Holiday Neighborhood

Visit the Holiday Neighborhood property page here for property information and current rental availabilities.

What was once the vacant 27-acre site of the Holiday Drive-In Theater is now the Holiday Neighborhood, a new 333-unit community in Boulder, Colorado that combines ingenuity with affordability. BHP acted as master developer and land developer for the Holiday Neighborhood in a unique partnership with local government, seven developers and at least seven other non-profit organizations in the creation of the Holiday Neighborhood.

The Holiday Drive- In parcel in North Boulder was originally slated for development as big box retail. The City of Boulder purchased the property to allow more community-appropriate development. The City of Boulder sold the parcel to BHP at-cost, gave the neighborhood a density bonus for its high amount of affordable housing, and waived most of the site development fees. The City was key in making the Holiday Neighborhood successful in providing a high level of affordability that is also economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable.

Barrett Studio Architects and Studio 2 Landscape Architects created a cohesive site plan using feedback gained during public meetings with the public, neighbors and future residents. As a result, the neighborhood is walkable, contains space for a variety of development types, and connects well both internally and with the surrounding community.

Due to the City of Boulder's assistance with financing, Boulder Housing Partners (as master developer) was able to offer development-ready lots at discounted prices. This discount attracted the community's most experienced and innovative housing and mixed use developers and designers. Developers selected for the site include: the Affordable Housing Alliance (non-profit), Coburn Development, Peak Properties and Development, Wolff-Lyon Architects, and the Wonderland Hill Development Company (for-profit).

The cohesive site plan and overall project coordination by Boulder Housing Partners has created an interconnected neighborhood where unique architecture is preserved without stratifying residents by income. In the Holiday Neighborhood, a resident paying $300 per month for rent might be living next door to someone who has paid $475,000 for their townhouse.

There are 333 residential units, of which 42% are permanently affordable. Seventy-one units are for sale at 60% of AMI, 18 units are between 40-60% AMI that include sweat equity, and 49 units are for rent at 20-50% of AMI.
Ten units in the Holiday Neighborhood are designated for people transitioning from chronic homelessness, three units are for homeless families in emergency or crisis situations, and ten are for clients of the Boulder County Mental Health Center to both live and receive support services.

Using low-income housing tax credits, BHP purchased 49 units in the neighborhood from the various neighborhood developers and are holding them as permanently-affordable rentals for our clients.

The unifying site plan makes the Holiday Neighborhood walkable and well-connected. The neighborhood includes transportation paths plus a greenway and park system integrating pocket parks, a large neighborhood greenspace "living room", and community gardens. Blocks are small blocks and most homes have parking located in a rear alley, allowing for more pedestrian-friendly street interaction. There is a pedestrian mall that extends from the park to the community gardens, running through a series of live/work units. Mixed use and commercial spaces fringe the edge of the community as well as along the central axis. Individual yards are minimized in favor of shared green spaces and plazas that encourage interaction.

Houses are built with environmentally-friendly materials and practices; many units have pre-plumbing in place for future solar water heating and eleven units currently operate solar water heaters. The neighborhood includes numerous landscaping and sculptural/public art projects and the historically relevant Holiday Drive-In marquee was restored and moved to a prominent location along the main arterial road, anchoring and identifying the new community.

Bike, bus, and pedestrian connections receive priority over automobile routes. There are shopping and jobs within walking distance and all residents are given inclusive bus passes. Transit stops along the major arterial to the West and an adjacent road to the South ensure accesibility to all community members. City bike paths run along the major roads east and west of the neighborhood.

With its unique look and broad range of housing options - and its commitment to far-sighted social and environmental ideals - the Holiday Neighborhood acts as benchmark and catalyst for similar new development throughout the region.