As you drive down 4th Street in Grand Junction, Colorado, look to the right at the corner of 4th and Ute. You'll see a City of Grand Junction Land Development Application Pending sign. What's going on?

This project has been in the works for some time. You can probably recall a time when a 100-plus-year-old house stood at this site. Big plans are underway at this vacant lot.

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Corner of 4th and Ute In Grand Junction, Colorado

If you look towards the southwest corner lot at the intersection of 4th Street and Ute Avenue, you'll see this sign.

Application at 4th and Ute in Grand Junction Colorado (2)
Waylon Jordan
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A quick search reveals application SPN-2023-146 was submitted on March 3, 2023. The project's designation is "Mother Teresa Place." The status of the application is "Active."

The precise address is 347 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction, Colorado, 81501.

Application at 4th and Ute in Grand Junction Colorado
Waylon Jordan
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Application at 4th and Ute in Grand Junction Coloradomap (1)
Waylon Jordan / Google Maps / Canva
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What Is 'Mother Teresa Place'?

According to the description at gjcity.org, the project is:

Request approval of [sic] to construct a 3-story, 40 single bedroom apartment building on 0.55 acres in a B-2 (Downtown Business) zone district.

Looking back to November of 2021, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported, "Grand Valley Catholic Outreach continues to move forward on a 40-unit apartment complex called Mother Theresa House in the 300 block of Ute Avenue, which will house the chronically homeless."

Built For Zero

The Daily Sentinel adds the project is part of a nationwide effort called Built for Zero. According to Community Solutions:

Built for Zero is a movement, a methodology, and proof of what is possible. Over 100 cities and counties have committed to measurably ending homelessness for entire populations. Using data, these communities have changed how local homeless response systems work and the impact they can achieve. Together, they are proving that we can build a future where homelessness is rare overall and brief when it occurs.

Other Colorado communities participating in Built For Zero include:

  • Fremont County
  • Western Colorado
  • Roaring Fork
  • Southwest Region
  • Denver
  • Northern Colorado
  • El Paso County
  • Pueblo

What's the backstory About This Grand Junction House?

According to remax.com, the house was built in 1900. It seems during its early years, the structure provided housing for railroad workers. As the son of a Grand Junction railroad worker, I find this awesome.

301 S 4th Street in Grand Junction B
Google Maps
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Completion Date

The application at gjcity.org does not include a projected completion date.

NEXT: Take a Look at the Remodel at Grand Junction's Historic Stranges Grocery

Take a tour of the old Stranges Grocery store at 226 Pitkin Avenue in Grand Junction, Colorado. The building is being renovated as we speak. The new owners are making every effort to preserve as much of the original building as possible.

This building is absolutely amazing. We'll start with a tour of all three floors of the building, and then point out a few interesting changes to the outside of the building you may not have noticed.

NEXT: Grand Junction Business Signs of the 1940s and 50s - Robert Grant Photos

Take a look at business signs from the Grand Junction area through the lens of photographer Robert Grant.

ONE MORE: Classic Photos of the 40s and 50s - Grand Junction Building Things

Take a trip back in time to Grand Junction and the surrounding communities of the 1940s and 50s. These Robert Grant photos focus on crews hard at work building... stuff.

Today, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Colorado's Eisenhower Tunnel. Between that and a colossal pain-in-the buns concrete pour I have going on right now at my house, my mind is very much on construction.

Scan the gallery, and you'll see images of various area construction projects including bridges, schools, and a hospital or two. All photos by late Daily Sentinel photographer Robert Grant.

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