BID Board vote
The RiNo Business Improvement District (BID) Board voted on November 20, 2024 to renew the BID for the next 10 years, maintaining a maximum allowed mill levy rate of 4 mills, to be evaluated for potential adjustment annually, reaffirming its commitment to building on the progress made over the past decade.
As part of this decision, the board committed to evaluating RiNo Art District’s current organizational structure to explore alternative models that could potentially enhance transparency and provide greater clarity on the roles and spending of each organization.
In early 2025, the BID will launch a comprehensive long-term planning initiative to identify key priorities and capital projects to guide future decisions on revenue needs and allocations.
We appreciate the passionate feedback and high level of engagement throughout this process. We look forward to working alongside our community to address priorities, strengthen transparency, and ensure RiNo continues to thrive as a vibrant, inclusive district for everyone.
Community Engagement Report
We would like to thank all those who participated in the engagement activities and shared their ideas, feedback, and experiences. Your involvement has been crucial to the success of this project, and we are grateful for your continued partnership in shaping the future of the community.
Community outreach efforts included:
- 800+ property owners received two direct mail notifications encouraging their engagement
- 5,600+ individuals received six emails educating them and encouraging their engagement
- 63,000+ social media impressions across 69 posts, educating users and encouraging their engagement
- 104 individuals attended the BID Renewal Public Hearing in person and online
- 18 interviews (property owners, business owners, City Council members and other key community members)
- 3 location-based focus groups to gather differing perspectives from East of the railroad tracks vs. West
- 497 bilingual (Spanish) community questionnaire responses received (62 commercial property owners, 94 business owners, 42 triple-net leaseholders, 381 other community members)*
- 20 individuals provided feedback at the November 13, 2024, public hearing (12 property owners, 4 business owners who do not own property, 4 other community members)
You can view the full Community Engagement Report here.
2025 RiNo BID Budget Overview
Curious about what’s on tap for the district in 2025? Our newly approved budget for the RiNo Business Improvement District (BID) are now available.
Priorities include:
- Increase in funding for marketing to better support businesses.
- Increase in operations and maintenance funding to continue to support the Clean Team Ambassador program and assist with safety and cleanliness outreach.
- Establishing performance metrics to better track outcomes and impacts of the RiNo BID’s work.
- Lead a long-term project planning effort, in collaboration with the community, to identify and prioritize the RiNo BID’s projects and initiatives over the next 5+ years.
- Expand the creative grant program to include small businesses.
- Continued transparency related to the RiNo BID’s work, operations, and financials.
For a full look at the budget and our plans, click the link below.
The RiNo BID
The RiNo Business Improvement District (BID) was established in 2015 to champion local artists, creatives and businesses to support a vibrant, engaged and inclusive RiNo Art District.
Commercial property owners within the BID boundaries fund the RiNo BID through property taxes based on assessed property value to leverage resources for the benefit of the entire district and its community. These property taxes are used to generate funding for services the BID provides that have been developed and prioritized by property and business owners of the RiNo Art District.
Since 2015, the RiNo BID has funded projects, programs, and initiatives to support and implement the BID’s services. The BID’s four key areas of service were established to foster a thriving community, support local businesses, artists and entrepreneurs, and enhance the district’s unique urban character:
- Advocacy: The unified voice of RiNo on all matters related to preserving and advancing the district’s unique character through representation, promotion of planning and development, policy, and partnerships. Examples of the BID’s work include:
- Dedicated staff to advocate for RiNo’s needs and leverage resources for improvements.
- Secured infrastructure improvements, including new stop signs, crosswalks, and a pedestrian bridge.
- Lobbied for the adaptive reuse of city-owned buildings to create RiNo ArtPark, which now houses community programming, performance spaces, affordable artist studios, a new branch of Denver Public Library and more.
- Branding, Marketing & Activation: The facilitation and development of the RiNo brand, as well as creating and delivering an experience that encourages locals and visitors to explore RiNo through marketing, events, and programming. Examples of the BID’s work include:
- Developed the RiNo brand to identify the area.
- Promoted RiNo through events like First Fridays, enhancing its cultural and creative presence.
- Conducted media outreach to support broad awareness and tourism locally, regionally and nationally.
- Brought hundreds of thousands of visitors through our support of signature events like DENVER WALLS.
- Placemaking: The work to retain the unique urban and industrial character of RiNo, integrating culture and creativity into the environment, delivering appropriate enhancements to the public realm, adding pedestrian amenities, and activating the area. Examples of the BID’s work include:
- Created a recycling and trash collection program for the district.
- Developed and implemented the RiNo Art District Design Standards to guide public and private development to align with the district's values.
- Launched various beautification and public space enhancement projects that integrate art, creativity and accessibility into the community.
- Business Support for RiNo Creatives and Entrepreneurs: The leadership role in keeping RiNo affordable and promoting its local talent, creatives, and entrepreneurs through advocacy, programming and direct support, amplifying the creative and cultural offerings in the district, and promoting economic vitality. Examples of the BID’s work include:
- Provided more than $2.3 million to local creatives and $225,000 to support local organizations.
BID Renewal Process
The RiNo Business Improvement District (BID) is approaching its initial 10-year term and must go through a renewal process to evaluate the BID’s effectiveness. This process requires the RiNo BID Board to solicit property owner input through a public hearing to assess the effectiveness and success of the BID. If the BID is deemed successful, the BID Board will make a recommendation of continuation to City Council.
The BID Board’s goal for the renewal process is to do community engagement and outreach (in addition to the required public hearing) to receive feedback from property owners who pay into the district about the effectiveness of the BID, while also creating an understanding of the impact the BID has had on the RiNo Art District’s broader community of business owners, employees, residents, and visitors that help create a vibrant district. The RiNo BID has hired a consultant, GBSM, to assist with the renewal process.
FAQs
General
The RiNo BID funds projects, programs, and initiatives to support and implement the BID’s four key service areas:
- Advocacy
- Branding, Marketing & Activation
- Placemaking
- Business Support for RiNo Creatives and Entrepreneurs
These service areas were established to foster a thriving community, support local businesses, artists and entrepreneurs, and enhance the district’s unique urban character.
For a full description of services the BID has provided since its inception in 2015, please see the BID’s Impact Report.
The RiNo BID is approaching its initial 10-year term and must go through a renewal process to evaluate its effectiveness. This process requires the RiNo BID Board to solicit property owner input through a public hearing to assess the effectiveness and success of the BID. If the BID is deemed successful, the BID Board will make a recommendation to Denver’s City Council to renew the BID for another 10 years.
The BID Board’s goal for the renewal process is to conduct community engagement and outreach (in addition to the required public hearing) to receive feedback from property owners who pay into the district about the effectiveness of the BID, while also creating an understanding of the impact the BID has had on the RiNo Art District’s broader community of business owners, employees, residents, and visitors that help create a vibrant district.
Community Engagement
The RiNo BID communicates with property owners through various channels including regular newsletters, social media updates, the RiNo Art District website, community meetings such as ‘RiNo Talks,’ and monthly BID Board meetings.
Subscribe to our newsletters by visiting rinoartdistrict.org/subscribe and check-out our BID page to get the latest Board Meeting information.
The BID renewal team will be collecting feedback through one-on-one interviews, focus group discussions, an online questionnaire that opens in late September, and through a public hearing.
To stay up to date on our current outreach efforts, sign-up using the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Governance and Finance
The RiNo Art District was created in 2005 with the desire to form a creative community that would connect artists. Since then, the RiNo Business Improvement District, RiNo General Improvement District, and the Keep RiNo Wild nonprofit 501(c)(3) were formed. The RiNo Art District nonprofit 501(c)(6) ensures cohesion across all entities and the delivery of initiatives in an equitable and community-driven manner. Together, the RiNo Art District family of four organizations fund and support the community through advocacy, public realm and infrastructure improvements, artist support, community programming, business support, and events.
We are committed to enhancing collaboration and communication throughout our organization. Our goal is to align our efforts across the umbrella of RiNo organizations, ensuring that resources and information are shared effectively, and that we are working together on projects that support the goals identified in RiNo’s Strategic Plan as well as the services codified in the BID and GID operating plans. By strengthening these partnerships, we can continue to cultivate a vibrant and welcoming arts district.
Commercial properties located within the BID boundary pay a slightly higher property tax that generates the funding stream for the BID. The tax is based on assessing commercial property at 4 mills (current commercial assessed value is 29%). Below is an example of how a property worth $1,000,000 would be taxed to contribute to the BID:
- Property value: $1,000,000
- Assessed value: $1,000,000 x 29% = $290,000
- 4 mills: $290,000 x 0.004 = $1,160
- Property owner of a $1,000,000 property in the BID would pay $1,160 towards the BID’s funding
Every year the BID Board votes to approve the following year’s budget, including the mill levy rate. Currently, the mill levy can’t exceed 4 mills, but it could potentially be lowered. The board is open to feedback on the budget and will take feedback into consideration when identifying the budget and mill levy rate for 2025 at the board meeting in September.
Monthly financial statements are presented at each BID Board meeting for board approval and are made publicly available following the board meetings on our website at rinoartdistrict.org/about/rino-bid.
Public Safety
The RiNo BID is committed to fostering a healthy, welcoming, and inclusive art district for all. We are currently cultivating community connections to enhance safety throughout the district and have convened a safety task force to develop and implement strategies to support safety. The BID also works to create stronger connections between local law enforcement and stakeholders.
Advocating for and improving mobility and accessibility throughout the district is part of the RiNo Art District’s strategic plan. Projects like the development of Brighton Boulevard, Walnut Street Improvements, and the mural program have helped the district to grow sustainably while ensuring art remains at its center. However, growth and development also continue to put pressure on the area’s infrastructure, and a common concern for stakeholders is mobility and transportation issues. These complex issues require large-scale, collaborative efforts for resolution. RiNo will continue to work closely with the City and County of Denver on transportation and mobility matters.
RiNo is convening a committee that focuses on improving transit and mobility and will continue to bring partners together to develop a funding and delivery strategy for the North Denver Circulator. We will also partner with the City of Denver to develop the North Denver curbside-management plan to address parking, loading, scooters, cycles, electric charging points and pedestrian access.
The 2900 block of Larimer Street has been closed to vehicles since July 2020 through the city of Denver’s temporary Outdoor Places Program, which is a program the city created to encourage the expansion of outdoor spaces into rights-of-way to support local businesses and provide additional public space during the pandemic.
Last year we gathered community feedback on whether people support or oppose keeping the block closed to vehicles and what potential improvements they would like to see if it remains closed. Many community members participated in the online questionnaire and in-person community information meeting. The feedback was compiled into a community feedback summary report, which was submitted to the city as part of their decision-making process. While this process continues, the 2900 block will remain closed.
Infrastructure and Maintenance
The RiNo Art District’s Clean Team Ambassadors maintain the district’s public spaces, including walkways, amenity zones, major pedestrian and bicyclist connections, and the ArtPark, within the BID and GID boundaries. They ensure the area remains clean, safe, and inviting through daily tasks like trash and recycling service, surface cleaning and event-related maintenance.
Evaluation
The RiNo BID regularly evaluates its success in a variety of ways, including through annual community surveys and forums such as RiNo Talks, as well as regular monthly board meetings that are open to the public. The BID is always striving to further open its communication channels and welcomes feedback regularly from constituents through email and regular meetings. The RiNo Art District provides an annual report and annual meeting through which they relay achievements of the prior year in a regular and digestible format.
Subscribe to the RiNo BID newsletter
To receive the monthly BID newsletter, including updates about the BID renewal process, please fill out the contact form below.