Challenge
PuebloPlex is transforming a former military installation into a long-term economic engine for Pueblo County and the broader Front Range region. Located approximately 15 miles east of Pueblo, the nearly 16,000-acre site offers significant potential for manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, rail-related industry, research and development, energy, data centers, and aerospace and defense uses.
The site’s scale and history create both opportunity and complexity. Formerly part of the Pueblo Army Depot, the property was realigned through the Base Realignment and Closure process, declared surplus federal property, and designated for redevelopment through PuebloPlex. Changing market conditions, evolving infrastructure needs, environmental considerations, and the incorporation of the former Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) parcel required a fresh approach to the 2016 Redevelopment Plan.
Solution
The HR Green team developed an integrated redevelopment and infrastructure planning approach to update the prior framework, incorporate the PCAPP parcel, and position PuebloPlex for implementation.
A targeted amendment to the Pueblo County Regional Comprehensive Plan created a new Future Land Use Category specific to PuebloPlex, providing the flexibility needed to support industrial, heavy industrial, commercial, office, open space, and limited workforce housing uses. The amendment was developed in close coordination with PuebloPlex, Pueblo County Planning and Development, the Pueblo County Legal Department, the Planning Commission, and the Board of County Commissioners, supported by technical analyses of surrounding land uses, infrastructure capacity, and redevelopment objectives.
The Redevelopment and Infrastructure Master Plan Update was structured around five integrated workstreams:
- Existing Conditions and Infrastructure Analysis – Roads, rail, water, wastewater, electric, telecommunications, and stormwater systems were evaluated for service capacity, access, regional connections, and upgrade opportunities.
- PCAPP Facility Assessment – Buildings and systems were assessed for reuse potential, structural condition, ADA needs, environmental hazards, repair costs, and life-cycle operating costs.
- Environmental and Land Use Integration – Contamination, wildlife habitat, conservation areas, drainage, and permitting requirements were incorporated directly into the redevelopment suitability framework.
- Stakeholder and Public Engagement – Interviews, focus groups, public meetings, a project website, and a web-based mapping tool engaged government agencies, municipalities, economic development partners, utilities, business leaders, and the public.
- Implementation and Monitoring – The plan established a phased roadmap with early, intermediate, and long-term actions, identifying funding tools, public-private partnerships, grants, tax incentives, and metrics tied to jobs, infrastructure, environmental outcomes, and community benefits.
Benefit
The dedicated PuebloPlex Future Land Use Category gives PuebloPlex and Pueblo County a stronger foundation for attracting a broader mix of industries, reviewing development proposals, coordinating infrastructure investments, and supporting adaptive reuse, all while maintaining compatibility with surrounding rural and agricultural uses.
The Redevelopment and Infrastructure Master Plan positions PuebloPlex to advance its mission of generating quality enterprises and sustained economic growth, supporting job creation, tax base expansion, infrastructure modernization, and environmental stewardship as the former depot evolves into a regional economic asset.
