A Decade of Downtown Development in Castle Rock, CO

Grace Photography

Confluence Cos., a Colorado real estate firm, has spearheaded the revitalization of downtown Castle Rock, transforming it into a hub of prosperity. Resident Tony DeSimone founded Confluence in 2006, and as he began to tackle real estate developments, he saw a need for such progress in downtown Castle Rock, CO.

“I was seeing a lot of downtown stores and restaurants go out of business, so I acquired land to develop the Riverwalk area along Wilcox Street,” DeSimone says. “Now, ever since 2015, several projects have kept downtown Castle Rock advancing.”

From the Army to Castle Rock

DeSimone is originally from New Jersey. His ties to Colorado began in the 1990s when he was stationed at the U.S. Army post at Fort Carson near Colorado Springs. “I eventually met my wife, Amy, who grew up in the Castle Rock area,” he says. “After traveling the world, we left the military in 2005 and decided to make our home in Castle Rock.”

Courtesy of Confluence Cos.

DeSimone’s first major development project was the Riverwalk at Castle Rock, which features 230 apartment units, office space and retail. “A major goal of Riverwalk was to establish a walkable downtown district that was dynamic seven days a week,” DeSimone says.

Encore and Riverwalk Luxe

After the Riverwalk at Castle Rock, Confluence began the Encore project, a seven-story building on Wilcox Street near Town Hall. Encore was completed in 2022 with 124 for-sale condominiums along with retail shops on the first floor. Confluence then undertook a third downtown project – the five-story Riverwalk Luxe, which opened in 2024. “It has commercial space on the first floor, offices on the second floor, then three stories of luxury apartments above that,” he says.

The Brickyard

Today, Confluence is embarking upon The Brickyard. This mixed-use project is just west of downtown on property previously home to Acme Brick. It will be anchored by a new Castle Rock Sports Center. Further additions will include the luxury Hotel Castle Rock, six restaurants, office space and 384 residential units. “I hope we are a catalyst for more good things to come,” DeSimone says.