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La Plata Communities
Turning Common Sense into Community Sense
In 1978 Briargate was little more than a twinkle in the eyes of developers Lew Christensen and John Venezia, who worked with the Urban Land Institute to develop a local land plan that was both aesthetic in design yet functional for future growth.
Briargate has become one of the largest and fastest growing areas in the northeast section of Colorado Springs, encompassing more than 9,600 acres and establishing itself as one of the most viable residential areas in our community.
Since 1995, Briargate’s master developer has been La Plata Communities. Under its guiding hand, both Briargate and Pine Creek were brought to fruition. Pine Creek was the first community in Colorado Springs to require builders to design and build their new homes in accordance with strict design guidelines and distinct architectural styles, including Prairie, Craftsman, European Cottage and Spanish Eclectic.
Today, 22,000 local residents are enjoying the benefits of La Plata’s thoughtful approach to planning and design. Something the company terms as using good “Community Sense”.
For Scott Smith, La Plata’s Chief Executive Officer, the growth of both Briargate and Pine Creek has been a team effort. Dating back to the days of the Briargate Joint Venture formed by Venezia and Christensen, which Smith joined in 1982, and continuing throughout La Plata’s ownership, the success of Briargate and Pine Creek has resulted from team-oriented professionals– individuals who understand the overall vision and have the talent and dedication necessary to make it happen.
As La Plata Communities celebrates 10 years of Master Planned Community development in Colorado Springs, from Briargate to the Pine Creek residential communities and the Briargate Business Campus; it now looks to the future and the opening of its newest amenity rich residential community - Cordera. The company’s corporate culture of creating excellent communities through innovative design, architecture, landscape treatments and working well with the myriad agencies and entities to bring it all together - add up to define good (common) “Community Sense,” which is what’s important to CEO Scott Smith.
The concept of Live, Work and Play in a planned community has been a central theme in the development of Briargate. This theme continues, but Briargate has built and improved on that foundation with the expanded concept of Live, Work, Play, Shop, Worship, Learn and Connect. Briargate is truly the example of a true master planned community.
Part of the original Briargate Master Plan, annexed to the City of Colorado Springs in 1982, Cordera represents the third major residential phase of Briargate project build-out. “We’ve taken what we have learned in our hands on experience of community building, reinforced it with ideas that we have been exposed to from other parts of the country and then supplemented that knowledge with talented and energetic professional people and produced in Cordera what we really believe new home buyers are looking for.” says Smith.
Over the past 25 years, the Briargate developers have contributed significant public improvements for the benefit of not only Briargate residents, but for the entire community as a whole. As part of the Briargate annexation agreement, over 120 lane miles of arterial streets have been constructed including: Briargate Parkway; Union Boulevard, Austin Bluffs Parkway and Lexington Drive north of Woodmen; Briargate Boulevard; Chapel Hills Drive, Research Parkway and of course Powers Boulevard from Woodmen Road to Briargate Parkway. The Briargate Parkway Interchange opened in 1986 was also built by Briargate developers. In addition to streets, significant storm water drainage and major utilities have been constructed and granted to the City.
From the exceptional thinking and planning to the inspiring grand vision of these truly magnificent communities, everything La Plata invests into Briargate comes alive with “Community Sense.”
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