Pueblo and Southern Colorado (Denver, Colorado Springs: living in, cost of, estate)

[Josseppie]

I got my itinerary today for the board of water works tour, so you guys know what it is here is the description from the letter:

"The board and I are exited that you will be joining us for the tour of Pueblo's transmountain water diversion system July 14-15. We are certain you will enjoy and learn from this informative look at the source of Pueblo's water supply."

Like I said when I go I will take plenty of pictures and file a report when I get back.

[Josseppie]

This is a update on Pueblo's new bridge that connects downtown to the south side of Pueblo. Its cost is about $30 million dollars and will be 6 lanes when done. It will also have the longest span between piers in the state! They are building it using cranes, something that you usually see only for bridges that cross major lakes or rivers. Personally, I would of liked them to build the bridge over the parking lot kind they did in downtown Denver with the Coors Field parking lot but I guess that was to expensive. In stead, the west bound lanes will turn a little to miss the parking lot where it will connect with the east bound lanes. I take this bridge every day, sometimes more then once, as I live just a few miles west off of this sreet. This is, also, one of Pueblo's highways that connects mountain towns west and some towns east to Pueblo.

As a side note this is only 1 of 3 bridges that connects downtown with the south side of Pueblo, the others being on Main Ave and Union Ave. There are many more as well, I love how Pueblo has so many bridges.

[Josseppie]

Ever since I read the editorial in the Gazette about how Pueblo and Colorado Springs need to work together to make us a stronger region I have been re-evaluating my jealously over the Springs. Admittedly it will take me time but I think I need to move passed the contempt I had for the Springs in the 1980's when they grew and Pueblo did not and realize that in order for Pueblo to be a strong city Colorado Springs needs to be a strong city as well. Maybe Pueblo will never pass it up population wise and that is ok as we will always be a co-anchor to the region and Pueblo will have more prestige if the region has two strong cities.

P.S. I am still going to hope that Pueblo does pass the Springs up in population some day but not because the Springs losses people but because Pueblo just grows faster. I know this is proof that I have a ways to go but I am trying lol


Here is the editorial I am talking about and I think one of the best I have ever read in the Gazette!


"The zero-sum poverty fallacy would lead folks in Colorado Springs to begrudge the citizens of Pueblo for landing a new windmill factory that would have been nice to have in Colorado Springs. The zero-sum fallacy would lead people in Pueblo to begrudge Colorado Springs for building the Southern Delivery System pipeline to facilitate growth."

The link: http://www.gazette.com/opinion/springs-56239-colorado-pueblo.html

[Josseppie]

Pueblo is working on a number of projects in downtown and around the city. The biggest is the new Minnequa Lake Park and there is a article on its progress today:

"The 100-acre lake will have a base pool of about 600 acre-feet, which will be supplied by the Lower Ark and supplemented by the Pueblo Board of Water Works under an agreement reached last year. It also will have the capacity to detain up to a 100-year flood and release that volume of water back into the Arkansas River over a 96-hour period, Hobson said."

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Lake Minnequa shores surface again



Also, we have been talking about how Kaiser Permanente will be opening up a medical office here and today it was formally announced in the Chieftain. Here is that article:

"Kaiser Permanente will open its Pueblo medical office in October at a building in the ParkWest Medical Complex near U.S. 50 and Pueblo Boulevard, the company announced."

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Kaiser selects ParkWest site





One of Pueblo's newest companies has been praised for being among the best run companies in the state, here is that article:

"GCC of America's rapid rise as one of Colorado's best-run companies follows more than a decade of focus on best management practices by its Mexico parent, company president Enrique Escalante said Thursday."

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Peak performer: GCC honored as one of state's best-run businesses



To get even more compaies to move here Pedco will help promote sites here is a link to that story:

The Pueblo Economic Development Corp. will soon help members better promote their commercial sites to business prospects.

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: PEDCo starts property list

Also, the Govoner will visit Pueblo again. He has to be my favorite govoner as he proves he does not forgert about us down here!

"Gov. Ritter wants to reconnect with folks on how things are going and what they need from him," said Wil Alston, a spokesman for Ritter. Prior to events in La Junta, Ritter is scheduled to tour the construction project on the West Fourth Street bridge in Pueblo at 2 p.m.

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Ritter to visit La Junta, Pueblo area

Finally this weekend will have 2 downtown events the B street bash tonight and tomorrow will there will be a diabetes fundraiser with multiple events that will end with a concert on the Riverwalk. I just heard that festival Friday's starts tonight but I am not sure.

All in all not a huge news day in Pueblo yet all of these are nice steps that will hopefully create some major announcements next quater.

[Josseppie]

I find it ironic that just a few days after I had my up date on the new 4th street bridge the Governor came down to look at its progress. In my opinion this shows how this is a important project not only to Pueblo but the state of Colorado as this is a major highway in Pueblo and a vital link for many cities in the region to us. Here is the article from the Chieftain:

The governor, who walked with several community members and elected officials to within 15 feet of the western end of the bridge work, called the project an engineering marvel.

The new structure traverses the Arkansas River and much of the Pueblo railroad yard. Construction of the new bridge began in December 2007, but was halted for about a half-hour during the governor's visit Friday.

Ritter said that when completed in 2011, the bridge will have the longest span (pier to pier) of any state highway bridge in Colorado

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Ritter tours bridge project

Also, unemployment came out for May in Pueblo and altough I am the first one to admit we are still in a recession, I see it every day at work, I beleve that things will get better in 3rd quater. In fact I predict one maybe 2 major announcments for Pueblo. So if we can hold at 8.1% for now that is good for us. Here is that article from the Chieftain:

Pueblo's jobless rate held lower for a second month at 8.1 percent in May.

The rate still was elevated but no longer the highest among Colorado's larger cities, according to state figures released Friday. Weld County and its county seat of Greeley reported a May rate of 8.2 percent.

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Local jobless rate holds lower at 8.1%

[Josseppie]

Today was a bigger news day then I first thought as I missed two important articles and one event going on in Pueblo this weekend. At first glance they do not look like much but when analyzed they are three great examples of why I am so exited about Pueblo's Future.

First this article on Pueblo possibly getting two new reservoirs. That would give the county 3 reservoirs and 2 major lakes with some kind of club, one reservoir being among the largest in the state and the most visited state park. This is great for Pueblo for two main reasons. First, recreationally speaking it gives our county something that no other county has along the front range. As Pueblo grows having so many lakes in a short distance will make the metro area more green then it would be and give plenty of places for outdoor activities for our citizens that other cities will not be able to offer. Secondly, and more importantly, having so many reservoirs in Pueblo county will ensure that we continue to be the county most people look at for their water supply in a large region of the state and even in other states including part of the Denver Metro area. That will allow us to keep our political power even though some cities are the same size or larger.

Here is the article in today's Pueblo Chieftain:

"A sod farm owner and gravel pit operator have plans to build a pair of reservoirs east of Pueblo, if they can find some takers"

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: Reservoirs proposed: Two east of Pueblo

The next article talks about how all the universities and colleges in southern Colorado are going to work together to increase the areas education level. This shows how Pueblo and Colorado Springs are the co-anchors for the region and to be honest since Colorado State University - Pueblo is the main school working on this shows how we are seen as the regions leader. Thus, as southern Colorado grows Pueblo will always be the hub city, thus, it will keep us a important city in the state and region.

Here is that article from today's Pueblo Chieftain:

The presidents of Colorado State University-Pueblo and Pueblo Community College have joined with leaders of eight other colleges in the region to look at ways to improve educational opportunities and economic success in Southern Colorado.

The link: The Pueblo Chieftain :: College presidents to tackle education, economic woes

One more thing there is a large convention at the state fair grounds this weekend. This is something that Pueblo has that no other city outside of Denver has, so much room for major conventions. I think as Pueblo grows you will see us utilize not only a larger convention center that some day could be 250,000 square feet but the state fair that has close to 1 million square feet for conventions. I would be willing to bet that when fully developed and utilized Pueblo could handle the kind of conventions that today only Denver can in the state. Sure this wont happen over night but I am talking long term goals.

To sum up I think the short term goal for Pueblo should be to increase our business base with alternative energy companies, the tech park, R&D parks, industrial companies etc to get the metro population to double, that would be 300,000 people. In the same time we should work on making the downtown a jewel by adding on to the Riverwalk, convention center, art and theator complex, working with the state fair to have more and larger conventions and getting some kind of minor league baseball team. Pueblo should, also, work on continuing to make CSU Pueblo a major university by helping it get to to 10,000 students then 20,000 students. Pueblo should add the new reservoirs and lakes and make our current ones better for our residents and continue to make our county politically strong. In my opinion this is Pueblo's century and the next generation will look at Colorado with having two major cities, Denver and Pueblo, not just Denver like the state is viewed today.

I want to add that I am not trying to put down other Colorado cities, although I know it looks that way. I am just trying to show, the best I can, that although Pueblo will never be one of the most exclusive and rich cities in the state why I think Pueblo has a bright future and why we will always be one of the major cities in the state and region.

Finally, here is a updated picture on the new police complex in Pueblo.

[Josseppie]

This was in today's Pueblo Chieftain as is yet another company that is headquartered in Pueblo.



Peter McCarthy and his partners never doubted their 2004 decision to choose Pueblo as the headquarters of Verisma Systems.

The firm - recently named to Colorado's annual listing of 50 Companies to Watch - handles regulatory, record keeping and back-office data support for hospitals and doctors groups in 14 states

The link: http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/06/21/business/local/doc4a3d99c22fd81677527211.txt

[Josseppie]

The plan: To construct a $3.8 million, 15,000-square-foot, energy-efficient building to house both the nature and raptor centers. The proposed timetable to completion: three years. "A year and a half to find the money - or at least enough to start - and a year and a half to build it, according to the architects (Pueblo's Hurtig, Gardner and Froelich)," says Zarr, who also functions as the nonprofit group's unpaid executive director.

They are located down by the Arkansas river and is a great area with a small board walk and a bike trail goes past it. This is a great idea but to be honost I am not sure they can raise the money.

[McGowdog]

Nice info there Joss.

Yeah, Ritter was in LaJunta and I think Las Animas too. There was a sign up for Ritter in LA;

Thank Ritter for our increased tag fees!

[Josseppie]

I still like him. At least he does not forget about Pueblo like Owens did. Sometimes I think he thought Pueblo was in New Mexico, I wanted to mail him a map of Colorado lol