Littleton council leans toward demolishing Geneva Village buildings

Littleton City Council members supported further work toward demolishing the vacant Geneva Village buildings rather than reactivating them during an Oct. 27 study session. The discussion did not select buildings or authorize demolition, but staff expects planning and pre-demolition work to begin in 2027.

That work could include hazardous-materials assessments, historical documentation, procurement and coordination with nearby civic and park uses. The city’s redevelopment packet presents the work as an illustrative sequence, not an approved project schedule. It identifies $1.5 million in the 2027 capital budget for potential project management and site preparation, not as a demolition-specific authorization. Staff said the city may need additional resources in 2028 for further planning and community work.

The buildings are part of the vacant, 28-unit Geneva Village complex at 5444 South Prince Street. During the Aug. 11 council discussion, members considered temporarily preserving one, two or four buildings while the city studied longer-term redevelopment. They did not select buildings, but generally favored full demolition of any structures ultimately chosen for removal.

A 2021 limited asbestos investigation of four of the eight buildings found asbestos-containing materials in several building materials, including drywall joint compounds, sealants and vinyl-floor mastic. A certified environmental consultant would need to survey all buildings before demolition or renovations that disturb the materials. The work would be submitted to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and conducted under a state-monitored abatement program.

The consultant estimated asbestos abatement at $450,000 to $550,000, with the work taking two to three months. About $30,000 in additional sampling could lower that estimate if testing shows some materials are below the threshold requiring abatement.

The city’s Aug. 11 meeting packet estimates partial demolition at $300,000 to $350,000 and about four weeks. That option would remove the structures but leave floor slabs, roads and vegetation until redevelopment. Full demolition is estimated at $525,000 to $625,000 and about eight weeks; it would also remove foundations, roads and sidewalks and include grading and seeding. A consultant said the roughly $600,000 demolition figure did not include asbestos mitigation. The city has not published a combined estimate for abatement, demolition, utility work and site restoration, and no demolition funding was included in the 2026 budget.

Temporary artist studios remain a possible but unapproved use. Council members said artists had expressed informal interest, but there is no formal proposal, operating plan, building assignment or cost estimate. Staff said reconnecting utilities and addressing windows, heating and cooling, safety and deteriorated conditions could make interim use more complicated and expensive than it might first appear. Sewer and water disconnections also require verification.

Redevelopment materials describe a potential civic or cultural campus and possible co-location with Arapahoe County, but there is no county commitment or agreement. Council members have discussed whether Littleton should proceed with demolition and site improvements before the county’s position is known. Staff said it would return with preparation details and a timeline.