Business View Civil and Municipal | April/May 2022

47 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 in MONTROSE , COLORADO water, sewer, sidewalks, and parking lots. There’s been about $65 million invested in private infrastructure.” The project began with just one company, Mayfly Outdoors, but now Fairfield by Marriott Hotel, family owned restaurants, outdoor retailers and even a photo gallery are moving in. The Maslow Academy and Bright Beginnings Preschool will be opening a center with 70 available childcare slots as well. “The Colorado Yurt Company is building a brand-new manufacturing headquarters at the Colorado Outdoors site,” Bell adds. “They’re doing amazing things. We’re partnering with them to build a large public restroom facility. They’re going to create a yurt and tipi village, Vrbo style, where you can try out tipis or yurts before purchasing. Conveniently, there will also be a publicly accessible restroom as well as a shower facility for the yurt and tipi guests.” The city is also upgrading and investing in its water infrastructure. Project 7 Water Authority provides treated water to six communities in the region, including Montrose. Bell states, “It’s an engineering marvel. Over a century ago, the Gunnison Tunnel was created as an irrigation channel to bring water from the Black Canyon area of the Gunnison River to our valley. All the water is treated at the Project 7 Water Treatment Plant before it’s disseminated to the different municipalities. Right now, we just have the one facility but we’re a growing region. There’s no redundancy. So, now the water authority is working on getting federal funding to build a second treatment facility north of the Ridgway Reservoir.” In addition, the city has created a Storm Water Program, which makes the permitting and inspection process more business friendly. There is even a person on staff who works with businesses to ensure accordance with both the city and state. Montrose doesn’t want to shut down projects, but instead works alongside businesses and developers from the beginning.