About Us
Helpful links for present and future business owners On Havana Street:
- Click here to view the Recommended Xeriscape Plant and Tree List for the Havana District
- What commercial property is available for lease or sale On Havana Street? View The List of Available Properties
- Thinking of starting or expanding a business or service in Aurora? Before you do anything, please read this brochure published by the City of Aurora Office of Development Assistance entitled: Brochure: Starting or Expanding a Business or Service
- New Job Reward Program in Aurora: This is Aurora's new incentive program to stimulate job creation. Take a look to see if your business qualifies.
- Need help finding someone to do maintenance on your business, remove snow or chip & seal your parking lot? Check out our Service Vendors List
- Take our Self-Guided International Market Tour--Map
- Take a look at the City of Aurora's All 4 Business Initiative Draft Action Plan
What is On Havana Street?
The Havana Business Improvement District (BID) d.b.a. On Havana Street, is a special district in Colorado created in 2007 by business and neighborhood leaders and Aurora city staff working together to build a stronger, better community. We really are making a difference by focusing on unique, culturally diverse events and fun new things to do to make the lives of our residents and visitors more interesting, at the same time as adopting the goals of clean, safe and beautiful for our new business district.
In November 2007, the commercial property and business owners voted to tax themselves 4.5 mills in real property tax to fund the new business district. The margin of support was 80% yes to 20% no. The stakeholders are committed to promoting commerce and community On Havana Street. There are 196 real commercial properties and approximately 500 businesses. A 9-member board, made up of all sizes and types of businesses from different sections of Havana Street, oversees district programming. Gayle Jetchick, Executive Director, is the only staff member and is responsible for day-to-day activities On Havana Street.
Where is On Havana Street?
On Havana Street runs 4.3 miles along Havana from 6th Avenue on the north to Dartmouth Avenue on the south, swinging the corners at major intersections. It is situated at one corner of the "opportunity triangle" formed by three other major redevelopment projects in the area–Lowry, Stapleton and Fitzsimons/Anchutz Campus.
Who's in charge?
The Havana BID is governed by a 9-member Board of Directors, appointed by Aurora City Council:
Paul Suss, BID President, Suss Buick Pontiac GMC at 1301 S Havana ST
Jack Tierney, BID Treasurer, Budget Car Sales, 830 S Havana ST
Michael Sheldon, BID Secretary, Sheldon Law, representing the Fan Fair property
Milena Caldwell, BID Director, ECD CO/Havana Offices & Ministorage, 10-50 S Havana ST
Suzanne Pitrusu, BID Director, Wells Fargo Business Banking, 1450 S Havana ST
Scott Goldammer, BID Director, The Gardens on Havana, Mississippi & Havana
Dumitri Palea, BID Director, Dumitri's Restaurant, 1911 S Havana ST
Matt Rauzi, BID Director, Colorado's Pro Gym, 1939 S Havana St
Kim Dammer, BID Director, Summit Steakhouse, 2700 S Havana ST
Gayle Jetchick, BID Executive Director
How are we financed?
In 2007, the real property owners in the BID voted to tax themselves 4.5 mills in real property tax to fund the Havana BID. Our 2011 operating budget is $364,003. Per our adopted operational plan, the revenue is applied to:
- Program Management: Payroll, Supplies, Equipment, Overhead, Accounting
- Economic Development & Marketing: Special Events to bring customers into the district, Business Support & Attraction, Consumer Marketing, Ratepayer Communication, the Branding Campaign and support of the Business Watch Program
- District Identity: Gateway Signs, Banners & Decorations, Streetscape/landscape planning, improvement, design and/or engineering.
How do you get in touch with us?
On Havana Street
Gayle Jetchick, Executive Director
337 Oswego ST
Aurora CO 80010
Office 303-360-7505
Cell 303-514-0958
gayle@onhavanastreet.com
Upcoming Board Meetings:
The Board of Directors meets at 8:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Havana Street Station (formerly called Dumitri's Restaurant) at 1911 S Havana Street, unless otherwise noted below.
Here are the 2012 board meeting dates:
- January 19
- February 16
- March 15
- April 19
- May 17
- June 21
- July 19
- Aug 16
- Sept 20
- Oct 18
- Nov 15 (This is our Annual Stakeholders' meeting at The Summit Steakhouse, 2700 S Havana St)
- Dec 20
Annual Reports: 2010 Havana BID Annual Report
Helpful Links to area attractions:
Visit the East End Arts District Web Site
Visit the Aurora Symphony Orchestra Web Site
Links to useful information for your business:
Visit the City of Aurora Web Site
Visit the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Web Site
Visit the Aurora Economic Development Council Web Site
Visit the Downtown Colorado, Inc. Web Site
Visit the Aurora Business Development Center Web Site
Visit the Aurora Tax & Licensing Center Web Site
Visit the TriCounty Health Department's Restaurant Licensing Info Web Site
Visit the Aurora Zoning Code Counter Web Site
Visit the IRS Small Business Tax Center Web Site
FAQ's
1. What's up with that ugly "bubble building" at about 3rd & Havana? What is it?
Update: 4/11/11 Aurora City Council Approved the urban renewal area for Havana North/Fan Fair! There are no imminent redevelopment projects scheduled.
The "bubble building" is called Fan Fair. The official spelling is Fan Fair, although the alternate spelling of "Fare" is commonly seen. It was Aurora's first indoor flea market membership warehouse build around 1961. It was open for 4-5 years and then closed until the early 1980's when it was re-used by Western Electric as a training facility for a couple of years. It has been sitting vacant since about 1985. It is full of asbestos, which has hindered redevelopment efforts.
In April of 2008, the Havana BID board of directors wrote a letter to the City of Aurora Planners encouraging a partnership between the BID and the city to address Fan Fair and surrounding areas.
In the fall of 2009, the City of Aurora Planners held a series of workshops to come up with a new "vision" for the entire area around Fan Fair. Neighbors, business and commercial property owners, and city staff came held several workshops and came up with the Havana North Concept Plan. The group envisions a mixed use redevelopment of the area running from 6th Ave on the north to Bayaud on the south, Geneva Street on the west, including most but not all of the commercial properties. Mixed used means a combination of uses like small businesses and office uses, retail to support the development, restaurants, and condos/townhomes.
In 2010, the Havana North Concept Plan was approved by Aurora City Council. Also in 2010, the Havana Business Improvement District partnered with the City of Aurora to hire a consultant to perform a formal Blight Study of the Havana North area. The Havana North Area was declared officially blighted in the fall of 2010, with the consultant finding 10 out of 11 possible blight factors.
In late fall and winter of 2010, the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority worked on the urban renewal plan for Havana North. This plan will work its way through the usual channel at the city with hope for approval in the late Spring of 2011.
We have no imminent projects planned for the Havana North area, and it is anticipated it will be a few more years before redevelopment happens due to the sluggish economy. At least we will have laid the groundwork for redevelopment to occur once the economy improves. Watch this website for updates.