Johnstown, Colorado

“The sweet spot of Northern Colorado”

Investing in its residents, Johnstown, Colorado is well positioned for smart growth

Known as “the community that cares”, Johnstown, Colorado is located 45 miles and about as many minutes from Denver. Mayor Troy Mellon calls it “the sweet spot of Northern Colorado”.

Mayor Troy Mellon

We recently spoke with Mayor Mellon, Johnstown’s Town Manager Matt LeCerf, and Economic Development Manager Sarah Crosthwaite, and they told us more about their growing community along I-25.

We are just blessed with sustainable and continued growth since the mid-1990’s, the Mayor informed us. “To give you an idea of our growth, the census number for the year 2000 was 2,800 people, and now we are over 18,000; a lot of growth, but a lot of good and smart growth that has attracted both big and small industries and opportunities.”

“In order for us to continue to support this growth we’ve made the investments needed that ensure our sustainability both short and long-term” Since 2021, the Town has invested over $225 million in capital improvement projects that include the expansion of their water treatment plant, construction of a new water tank, expansion of their wastewater treatment plant and the design of a new facility that will more than double their current capacity. They have also installed new trunk lines along major corridors such as Hwy-60 to support the recent attraction of major commercial projects in that area.

Outside of these capital projects that support the development and growth of the community, Johnstown continues to maintain its small-town character and entrepreneurial spirit. “We support, in whatever way we can, our local businesses and entrepreneurs”, the Mayor continued “specifically in our downtown; we have mostly boutique businesses that are owned and operated locally”. New businesses such as Mary’s Mountain Cookies, Wing Shack, and Precision Family Eye Care add to the list of small businesses that make up the historic downtown district.

LeCerf added, “Not only does the Town support these small businesses but we have made significant investments to partner with organizations that also support our business ecosystem. The Town is a significant financial contributor to the Johnstown Downtown Development Association which focuses on attracting business and visitors to the historic downtown. The Town also has an active partnership with the YMCA. As the Mayor mentioned, “it’s a very unique partnership between the Town and the Y, it’s one of those private-public partnerships that everyone talks about, but very rarely do you see”. As LeCerf noted, “it’s the second-busiest YMCA in Northern Colorado which attracts not only residents but visitors from our neighboring communities. The Y’s central location in Johnstown helps support the growing foot traffic to the downtown corridor”.

“It should not go without saying”, continues LeCerf, “that all of the Town’s unique activity centers collectively create a successful community full of opportunity for residents and visitors”.

Economic Development Manager Sarah Crosthwaite

“The goal for us has always been to position Johnstown as the preferred location in Northern Colorado”, said Sarah Crosthwaite, Economic Development Manager, “based on our successes and vision, we are focused on a diversification of businesses both big and small that contribute to our business ecosystem and create quality jobs for the region”.

Attracting more businesses

Johnstown’s position as a preferred location in Northern Colorado could be said to have started with the successful attraction of Scheels All Sports. As Mayor Mellon recalls, “that one was a real reach for us, but we got it done”. Scheels, originally only located in the Midwest, first set their sights to expand into Colorado in 2017 and the Town of Johnstown was the community they selected as their first location in the Rocky Mountain region. As of today, Scheels continues to be the largest retailer in Northern Colorado with a 250,000 square foot store that features an indoor Ferris Wheel.

With such notoriety, Johnstown continues to have success attracting one-of-a-kind retailers to their community. Crosthwaite cited the successful attraction of Buc-ee’s Travel Center, a Texas-based chain that has a cult following and is known for their extensive footprint of branded merchandise and food. She continues, “being able to attract Buc-ee’s, not only to Colorado but to our community has been a catalyst for the other retailers that are now interested in Johnstown”. Crosthwaite also notes, “they will be building a 74,000 square foot store that will have bragging rights as the first location in the west and the largest location so far”.

LeCerf adds, “Buc-ee’s is a destination retailer that will attract visitors from all over the State and Western region”. “We seem to have a pattern here. We are a community of firsts, and we always attract businesses that are looking to come into Colorado. They choose Johnstown for a reason”.

“I think the reason is we are open to new ideas”, said Mayor Mellon. “We want to be different. We don’t want to be our neighbors. We want these unique, can’t-find-it-anywhere-else kind of retailers, and they gravitate to us”.

But Buc-ee’s isn’t the only new business coming to Town. Just recently the Town worked with Fortune 500 company, Kroger to build its first ever spoke facility in Johnstown. The facility will serve as a regional hub that will deliver groceries to resident’s front doors. The facility will create at least 100 net new jobs and provide residents across the region access to on demand grocery delivery services.

Town Manager Matt LeCerf

“We also have several mixed-use projects underway with the majority along the Hwy-60 corridor” cited LeCerf. “Ledge Rock Center, which is currently in construction, will add over 1,000 new homes and over 700,000 SF of commercial space and has already secured anchor tenants such as Murdoch’s and Woods Supermarket, another first for Colorado”.

As Crosthwaite details, “we are experiencing more of what we call horizontal mixed-use projects”. “Rather than the traditional vertical, where you have commercial at the bottom and residential at the top. With horizontal mixed-use projects there can be a synergy between residential, neighborhood services, commercial, retail, and office space all within one master planned development”. “Folks want to live, work, and play in one space. Being able to work with developers who understand how to create that synergy is key to our success”.

Mayor Mellon added, “Our success is also due in part to strategic changes and updates we’ve made that allow developers to be creative with their projects”. “We just went through a major update of our development code, and it allows for vertical and horizontal mixed-use development. We are open to partnering with developers to bring innovative projects into the Town. I think we’ve established the bones of a development system that will allow us to approve most reasonable suggestions”.

Crosthwaite praised the strategic moves and wise investments of the Johnstown Town Council, and Mayor Mellon cited additional developments under construction.

Creating local talent

“We have really great partners when it comes to the counties in the region”, said Crosthwaite.

“Johnstown is part of both Weld and Larimer County, so we get regional access to the resources and programs both counties provide. Such partnerships benefit our residents and our major industries who utilize the county’s workforce services and programs that provide access to a skilled talent force”.

LeCerf added, “we also work closely with our school districts to ensure we’re creating a skilled talent force locally”.

Mellon cites, “we have a new high school that‘s under construction and will provide in-demand educational career paths that complement the industry clusters in the region”. “We are building the workforce of tomorrow”. “We also partner with Bright Futures which is a foundation that was formed by the Weld County Commissioners. Part of what they provide are secondary school tuition grants for every child that graduates from a Weld County School District high school. The Town provides financial support because we recognize the benefit of creating a skilled workforce that can meet the needs of the quality industries in Johnstown”.

LeCerf lauded the Town Council.

They’re consistently making the right decisions, making sure we’re on the right path”, he said.

Mayor Mellon said Johnstown has a bright future ahead of it.

“Johnstown is the gateway into Northern Colorado”, he declared, “and we are open for business”.

AT A GLANCE

Johnstown, Colorado

WHAT: Thriving city with an enviable location meeting anticipated growth

WHERE: In Weld and Larimer Counties in the state of Colorado

WEBSITE: https://johnstown.colorado.gov/