A Boulder Community Project: Alpine-Balsam Redevelopment Site

Growing Up Boulder (GUB) engaged youth voices in the visioning process for the City of Boulder’s Alpine-Balsam community project.  Alpine-Balsam, purchased by the city in 2015, is 8.8 acres of land located at the former Boulder Community Hospital site.  It is proposed to house city offices, with the potential for other uses as well, including: civic engagement space, retail, and housing.  During twelve weeks of the 2016 fall semester, Growing Up Boulder staff, undergraduate interns, and undergraduate volunteers, and undergraduate classes worked with Casey Middle School’s Leadership class and Boulder High School’s 9th grade Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) class. 

Sixth through 9th grade students studied the redevelopment of the Alpine-Balsam area using an ecodistrict lens; they focused on ecodistricts’ six priorities: place, prosperity, health and well-being, living infrastructure, connectivity and resource restoration.  

​Click here for the complete report of this year-long project or read it online (below).

Middle school students, who are part of the Alpine-Balsam Ecodistrict project, engage in the City As Play activity [method designed by urban planner James Rojas].

Middle school and high school youth ask questions about the Alpine Balsam Project to City staff members.