by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Four-story housing proposal joins approved Armory expansion on East Mountain
A key block of East Mountain Avenue in Old Town Fort Collins is once again at the center of change, as a four-story housing proposal emerges across the street from an Armory-related project that is already under construction.
A recently surfaced photograph from the 1970s shows a stretch (1 block West) of East Mountain lined with modest, low-rise storefronts, including what was then the Food Co-op — now known as Mountain Avenue Market — which has since relocated. The image captures a quieter, lower-scale commercial corridor long before Old Town became the dense, walkable district it is today.
Like Mountain Avenue Market before it, many businesses along East Mountain have adapted or relocated as the district evolved.
Today, East Mountain Avenue remains defined by two- and three-story storefronts and pedestrian-scale façades that reflect the scale of the Downtown Historic Core.
At 335 and 345 East Mountain Ave., a developer has proposed demolishing two existing commercial buildings and replacing them with a four-story mixed-use structure. The plan calls for ground-floor retail space and 28 residential units above, along with approximately 32 on-site parking stalls accessed from Mountain Avenue.
The two existing structures are currently one- and two-story commercial buildings along the north side of the block.
The property is located within the Downtown Historic Core zone district, one of Fort Collins’ most closely reviewed development areas. According to city records, the project has completed the Conceptual Review stage but has not yet entered the Basic Development Review stage. Completion of conceptual review means city staff has provided preliminary feedback; no formal approval has been granted.
Across the street, however, change is already visible.
A separate project at 300 East Mountain Ave. — directly tied to the Armory Event Center — has completed Basic Development Review and is listed in the city’s system as “Closed – Vested,” meaning it has received formal approval and established vested development rights.
Construction activity is underway at the site.
The approved two-story building will include commercial office space, a green room supporting the Armory, and a shared bar expansion between the new structure and the historic Armory building.
Together, the projects reflect three moments unfolding along the same short stretch: its historic storefront past, its active construction present, and its proposed higher-density future.
If approved in a future review phase, the four-story development at 335 and 345 East Mountain would introduce additional residential density and increased building height within the Downtown Historic Core. Because the proposal has not yet entered Basic Development Review, further design scrutiny and public review would occur before any construction could begin.
The Downtown Historic Core district is subject to heightened design review standards intended to preserve scale and character, making the upcoming review process particularly consequential for East Mountain Avenue’s future.
For now, one project is moving forward under city approval, while the other remains in the proposal stage as Old Town Fort Collins continues to evolve.
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