Rocky Mountain National refuge future home development? (Denver, Commerce City: lease, homes)

[Hschlick84]

Could the Rocky Mountain National Arsenal refuge area (north of Montebello, east of Commerce City, West of DIA) be sold to housing and commercial development in the future? How many homes could be developed in the area and what would the population bring to the area? With housing inventory low in Denver metro, all that open land will need to be utilized, instead of keeping it open to buffalo, and other wildlife.

Thoughts?

[Augie Daugie]

I doubt it.

[SkyDog77]

It's a federally designated National Wildlife Refuge. The whole point of that is that it can't be developed.

[DenverAztec]

It's called a 'Refuge" for a reason.

[Hschlick84]

I understand the point of a refuge, but wouldn't it be better if the Federal government sold it off? It's already high in debt and has a large deficit.

[davidv]

Before it was a wildlife refuge, it was the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

The government manufactured chemical weapons, white phosphorus, napalm, mustard gas, lewisite, and chlorine gas on the site until about 1969. It also served as a storage site for sarin gas. The government also manufactured and stored rocket fuel on the site. Additionally, it was leased out to Shell, who manufactured pesticides on the site.

It was also the site of a deep injection well for the disposal of all this bad stuff too.

This area has been one of the most contaminated areas in the US and has been an EPA Superfund site.

While some of the land has been transferred for development (like Dick's Sporting Goods Park), most of the land will never be able to be used for residential purposes.

[Hschlick84]

Good information davidv. Give it another 25 to 50 years, it might be suitable for development if cleaned up more. The way Denver metro is growing, it will need that land in the future

[davidv]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Good information davidv. Give it another 25 to 50 years, it might be suitable for development if cleaned up more. The way Denver metro is growing, it will need that land in the future

I doubt it. This place falls under the category of too contaminated to clean up thoroughly. It was cleaned up to the point where it could be used for a wildlife refuge with occasional human interaction. Its use will remain as is.

With its growing population, the metro area will have to become more dense and utilize infill projects like the Central Platte Valley, Stapleton, and Lowry.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by davidv

I doubt it. This place falls under the category of too contaminated to clean up thoroughly. It was cleaned up to the point where it could be used for a wildlife refuge with occasional human interaction. Its use will remain as is.

With its growing population, the metro area will have to become more dense and utilize infill projects like the Central Platte Valley, Stapleton, and Lowry.

Agreed. And even if the RMNWR was developed (which ain't happening, for the reasons you mentioned), due to the environmental problems it would probably have low property values and cheap housing. I predict it would quickly turn into a blighted ghetto, just like other areas nationwide built on/ next to contaminated sites (cancer clusters, etc). It's also next to Montbello, GVR, and other blighted areas.

The metro area will certainly continue to expand out in the northeast direction, but RMA is and will have to be leapfrogged across, with development occurring miles to the north in Commerce City/Reunion, Henderson, Brighton, and Lochbuie.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

I understand the point of a refuge, but wouldn't it be better if the Federal government sold it off? It's already high in debt and has a large deficit.

Do you really understand the point of a "refuge"? It is land set aside to conserve wildlife and plants. Do you realize that more than 330 species of wildlife including bison, bald eagles, deer, songbirds, waterfowl, and burrowing owls can be found at RMANWR? Do you seriously think that selling this land for development would benefit anyone?

I suggest that you read about this Refuge before deciding that it's not worth keeping.