Two old Victorian houses east of downtown Colorado Springs where the Trails and Open Space Coalition has been based for at least a decade reflect the essence of the residential lots known as the Sustainacenter.

Look closely and you’ll see a barrel catching rainwater, which is saved for thirsty native vegetation planted in the yard for beautification and education, for instance.

But the Sustainacenter, formerly a hub for the city’s sustainability program and in recent years offices for seven independent nonprofits, will be no more. 

The organizations are being booted as part of a reduction in expenses to fill this year’s $31 million budget gap. Along with layoffs, furlough days, closure of a community center and operational savings, the city is divesting the properties.

County records show they are collectively assessed at a valuation of about $1.2 million.

“The city is pursuing the sale of two city-owned houses on Boulder Street that have previously been rented to nonprofit organizations,” Colorado Springs Deputy City Manager Ryan Trujillo said in a statement.

“As part of last year’s budget process, the city evaluated where it could better focus on core responsibilities. The Boulder properties were identified as an opportunity to exit the business of being a landlord while also generating additional revenue for the city.”

Tenants have until June 30 to vacate their spaces at 702 and 704 E. Boulder St., according to a letter organizations recently received.

“It’s a bummer for all of us,” said Glenn Carlson, executive director of the Trails and Open Space Coalition. “None of us are happy about it, but the city has a giant budget deficit, so we understand that tough choices have to be made, and we don’t hold any ill will.”

The city acquired the two homes on Dec. 30, 1986, and has used the properties for different purposes. The most recent city department that was on site, the Office of Sustainability, no longer exists, though some of its programs have continued under other divisions, said city spokesman Max D’Onofrio. 

But the houses won’t revert to traditional home ownership.

The city intends to issue a request for proposals for the properties to be conveyed to an entity that can fulfill a community benefit, D’Onofrio said. 

That could mean a proposal focused on education, philanthropic endeavors, youth camps, business connections and similar services, he said. 

“The city believes there is significant public benefit to the continuation of community services at this location,” D’Onofrio said.

The city would sell the properties but add a caveat to the purchase agreement that the buyer would need to use them for the pre-determined purpose that would benefit the community.

The city does not have such a model, though Meadows Park Community Center, which the city closed permanently last October to save money, could be operated, leased or sold to another entity, D’Onofrio said.

Some of the seven organizations have been occupying the space on East Boulder Street for free. How much that has added up to as an expense for the city was not made available.

Carlson said the forced relocation has prompted the nearly 40-year-old Trails and Open Space Coalition to pursue a long-term goal of buying its own building.

“We have plans for future growth and expansion, so it’s a good time to leave the nest,” he said.

The coalition started looking for a new office last year, and leaders have narrowed the selection to two as yet unnamed properties also on the periphery of downtown.

“We’re probably going to make an offer in the next month,” Carlson said.

There also could be room for some of the other Sustainacenter organizations to rent space there.

“We’re keeping the idea open of having additional offices or flex space for other partners to use, if we’re able to make that happen,” Carlson said.

Other organizations currently at the Sustainacenter are the Fountain Creek  Watershed District, which manages repairs to the stormwater and drainage system and creeks that affect the area; Concrete Coyote, offering outdoor public art programs for youth; Hey Neighbor, formerly the Council of Neighborhood Organizations that supports neighborhood connections; Kids on Bikes, which provides bikes and education to youth; a local chapter of the Colorado Native Plant Society, dedicated to studying, conserving and teaching about the state’s native flora; and the Mid Shooks Run Community Garden, a volunteer-led nonprofit that provides 40 separate garden plots, a food forest and education.

The move is a blow for the Fountain Creek Watershed District, said Mary Wilson, outreach coordinator.

The camaraderie that’s developed between the like-minded organizations at the Sustainacenter has been beneficial, she said, as staff can run up or down the stairs or next door and bounce ideas around. They’ve also cooperated on projects, such as outdoor landscaping and promoting events.

“All of us operate with limited boundaries and resources, and this place is more than a building, it’s a cool hub where we share a lot.”

In looking for another place to set up shop, Wilson said her organization has realized that cubicles and flickering fluorescent lights are not conducive to the type of work it does.

“Along with having to think about the cost and sharing space with others, we’re losing this atmosphere,” she said. “These buildings are older, but they have a homey feeling. We have elements that will be hard to re-establish in a different location.”

But Wilson has faith that the unexpected change will work out. “The missions will continue for all of us; they might look a little different and take a little longer.”