The Colorado Springs (Colo.) Urban Renewal Authority selected Classic Homes in March 2002 as one of two local firms to develop Palmer Village, and the home builder/developer wasted no time promoting the downtown revitalization project.

Palmer Village, a retail/loft community, won't break ground until the spring of 2004, but Classic trumpeted the project the past two summers through a free concert-in-the-park series.

Classic promoted the "Gettin' Down Downtown" concerts by direct mail to residents in their upper-30s to 50s - "our primary demographic," marketing director Annie DeGeorge says - and through local public radio advertisements, church singles groups, large area employers, and community organizations such as Kiwanis and Rotary. Weekly press releases kept local media up to date.

DeGeorge says attendance doubled this year to more than 5,000, and planning for next summer's series is under way.

Project manager Ron Butlin says the plans for Palmer Village call for approximately 2,200 for-sale and apartment residences, with about 15% of the 50- to 60-acre project devoted to retail. DeGeorge estimates the community will take about a decade to build out.