The Youngfield Street Beautification project added gateway signage, landscaping, decorative fencing, lighting and public art, including a mural near West 40th Avenue, along the west side of Youngfield across from Applewood Villages. The City of Wheat Ridge now lists construction as complete.
If you drive Youngfield Street between 32nd Avenue and the I-70 ramps, you have watched the strip of land between the road and the interstate change over the past year. River rock came out, irrigation and new plantings went in, and fencing, lighting and artwork followed. That stretch faces the Applewood Village shopping center and is the front door for the homes marketed as Applewood Villages.
The work is a City of Wheat Ridge project called the Youngfield Street Beautification. It was planned starting in 2022, designed through 2024, paid for with urban renewal money, and built on state-owned highway land along the west side of the street. It is a cosmetic project: no lanes were added and no sidewalks or bike lanes were part of it.
Jason Sirois is a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass and an Applewood resident. Below is what was built, what it cost and who paid for it, how the schedule moved, how it fits with the other projects on Wheat Ridge’s west side, and what it means if you own, are buying or are selling a home nearby.
What the Youngfield Street Beautification project built
According to the city’s project page, the project covers the west side of Youngfield Street between 30th and 40th Avenues, on the land between Youngfield and I-70. The improvements listed are:
- Enhanced Wheat Ridge gateway signage
- Sustainable landscaping, with new irrigation and cobble beds in place of the old river rock
- Decorative fencing and hardscape
- Lighting
- Public art, including a painted mural at Youngfield Street and West 40th Avenue
The design follows two themes residents chose during the planning phase. “Plains to Peaks” tells the story of Wheat Ridge’s place between the mountains and the plains, and “Sowing Happiness” draws on the city’s farming history. Those themes show up in the artwork and the planting palette.
What the project did not do matters too. It did not change the travel lanes, signals or turn lanes on Youngfield, and it did not add sidewalks or bike lanes. Those kinds of changes are part of other projects, covered below.
Is the project finished?
The city’s project page now says construction is complete. The page does not give a completion date, and parts of its own progress tracker still show construction as the current stage, so a final punch list or plant establishment period may still be under way.
That is later than the original plan. When the city updated City Council in May 2023, the Neighborhood Gazette reported that construction was expected to begin in early 2024 and last about a year. By May 2026, the Gazette reported the work was slated to finish in summer 2026. The table below lays out the record.
| Item | What has been reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Project limits | West side of Youngfield, 30th to 40th Avenues, between Youngfield and I-70 | City of Wheat Ridge project page |
| Planning and design | Survey and public input late 2022 to spring 2023; final design fall 2023 to summer 2024 | City of Wheat Ridge project page |
| Money set aside | $5 million in urban renewal funds | Neighborhood Gazette, May 30, 2023 |
| Original construction plan | Start early 2024, about one year | Neighborhood Gazette, May 30, 2023 |
| Estimated cost | About $3.5 million | Neighborhood Gazette, May 5, 2026 |
| Expected finish | Summer 2026 | Neighborhood Gazette, May 5, 2026 |
| Current status | Construction complete | City of Wheat Ridge project page, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
Who paid for it, and why it sits on highway land
The city’s project page says the work is funded by the City of Wheat Ridge’s Urban Renewal Bond. That money comes with restrictions on how it can be spent, and the city notes aesthetic improvements like these are an allowed use. In 2023, the Gazette reported that $5 million in urban renewal funds had been set aside for the work.
The strip between Youngfield and I-70 is state-owned right-of-way, which is why the project went through Colorado Department of Transportation environmental clearances before construction. The Gazette’s 2023 coverage named David Evans and Associates as the city’s engineering partner and reported that the city had no plan to close lanes during the work.
For homeowners, the funding source means the project did not come with a new tax measure or a special assessment on nearby homes. It was paid for out of an existing city financing tool aimed at improving designated areas.
How it fits with other projects on Wheat Ridge’s west side
The beautification is one of several projects clustered around the Youngfield and I-70 area. Each has its own schedule and its own effect on the neighborhood:
- Clear Creek Crossing, the development at I-70 and Highway 58 north of the corridor, with new restaurants, a hotel and apartments. We covered it in what’s open and coming to Clear Creek Crossing.
- The 38th Avenue West End project, a planned rebuild of 38th Avenue between Youngfield and Kipling with sidewalks, bike lanes and mini-roundabouts. Construction is expected to start in 2027. See how the 38th Avenue project will affect Applewood Villages.
Taken together, the Youngfield work is the finished, visible piece, while the 38th Avenue rebuild is the one still ahead that will bring construction traffic closer to homes.
What it means for Applewood Villages homeowners and buyers
Homes marketed as Applewood Villages sit inside the City of Wheat Ridge with 80033 addresses, east of Youngfield around the 38th Avenue corridor. That makes Youngfield the main route to I-70, Highway 58 and Clear Creek Crossing, and the beautified stretch is what residents and visitors see on the way in.
Practically, the project replaced a plain stretch of rock and highway fence with landscaping, lighting and art. It did not change traffic patterns, add noise walls or alter any residential lot. Whether streetscape work moves prices is not something the city or any source we found has measured, so we are not putting a number on it. What it does change is the first impression of the area, which is something buyers notice on a first drive-through.
If you are selling in the coming months, the corridor is now in its finished state rather than a work zone, which is a cleaner backdrop for showings and listing photos. If you are buying, it is worth knowing which projects are complete, like this one, and which are still ahead, like 38th Avenue. Our Applewood community guide covers how the Wheat Ridge and unincorporated Jefferson County parts of Applewood differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Youngfield Street beautification project done?
Yes. The City of Wheat Ridge’s project page says construction is complete. It does not list a completion date, and some landscaping may still be in its establishment period, but the fencing, lighting, signage and artwork are in place.
Where exactly is the Youngfield beautification?
It runs along the west side of Youngfield Street between about 30th and 40th Avenues, on the strip between the street and I-70, across from the Applewood Village shopping center. Earlier news coverage described it as 32nd to 41st Avenues.
How much did the Youngfield project cost?
The Neighborhood Gazette reported an estimated cost of about $3.5 million in May 2026. In 2023 the city had set aside $5 million in urban renewal funds for the work. The city has not published a final cost.
Did the project add sidewalks or bike lanes on Youngfield?
No. The project was limited to landscaping, fencing, lighting, signage and public art on the west side of the street. Sidewalk and bike lane work in the area is part of the separate 38th Avenue West End project.
Where is the new mural on Youngfield?
The city has described a painted mural at Youngfield Street and West 40th Avenue as part of the project’s public art. The city’s project page does not name the artist.
Will my property taxes go up because of this project?
The project was paid for with the city’s Urban Renewal Bond and did not create a new tax or assessment on Applewood Villages homes. Your property tax bill is set by assessed value and the levies of the districts you live in.
Who do I contact with questions about the project?
The city lists Kent Kisselman, Capital Improvement Projects Manager, as the contact on the project page. For questions about how area projects affect buying or selling, reach out to Jason Sirois and the FORM team.
Thinking about buying or selling in Applewood Villages and want to know how the projects around Youngfield and 38th Avenue fit into your plans? Jason Sirois and the FORM at Compass team are happy to walk through it with you.
This post is for general information only. Project details, costs and timelines come from the City of Wheat Ridge and the Neighborhood Gazette as of October 21, 2026, and can change. Confirm current details with the City of Wheat Ridge.
