Twelve finalists, including several area business owners, will interview for Aurora’s Downtown Development Authority Board in early May to form the oversight body for a project to revitalize Colfax Avenue.

Aurora officials received 38 applications for the six board positions, and 32 met the criteria. Of those 32, a nomination committee selected 12 finalists to move on to the interview phase.

Candidates include the business owners of Banh and Butter Bakery Cafe (Thoa Nguyen) and Vanishing West Ciders (Heather Adams), and the CEO of the Village Exchange Center (Amanda Blaurock).

Interviews take place over two days. The first was on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second will happen May 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway.

Both interview days are recorded and community members are invited to attend and provide comments after the interviews.

To be eligible, applicants must live, own property, own a business or work within the district boundary, which is along Colfax between Yosemite and Peoria streets and east 16th and east 14th avenues, according to the city’s boards and commissions webpage.

In November, Aurora voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of a DDA, which is a governmental entity separate from the city and defined by state statute, to oversee the revitalization of Colfax Avenue between Yosemite and Peoria streets. It will be led by a City Council-appointed board.

Aurora City Council members decided in a December meeting that the board will include seven members, including one councilmember. They are allowed to select up to 11 for a DDA board, and city staff recommended leaving space for additional members as plans develop.

New Councilmember Alli Jackson was selected as the council appointee.

Board members will be tasked with overseeing projects and investments under the DDA and ensuring community members and businesses are involved, and that their needs are met throughout the process, the city’s website says.

Core improvement areas for the DDA, as outlined in the Colfax Community Vision and Action Plan, are public safety, business support, housing stability, cleanliness and maintenance, arts and culture and public space.

Following interviews, Mayor Mike Coffman will present six nominees to the council for consideration, and the council will vote on the nominees at a public hearing, according to the city’s website.

Once board members are confirmed, the board will start holding meetings, which will also be open to the public.

More information about the board is available on the city’s website.

The candidates are as follows.

• Thoa Nguyen
• Johnny Watson
• Matthew Horne
• Priscilla Montoya
• Alemayehu Eshete
• Amanda Blaurock
• Matthew Rogers
• Natasha Sztevanovity
• Razz Cortes-Maceda
• Cynthia Moreno Romero
• Katie Goldman
• Heather Adams