Folks in Widefield, an unincorporated area south of Colorado Springs, were shocked to learn that 5.4-acre Sertoma Park is actually private property and slated for development.
The land has been vacant since the neighborhood was built in 1969-70 and some, like Joe Berkhoff, grew up playing on the property. Here are a couple views of the property, taken from www.GoogleEarth.com.
Over the years, ownership of the property passed from the original neighborhood developer, Widefield Homes, to El Paso County to the Sertoma Club and eventually ended up with Widefield School District 3. The district sold it as surplus in July 2006 for $50,000.
Neighbors are upset at the low price and the way it was sold, without a formal bidding process.
And they are really upset that developer Ronald Hall wants to build a 72-unit senior living center on the land. For the past decade, Hall has been dedicated to creating affordable housing in the Colorado Springs area and has worked with the Rocky Mountain Community Land Trust. He is committed to using the land to helping the less fortunate either by building the senior housing or by creating a low-income housing neighborhood.
Hall believes the neighborhood setting is perfect for seniors — surrounded by a quiet neighborhood where older people can spend their final years before making the transition to a nursing home.. He intends to retain ownership of the facility.
Here is a look at his plans. Essentially, it would be a long “V” shaped building. The first floor would be 42 assisted-living units and the bottom floor would be 30 one- and two-bedroom units to be sold for independent living. Each would have a garage. He plans to offer four different floorplans.
The project requires approval from the El Paso County Planning Commission. If it is rejected, Hall already has plans drawn for a 25-house subdivision. He would partner with the Rocky Mountain Community Land Trust to ensure the homes were sold to low-income buyers. Here is how the neighborhood might look.
This was never surplus. It was owned by New Gen homes and they gave it to Widefield School District. The District sold it in that same day it was given to the school. No public notification of the gift. No appraisal. $50,000 for 5 acres when 7 acres in the same area is going for $1.2 Million.
Low income housing in our area would lower our home values.
Ask Hall if he would be willing to make ball fields or a park out of this site.
We were never shocked to learn that the land was private property. We tried to purchase it from New Gen Homes and Widefield School District who was mowing much of it for New Gen Homes for approx 12 years. Both organizations told us it would never be for sale and nothing will ever be developed on it.
Sounds like some phony business. The article . . . didn’t give the full scope.
Hall wants development, not improvement to the community or he would build a park or sports complex. Adverse possession is a good place to start. He can’t build then.
Why doesn’t he build a park. Why would the school district sell it as surplus if they never owned it for more than a day. It never was left over because they never had it. Does Hisey think that he cant support this fight. He lives there.
150 people against it at the developers meeting seems like that should cover that.