Living in Fort Collins The Podcast
FoCo in 15 Minutes | Passenger Rail Investment, Downtown Paid Parking, Year-Round Market & Timnath’s Future
Welcome to Living in Fort Collins — The Podcast , your weekly insider look at what’s happening across Fort Collins and Northern Colorado , from growth and development to local government, business, real estate, and things to do. Fort Collins Is Buying Property Around the Future Passenger Rail Station — The city is positioning itself to acquire property next to the planned Colorado Connector station in Midtown. City Council previously approved $500,000 in earnest money for a potential acquisition, giving Fort Collins the ability to shape development around the future station rather than ending up with just a basic rail platform. Fort Collins’ Winter Farmers Market Is Going Year-Round — The former Fort Collins Winter Farmers Market has officially become the Wildcraft Farmers Market , operating roughly 50 Saturdays per year inside Foothills Mall. The market features anywhere from 90 to 130+ vendors on a typical Saturday and could become another significant year-round anchor for Midtown. Transfort’s Redesigned Bus Network Is Now Live — Fort Collins' biggest transit overhaul in years took effect August 17. MAX now operates every 15 minutes throughout the day, while routes, stops and transfer points across the city have changed. All Transfort service remains fare-free . MilkShake Factory Officially Opens in Old Town — The Pittsburgh-based dessert brand celebrated its grand opening at 150 N. College Avenue, but the local story runs deeper: franchisee Zaki Kamandy opened the business in the same building where his family entered the restaurant business more than 45 years ago. Downtown Parking Has a Long-Term Funding Problem — The city's parking fund is projected to cover operations and maintenance for roughly the next three years before financial pressure begins building. Already-approved changes are expected to generate approximately $678,000 annually , while the consultant's model estimates paid on-street parking could generate roughly $3.5 million per year . Fort Collins Doesn't Have a Parking Shortage — The city's study counted 4,369 public parking spaces , with overall district peak occupancy ranging from 55% to 72%. The problem is distribution: popular free curbside spaces can be packed while nearby garages have hundreds of spaces available. Employee Parking May Be the Bigger Issue — Downtown businesses told the city they want better permit access and flexibility. Discounted employer permits begin in September, while Council continues exploring whether employee-focused parking solutions should come before broader paid parking. ️ Timnath Wants to Become More Than a Bedroom Community — Town Council unanimously adopted its 2026 Strategic Plan , outlining a future centered around an activated Old Town, recreation and gathering spaces, connected trails and a more diversified commercial economy. The Challenge Is Paying for It — Timnath currently relies heavily on sales-tax revenue from a small number of major retailers. Town leaders openly acknowledged that continued residential growth creates permanent expenses while development impact fees are collected only once, making economic diversification a major long-term priority. 130th Annual Loveland Corn Roast Festival — August 21–22 | Fairgrounds Park, Loveland Northern Colorado Hero Fest — August 22 | Front Range Village, Fort Collins Monster Day Greeley — Final Year — August 21–22 | Downtown Greeley Wildcraft Farmers Market — Saturday | Foothills Mall, Fort Collins Rooted in Community Tree Sale — Sale opens August 24 | $25 trees for eligible Fort Collins residents Thinking about buying, selling, investing, or relocating to Northern Colorado? My team and I help clients make confident, well-informed real estate decisions with boots-on-the-ground insight across Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. Patrick Soukup 970-893-3533 patrick@soukuprealestate.com soukuprealestate.com
