News>AF transfers last piece of former Lowery AFB back to community
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DENVER, Colo. -- Denver and Air Force Personnel Center leaders watch as a lithograph is presented to Montgomery Force, Lowry Redevelopment Authority executive director, right, by Stephen TerMaath, Base Realignment and Closure Program Management division chief, May 31, 2012. The presentation marked the turn-over of the Buckley Annex, the last 70-acres of the former Lowry Air Force Base, to the city of Denver. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
DENVER, Colo. -- Team Buckley honor guardsmen prepare for the beginning of a transfer celebration May 31, 2012. The ceremony marked the transfer of the last remaining portion of the former Lowry AFB to the Lowry Economic Redevelopment Authority. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
DENVER, Colo. -- Team Buckley honor guardsmen carry the colors to the stage of Eisenhower Chapel May 31, 2012. The chapel was part of the former Buckley Annex, the last parcel of land of Lowry AFB to be turned over to Denver. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
DENVER, Colo. -- Terry Yonkers, Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics assistant secretary, speaks at a transfer celebration May 31, 2012. The celebration marked the final turn-over of the last 70 acres of former Lowry AFB. Marked for closure during the 1991 Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commision, Lowry is now a sustainable, mixed-use community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
DENVER , Colo. -- Michael Hancock, City of Denver mayor, makes remarks during a transfer ceremony May 31, 2012. The ceremony observed the turn-over of the last parcel of land that was formerly Lowry AFB to Denver. Lowry is a mixed-use community containing open parks, businesses and homes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowel)
DENVER, Colo. – Mary Beth Susman, Denver District 5 councilwoman, gives remarks at the transfer ceremony of the former Buckley Annex May 31, 2012. Buckley Annex is the last parcel of land of Lowry AFB to be turned over to Denver. It will be developed as part of Lowry, a mixed-used community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
DENVER, Colo. – David Herlinger, Lowry Economic Redevelopment Authority Board of Directors chair, speaks at a transfer ceremony May 31, 2012. Since the closure of Lowry AFB in 1994, 1,866 acres have been transferred to the Lowry Economic Redevelopment Authority. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
by Senior Airman Christopher Gross
460th Space Wing Public Affairs
6/6/2012 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The final 70 acres of the former Buckley Annex was given back to the Denver community during a final transfer ceremony June 1.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said the old Lowry Air Force Base was once a thriving hub for the United States Air Force and it members, and is now a vibrant and prosperous residential neighborhood.
Work for the redevelopment process started almost immediately after the closure of the Buckley Annex was announced in 2005, according to Montgomery Force, executive director of the Lowry Redevelopment Authority.
The transfer of Lowry will result in approximately 800 homes with close proximity to parks, schools, jobs and transportation. It's sought to generate almost 700 retail, construction and office jobs and gaining more than $5 million of positive economic growth.
The Honorable Terry Yonkers, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, said he was very impressed with the progress made since the closure of Lowry Air Force Base more than two decades ago.
He described Lowry as unrecognizable after years of redevelopment and said it has been a tremendous success.
"This is the combination now of almost decades of hard work by a whole lot of folks and the community," Yonkers said. "More importantly this is the whole base transfer. You've taken everything that the Air Force had and transferred it by virtually signing the document today over to the redevelopment authority and the general community."
