Denver, Co - Seventy people rallied outside of Denver's Union Station last Thursday prior to presentations by the two teams competing to redevelop the 20-acre site. The action was called by a coalition of community, union, and conservation groups known as the Campaign for Responsible Development (CRD). The CRD unveiled a vision for family-sustaining jobs, a range of affordable housing, and high environmental standards for the redevelopment of Union Station.

"Union Station is an exciting project, but it is more than bricks and mortar - it is an opportunity to build a more sustainable Denver through energy efficient building practices, more economically sustainable jobs, and affordable housing that ensures that residents of all incomes can truly benefit from living alongside transit" stated opening speaker Linda Meric, Co-chair of the Campaign for Responsible Development and Director of 9to5 National Association of Working Women.

The $1.3 billion Union Station project will create an enhanced transit hub for FasTracks and millions of square feet in new retail, housing, offices and hotels. The winning development team will receive hundreds of millions of tax dollars and will benefit from more than $600 million that has already been invested in Lo Do and the Central Platte Valley to make the area attractive and profitable for development.

"When taxpayers are asked to help pay for a development project, all segments of our community should be uplifted - including low and moderate income communities" commented Brazyl Carroll, Vice President of the Park Hill Chapter of Denver ACORN.

Coalition members quoted the Union Station master plan, which calls for development that is "environmentally and economically sustainable and equitable."

"Low-income affordable and accessible housing are also key to sustainability at this project," said Jim Kittel, a low-income housing resident and member of Save Our Section 8 Colorado, a CRD coalition member. "Whether we are disabled, elderly, or a low-wage working family, everyone--not just high-end homeowners--should have the opportunity to enjoy the savings and benefits of living near transit."

Addressing the need for environmental sustainability, Elise Jones, Director of the Colorado Environmental Coalition noted that Union Station should be Denver's sustainability flagship. "The Union Station project is an exciting opportunity to translate Greenprint Denver's principles into action. Not only can we make Union Station a world-class transit development that gets people out of their cars and on to trains, buses, bikes and their own feet, we can also set a new standard for 'green building' through the use of clean, efficient energy and recycled materials," Jones noted.

Throughout the event, a number of speakers called upon the project to achieve economic sustainability by creating good jobs that include livable wages, health care and basic family-friendly benefits like paid sick days. Despite Denver's growing economy, Meric pointed out that the poverty rate has been climbing and 15.3% of Denver residents are living in poverty. "We cannot have a sustainable economy if we don't address this problem from every angle - such as working to create family-sustaining jobs whenever government is involved in a major redevelopment project."

Downtown workers from the hotel and restaurant workers' union, UNITE-HERE, echoed the hope that any hotel workers associated with the project would have health care, good working conditions and protection for their rights to join a union.

The Coalition pledged to look closely at both proposals for commitments to affordable housing, good jobs and environmental standards. "We have high hopes that both teams and the decision-makers will outline concrete plans and engage in dialogue on how best to achieve sustainability and equity in every aspect of Union Station," concluded Meric. The selection of the winning developer is expected in October.