When Phil Farley pulled up outside the newly remodeled Rialto Theater for a meeting one night in early March, he found himself getting a bit emotional.

Looking up at the three-story building from his parking spot on Fourth Street, Farley could see through the windows that city officials, council members and friends were gathered in the brand-new conference room. They were sipping drinks, talking and laughing in the space they had together created.

"It looked just like the architectural rendering," Farley, the director of community relations for the Loveland Community Foundation, said. "This was so important for the revitalization in the community of Loveland. It was a beautiful sight."

If all goes as hoped, more "beautiful" sights are coming to Loveland, though at the moment, walking through the streets of downtown, it's clear a lot remains to be done.

Rehabbed buildngs — like the restored Rialto — sit next to still-sagging storefronts with dated signage and décor.

Loveland, however, has been working hard over the past couple of years to move beyond its past and embrace the future.

This heightened commitment to growth and progress is evident in Loveland's