Westerly named MAME Community of the Year in Colorado

ERIE, Colo. — Westerly, Southern Land Company‘s nearly 800-acre master planned community in Erie, has been named Community of the Year by the Denver Marketing and Merchandising Excellence Awards.

The MAME Awards, presented annually by the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, honor the industry’s top people, projects and spaces. The Community of the Year award recognizes the strongest overall marketing and community presentation. Judges evaluate design sensitivity to natural or created environments, architectural appeal, use of space and materials, amenities, landscape, signage and overall sales success.

“The awarding of Community of the Year to Westerly is an incredible testament to our team’s unique approach to thoughtful design and hospitality,” said Brian Sewell, president and chief operating officer of Southern Land Company. “At Westerly, we prioritize walkability and open spaces, elevated architecture, quality craftsmanship and a curated lifestyle, ensuring homeowners and residents feel at home and connected to their community.”

Westerly also earned a MAME Award in the Best Video category for a brand marketing video. Two team members received individual honors: Ben Smith, purchasing and operations manager, was named Purchasing Professional of the Year, and Shelbie Gehle, new home sales counselor, was recognized for her home sales in 2024-2025.

When fully built, Westerly will include about 3,100 homes across a traditional neighborhood layout. More than 290 acres will be dedicated to parks and open space. The southern portion of the development, located at the southwest corner of County Road 5 and Erie Parkway, welcomed its first homeowners in 2023. It will feature approximately 1,300 homes from DRB Homes, McStain Neighborhoods and SLC Homes, Southern Land Company’s in-house homebuilding division.

Residents currently enjoy the Waypoint, a wellness-focused amenity center with a resort-style pool, 17-seat hot tub, fire pits and more than 6,100 square feet of indoor amenities, including a fitness studio, workspaces and a community room. A dedicated lifestyle manager coordinates regular programs and events.

Southern Land Company expanded its Erie footprint in 2023 by acquiring a 391-acre parcel known as North Westerly. The land, located between Erie Parkway, County Road 10, County Road 5 and County Road 7, was approved for rezoning in July 2025. The rezoning reduced density, a change the company sought to align with its planning standards that emphasize housing diversity, mixed uses, walkability and ample open space.

Preliminary plans for North Westerly include single-family homes, townhomes, live-work units, multifamily housing and active-adult villas. The community will feature more than 50 acres of parks and open space, over 7 miles of trails, up to 150,000 square feet of commercial space and significant infrastructure improvements. A second, larger amenity center is planned and will be integrated with a village-style retail district.

Southern Land Company will also contribute to wider community improvements. The company plans upgrades to County Road 5 and Erie Parkway, will fund improvements to County Road 7 and will provide 22 acres and $7.7 million to the Town of Erie for two neighborhood parks. In addition, SLC will donate 12.5 acres within Westerly to the St. Vrain Valley School District for a walkable middle school site.

SLC’s Colorado portfolio includes Arden Karl’s Farm in Northglenn, as well as past developments such as Centric LoHi and Bespoke Uptown in Denver and REVE Boulder in Boulder. The company’s master planned communities in other states include Westhaven and Fairington in Tennessee, Lunaroya in Texas, Tucker Hill in Texas and Mare Island in California.