructure. Populous is leading the stadium design for Denver’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team, which has already made headlines with record-breaking community support and bold development plans.

From Deadline to Delivery: Weitz Delivers Award-Winning Skyline at Highlands

Submitted by Kathy Jo Fyten, The Weitz Company

In May 2021, Grand Peaks approached Weitz to evaluate pricing for a development they planned to acquire. As both companies engaged in preconstruction efforts, it quickly became evident that Weitz would be the builder should the project move forward. A critical milestone had to be met to align with the City of Denver’s permitting deadlines: construction needed to begin, with foundations poured, by October 31, 2021. Achieving this in under five months for a project of this scale was a remarkable preconstruction feat.

Brinkmann Delivers Multifamily and Affordable Housing Projects Across Colorado

Submitted by Megan Hill, Brinkmann Constructors

Tempo at Nine Mile Station

Member Spotlight: Hayley Warner, Terracon

From a love of design to a career influencing the built environment, Hayley Warner has followed a winding yet intentional path into commercial real estate. Now serving as a Senior Client Development Specialist at Terracon, Hayley brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and relationship-building to her role.

Hayley’s career journey began in marketing, but a job with an architecture firm sparked a deeper interest in how cities are shaped. Since then, she’s built experience across architecture, planning, and engineering. Today, she supports Terracon’s engineering teams in building and maintaining meaningful client relationships—a pivot that she considers her proudest achievement to date.

25 Years Strong: i2 Construction Marks a Milestone

Submitted by Hayleigh DeLoach, Published March 2025 

i2 Construction Delivers Pet-Centric Destination at Skiptown Denver

Submitted by Hayleigh DeLoach, Published March 2025 

Parker, CO - Skiptown in RiNo, Denver, is a dynamic, multi-functional pet facility designed as a "Disney World for Dogs." Partnering with Kestrel Design Group and Strata Project Management, i2 Construction transformed a 50,000 SF former artillery storage warehouse at York Street Yards into a premier pet-friendly destination. 

March 2025 Public Policy Outlook

Published March 28, 2025 | courtesy of Kathie Barstnar

The Colorado General Assembly is halfway through its 2025 legislative session with 38 days remaining. Many issues are working their way through the process. Here are a few early success stories and the top 3 issues to be aware of:

Member Perspectives Featuring Bill Mosher
Navigating the Real Estate Labyrinth: A Continuous Journey of Passion and Resilience
Submitted by Hayleigh DeLoach, Published March 2025 

Few individuals have played a more significant role in shaping Denver’s urban fabric than Bill Mosher. A visionary leader in commercial real estate and urban planning, Mosher’s career spans decades of transformative projects—from his early days at the Downtown Denver Partnership to his leadership at Trammell Crow Company and now, his latest role as Denver’s Chief Projects Officer under Mayor Mike Johnston. 

As the city embarks on an ambitious expansion of the Downtown Denver Development Authority (DDA), Mosher is once again at the helm of efforts to revitalize and reimagine Denver’s core. In this NAIOP Member Perspectives feature, we explore Mosher's journey—his early inspirations, the defining projects of his career, and his vision for Denver’s future.

NAIOP Colorado Announces 2024 Award Honorees

Published February 28, 2025 |  NAIOP 2024 Awards of Achievement Photos, courtesy of NAIOP Colorado | Christopher Shaw.

Colorado’s top commercial real estate professionals and development projects earned accolades at NAIOP Colorado’s 38th Annual Awards of Achievement, hosted by Fidelity National Title National Commercial Services, on February 27, 2025, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.

Student Teams Reimagine Thornton Shopping Center in 23rd Real Estate Challenge

Submitted by Stacy Stout, 2025 Challenge Vision Chair with BRANDiac Strategies

DENVER, COLO. – Graduate students from the University of Denver and the University of Colorado are set to compete in the 23rd Rocky Mountain Real Estate Challenge, presented by Land Title Guarantee Company and NAIOP Colorado. This year, the Challenge spotlights the redevelopment of the historic 15.6-acre Thornton Shopping Center site. The event culminates with final project presentations on April 30, 2025.  

Denver's 2025 Economic Forecast & Housing Insights

Submitted by Margaux Askeland, NAIOP Programs Chair with Alpine Bank

NAIOP Colorado began the year on a high note with its 2025 Economic Forecast Breakfast, held on January 8th at the Ritz-Carlton, Denver. The event featured  Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor at CBRE, and host of the acclaimed podcast The Weekly Take as the keynote speaker. Recognized as one of the top experts in interpreting economic trends and their implications for real estate, Spencer delivered an engaging and insightful presentation.

Public Policy Outlook: 2025 Legislative Session

Submitted by Kathie Barstnar, NAIOP Colorado 

The Colorado General Assembly’s 2025 legislative session opened on Wednesday, January 8. The Public Policy Committee met to review the potential issues that we will follow during this session, and we will keep you updated as we move through the next 120 days. 

A Message from NAIOP President Brandon Kramer
Submitted by NAIOP President Brandon Kramer, Published January 2025

The great Mike Tyson once stated, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face.” As we look forward to the coming year, the challenges the commercial real estate market has faced in the last few years are presenting some headwinds as we head into this year, but there will certainly be opportunities. We must stay unified as an industry and weather the storm together. Through the incredible network of individuals at NAIOP, we can mutually learn, grow, and partner to ensure Colorado’s commercial real estate industry thrives. I have long pitched the organization, and the value it brings to not only the industry but its members, as a “get what you give” proposition. This organization and its success, amidst tumultuous times, is dependent upon you – the right people – coming together. 

I am sincerely honored to serve in the capacity as President of NAIOP this coming year. I look forward to further developing relationships with our members to hear how we can continuously improve to meet needs, advocate for effective public policy, and to serve the Colorado commercial real estate industry successfully.