There was a feeling of joy and excitement on May 17 as Brothers Redevelopment’s dedicated team, community leaders and valued partners/supporters gathered to celebrate the opening of Brothers’ new community, Valor on the Fax.
Nearly every major TV news station in the Denver metro area, and other news entities like Westword and Denverite, swarmed the rooftop patio of Valor to document one of the most significant events in Brothers’ 52-year history. It was at that patio where Brothers President Jeff Martinez, Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado CEO Kate Kerkmans, Denver City Councilmember Amanda Sawyer, and others spoke with pride about Valor on the Fax — Brothers’ newest affordable housing community that will house people with acquired brain injury and related disability.
“At Brothers Redevelopment, we believe that everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home, and this community is a testament to that commitment. Our goal is to provide a nurturing environment where residents can thrive and create a meaningful life,” said Martinez. “We are excited to see the positive impact that Valor on the Fax will have on the lives of its residents and the broader community as a whole.”
After the speeches, attendees went to the front of the building where Martinez and others finally cut the ribbon on the new, 72-unit community. The ribbon cutting had been nearly five years in the making and marked the official opening of Brothers’ 19th affordable housing community in Colorado.
“From the moment we walked onto what was once a dirty, dilapidated, potholed lot here, I think we saw…what would be possible if we see this vision through,” said Martinez at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The visionary community, located at 7900 E. Colfax Ave. was the result of a collaboration between Brothers and the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado. During the planning process for Valor on the Fax, the two agencies heavily relied on public comment to conceive the building’s exterior features. On the inside, Valor on the Fax provides a therapeutic and comfortable environment to residents with “trauma-informed design” features such as soft lighting, sound-blocking windows, and natural lighting in group areas.
As tenants settle in, they will be welcomed by Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado staff who will provide comprehensive services to residents of Valor like resource navigation, job training, and recreational and wellness activities. Brothers will manage the community and utilize the first-floor commercial space to provide a wide variety of housing related services to residents of the East Colfax neighborhood.
Valor on the Fax is one of the largest of the supportive housing communities in the state to receive public investment. The primary public funding sources for this activity are the City and County of Denver, Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST), and the Colorado Division of Housing. Other public investment has been made by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Denver Housing Authority. Substantial private investment has come from Enterprise Housing Credit Investments, LLC, and from ANB Bank. Philanthropic support for Valor on the Fax has been made by Wells Fargo Banks.
For more information about Valor on the Fax, visit valoronthefax.com.