Brad Buchanan, a former architect, rancher and the current CEO of the National Western Center Authority, just got a second job: interim head of Community Planning and Development.
This will be his second time at the helm of the department.
Mayor Mike Johnston announced Buchanan would be taking over for Manish Kumar, who is leaving the role Friday after 13 months on the job.
“Having served as Executive Director from 2014 to 2018, Brad knows the agency and the team extremely well,” Johnston said in a statement. “His deep expertise in Denver’s permitting and development processes gives me full confidence in his ability to guide CPD forward as we continue overhauling our permitting processes and delivering services to our community.”
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As planning director, Buchanan headed up the city’s Blueprint Denver land use and transportation project. He was in the role when the city voted to approve a massive expansion of the National Western Center. He then left the city to lead the National Western Center Authority.
The authority, independent of the city, oversees one of the largest redevelopments in town and collaborates regularly with the planning department. Now, Buchanan will lead both organizations, at least for a while.
The news comes a day after Buchanan passed a major milestone for the National Western Center project. The Denver City Council approved $812 million in funding for an equestrian center, hotel, parking garage and community space on the National Western Center campus.
The city will begin a new search for a full-time planning director. The search that resulted in Kumar’s hiring took about a half-year.
Buchanan was not immediately available for comment. He starts June 10.
