Montezuma Fuller Alley

Named in honor of the American architect, Montezuma Fuller (1858-1925), this alley was designed to accommodate full vehicular access and was completed in 2010.  Running parallel to S. College Avenue on the East side, this alley connects E. Mountain Avenue to E. Oak Street with a spur toward Remington Street.  The alley features consolidated trash enclosures, vibrant public art, hanging flower baskets, and festive Tivoli lights lending itself to feeling clean, safe, and welcoming.

Montezuma Fuller was a well-known and prolific carpenter, architect, contractor, and builder in and around the Fort Collins area from 1881 until his death in 1925. He built primary residences, schools, business blocks, and churches. Rather than adhering to any particular architectural style, his designs tended to be representative of what was popular at the time, including Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival. A highlight of his career was designing the Avery Block, completed in 1897, and built to house the First National Bank.

Montezuma Fuller Alley is brought to life with a plethora of public art. The City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program worked in cooperation with the Downtown Development Authority to create 20 unique granite pavers with a “Sustainability” theme that were illustrated by Fort Collins youth. Installed on the ground, the pavers are placed throughout the alley, inviting pedestrians to explore and discover these gems hiding in plain sight. Painted in 2018, as part of the Fort Collins Mural Project, a small storage building is adorned with a colorful mural co-created by Travis Gillan and Abram Aleo. 

The alley also features several Transformer Cabinet Murals. The Transformer Cabinet Mural Project was started in 2004 as a collaboration between the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program and Utilities Light and Power. Serving as a graffiti abatement program, the murals help lower maintenance costs while adding bright colorful art in unexpected places. The program also helps keep the investment local by utilizing local artists and non-profit groups to paint the cabinets.