The sale of an iconic downtown Loveland building is boosting the fortunes of local nonprofit.
Built in 1915, the 6,000-square-foot, 108-year-old 209 E. 4th Street building has witnessed many changes. Once associated with the Woolworth’s department store, it has also housed a hardware store, Tiedeman’s Fine Men’s Clothing, Hach Chemical Technical Training Center, and an art gallery with owners living upstairs. In 2000, it was purchased by Roger Kenney as the office for his architecture firm, Kenney & Associates, and is currently home to Kenney Lee Architecture Group.
In February, CYO paid $325,000 to Roger Kenney for the deed. Today, Colorado Youth Outdoors announces the building’s sale to Deacon Lumber for $1.2M.
“CYO has always been my beneficiary,” explained Roger Kenney. “But why should they have to wait until I die to get a donation?” Kenney sold the building under market value to CYO, which allowed him to increase his gift to the nonprofit.
In 2006, Kenney asked CYO founder Bob Hewson over to his office after he learned about the fledgling nonprofit. Shortly thereafter, Kenney invited CYO to relocate to his building from Hewson’s barn. “From 2006 to 2014, our staff of four had offices on the second floor, never paying a dime of rent,” shared Hewson. “It legitimized CYO – our prestigious address was on the ‘Wall Street’ of Loveland.” But Kenney’s generosity to CYO was just beginning. In 2008, after CYO inherited Swift Ponds (Kechter Road and County Road 5 in Fort Collins), which it turned into its flagship outdoor recreation and education campus, Kenney also donated his architectural services. Kenney & Associates designed both structures on CYO’s campus, Richardson Hall and the Erion Pavilion, and also helped with the permitting and construction.
“It’s truly humbling,” shared Hewson. “For 17 years, Roger Kenney has been giving amazing gifts to our organization. He just keeps going.”
CYO’s leadership will be reviewing options of what to do with the windfall over the next few months. Possibilities include using the proceeds as seed money for a Colorado Springs campus to support CYO’s satellite program in that city, upgrading some facilities, or growing CYO’s endowment. Hewson said, “We have some great opportunities for our leadership team to review!”