What’s the Status of Fort Collins’ Proposed Food Truck Park?

Food truck rallies happen weekly during the summer in Fort Collins, but in the off-season, it can be hard to find where these mobile eateries are parked for the day.

A proposed idea submitted to the City of Fort Collins would create a permanent space for local food trucks to park, providing a consistent location where their customers can find them.

In April 2023, the city received a request from the Crisafulli Group to develop a permanent food truck market in a vacant lot at 799 North College Avenue. The site is directly west of North College Avenue and .10 miles north of East Vine Drive.

The vision for the property includes a food truck market concept with permanent indoor dining and commercial space paired with lodging made up of micro A-frame cabins. Access to the park would be from North College Avenue, directly to the east.

Besides food trucks having somewhere permanent to park, the "home base" would provide a low overhead for these mobile vendors. In today's real estate market, more food industry entrepreneurs are moving towards mobile models, like food carts and trucks.

The indoor space would be designed with an open concept, where food truck patrons can sit down and eat right after ordering. This would also help to solve some of the seasonality challenges that the city's food trucks face. In addition to a designated space for a cafe, the dining hall would offer two half bathrooms and a commissary kitchen.

As laid out in the proposal, the third section of the development would feature nine micro A-frame cabins to create a unique overnight lodging experience. The developers plan to utilize a company similar to drop structures. The lodging experience will be enhanced by the ability to have food options on-site with the food truck market, while also being seamlessly connected to the city’s trail system, parks, river, and Old Town.

The lot would also undergo some sprucing up with a full landscape makeover. The design illustrates adding a canopy, as well as new shrubs and bushes throughout the lot.

One of the challenges the developers are facing is the potential risk of flooding, however, they are prepared to create a plan to combat this potential threat.

The goal is to create a place where local entrepreneurs will thrive, visitors will love, and in which the city will be proud.

It's been about 10 months since the proposal was submitted. City planners are still reviewing the project application.