By Kevin Curry
Things have been quiet for a while with Friends of Falcon, but spring brings new energy! We have two short updates to offer.
First, Friends of Falcon has begun reaching out to several companies asking them to consider bringing small businesses to the area, where nothing similar exists today. One letter asks Landry’s restaurant group to establish a presence here with any of their mid-to-upper-scale, sit-down restaurants. They have many brands in their portfolio, and any of several would likely succeed here while providing a much needed restaurant for something other than take-out or quick, casual meals. Another letter went to International Hotels Group asking them to consider opening a hotel such as Holiday Inn Express that would provide a lodging option for family and friends visiting for special events. Other letters went to Dairy Queen and Baskin-Robbins parent companies asking them to consider opening an ice-cream store in the area. We do not expect to hear from any of the companies immediately, but we hope the letters encourage them to look at our area as they continue to expand.
The second update we offer is to let Falcon area residents know about a housing needs survey being conducted by Colorado Springs. The survey — available at https://coloradosprings.gov/HousingNeedsAssessment — encompasses not just Colorado Springs, but also unincorporated areas of El Paso County, including Falcon. One question is particularly important to Falcon because it goes to the heart of the rural-urban mix that is so much a part of the area’s character. It asks whether it is more important to create more affordable housing (even if that means changing densities) or instead more important to preserving the character of existing neighborhoods. The latter choice is a core principle for Friends of Falcon, and we hope everyone will take the survey and make that choice. As a final note, Friends of Falcon is working to set up an in-person meeting for sometime in May. Details are not yet confirmed, but will be posted to the website at https://TheFriendsOfFalcon.org once it’s set. Until then, Friends of Falcon wishes everyone in the area a very happy spring!
