What’s Going On in Downtown Loveland
A Downtown on the Rise
Downtown Loveland is buzzing with renewal and energy. Through the dedicated leadership of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the Historic Loveland Business Improvement District (HLBID), more than 45 downtown properties have benefited from grants — ranging from façade enhancements, general improvement grants to fire-line and restaurant conversion grants — reinforcing our historic core while inviting a fresh future. The DDA’s Plan of Development closely follows the nationally successful Main Street Approach - focusing on Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion and Organization.
However—
All this momentum could quickly stop if the newly proposed changes to our operating agreement from City Leadership move forward. Essential funding for events, maintenance, and reinvestment grants—supporting everything from façade improvements to summer concerts—is at risk of being cut by the City of Loveland. Without the support of our community, the momentum we’ve created and the vision of a vibrant downtown could be in jeopardy.
What’s the Difference between the DDA and The City of Loveland?
In short:
The City of Loveland runs the whole city.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is a focused tool dedicated just to downtown — kind of like a “specialized partner” that helps make the heart of Loveland more vibrant, attractive, and economically strong. The DDA is governed by a Board of Directors and is NOT a government department.
City of Loveland
Who they are: The municipal government that oversees the entire city of Loveland.
Scope: Responsible for citywide services such as police, fire, utilities, streets, zoning, parks, and overall city planning.
Funding: Funded through taxes (property, sales, etc.) collected across the city.
Decision-making: Led by the Mayor and City Council, with staff across many departments.
Focus: Broad — the whole community and its infrastructure, growth, and services.
DDA - aka The Loveland Downtown District
Who they are: A special district created to focus specifically on revitalizing downtown Loveland.
Scope: Limited to the DDA boundary (the historic downtown core).
Funding: Supported by a special tax increment within the district; funds go directly back into downtown improvements.
Decision-making: Governed by a board of directors (required by state statute to be a downtown business or building owner) that works with the City but is independent.
Focus: Narrow — making downtown more vibrant and successful through programs like façade grants, kitchen grants, public art, streetscape improvements, and attracting new businesses.
The DDA’s Impact on Downtown Loveland
Large-scale revitalization projects are breathing new life into our streets:
Feed & Grain, Artspace received substantial support via tax increment financing, façade, and fire-safety grants to restore a beloved historic landmark.
Cleveland Station, The DDA invested $800,000 into the former Banner Medical Building on the corner of 5th St. and Cleveland Ave. that had previously sat vacant for nearly six years. This building is now completely full and is home to a brewery, multiple retail shops, a low-waste grocer, a country-themed saloon and many individual offices.
At 4th & Garfield, the DDA’s investment helped transform a former auto-care site into modern apartments with retail opportunities, enhancing our urban fabric.
The Heart Improvement Plan (HIP) is underway—a visionary initiative to revamp a five-block stretch of 4th Street into a dynamic community hub.
5th St. Façades - one building at a time, the DDA has helped fund new façades on the East half of 5th St. between Lincoln Ave and Railroad Ave. This work has attracted new businesses while investing in existing ones.
New Businesses: A Sign of Momentum
Downtown’s improvements are paying off in fresh ways— just in the last six months, exiting new businesses have opened their doors in our downtown core:
Taste at Night - a craft cocktail and mocktail bar, expanding on the success of Taste Local Café, brings late-night vibrancy.
The Love Shack Craft Mocktails - offers a unique sober-entertainment space, with mocktails, live music, DJ nights, and more.
Pourhouse Rooftop Addition - the pourhouse has invested in the construction of a new rooftop patio, adding extra capacity and a unique 4th Street dining experience.
Venue at 319 - this historic downtown Loveland building has opened it’s doors as one of Downtown Loveland’s premiere events spaces.
Exciting new businesses coming our way
A number of new businesses are in the concept, design, or building phase and are planning on opening their doors in the near future:
Venue at the Elks - an exciting concept has been designed and is currently obtaining funding. The former, historic Elks building on the corner of 4th and Railroad is the future home to a music venue, bar / restaurant, speakeasy, boutique hotel and professional recording studio.
Colorado Curry - opening it’s second location, Colorado Curry, an Indian food take-away restaurant and grocer will be starting construction soon on the corner of 3rd and Lincoln.
Doug & Firkin - an English Pub is currently under construction on 4th St. in between Lincoln and Cleveland.
Urban Hot Pot - on the ground level of the The Lincoln Place Apartments, in the building previously occupied by Origins Wine Bar, Urban Hot Pot has started renovations for a new restaurant.
Studio B Expansion - Downtown hair salon Studio B is planning an expansion to the building north of their current location in the Foundry Plaza.
Graze Craze - a customizable charcuterie concept, will serve residents and visitors from its prime location in the new luxury condo building, The Collection, opening Fall 2025.
These additions highlight how the DDA's investments and downtown’s renewed spirit are attracting innovative, diverse businesses—and reinforcing Loveland’s reputation as an up-and-coming destination.
Cleaning up the Streets of Downtown
We are incredibly proud of our Downtown Ambassador Program. Currently a one-man department, our Downtown Ambassador is responsible for organizing and implementing programming and strategies to improve the visual appearance and maintenance conditions in Downtown Loveland.
Our Ambassador, “Tennessee” works in the field on a daily basis and lead efforts to improve the Downtown District through implementing cleaning programs, graffiti removal initiatives, timely reporting of maintenance issues, weed abatement, hospitality services, power washing and providing fast responses to downtown maintenance needs.
In coming years, we hope to expand this program to include more services, more individuals on the streets of downtown and more support for the community.
Why Downtown Activations and Promotions Matter
Downtown isn’t just buildings and businesses—it’s gatherings, celebrations, and community building. The DDA closely follows the nationally successful Main Street Approach. Activations, events, promotions closely follow this tried and true model.
The One Sweet Summer event series brought more than 30 free events to the Foundry Plaza in 2024 alone—from live music and car shows to food festivals—igniting evenings and weekends with creativity and connection.
Countless Signature Events— including Downtown Beer Week, The Festival of Lights, Pumpkin Festival, Yappy Hour and others —draw both residents and visitors, fueling commerce and reinforcing community identity.
Downtown Tours— The Loveland Downtown Districts hosts numerous Art Strolls, Craft Beverage Tours, Boutique Crawls, Monthly Foodie Walks and many other walkable tours in efforts to help introduce the public to new businesses in Downtown Loveland.
Business Promotions— to support downtown businesses our organization hosts and promotes multiple, community-wide sales, monthly Night on the Town events, small business celebrations, as well as providing addtional marketing support to our businesses.
The DDA is central to making these events and initiatives happen—they safeguard our historic charm, drive strategic investments, and provide support and marketing opportunities to our downtown businesses.
We Need Your Support
We’re at a Crucial Crossroads: It’s Time to Act
Here’s the urgent part: The future of these programs is at risk. Our event funding, our maintenance programs, and reinvestment grants—vital for everything from façade restorations to lively summer concerts—face possible cuts by our City of Loveland partners. This would jeopardize the momentum we’ve built and the promise of a vibrant downtown.
We need your help:
Show your support by speaking up.
Attend an upcoming City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 2nd and let our City leadership know how important our work is to you.
Send our leadership an email —let City leaders know: a thriving downtown matters.
Share our content on social media. Let your audience know how valued our work is.
Volunteer or join one of our event teams—like One Sweet Summer—so we can continue offering those connect-and-celebrate experiences.
Consider investing or becoming a sponsor—your contributions help fuel the DDA’s transformational work and our community vitality.
Join the Movement
Downtown Loveland is more than a place—it’s a promise: of opportunity, charm, community, and growth.
But that promise needs champions. Will you stand with us? Let's keep downtown vibrant, creative, and full of life—for businesses, for events, for all of us.
Let us know if you would like to know more about our organization, our impact on your community and how you can help us in our mission to improve Downtown Loveland— we’d love chat.