boulder senior living project may hinge on site designation

For more than two years, officials with the Boulder-based Mapleton Hill Investment Group have been talking about building an upscale senior living complex, complete with a wellness center, memory care facilities, therapy pool, and other amenities.

The project has been proposed for a 15.7-acre site on the edge of the city’s historic Mapleton Hill neighborhood, a part of the city graced with stately brick mansions, many of which were built in the 19th century.

But while opponents of the senior living project have expressed concerns about its density and impact on area traffic, what has really sparked discussion is an official designation for 3.7 aces of the site described as “Open Space-Other.”

Efforts on the part of the developer and city officials to change that designation to make it more consistent with the rest of the development site have prompted foes of what is being called the Academy at Mapleton Hill to wage a battle in opposition.

The matter is now expected to be decided by the Boulder Planning Board and the Boulder City Council.

The original proposal on the part of the Mapleton Hill Investment Group called for the construction of more than two dozen buildings at the site and as many as 175 living units. The most recent proposal has reduced the number of units to 93.

By Garry Boulard