Development Timeline

The story of the Salt Flats site reflects years of community planning, voter support, and strategic action by the City of Grand Junction to meet the community’s housing needs.

In 2021, the City adopted its first Housing Strategy, a framework of 13 strategies designed to address the housing challenges facing Grand Junction. Among these was the idea of leveraging City-owned land and strategic acquisitions to support affordable housing.

By 2023, it became clear that a barrier stood in the way: the City Charter limited leases on City-owned land to 25 years, far shorter than the 30–99 years typically required by affordable housing funding sources. To address this, the City placed Ballot Measure 2B on the ballot. With strong voter approval, the Charter was amended to allow up to 99-year leases for affordable housing, unlocking access to City owned and/or City acquired property for affordable and attainable housing.

In 2024, the City completed a Housing Strategy Update and Data Refresh, reaffirming housing as one of the community’s most urgent needs. Around the same time, the City applied for and received a $2.2 million Proposition 123 Land Banking Grant from OEDIT, paired with a $1 million City match. This competitive grant made it possible to acquire the 21.78-acre Salt Flats site. A Letter of Intent was signed with the property’s seller, En-Sim QOF, LLC, in April, and subdivision of the full 33-acre parcel began.

Recognizing that infrastructure costs had long made the property infeasible for private development, the City applied for the More Housing Now Grant from the state’s Energy and Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) in August 2024. This request for $2 million, combined with an $800,000 City match and a seller contribution, was approved in November 2024, securing the resources needed to build the backbone infrastructure for the site. By January 2025, the purchase of the Salt Flats property was finalized.

To select development partners, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in early 2025. Thirteen proposals were received, and after review and interviews, four development teams were chosen, including Brikwell as the Master Developer and Master Planner. In May 2025, the teams — alongside their architects, engineers, designers, and finance partners — met at CHFA’s offices in downtown Grand Junction to create a coordinated master plan for the site.

Construction of Phase 1 infrastructure began in August 2025, focusing on 28 Road improvements, Grand Avenue connections, and installation of water, sewer, and drainage systems. Local residents may notice some delays along 28 Road while this work continues through 2025. With infrastructure underway, the first housing projects — Brikwell’s Ascent at Salt Flats and VOA’s senior and veteran apartments — are expected to begin vertical construction in 2026, with the first homes opening by 2027.

Over the following years, additional phases will be built, including for-sale townhomes by Rural Homes, Veritkal and future Brikwell-led projects. Under the Proposition 123 Land Banking Grant, at least 324 housing units must be developed on the site, a full development plan must be formalized within five years (by 2029–2030), and all financing for the site must be secured within ten years (by 2035). Ultimately, Salt Flats will deliver between 324 and 550 new homes across a range of income levels, from deeply affordable rentals to attainable for-sale homes and some market-rate units.

This timeline reflects the long-term vision and step-by-step approach needed to transform a long-vacant site into one of the most important new housing communities in Grand Junction.