FoCo in 15 Minutes | Albertsons Revival, Airport Changes, Data Centers & PSD Graduation Rates

Welcome to Fort Collins Lifestyles, your weekly insider look at life, real estate, and community across Northern Colorado.

This week in Fort Collins & Northern Colorado:

🏬 Vacant Albertsons May Get New Life — The Fort Collins Urban Renewal Authority is proposing a temporary community event space at the long-blighted Albertsons site on North College. Plans include murals, food trucks, vendor tents, seating, string lights, and a small stage, activating the site for 2–3 years while permanent redevelopment plans are finalized.

✈️ Airport Runway Closure Rethink — Northern Colorado Regional Airport leaders are reconsidering a planned 161-day runway shutdown tied to an $18M widening project after business and pilot concerns. Alternatives include a shorter closure or temporary landing strip as the airport transitions to a new regional authority.

🏗️ Larimer County Pauses Data Centers — County officials approved a temporary moratorium on new data center applications while standards are developed to address electricity, water usage, and long-term infrastructure impacts. State lawmakers are also weighing legislation around transparency and energy efficiency.

🥕 Food Co-op Prepares to Move — The Fort Collins Food Co-op closed its longtime Old Town location ahead of reopening in early to mid-February at the former Beavers Market building on West Mountain Avenue, more than doubling its footprint and adding parking, expanded departments, and beer/wine sales pending licensing.

🚌 West Elizabeth Transit Project Paused — Fort Collins’ Bus Rapid Transit station and roundabout project is on hold after the cancellation of a $10.7M federal grant, leaving the nearly decade-long project without a clear construction timeline.

🚗 Free Parking Expansion at NoCo Airport — Landline opens a new 700-space fenced parking lot at the Northern Colorado Regional Airport, offering free parking for up to three weeks for travelers heading to DIA, with future plans for a covered heated shelter.

🎓 PSD Graduation Rates Hit 15-Year High — Poudre School District’s graduation rate climbed to 89% for 2024–25, its highest level in 15 years, though it still trails neighboring Thompson and Weld RE-4 districts, which reported even higher results.

• WomenGive 20th Anniversary Luncheon — Feb 5 | Loveland
• CSU Black History Month Short Films — Feb 4 | Fort Collins
• Live Ice Carving in Old Town Square — Feb 6–7
• First Friday Art Walk — Feb 6 | Old Town
• Visit Fort Collins Valentine’s Market — Feb 7
• Recreation Summer Camp Registration Day — Feb 5
• Love & Local Market — Feb 7 | Loveland

📲 Thinking about buying, selling, or investing in Northern Colorado?
Let’s connect — I help clients make confident, well-informed real estate decisions with both data and boots-on-the-ground insight.

Patrick Soukup
📞 Call/Text: 970-893-3533📧 Email: patrick@soukuprealestate.com🌐 Website: soukuprealestate.com