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St. Charles Town Company

Denver-based real estate development firm St. Charles Town Company has hired Jason Battista as its development partner. He will be responsible for expanding St. Charles’ workforce and affordable housing projects in the mountain sunbelt region. Battista started with St. Charles this month.

“This is a major milestone for the firm. Jason is a highly respected and successful leader in the affordable housing community, who deeply understands the complex needs of developers,” Charlie Woolley, founding principal and president of St. Charles, said in a news release.

Battista previously spent 14 years with Mercy Community Capital. He served as president for eight of those years. He also served as senior vice president of the affordable housing organization Mercy Housing, Inc.

St. Charles is aiming to address demand for workforce housing amid affordability challenges across the country, the company’s announcement said.

Battista will pursue new construction projects in high-growth areas “that have historically maintained ample affordable housing stock but are now feeling the cumulative effects of job creation and population growth outpacing housing production,” according to a news release.

Boulder Baked

The first retailer to join a new mixed-use development under construction in downtown Superior will be serving up cookies, cupcakes, cakes and other made-from-scratch comfort food come next year.

Boulder Baked, a family-owned bakery founded in Boulder, will open its second location at 2345 Main St. in a forthcoming mixed-used development, Origin at Downtown Superior, according to an announcement from CBRE. The project includes ground floor retail space that can house restaurants, fitness, services, medical and other retailers.

The bakery will bring between 10 and 15 jobs to the area once fully operational and is expected to open by February 2024. Its recipes rely on locally sourced and organic ingredients when possible and include vegan and gluten-free baked goods, according to the bakery’s website.

“Origin at Downtown Superior will bring a new high-density, walkable, multi-use community to the U.S. 36 corridor. The project is targeted for an active lifestyle,” CBRE Senior Associate Molly Bayer said in a news release.

The Origin will also offer residential and outdoor space. Retail suites range from 800 square feet to 2,700 square feet. CBRE is negotiating another 12,000 in square feet in retail space as well, the commercial real estate firm announced.

“Boulder Baked is the ideal first tenant for Origin. They are known for their commitment to the communities where they operate and will pave the way for many other businesses to join the project,” Bayer said.

Audit Committee

Denver Auditor Timothy O’Brien has appointed a new member to the independent Audit Committee, the seven-member committee charged with commissioning an annual independent audit of the city’s finances.

Frank Rowe will fill the seat vacated by Rudy Payan, who left his position after serving under two city auditors – O’Brien and former Auditor Dennis Gallagher. Rowe is the co-founder and executive director of the Denver Park Trust, where he has worked toward improving Denver park systems in historically underserved neighborhoods, according to a city news release.

“Frank Rowe will bring some fresh insight to our performance auditing work and will be an excellent addition to the committee,” O’Brien said in a news release.

Rowe’s experience includes more than two decades as the co-owner of a small media company and serving on the Denver Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Rowe, who has held roles in the private and nonprofit sectors, also has a background in finance, sales and revenue strategies, according to the release.

Payan retired in 2010 from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, where he worked for a decade as the Denver field office manager. There, he managed organizational and operational issues and was tasked with improving efficiency.

“Rudy Payan’s thoughtful and dedicated service on the Audit Committee is valued and will be missed,” O’Brien said in a news release. “I am grateful to Rudy for his service and insight on the independent Audit Committee.”