2025 Market Facts VRP - Flipbook - Page 72
64 | ECO NO MI C PRO FI L E & MA R K ET FACT S 2025
PROFILE
13,654
POPULATION
COURTESY ALTUS POWER
4
SQUARE MILES
Altus Power in March
completed a rooftop solar
installation on Blue Sports
Stable in Superior.
4,692
HOUSEHOLDS
SUPERIOR
Town blazes new trails
but remembers the fire
SUPERIOR — The growing town southeast of Boulder has largely moved on from
recovery after the devastating 2021 Marshall Fire, but it won’t forget the lessons it
learned.
Families can share their stories about recovery and returning to their homes in an
oral history project organized in June by Marshall Together, a Marshall Fire survivors
group that is working on the project in collaboration with the University of Colorado,
the Community Foundation of Boulder County, the Louisville Museum and Masha of
Paper Crane Photo.
Local resident Gladys Forshee recounted details of the inferno in her book called
“Every Breath: A Story.” Mostly the book treats the nightmare the way the town’s leaders
want the world to see it: as history.
The town has made great strides to rise from the ashes. Building permit review processes have been streamlined, and officials have worked to better understand residents’
needs. The town board added fire-prevention regulations to its planning codes for
the hard-hit Sagamore neighborhood, requiring construction to use noncombustible,
ignition-resistant materials and a five-foot defensible space around homes.
Wildfire-detection cameras are in place and have been working to support responders
in keeping situational awareness related to monitoring fire speed, growth and direction
of spread which help first responders with a speedy response.
The Boulder County town draws families and young professionals to new, upscale
subdivisions such as Rock Creek Ranch, which originally was plotted in 1987 but continues to be developed.
Founded in 1896 and incorporated in 1904, the town began as a coal mining community and was named for the “superior” quality of coal — as well as for Superior,
Wisconsin, from where the first settlers came.
When the mine closed in 1945, Superior became a quiet agricultural community with
a population that hovered around 250 until Rock Creek Ranch was built. Superior saw a
3,433% population gain between 1990 and 2000.
Several historical sites and buildings were lost to the Marshall Fire, including an
original mining-camp home in Asti Park that was believed to have been built in 1908.
It housed the town’s history museum until the fire, but its supporters hope to build a
replica on the same site.
Companies also are investing in Superior. The town’s future development plans include commercial, retail, multi-family residential units and single family homes. It boasts
594 acres of parks, green space and open space and 27 miles of trails.
Superior often innovates in a Boulder-flavored way, such as raising the idea of using
goats to control noxious weeds and the spread of wildfires, using a state grant to build
two sections that will extend the U.S. 36 Bikeway, completing the purchase of 182 acres
owned by CenturyLink for $15.06 million to be used as the town’s largest open-space
parcel, and putting out a call for artists interested in adorning prairie-dog sculptures
with unique designs to be placed around the town.
$157,909
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD
INCOME
FOR SALE
OPEN
TAX
$1,080,000
MEDIAN HOME
SALE PRICE
326
NO. OF BUSINESSES
8.81% (Boulder County
7.96% (Jefferson County)
CITY, COUNTY,
STATE SALES TAX
77.1 %
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
OR HIGHER
ONLINE RESOURCES
Superior Chamber of Commerce
www.superiorchamber.com
Renée Alaniz, executive director
renee@superiorchamber.com
Town of Superior
www.superiorcolorado.gov
Mark Lacis, mayor
markl@superiorcolorado.gov
Matt Magley, town manager
mattm@superiorcolorado.gov
Ellen Robertson, economic development manager
EllenR@SuperiorColorado.gov
