Mitigating the blight caused by an arson fire at the former Hitching Post Inn is a high priority community benefit of the West End Neighborhood.

The West End Neighborhood mixed use development is an ambitious one but meets a variety of community needs.

At the current time, the project is indefinitely postponed. There have been a number or changes as the project has evolved. The most recent being asbestos mitigation in some of the buildings that resulted in condemnation.

Plans continue to develop in the West End of Cheyenne, Wyoming consistent with the approved Missile Driver Corridor Plan.

The proposed project includes the former Hitching Post Inn site and adjacent city sports / recreation property.

The West End Neighborhood project targets a large affordable housing need in Cheyenne. The vast majority of those needing housing will be those households who earn between 0 and 80% of the county’s Median Family Income. The project will work with Habitat for Humanity and the Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA) programs for first-time home buyers.

Based on a 2017 housing needs survey completed by the WCDA, Laramie county has 9,520 substandard housing units and based on incremental growth, an additional 4,074 dwelling units will be needed by 2020. Out of this need

WCM envisions a project positioned to target those wishing to incorporate more creativity in their business and day-to-day lives seeking to build equity in them selves or improving their housing situations. From a larger community perspective, the project supports and implements Cheyenne and Laramie County community development goals by enhancing the social and cultural experience for current and future residents through a mixed-use creative intentional community and possibly improving blighted property – the Hitching Post Inn site. The project also nurtures economic development by providing housing for primary jobs and also space for local low-impact businesses to expand and entrepreneurs to flourish.

Based on a 2014 economic development report by Cheyenne LEADS and a 2017 report by the Wyoming Community Development Authority there is a big need for housing, particularly affordable housing in Cheyenne and Laramie County.

The WCDA offers down payment assistance programs for affordable housing and first time home buyers.

The West End Neighborhood offers the full range of benefits to Cheyenne with regards to affordable housing as a key economic development objective:

• Available housing for all income groups helps a community retain jobs and retail stores, and helps business owners attract and retain quality and reliable workers.
• The job creation and expansion impact is strongest if workers reside in the community. Employees are able to live near employment centers and thus are better able to report to work on time and have time to improve their job skills or get an education.
• Improves ability of communities and businesses to attract and retain workers.
• For a community, housing ties people together. It fosters a sense of place and local identity. It plays an important role in a economic sustainability and development.
• New construction and management of a property creates new employment and generates multiple ripple effects that strengthen the local economy.
• Workforce housing creates a more stable environment for children and helps them perform better in school.
• Enables lower-wage earners to get into a home and begin building equity. A house payment is generally less expensive than rent, which increases disposable income.
• Helps improve distressed areas and strengthen community and neighborhood pride.
• Increases property values and property tax revenue to communities.
• Creates family stability since wage earners work nearby and not commuter-distance away.
• Housing plays a key role in individual welfare and often represents the single-largest family expense/investment.

The project meets this housing need through a mixed-use development consisting of owner occupied and rental, universally-accessible senior and intergenerational cohousing dwelling units – detached and duplexes, civic and community spaces and appropriate retail that would support the community such as a coffee shop, offices, live-work options. A site map is attached.