$132 million project featuring mass timber construction will bring much-needed affordable housing and the first permanent Denver Public Library branch to disinvested neighborhood
DENVER (Jan. 29, 2026) — Evergreen Real Estate Group and Globeville Redevelopment Partners LLC, in partnership with the Denver Public Library and the city and county of Denver, have started construction on 4965 Washington Street, a five-story, 170-unit mixed-use community in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood.
The $132 million development will transform a city-owned parcel on the site of a former car dealership into housing for families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. Approximately half of the homes will offer larger three- and four-bedroom floor plans, with the balance comprising one- and two-bedroom residences. The lower level will feature the first permanent Denver Public Library branch in the Globeville neighborhood as well as a community café, owned by Tierra Colectiva. Completion is expected in fall 2027.
The city and county of Denver acquired the sites in 2019 and 2023, combined totaling 2.7 acres, with the intent that they would both become affordable housing and meet a need for community space in the area.
“This is exactly the type of creative, thoughtful approach to affordable housing that Denver does best,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “Fully connected to transit, all-electric and totally modern, this development sets working families up for success and gives Globeville the library it has long fought for and deserves.”
This transformation is led by Globeville Redevelopment Partners LLC, a collaboration that was selected by Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) and Department of Finance to redevelop the site and includes Chicago-based Evergreen Real Estate Group, a national leader in the development, construction and management of affordable and market-rate multifamily housing; Rocky Mountain Communities (RMC); and GES Coalition. Additional partners include the city and county of Denver, the Denver Housing Authority (DHA), Denver Public Library, Milender White, Gilmore Construction, EJ Architecture and John Ronan Architects.
“We are honored to be a part of this important project to bring affordable housing and educational resources to this long-neglected area of Denver, and our team is delighted to share our expertise as one of the only firms in the country to have built this type of co-located housing and public library development,” said Javonni Butler, vice president of development for Evergreen Real Estate Group and head of the firm’s Denver office. “This project, which reflects Evergreen’s commitment to creating vibrant, inclusive communities that preserve affordability, arrives at a pivotal moment for the city as it continues to face significant housing affordability challenges, particularly for families. With the addition of a community-owned café and the area’s first public library branch, we are creating a true neighborhood hub for living, learning and gathering.”
“This project reflects how DHA approaches complex financing challenges in service of Denver’s housing needs,” said Joaquín Cintrón Vega, CEO of the Denver Housing Authority. “By fully leveraging our role as a credit-rated public housing authority and partnering with Evergreen Real Estate Group, Rocky Mountain Communities, Tierra Colectiva, the city of Denver and numerous other key partners, we saved the deal millions, generated new revenue and proved that when traditional financing falls short, innovative public leadership can still deliver affordable housing at scale.”
“Years ago, Globeville residents identified a library as a critical need in their neighborhood,” said Nicolle Davies, Denver’s city librarian. “As part of a community hub that includes affordable housing, the library provides a welcoming, accessible space for learning, creativity and connection. From children’s and teen areas to quiet study rooms, meeting spaces and a makerspace, every element was designed to increase access, opportunity and belonging. We thank the many residents who helped guide this vision and we are looking forward to opening our doors to the community!”
“This is a long time coming for Globeville,” said Denver City Council Member Darrell Watson. “For nearly a decade, neighbors showed up to meetings, shared their stories and asked for the same simple things. Homes families can afford. A library close to home. A place to gather and feel connected. The project at 4965 Washington Street delivers on that promise.”
Watson credited Tierra Colectiva for keeping residents at the center. “This project is all-electric, built to last and shaped by the people who live here. It shows what is possible when the city, housing partners and residents work together with trust and persistence. Globeville deserves a complete community, and this is a major step forward.”
“We’re proud to be a part of a collective effort to ensure equitable housing, stability and resilience in one of Denver’s historic communities,” said Mark S. Marshall, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Communities.
RMC will deliver upward mobility programming as part of the Enterprise Community Partners’ Supporting Affordable Housing and Housing Stability initiative, and the city of Denver’s Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization (NEST) program. RMC’s programming will align with the city’s goals to strengthen neighborhoods that are most vulnerable to economic and cultural shifts by conducting community outreach to design tenant stability and anti-displacement efforts. The development will implement resident support programming after completion to provide housing stability planning and remove barriers for historically marginalized communities through a trauma-informed, nonclinical model that fosters healing, empowerment and equity. By providing wraparound services, it will address generational trauma and systemic health disparities with compassion and intentionality, promoting stable housing and healthy living.
“The GES Coalition through Tierra Colectiva, a community-owned community land trust based in Globeville, Elyria and Swansea, is proud to be a partner in this project to bring forward community ownership as a critical element of development that addresses displacement,” said Nola Miguel, executive director of the GES Coalition. “Tierra Colectiva has supported the project from the very beginning through community involvement in vision and design, affirmative marketing in Globeville and surrounding neighborhoods once units are closer to being ready to lease, and will steward the property ongoing by connecting the tenants with neighborhood resources and opportunities. With generous support from the Colorado Health Foundation, Tierra Colectiva will own the commercial space — creating a community café — and we will serve as an investor in the project overall.”
The all-electric development will feature a mass timber structure and steel-frame façade with galvanized metal accents. The Type IV cross-laminated timber construction will stack sections of kiln-dried timber to form slab timber sections. This sustainable building method, first seen in Europe and subsequently in the Pacific Northwest, meets fire safety codes while speeding construction through prefabrication.
Homes will feature open layouts with modern finishes, such as vinyl plank flooring, LED lighting, kitchens with Energy Star appliances, baths with step-in showers and low-flow plumbing fixtures, and in-unit laundry.
Amenities will include a fitness center, community room and reading room, along with 50,000 square feet of outdoor gathering areas. The project will provide 111 parking spaces, including EV-ready charging stations. Upon completion, 4965 Washington Street will be professionally managed by Evergreen Real Estate Group, with pre-leasing expected to begin in summer 2027.
4965 Washington Street is located near restaurants, shops, public parks and the National Western Center. An RTD Route 7 bus stop is located directly outside the building, and the community is approximately 1.5 miles from the RTD Metro North commuter rail station at 48th and Brighton, providing connections to Union Station, Denver International Airport and other key regional destinations.
Financing for 4965 Washington Street includes $12 million in RISE Denver General Obligation Bond funding, approved by voters in 2021, and $85 million in revenue bonds issued by the Denver Housing Authority, both underscoring Denver’s commitment to equitable investment, cultural preservation and community-driven growth. The nearly 2.7-acre site is made up of three combined properties the city acquired for a total of $8.2 million. Last year, the Denver City Council approved a 99-year land lease for the property.
Nationally, Evergreen has completed a number of new-construction projects, including a pair of co-located library and affordable senior housing developments in Chicago that were built in partnership with the city of Chicago, Chicago Housing Authority and Chicago Public Library.
In Colorado, Evergreen is developing Ford Apartments, a six-story, 60-unit income-restricted rental community adjacent to the Denver Health Main Campus in Denver’s Baker neighborhood, which is expected to break ground in early 2026, as well as Park Place Apartments, a five-story, 80-unit income-restricted rental community in Denver’s Sun Valley neighborhood, which the firm expects to break ground on in fall 2026. Construction is nearly complete on Rifle Apartments, a 60-unit income-restricted rental community in downtown Rifle.
