Fitzsimons Innovation Community and so many more call this thriving community home.
By: Fitzsimons Innovation Community
If you ask the Economic Development team for Adams County Government what drives them, they’ll tell you it’s their goal of being the most inclusive and innovative county in America. Fitzsimons Innovation Community is proud to call Adams County home, and our recent conversation with the leaders of the Adams County Government office only reinforced that pride. We spoke this month with Lucas Workman, Economic Development Manager, and Caroline Joy, Community and Economic Development Marketing Lead about the goals and visions the Adams County Government has for one of the fastest growing and most popular counties in Colorado. What we found out is that Adams County is the perfect blend of urban and rural amenities, affordability, and quality of life, and that the economic development of the county is in very capable hands.
Not only is Adams County home to Fitzsimons Innovation Community and the expansive University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus across the way, it’s also a growing, flourishing county where businesses of all sizes build and scale. Located within quick proximity to Denver, Adams County boasts abundant job opportunities in fields ranging from manufacturing and health care to life sciences and aerospace. Plus, with easy access to Denver International Airport and a coveted central US location, doing business all over the country is about as convenient as it can get.
But we think it’s what the businesspeople are doing right here—and the way the Adams County Government is fostering economic development and nurturing an inclusive environment for business and entrepreneurs—that’s the most interesting.
The mission of the Adams County Government team is to promote the county as a place to do business, encourage a business-friendly environment, and provide services for the retention, expansion, and attraction of organizations to the community, while fostering sustainability and economic prosperity for all businesses and constituents. At the foundation of much of that work is the fact that Adams County is so affordable. According to Workman, “There are a lot of draws to doing business in Adams County, and affordability is key among them. Within the state of Colorado, we rank as one of the most affordable, which makes it an attractive destination for labor forces in just about any industry. It’s one of the main reasons companies move here, along with our young, diverse, and educated workforce, transportation network (air, rail, and motor carriage), and available greenfield development opportunities to name a few.”
But it’s not just the newly arriving companies that the Adams County Government team is focused on. “Almost 80% of the county’s job creation comes from existing businesses here in Adams County as they grow and expand. This includes both the small, entrepreneurial businesses and the organizations like hospitals and larger corporations that already operate here,” Workman explains. This means the team is consistently focused on how to provide these businesses with the resources and services they need to continue to grow, succeed, and employ more of the diverse, highly educated Adams County population.
Some of these resources include:
- A dedicated Business Retention and Expansion specialist committed to serving the needs of all Adams County small businesses and entrepreneurs
- Concierge service to help navigate the review process, including permitting, inspection, and entitlement
- $21 million invested into new affordable housing options with more on the way
- Personal property tax incentives
- Revolving loan fund with low interest rates and other forms of access to capital
- Wayfinding grants for businesses in proximity to roadway construction
- Façade improvement grants for targeted sub-areas
These amenities are a big part of why companies prosper in Adams County. It goes further than just attracting new businesses and helping them get up and running, though. “There’s a balance here that allows us to support startups and entrepreneurs, but also to form partnerships with the larger corporations and with each of our municipalities,” Joy tells us. “Our goal is to support the Adams County communities and ensure them that we’re there with them step by step, to help meet their needs.”
There are certain industries experiencing the most growth across those municipalities, and it’s no coincidence that life sciences and health care are among them. Fitzsimons Innovation Community, as well as the recent Colorado Hub for Health Impact economic development campaign are factors in driving that growth. “The Colorado Hub for Health Impact campaign has been a big factor in promoting Colorado both to site selectors nationally and internationally, as well as entrepreneurs.” Workman says. “The campaign is letting people know that Colorado is a huge life sciences hub—for hospitals and medical centers, but for startups, too—and Fitzsimons here in Adams County is at the heart of it.” Other industries that are making big strides in Adams County include aviation and aerospace, manufacturing, and green and sustainable technologies.
The Economic Development division of Adams County Government is a fairly young department, created in 2019. That’s something it has in common with Adams County itself, boasting one of the youngest county populations in the state (average age 34.5). With a young, diverse population of innovators and go-getters, you can imagine that the future in Adams County looks extremely promising—something the Economic Development team is proud of. Looking forward to how the county will evolve over the next few years, Workman tells us, “As one of the fastest growing counties in Colorado, we remain focused on helping businesses grow here, and by anticipating that growth we ensure it’s happening responsibly and sustainably. We’re striving to be the most innovative, and continuing to provide these services and programs—with insight and feedback from all Adams County businesses—creating the culture to make it happen.”
Fitzsimons Innovation Community knows firsthand that Adams County is a community where innovation and growth are nurtured and encouraged. The Adams County Government is key to ensuring this continues long term, building a community where corporations and entrepreneurs have the support and incentives they need to innovate, create, and build bigger and better. To us, that sounds like a pretty bright future.
