The Business Times Volume 33 Issue 9

Catholic high school coming to Grand Junction

Tim Harty

The Business Times

Space has been leased for classrooms. A headmaster has been hired. Students are being sought. Money is being raised.

And come August, Grand Junction will have a Catholic high school: Chesterton Academy of St. Carlo Acutis.

Brian Sargent, currently a math teacher at Palisade High School, will be the high school’s headmaster, and he hopes to get 10 to 15 students for the first year. That sounds meager, but other Chesterton academies around the nation have grown enrollments to several hundred students within five to six years from such humble beginnings.

Sargent and Katie Jones, a member of the Chesterton Academy of St. Carlo Acutis Board of Directors, said that is one of the most appealing elements of Chesterton high schools. Existing schools mentor new schools, because they can share what they learned.

“They have the experience to help get a new school started, and that was kind of a huge selling point,” Sargent said. “This is our first rodeo; it’s not theirs.”

“When we came on,” Jones added, “I think they’d already started 58, maybe 60 (high schools in the United States). … And mind you, they don’t go out and seek people to start schools. People come to them to start the schools.”

See story Page 5

Dr.

the

Doubling up the dentistry

Christensen

a

in an

Fruita Family Dental more than doubled its space and staff when it bought the dentistry across the street, Lybrook Medical Center— See Page 2

more space for their growing dental practice.

‘I feel like it was kinda meant to be’

Fruita Family Dental needed

Tim Harty The Business Times

hen Dr. Dane Christensen started thinking about expanding his dental practice, Fruita Family Dental, about a year-and-a-half ago, he experienced something reminiscent of the adage: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

Things were getting cramped after about nine years at 576 Kokopelli Blvd., Suite B, where Christensen’s office did double duty as the server room for the practice’s computer system. And the breakroom? Well, there was no room for a breakroom, because the practice’s growth required four operatories, taking the vast majority of the 1,216 square feet in the suite.

Understating it severely, Christensen said, “We were a very small office.”

So, he started to think about getting into a larger building, maybe purchasing a piece of property to build an office, and doing it within about two years. He said he told his team as much.

more

space,

and

Lybrook

Shortly after Christensen pondered his practice’s future, opportunity literally came to him. Dr. Scott Lybrook, who with his wife, Dr. Carol Lybrook, owned Lybrook Dental Center, across the street from Fruita Family Dental, invited Christensen to lunch. Their conversation centered on a future in which the Lybrooks would sell their dental office and start sauntering toward retirement.

Dental wanted to sell to a dentistry that needed it

Dr. Dane Christensen, photo on the left, bought Lybrook Dental Center from Drs. Carol and Scott Lybrook, photo on the right, on Dec. 29, then moved Fruita Family Dental into the former Lybrook building during the first week of January. All of the employees from both practices were retained, and Christensen said he has hired one dental hygienist since then and is looking to hire another one, which is no easy task. “As you probably know, there’s kind of a shortage of hygienists,” he said. Photo by Tim Harty.

a smaller facility that he has, it just kind of made sense.”

That led to this: Fruita Family Dental as of Jan. 6 is at 551 Kokopelli Blvd., Unit A, after Christensen purchased Lybrook Dental Center and its building on Dec. 29. The 3,372 square feet of space are enough for all of Christensen’s staff and all of the Lybrook Dental Center’s staff, including Scott and Carol Lybrook.

Scott said he plans to work several more years, while Carol is doing dental hygiene full-time until Fruita Family Dental gets another dental hygienist or two. That, Scott said, is “with the hope that she can slow down, scale back to 20 hours a week, or even one day a week or even more. The nice thing is she’s just making herself available for how she’s needed, but she would slow down, maybe even completely, if we found the right person to fill in and see patients.”

Scott Lybrook said the decision to approach Christensen a year-and-a-half ago was a matter of two things: knowing “it was just time to think about slowing down a little bit;” and the good impression he got from Christensen, about 20 years his junior, during brief encounters in recent years.

“I bumped into him personally and professionally at dental meetings and just thought he was a really nice person,” Scott said.

Then came the day he bumped into Christensen and said, “Hey, let’s have lunch.”

And in the back of his mind, Lybrook said he was thinking, “You know, I wonder how his practice is doing. I knew he was … in a really small place. And he’s 20 years younger, and I was just kind of curious if he was thinking about moving into a bigger place. … So, it just, things click together, meeting the right person at the right time. I just feel, actually the best word I can think of is just blessed to kind of bump into the right people at the right time.

“But having the size facility that we have and him having

Similarly, Christensen said, “I feel like it was kind of meant to be. … I think we matched each other’s needs and, I guess, wants. And so we decided to, you know, try to get them a retirement plan, get them on the way to enjoying more of their time out of the office, too, and not have to worry about emergency calls, because I can be here.”

Christensen estimated Fruita Family Dental’s active patients at 1,400 before the purchase of Lybrook Dental Center. Scott Lybrook estimated his dental center’s active patients during the past two years was about 1,800 patients.

And the presence of both Lybrooks figures to keep those patients coming to 551 Kokopelli Blvd.

“We try to let everybody know that Dr. Scott will be staying on, he’ll be staying with us for a few more years as Dr. Carol’s retiring,” Christensen said. “That way patients know they can still see Dr. Lybrook and still have the care that they’ve been used to for all these years from the Lybrooks.

“I admire and I appreciate Scott and Carol. It’s great to have them here. … It’s great to have their support and their encouragement.”

The full staff from each practice remained intact and Christensen said his goal is to be open five days per week to see patients instead of four days. Christensen said as a solo dentist he was working five days per week, but the fifth day was “where you kind of catch up on everything else, like

maintenance of the office, make sure computers are running fine and keep working with IT and talking to accountants and attorneys and figuring everything else out to run the business.”

Christensen acknowledged the first week at the new location was a challenge, in part because of computersystem changes, merging databases and dealing with delays from technology companies at the national level, and he had to serve as the IT guy.

“It’s technology that’s probably been the biggest headache,” he said.

A month-and-a-half into the transition, Christensen said the larger staff is “getting organized, trying to streamline things,” and he was happy to add, “We’re not practicing like every day is the first day.”

Where did all the extra space go?

Fruita Family Dental went from 1,216 square feet to 3,372 square feet when it moved across the street to 551 Kokopelli Blvd., Unit A. It gained desperately needed space and now has seven operatories instead of four.

But things have a way of filling up fast, as Dr. Dane Christensen, who bought Lybrook Dental Center’s dental practice and building, quickly learned.

“All the storage closets, they’re pretty much full,” he said on Jan. 7, the day after officially merging both offices. “Operatories, yesterday we were using all seven of them with the hygienists we had and then me and Dr. Scott (Lybrook) taking care of patients. … I’d say we’re filling up the rooms.” They know the feeling

Drs. Scott and Carol Lybrook know what Christensen was going

through at his much-smaller previous location, having started Lybrook Dental Center in 1998 and soon outgrowing their original space. Their answer to the dilemma was to build the building at 551 Kokopelli Blvd. in 2006.

“It was just really nice to have a new and fresh and big place,” Scott Lybrook said. “And so from 2006 to now, we continued to grow and always had plenty of space.”

The value of a great office manager Christensen spoke highly about all of his staff, but he made sure to heap praise on Cara York, his “amazing office manager.”

He said, “I can’t give enough credit to Cara. She’s been with me now for five years, and if she hadn’t come into my life, I don’t know where I’d be, and this transition would not be possible.”

D51 targets $7M budget reduction

Savings will be realized through administrative, school-staff cuts

Brandon Leuallen The Business Times

Mesa County Valley School District 51 leadership told school board members and the public during its Feb. 17 business meeting that the district is entering what Superintendent Brian Hill called a “new reality” of sustained enrollment decline. That decline is forcing administrative and other staffing reductions as the district works to meet a $7 million budget-cut target for the 2026–27 school year.

Hill said the reductions are necessary planning in response to years of falling enrollment and increasing costs.

Enrollment decline reshaping district

Data show District 51 is down 622 students this year compared with the prior year, a 3.01 percent decline. Since the 2019–20 school year, enrollment has dropped by about 2,766 students, or 12.5 percent.

District leaders identified approximately $4 million in centralized-support staffing and department budget cuts, in addition to $1.8 million already reduced in recent years, according to the projected overall savings slide.

Within her department, one site-director position is being eliminated through attrition, reducing the number of site directors from three to two, and a records-specialist position is being reduced from full-time to half-time.

In Teaching and Learning, the district is eliminating an alternative-licensure-coach position and removing 11 instructional-coach positions from the general fund. Those coaching positions will be restructured and funded through Title I dollars where possible.

In Student Services, reductions include six special-education secretaries, one Severe and Profound Needs, Augmentative and Alternative Communication technician, one adapted physical-education teacher, two special-education specialists, two social workers, one Multi-Tiered System of Support specialist and one behavior-systems-support position. One special-education-coordinator position is being reclassified following attrition.

“We have to plan for no longer being a 22,000-plus-student district, like we were in 2019. We’re now close to a 19,000-student district, and we’re going to drop below that as well.”

— Brian Hill, School District 51 superintendent

The district is currently operating with 38 school-level systemic-staffing equivalents above enrollment-driven needs, costing roughly $3.8 million in general-fund subsidy. Projections for 2026–27 show that number increasing to about 51 school-based staffing equivalents at a projected cost of about $5.1 million.

District 51 Chief Financial Officer Melanie Trujillo told the board the district’s goal is to recoup at least $3.5 million of that projected school-staffing overage, contributing to the overall $7 million reduction target when combined with central office and department cuts.

“Realistically, because of all the unknowns, our target is actually higher than that for next year,” Trujillo said.

Academic Department reductions

Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Marsh outlined the largest share of staffing reductions.

The district is also eliminating the Director of Access, Opportunity and Family Partnerships position. The translators, reach advocates and attendance-case managers and advocates who previously reported to that director will now report to other department leaders.

Marsh acknowledged central-support capacity will decrease, but emphasized the district’s focus remains unchanged.

“Our focus on student outcomes does not change,” Marsh said. “The D51 strategic plan remains our anchor to engage, equip and empower our students, staff and community.”

Operations reductions

Chief Operations Officer Clint Garcia presented maintenance and facilities reductions that include the elimination of a roving-custodian position and the loss through attrition of an irrigation specialist, a carpenter and a plumber.

Garcia said the department will rely more heavily on outsourcing, cross-training staff and expanding xeriscaping to reduce irrigation demands in order to manage workload with fewer employees.

The operations department also identified approximately $103,000 in budget reductions by trimming supplies, reducing underutilized budget lines and tightening contracted services where possible.

Garcia told the board the department reviewed maintenance, facilities and transportation budgets to find areas where spending could be reduced without interrupting essential day-to-day operations.

Human Resources and Finance

Chief Human Resources Officer Nikki Jost said the department is eliminating a volunteer-coordinator position and reducing its budget by about $75,000.

Trujillo said the Finance Department identified about $25,000 in department budget reductions but noted previous rounds of cuts already significantly reduced staffing in that office.

In addition, the district will reduce contracted days for specialists and teachers on special assignments. Specialists will move from 207 to 204 contract days, and instructional coaches will move from 199 to 197 days.

Early-retirement incentive

To reduce layoffs where possible, the district offered an early-retirement incentive and received 63 letters, roughly double what administrators anticipated. The incentive will cost approximately $1.6 million from reserves and is expected to generate ongoing savings depending on how positions are refilled or eliminated.

“That frees up potential openings for folks that might need positions,” Hill said.

Future options

Hill told the board continued enrollment decline means additional structural conversations may be necessary, including the possibility of a mill-levy override and additional school closures.

“We’re running out of areas where we can close and cut,” Hill said. “We’re going to need to potentially go to our community and talk about: How do we better support our school district moving forward through local funds?”

Hill acknowledged the difficulty of the reductions.

“Obviously, this stinks,” he said. “Nobody wants to be in this position to have to cut positions, but it is what it is.” F

Chesterton Academy of St. Carlo Acutis offers classical curriculum, Catholic values

Continued from Page 1

Challenging curriculum

Another major draw to Chesterton is the classical curriculum all of its schools use, and Sargent characterized it as rigorous. For example, four years of math and four years of science are required.

Two years of Latin are required, followed by either two more years of Latin or two years of Spanish.

“The Chesterton School Network has a wonderful curriculum that is sought after,” Jones said, adding Chesterton students as a result are wellprepared for college. “We know that the classical curriculum, how things were taught way back in the start of Western civilization, produces scholars, academics.”

The high school will have daily mass, too.

And Sargent and Jones said students don’t have to be Catholic.

Catholic school in Methodist church

One funny thing about Chesterton Academy of St. Carlo Acutis – Sargent and Jones even chuckled while addressing it – will be where the school is located. Its classrooms are inside the First United Methodist Church, 522 White Ave., in downtown Grand Junction.

“They have a really wonderful facility,” Jones said. “They have a whole upstairs of empty classrooms. They have a downstairs of empty classrooms. And when we found them, they were just like, ‘I think this is gonna be great. We’d like to help you.’ They just sort of invited us in.”

Of course, the hope is Chesterton Academy of St. Carlo Acutis will grow, and fundraising will eventually get the school its own building. Finding future funding

Fundraising, Jones admitted, is not something the Chesterton Academy of St. Carlo Acutis board members are wellversed in, but they’re learning.

“None of us had ever done that,” she said. “We just have asked people, and the response has been wonderful, and support’s been great from the community. We did host a vision dinner and were able to get more donors, and that was kind of our big fundraiser. But we have to continue that.

“It’s kind of like every time you go to the next level, you gain more support. And God love those people that supported us when we had no place. You know, they just see our vision, right?

“And then when we were able to get a facility to rent, and then able to get Brian (Sargent), I mean, it’s a project that builds on itself.”

Chance meeting nets headmaster

Getting Sargent to be the headmaster started with Sargent, an Immaculate Heart of Mary parishioner, attending mass at St. Joe’s Catholic Church. Jones was on hand that day to speak to the congregation about the new Catholic high school, and when she finished,

Want To Learn More?

Interested in becoming a student? Interested in teaching? Interested in donating?

Find more information about Chesterton Academy of St. Carlos Acutis online at chestertonstcarlo.org, email info@chestertonblcarlo.org, call 970-549-0540, or go to its Instagram page.

More work to do

A few major hurdles, such as finding a facility and hiring a headmaster, have been cleared on the path to opening Chester Academy of St. Carlo Acutis in August.

Another major hurdle remains, as headmaster Brian Sargent said, “I think one of our bigger challenges is still going to be finding some part-time faculty for the first year. Down the road, hopefully we’ll have full-time, but for Year Number One, I think that’s going to be a challenge.”

Looking farther down the road, Sargent said, the high school would like to add a class each year, grow enrollment and eventually get its own building.

she sat in front of Sargent. When mass ended, the two talked about the Catholic high school, and Sargent was intrigued.

He said matter-of-factly, “This valley needs a Catholic high school,” and he wanted to be involved with it. He taught at a Catholic high school when he was younger, but when he moved to Grand Junction, that was not an option for him.

“I teach at an amazing high school,” he said of Palisade, but at age 54 he feels called to this new challenge.

“I really feel that we need, our youth needs, something more than what the public schools can give, and this is a great opportunity,” he said.

Two years in the making

Jones said talks about forming a Catholic high school in Grand Junction started to get serious about two years ago, when the Pueblo Diocese approved of the Grand Junction group’s pursuit. Soon after, they applied and got approval from the Chesterton School Network.

Chesterton academies get to choose the saint they want in their school’s name, and the Grand Junction group chose Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006 at age 15 from leukemia and was canonized in April 2025.

“He’s the patron saint of Millennials,” Sargent said. “And the internet,” Jones added.

“I think we chose him,” Jones said, “because he’s a good role model for the youth. He lived his life in an exemplary way that shows that it can be done, and it’s not hard. He was very loved. He had a lot of friends. He was very committed to the poor. He wanted to share the miracles that he was seeing. He was cataloging Eucharistic miracles on the internet. He just lived a very good, virtuous life within the sacraments.”

D51 lobbyist: $600K funding glitch fixed for now

Brandon Leuallen The Business Times

A $600,000 school-finance “glitch” that temporarily threatened Mesa County Valley School District 51’s funding has been corrected through a supplemental bill at the Colorado Capitol, but longer-term budget uncertainty remains, according to the district’s lobbyist.

Amy Atwood, who represents District 51 at the state legislature, told the school board during its Feb. 17 business meeting that the issue stemmed from how “hold harmless” language was written in the new school-finance formula.

“If you remember last time I spoke, we had the glitch or the hold-harmless problem that was found in school finance, where D51 was supposed to be held harmless between the old formula and the new formula,” Atwood said. “And it turned out that the legislation wasn’t written that way. The new school-finance formula wasn’t written the way that everyone intended.”

Atwood said district leaders were alerted to the issue on a Friday afternoon and immediately began working with lawmakers.

“We found that out on a Friday afternoon, activated and worked with Representative (Rick) Taggart. We worked very closely with the Speaker of the House and were able to get that fixed in the supplemental bill that is moving through,” Atwood said.

The supplemental bill, which addresses the current 2025-26 school year, had passed the House and was moving to the Senate at

the time of the board meeting.

“No one has pushed back on the fix for the hold harmless,” Atwood said.

District 51 Superintendent Brian Hill credited Atwood for alerting district leadership early.

“It’s another reason why it’s great having your support, because you were able to give us a heads-up on that before we even got the phone call,” Hill said.

Hill also said the Colorado Commissioner of Education reached out afterward “and was apologetic about the way the information was delivered and, you know, said they’re in our court, and they’re fighting for us as well.”

Atwood told the board the supplemental bill corrects the issue for the current budget year. A parallel correction for 2026–27 is expected to be included in this year’s main school-finance bill.

Atwood said district leaders have commitments from legislative leaders, the Joint Budget Committee and the Colorado Department of Education that the same correction will be carried forward.

“This current year there were only four districts that were impacted; D51 was one of them,” Atwood said. “Next year there’s 12 or 14 districts, so we also have allies.”

While the $600,000 issue has been resolved for now, Atwood cautioned that larger state-budget pressures continue to pose risks to K-12 funding.

“The state budget is still down 850 million to a billion dollars,” Atwood said, adding the most likely outcome for school districts next year is flat funding.

County to hear appeal on Palisade solar project, fire-code interpretation

from the project record.

The Mesa County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing March 10 on an appeal involving a previously approved solar project near Palisade. It’s a case residents say could influence how fire-protection requirements are applied to future industrial development outside established fire districts.

The appeal concerns administrative decision PRO2025-0203 for Pivot Solar 49 LLC and Pivot Solar 69 LLC at 566 38 Road. The Sobre el Rio Homeowners Association filed the appeal Dec. 9, 2025, challenging the county’s interpretation of Land Development Code Section 8.10, which governs fire-protection requirements.

The appeal focuses on whether Mesa County properly applied Section 8.10 in approving the site plan. Specifically, the HOA argues that because the project is located outside a fire-protection district, the code requires annexation into a district or a formal service agreement, and reliance on mutual-aid agreements does not satisfy that requirement. The appeal asks commissioners to uphold the code as written and to remove the County Attorney’s Fire Service Letter

The HOA contends allowing mutual-aid agreements to substitute for annexation or a formal service agreement conflicts with the language of the Land Development Code.

A separate advocacy document, titled Playing with Fire: Pivot Energy in Mesa County, references a Colorado Open Records Act request and cites an internal email from a Pivot executive describing the mutual-aid interpretation as an “elegant solution” that could unlock future development opportunities.

The appeal letter also references statements attributed to Palisade Fire Chief Charles Balkey expressing concern about staffing and equipment capacity for responding to an industrial-scale fire outside the department’s district boundaries.

In addition, the appeal notes Pivot secured land leases for additional proposed projects near the 38 Road site and asserts some of those parcels are also located outside established fire districts.

Public hearing

The hearing is scheduled for March 10, 9 a.m., at the Old Mesa County Courthouse, 544 Rood Ave. in Grand Junction. Members of the public may attend and provide comment during the meeting or submit written comments to the Board of County Commissioners in advance.

Lujan named executive director of United Way of Mesa County

United Way of Mesa County stayed in house for its next executive director, hiring Cassidy Lujan. The Board of Directors of United Way of Mesa County announced the move in a Feb. 19 news release.

Lujan has threeand-a-half years of experience with the organization and most recently served as donor and grants manager.

The board of directors said it conducted a “thorough and intentional hiring process that included a review of organizational priorities for the coming years.” The board selected Lujan, citing her “deep knowledge of United Way’s programs, strong relationships with donors and partners, and a clear, forward-looking vision for strengthening the organization’s impact across Mesa County.”

According to the news release, Lujan demonstrated leadership in her previous roles with United Way of Mesa County and helped expand partnerships and ensure resources were directed where they were needed most. As executive director, she will “focus on growing community investment, increasing collaboration among local organizations and

continuing United Way’s commitment to transparency and measurable impact.”

The board of directors said in a joint statement: “Cassidy has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to our mission and to the people of Mesa County. Her experience within the organization, combined with her energy and vision, make her exceptionally well-suited to lead United Way into its next chapter.”

Faith Rodriguez, who previously served as executive director, said of Lujan’s appointment: “Cassidy brings both heart and strategy to her work, and I am confident she will guide the organization with integrity, collaboration and an exciting vision for the future.”

Rodriguez added, “United Way of Mesa County is in capable hands. Cassidy understands the importance of building trust with donors, strengthening partnerships and ensuring that our work continues to meet the evolving needs of our community.”

Lujan expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “I am honored by the board’s trust and excited to continue serving this community in a new capacity. United Way has a long history of bringing people together to solve local challenges, and I look forward to building on that legacy while exploring new ways to support our neighbors and partners.”

with the Outstanding Chamber Program Award for Large Chambers for its regional workforce initiative, WestSlope Works.

The award goes to chamber programs that demonstrate measurable impact, strategic leadership and the ability to be replicated by chambers across the country. WestSlope Works was selected from among many chamber submissions across the western half of the United States, underscoring the program’s local effectiveness and its national relevance within the chamber industry.

“This award is incredibly meaningful in recognizing the work happening between area employers, partners and the chamber to solve workforce challenges in practical ways,” said Alessandra Muse, director of business development at the Grand Junction Chamber. “WestSlope Works was built to meet businesses where they are, remove barriers and create opportunities that actually work for our region, and this

and Employment (CDLE), WestSlope Works is a regional workforce initiative led by the Grand Junction Chamber to grow and strengthen the talent pipeline across Western Colorado through high-quality, highimpact work-based learning experiences. The program addresses one of the most persistent challenges facing employers today: the gap between workforce needs and available talent.

By intentionally convening employers, educators, workforce partners and community organizations, WestSlope Works helps bridge the divide between education and employment. The program supports businesses in designing meaningful work-based learning opportunities while connecting individuals of all ages to hands-on experiences that build skills, confidence and clear career pathways aligned with industry demand.

To learn more about the WestSlope Works program, visit gjchamber.org/westslopeworks.

commitment to impact.” in a joint consistently commitment to our Mesa County. organization, and vision, well-suited to lead served as appointment: strategy to her guide the collaboration and Way of hands. Cassidy building trust partnerships and meet the for the honored by the continue serving United Way people together look forward exploring new partners.”

New fine-art gallery to open in former Main Street Cafe building

West Winds Gallery of Fine Art announced it will open its “new fine art destination” at 504 Main St. in Grand Junction, former home of Main Street Cafe, with two grand-opening events during the first week of March.

The public is invited to celebrate at each event: the Full Moon Grand Opening on Tuesday, March 3, 5-8 p.m.; and the First Friday Art Walk Celebration on March 6, 5-8 p.m.

Owners Cynthia Duff and husband Greg Tapp said in a Feb. 18 news release they purchased the building at 504 Main St. on Feb. 13, 2025, and “spent the past year completing an extensive remodel to modernize the space and bring it up to current building requirements while preserving its character. The result is a vibrant, welcoming gallery designed to showcase the very best of Western Colorado’s creative talent.”

They added, “West Winds Gallery features a thoughtfully curated collection of fine art and fine craft from many of the valley’s most accomplished artists, offering visitors an inspiring range of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glass, jewelry and more.”

Duff said she brings “regional and national recognition as an artist, along with more than 20 years of experience owning and operating a successful gallery in Nebraska.” She said her background as a working artist and gallery owner gives her an understanding of how to support and highlight fellow creatives, and she looks forward to “creating opportunities for artists and building strong connections between collectors and the region’s dynamic arts community.”

Adding to the experience, guests can enjoy a winetasting bar provided by Sauvage Spectrum Winery in “a relaxed and social atmosphere where art and community meet.” The gallery also hosts Desert Canyon Framing, providing professional custom-framing services on site.

“Our goal is to be more than just a gallery,” Tapp and Duff said in the news release. “We want West Winds to be a gathering place, somewhere people can experience great

art, enjoy a glass of wine and connect with the creative energy of our region.”

Community members, collectors and visitors are encouraged to stop by either opening event to meet the artists, explore the newly renovated space and celebrate the newest addition to downtown Grand Junction’s arts scene.

For more information, follow West Winds Gallery on social media or visit in person during opening week.

Commercial market closes 2025 with strong volume, inventory

The commercial real estate market closed 2025 with solid overall performance, finishing the year 16 percent above 2024 in total closed sales volume. Total commercial sales reached $306.4 million compared to $263.5 million the prior year.

Darah Galvin

Transaction activity remained steady, with 212 commercial sales in 2025 compared to 218 transactions in 2024, representing a modest 3 percent decrease.

While overall volume increased, it is important to note that the $49 million Mesa Mall transaction in July accounted for a significant portion of this year’s total. Excluding that single sale, 2025 volume would have totaled approximately $257.4 million, reflecting a slight 2 percent decrease compared to 2024.

Notable Q4 transactions

Fourth-quarter activity included several significant transactions across multiple asset classes.

Independence Plaza, a 66,568-square-foot multi-tenant office building located at 1048 Independent Ave., sold for $5.5 million on Nov. 19.

The Studio 6 hotel at 704 Horizon Drive sold for $5.67 million on Oct. 15.

The newly opened Starbucks at 2600 Dos Rios Drive traded for $3.6 million on Oct. 29.

Paradise Park Mobile Home Park, a 255-unit community located at 585 25 1/2 Road, sold for $27,452,900.

Westlake Mobile Home Park, a 58-unit property at 830 Independent Ave., sold for $5,789,600.

These transactions reflect continued investor interest in hospitality, retail, office and manufactured-housing assets.

Inventory expands for owners, tenants

Inventory levels increased meaningfully heading into year end. There are currently 257 active commercial listings on the market, up 25 percent from the third quarter and up 23 percent compared to the same period last year. Active lease availability stands at 177 available spaces, down slightly from the prior quarter, but up 6.6 percent year over year.

The increase in listings suggests expanded options for buyers and tenants while also signaling a more competitive environment for sellers and landlords entering 2026.

Permits, development activity show acceleration

One of the most notable shifts in 2025 was commercial building permit activity. Total permits increased 47 percent year over year, rising from 30 permits in 2024 to 44 in 2025.

Much of this growth occurred in the store and mercantile category, including projects such as the new McDonalds on Horizon Drive and the Golden Gate gas station in Whitewater. The rise in permitting indicates renewed confidence in commercial expansion and retail development.

Economic fundamentals remain supportive

County sales-tax revenue reached $56.4 million in 2025, up 3 percent from $54.7 million in 2024 and up 5.4 percent compared to 2023.

This growth occurred despite national consumer sentiment declining 15 percent over the past year, according to the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index. Locally, salestax data suggests continued consumer-spending stability and underlying business resilience.

Outlook

Taken together, these indicators point to a commercial market defined by strong overall sales volume, stable transaction activity, expanding inventory, increased development momentum and continued economic support from sales-tax growth.

For a deeper breakdown of sales trends, leasing activity, development data and market performance by asset class, visit braycommercial.com to download the full Q4 Commercial Market Report. F

Darah Galvin is a data analyst for Bray & Co. – All Things Real Estate.

Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall Email: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com

609 North Ave., STE 5 Grand Junction, CO 81501 (970) 424-5133

The Business Times, a subsidiary of Hall Media Group, LLC is published weekly and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines are available upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers. Copyright © 2026 - All rights reserved.

Just what the doctor ordered, and a little golf with the boys

Yeah, this article is about getting away from the world. And a little bit about how no matter how hard we try, the world has a way of pulling us back in or letting us know it’s still a factor even when you think you’ve escaped, but with a twist.

Fact is, you just can’t get away from it. And in life, the world has funny ways, beautiful ways and some serious ways of reminding us of just that.

And as it goes with all my golf trips, it’s a mixture of all those ways with more than enough evidence. And I’m just writing this at the end of Day 1 after the drive down from the day before. I could have just written there’s nothing you can do about the weather. And yes, that’s a political shot about “global warming.”

But Day 1 certainly wasn’t about global warming. It was golfing in a little over 40 degrees with spitting rain and a pretty fair breeze. In golf terminology, the weather sucked. And yes, we still played the round for the simplest of reasons: We drove more than 500 miles to do it.

But first, let’s go to the drive down where the world reminds us we’re very much a part of it. We did leave a little early, because we knew we’d hit some weather along the way. But even if the drive was a little crazy, Mother Nature took the time in both beauty and pains to show us just how big a factor in life she is. We were barely on the road much traveled (I’ve been taking this late February trip to Mesquite – the poor man’s Las Vegas – for almost all the 26 Februarys I’ve lived in the Junction) to our destination and hit rain mixed with snow before we hit the Utah State line. Thank goodness that portion of weather ended half-way to Green River.

So, the road trip began into the good, the bad and the ugly as they relate to the weather. The drive continued with sunshine for a while, then rain, then snow over the always concerning drive between Green River and Salina. Why is it concerning? Well, all the signs tell you it is, because there are no services for about 150 miles. Lots of reminders. So once again, all hands were on deck for that part of the drive for no reason, as it was, once again, uneventful between Green River and Salina.

But it wasn’t uneventful as far as from my new world point of view. As a matter of fact, when the sun was shining through, the ride was downright stunning in its beauty. Maybe it’s just because of where I’m at (finally) in life and my faith journey that this portion of the ride just looked different. And by different, I mean beautiful.

The San Rafael Swell looked especially swell this trip. The red rock, valleys and canyons of Eastern Utah were extraordinarily pleasing to the eye, and once up top and through the initial miles, heading south on Interstate 15, the fresh coating of snow brightened the beautiful landscape from the valley floor to the mountaintops. Is there anything as beautiful as a fresh snowfall under a bright sun? Well, perhaps one

illuminated by moonlight, but not by much.

Yet, on the final portion of our southern journey it was as if seasons changed before our very eyes as we exited the Virgin River Gorge to budding green scenery to our left and right along the interstate, reminding us that new life on the course was going to greet us at tee times the next day. With spring golf and green fairways still a month or two away back home, what a wonderful reminder of why we made the trip.

Why am I writing this? And how does this show in any way how it’s impossible to escape the world?

To me, it’s a way to tell you why you shouldn’t want to escape the world. The beauty that God created to surround all of us on a daily basis shouldn’t be taken for granted or as simply background to the problems, toil or tragedy we face daily. Life will always be full of events, people and the unanticipated taking their toll. But aren’t these easier to make our way through if we also see beauty among the ugliness?

Frankly, I wish I had the vision (literally) to write this decades ago. But to be honest, I couldn’t see how.

And even though the weather didn’t cooperate in a beautiful way our first round (I’d write about the other rounds if deadline was a day or two later) of golf with a frigid temperature, overcast clouds and rain, there was still beauty to behold in a few golf shots and the course itself. But then, as only the world can do, it reared its head to bring back the other side of reality.

On the final hole with slippery cart paths, two of the boys had a cart go over a curb and flip. Sadly, the result was two shaken and achin’ players. One under watch with his aches and the other with a couple of broken ribs – on whom the aches are a given. So, there’s the world’s reminder it can be harsh, even among its beauty. There’s no escaping it.

More beautiful in the tragic event: men who have been friends for decades concerned for their compadres, freeing two buddies from the tipped over golf cart, going to the emergency room, providing safe and supportive (yes, us elders need physical assistance when we hurt ourselves) transit from the hospital to the pharmacy and back to the hotel, and just doing the stuff that needs doing when friends need it done.

In life you just learn in time (how and when is up to how much one pays attention to the planet) that when it’s time to do something a friend needs, you drop what you’re doing and do it.

I’m just saying beauty all depends on how you look at what the world gives.

In Truth and freedom. And a birdie here and there.

Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com

n Local United Country office recognized as market leader

United Country Real Estate Real Colorado Properties has been named the No. 5 office in the nation among nearly 500 offices in the United Country Real Estate network, according to a news release from Grand Junction-based Real Colorado Properties.

The ranking places the brokerage among the most successful real estate offices in the country, spotlighting its rapid growth, strategic innovation and leading-edge marketing in one of real estate’s most competitive segments.

Meanwhile, agent Julie Piland with $28.4 million in sales in 2025 was the No. 10 agent in the whole company out of more than 4,500 agents nationwide. Also among the top 50 United Country agents and the top 1 percent nationwide were Real Colorado Properties’ Caitlin Lucchesi (32nd) and Valerie Siler (41st).

“Their individual achievements are a driving force behind our office reaching No. 5 in the country, and a reflection of the exceptional level of service and local expertise our clients have come to expect from United Country Real Colorado Properties,” said Omar Richardson, co-owner of Real Colorado Properties.

“The results from Real Colorado Properties this year were nothing short of remarkable,” said Mike Duffy, president of United Country Real Estate. “At a time when the market continues to evolve quickly, they have not only outperformed other offices, but they’ve also set a new benchmark for excellence. Their team is driven, client-focused and always pushing to find smarter, more effective ways to serve buyers and sellers.”

United Country Real Colorado Properties grew by 11 percent over the previous year and ranked among the top 1 percent of United Country offices nationwide.

“Our mission from Day One has been to create a brokerage that delivers unmatched visibility for local listings, offering national marketing with local expertise,” Richardson said. “We’ve been working on expanding our local reach by opening offices in Craig, Delta, Montrose and Rifle alongside our flagship location in Grand Junction. We now service six Western Colorado counties and surrounding areas.”

To contact United Country Real Estate Real Colorado Properties call 970-256-9700 or email info@RealColoradoProperties.com. Listings are available at www.RealColoradoProperties.com.

n 3 Coldwell Banker agents get Circle of Distinction Awards

Coldwell Banker

Commercial Prime Properties recognized the accomplishments of several of its agents who received the company’s 2025 Circle of Distinction Awards. The honor is bestowed upon the top-ranking producers among all CBC-affiliated professionals based on their transaction revenue for 2025.

Mike Foster attained the Platinum level of the Coldwell Banker Commercial Circle of Distinction, presented to agents who produce a minimum of $700,000 in Closed Adjusted Gross Commission Income.

Jen Pedersen attained the Silver level of the Circle of Distinction, presented to agents who produce between $350,000 and $499,999 in Closed Adjusted Gross Commission Income.

Sheri Heath attained the Bronze level of the Circle of Distinction, presented to agents who produce between $200,000 and $349,999 in Closed Adjusted Gross Commission Income.

n Connect For Good nonprofit board fair set for March 10

Board Connect, a nonprofit board-matching fair hosted by Connect for Good, is returning to Grand Junction for a second year. Held for the first time on the Western Slope in 2025, Board Connect brings together local nonprofits and community members for meaningful, one-on-one conversations about nonprofit board and committee service.

The board fair will take place March 10, 4-6:30 p.m., at the Clifton Community Center, 3270 D 1/2 Road in Clifton. Attendance is free to community members looking to learn more about board service and other volunteer leadership opportunities at several nonprofit organizations in the Grand Valley.

Community members interested in attending the free fair are encouraged to learn more online at www.connectforgood.biz/board-connect. Attendee advance registration is encouraged, but not required.

“Nonprofits are critical to a thriving, connected community, but they can’t do it alone,” Connect for Good founder Porcia Chen Silverberg said. “They need new energy, fresh perspectives and community-minded individuals at their board table. This board fair will help local organizations increase visibility for their mission and help them recruit potential new board members and volunteers.

“On the flip side, community members new to the idea of serving on a board, and those who already have experience and are looking for a new opportunity, can come to the event, which will help them explore, connect and discover what’s possible in their own back yard.”

Nonprofits interested in having an exhibitor table can sign up online at www.connectforgood. biz/board-connect. Exhibitor fees are: $50 for members of the local nonprofit coalition Community Impact Council, the event’s title sponsor; and $100 for non-CIC members.

Thanks to Alpine Bank, one nonprofit exhibitor will receive a $1,000 donation through a drawing at the event.

returning in 2025, meaningful, Community Center, looking to learn nonprofit

to learn registration is it alone,” energy, fresh will help new board and those the event, back yard.” www.connectforgood. coalition members. donation

collections princess, a His cartoon alone as the work stores. The Colorado shopping stores, authors participating writers authorsingrocerystores.com.

Sky Peak Engineers University of Missouri innovation and Institute of engineers whose leadership influence of his McIntosh, that enable greater service Sky Peak parking formerly housed When the said the lot on-campus