Colorado Confirmed among top Bioscience States

In a special report from FierceBiotech, Colorado was selected in the "Top 5 North American Regions Targeting Biotech Companies 2009." Each year, FierceBiotech reviews economic development reports and finds new initiatives that will have a positive impact on the bioscience industry in that region. Colorado was named a top 5 region along with Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York and Ontario.

In another report, Genome Technology’s "BioRegion Outlook: Land-Grab End Games" report showcased the 2008 Venture Capital investments in biotechnology companies. Colorado was #8 in VC funding for biotech firms and #10 for medical device and equipment firms.

Source: Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation

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http://www.metrodenver.org/news-center/metro-denver-news/colorado-again-confirmed-among-top-bioscience-states-.html

$8K Stimulus Tax Credit can be used on first home purchase

First-time homebuyers as well as buyers that haven't owned a home in at least three years will be able to apply their tax credit of up to $8,000 directly toward the purchase of their home, at closing.

Under a new Federal Housing Administration program just announced, state housing finance agencies and nonprofit groups can advance money to homebuyers up to the full amount of their tax credit towards a home purchase, either to pay closing costs or the down payment.

"Families will now be able to apply their anticipated tax credit toward their home purchase right away," a HUD announcement said. The credit does not have to be repaid.

Source: Denver Biz Journal

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http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/25/daily62.html

Denver ranks 3rd among fittest U.S. cities

The Denver area ranks No. 3 on a list of the nation's "fittest cities," released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The report is a snapshot of the state of health and fitness in America's 50 most populous metropolitan areas

Source: Denver Biz Journal

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http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/25/daily7.html

Kidney-care giant DaVita makes Denver its Corporate HQ

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest kidney care providers in the U.S., announced that it will make Denver its new corporate headquarters.

"DaVita's decision to move its headquarters is a great coup for metro Denver and the state of Colorado," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. "DaVita is one of the biggest and the best in its industry. The company's decision reaffirms what we know is true about our community - that Denver is one of the best places in the nation to work and play. We are proud DaVita chose to call Colorado home."

DaVita operates more than 1,400 outpatient kidney dialysis centers nationwide serving 700 hospitals. It already has about 800 employees in Colorado. It had 2008 revenues of $5.7 billion and profits of $374.2 millions.

Source: Metro Denver EDC
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http://www.metrodenver.org/news-center/metro-denver-news/DaVita.html

Denver existing home prices outperform other cities

Prices of existing homes in the Denver area climbed a tenth of a percent in March from the previous month, Standard & Poors’s reported, making Denver one of just two U.S. cities out of 20 in the S&P survey to see a month-to-month price rise.

Source: Denver Biz Journal

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http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/25/daily15.html

Boulder Innovation Center Report Points to Entrepreneurial Renaissance

The Boulder Innovation Center released its 2008 Metrics Report, indicating strong economic growth in Boulder's entrepreneurial ecosystem of scientific research, business mentor and venture capital networks focused in bioscience, renewable/clean-tech, aerospace commercialization, nanotech/optical engineering, IT and natural products.

"Amidst economic uncertainty, there's an undercurrent on the rise in Boulder that's setting the stage for the next phase of national economic growth," said BIC Executive Director Tim Bour.

Source: Boulder County Business Report

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http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=100219

ConocoPhillips buys more access land

ConocoPhillips Co. just purchased a 9-acre site north of its intended new 432-acre campus in Louisville, for $2 million, according to Boulder County public records. Last February, the company purchased another vacant 9-acre property for $1,055,500.

Louisville city officials said ConocoPhillips had been negotiating with landowners in the area to acquire property for future transportation improvements and improved access to its campus.

ConocoPhillips purchased its 432-acre campus in Louisville from Sun Microsystems Inc. in early 2008 for $58.6 million. The company plans to open its first buildings in 2013.

Source: Boulder County Business Report

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http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=100202

Denver tops 'Today' show list of cities poised for real estate rebound

Denver was named America's No. 1 city on the verge of recovery from the real-estate slump in a segment on NBC's "Today" show. Click on the image above to view the segment in its entirety.

Real estate expert Barbara Corcoran, said Denver more than any other U.S. city is "clearly on a rebound." "It's really the perfect real estate success story. It had one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation for years running, and now they've cut that foreclosure rate in half and they've turned the corner."

Denver, Corcoran said, has "a vibrant downtown, it has a high employment base, it has educated people, it has youth, [and] it has one of the biggest park systems in the country. "Everything about Denver is pointing up, up, up," she added. "Prices are moving up just now for the first time after seven years."

The 8 factors Corcoran used to determine Denver is rebounding are:

• Job growth potential
• A growing population
• Good weather
• Lots of first-time buyers
• No overbuilding
• A vital downtown
• A well educated population
• Foreclosures earlier than other cities

Source: Denver Biz Journal
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http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/18/daily31.html

The Elite Eight - Denver Neighborhoods with highest increase in home sales price

The May'09 Edition of the 5280 Magazine featured the article "Your Home is Worth More Than You Think". It included the list of “Elite Eight” neighborhoods, which are the Denver neighborhoods that saw the highest average sale price increases in 2008. These are:

Baker:
Lincoln Blvd, I-25, Sixth Ave and Alameda Ave
Average sold price $255,000
Change in ‘08 +8%

Berkeley East:
Sheridan Blvd, Federal Blvd, I-70 and 38th Ave
Average sold price $314,000
Change in ‘08 +7%

Cherry Creek:
University Blvd, Colorado Blvd, Sixth Ave and Alameda/Cherry Creek
Average sold price $1,161,000
Change in ‘08 +11%

East Highland:
Federal Blvd, I-25, 38th Ave and Speer Blvd
Average sold price $296,000
Change in ‘08 +7%

Platt Park South:
Lincoln Blvd, Downing St, Louisiana St and Yale Ave
Average sold price $402,000
Change in ‘08 +4%

Rosedale:
Broadway, Downing St., Evans Ave and Yale Ave.
Average sold price $360,000
Change in ‘08 +17%

University Hills:
Colorado Blvd, I-25, Yale Ave, and Hampden Ave
Average sold price $303,000
Change in ‘08 +6%

Wash Park East:
University Blvd, Franklin St, Alameda Ave and I-25
Average sold price $705,000
Change in ‘08 +8%

Source: 5280 Magazine
Link to Neighborhood Map ...

McWhinney unveils plans for North Park, in Broomfield

McWhinney Enterprises, a local developer, has announced plans for North Park, a 935-acre mixed-use area on the northwest corner of Interstate 25 and the Northwest Parkway in Broomfield.

The area will include a 175-acre applied research center that is slated for both urban town center and campus settings making it suitable for a variety of high-tech companies.

At full build-out, the location will have more than 6,200 residences and 17 million square feet of commercial and mixed-use space. It'll also have village and town centers, retail areas, restaurants, trails and more.

Source: Boulder County Business Report

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http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=100094

Nothern Colorado housing markets gained in value

A study by the Everitt Real Estate Center at CSU shows that five Northern Colorado housing markets gained in value in 2007-08.

The study, which looked at home price changes in Larimer, Weld and Boulder counties, showed that Dacono, Firestone and Frederick had the greatest average gain, with a 2.1 percent increase in value during the period.

Fort Collins and Timnath had the next highest increase at 1.5 percent followed by Boulder and Gunbarrel at 0.8 percent, Estes Park at 0.5 percent and Erie at 0.3 percent.

"Northern Colorado's housing market is actually in fairly good shape according to our analysis of housing prices," said John Gerhard, a research analyst with Everitt. "... Our real estate market is hyper local, meaning it can vary widely by neighborhood and even block by block."

Source: Boulder County Business Report

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http://bcbr.com/article.asp?id=99992