The future redevelopment of the historic
Union Station building in downtown Denver into the
central hub for the FasTracks transportation
system has been assured and advanced by the award
of $304 million in loans by the U.S. Department of
Transportation. The funds amount to 64% of
the total cost for the
redevelopment.
A new mixed-use development has been
announced for the area west of South Broadway
and West Jewell Avenue by real estate investor Jon
Cook. To be known as The Lumberyards,
construction of the site is to begin in 2011 with
an 8-story building that will have an upscale
restaurant on the base floor and residences above
that is to be followed later by buildings that
will add office, residential, retail and
restaurant space.
King Soopers reports plans to open a new
"expanded selection" grocery store on the former
Cub Foods site at Leetsdale/Cherry Street in late
2010.
The 78,000 SF store will have 3 to 8 shops
nearby.
The grocery has no plans for changes at
either the Leetsdale/Monaco or Belcaro
stores.
The 4550 Cherry Creek luxury apartment
building at 4550 Cherry Creek Drive South in
Glendale has been purchased for $52 million or
$180,555/unit for 288 units in 24 stories. The
building sold in 2005 for $78 million
Mickey Zeppelin and Alan
Brown propose changes to an existing PUD for the
remaining land at the Greenhouse Condominiums at
Alameda Avenue/Harrison Street that would
incorporate the new form based zoning code planned
for the entire city. Phase One of the development
was built in the 1980s and sold as
condominiums. Phases 2,
3 and 4 will encompass the rest of the block
bounded by Alameda/Harrison/Jackson/Cedar. The
Cherry Creek East Neighborhood Association
approved the rezone by a close vote and is in
discussion with the developers for an agreement
that incorporates the new Denver Zoning Code and
addresses some community concerns. More
at
http://zeppelinplaces.com and
http://www.alanebanbrownarchitects.com/Transfer/GREENhousePresentationWeb.pdf
The Cherry Creek North Business
Improvement District is revisiting the idea of
allowing a small number of cars through Fillmore
Plaza as it redevelops the streetscape in the
area.
Property
owners on either side of Fillmore Plaza have
approached nearby neighborhood leaders about the
possibility of opening the plaza as a "hybrid"
street with narrow lanes meandering through the
mall and adaptable to pedestrian oriented events
by blocking traffic occasionally.
The
BID presented its plans to the Cherry Creek
Steering Committee. Of the $18.5 million
authorized, after "soft costs" the BID will have a
net $14 million to spend over the 16 block
business area of Cherry Creek North. $1.8
million is planned for Fillmore Plaza.
The BID Board responded to
objections to any change by the Cherry Creek North
Neighborhood Association by authorizing study of
the alternative plan while moving forward with the
existing plan for a pedestrian mall. Western
Development and The Sturm Group, owners of the
blocks on either side of the mall have hired
Studio Insight to investigate how the block could
function as a "Heart of CCN, and also accommodate
limited vehicular traffic. The plan would allow
for BID-designated closures for festivals or
occasions. Street materials and stepped
transitions would delineate street and pedestrian
areas.
The BID would enter into an
intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of
Denver and the block would continue to remain a
public right-of-way.
Wayne New, president of
the CCNNA said that Fillmore Plaza is the only
open space in the BID and is a unique pedestrian
feature in the community. He said
that no public investment has been made in
Fillmore Plaza or the rest of the BID in the last
20 years, so the condition of the streetscape in
the BID and the mall has deteriorated,
discouraging pedestrian use. In 2006
when this issue was last discussed, the CCN
residents overwhelming support the plaza as open
space and feel that the current BID improvement
plan for Fillmore Plaza will bring vitality and
life back to the plaza. New
suggested that the Fillmore Plaza issue be
addressed in the Cherry Creek Plan update process
along with other related issues. If the BID
Board approves the plan for a "hybrid" street
through the plaza it will host an open house and
the CCNNA will hold public meetings allowing
developers and the BID to describe plans for the
Plaza.
Denver
City Council Member Jeanne Robb mentioned that, if
the issue goes forward, then a City Council vote
would be necessary for the street and an IGA. She says,
"I do
realize that keeping Cherry Creek a vibrant area
is good for the retailers, good for the
surrounding neighborhoods, and good for the City,
so I'm always open to public discussions of this
"symbiotic" relationship, especially considering
these tough economic times. But to
really reopen the plaza/limited street discussion,
I'll need to see considerable community support
because it wasn't there last time we discussed
this issue. "
Bike sharing is coming to Denver. Denver
B-cycle is a bike-sharing system operated by
Denver Bike Sharing that will establish 40-50 Bike
Stations with 400-500 bikes, in central Denver
including 4 stations in Cherry Creek and 3 to 4 at
the University of Denver. Bike
sharing is a safe, inexpensive way to improve
personal mobility and reduce urban congestion and
pollution. Obtain an
early registration price after March 1st
at:
Cherry Creek locations include: Cherry
Creek Shopping Center - adjacent to the bike path,
the Seasons Apartments - Ellsworth /Madison, Gart
Properties office building- 299 Milwaukee and
Liberty Savings Bank -
3rd/Columbine. DU
locations include: Nagel Hall, Driscoll Center and
the RTD Light Rail Station
The Denver Post reports that a Cherry Creek
home was chosen as the ninth most romantic
home on the market in the United States by
TopTenRealEstate
The 7,066-square-foot home at 478 St. Paul
St. is listed for $5.7 million. The real
estate website reviewed thousands of home listings
and talked to real estate agents across the
country to rank America's 10 most romantic homes
for sale, based upon location, design, features,
history and beauty. According
to the website, "This Colorado modern masterpiece
has everything to make your valentine's weekend
special."
Correction
of our last issue from David Steel: Western
Development is not owned by Phil Anschutz. The
company is actually owned by Phil's son Christian,
Roy Kline and David. Also, David adds to the
restaurant moves and openings mentioned last
month.
Over the Christmas holidays the Eggshell
moved from its long time 3rd/Josephine
location to the former Mel's space at 235
Fillmore. Steel says, "They're open and doing a
great business."
Denver
Council Member Marcia Johnson reports that the
Denver City Council has approved a Planned
Building Group for the Lowry Vista land on the
north side of East Alameda Avenue across from the
Windsor Gardens Senior Apartments near
Aurora. The
78 acre site is just west of the Common Ground
Golf Course and overlooks a large open
space/detention area. The site
is now approved for up to 605,000 SF of retail,
office and hotel uses, with 847 residential units
and 16 acres of open space. More
at:
http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/76/documents/5News2010February.pdf
And the Wellshire Inn has finally signed
a new lease and started renovation.
After over 35 years of operation, in
early 2009, partner's Lawrence Atler and Howard
Torgove, the food and beverage concessionaires at
the City owned Wellshire Golf Course closed the
Wellshire Inn's main restaurant and banquet rooms
and converted the facility to The Wellshire Event
Center.
During 2009, Phase One of a planned
three-stage renovation was completed while holding
special events for up to 200 guests in the
"magnificent, nearly 100-year old Tudor structure"
- weddings, corporate meetings, bar mitzvahs,
memorial services, club meetings and charity
events.
The event center, Golfer's Pub and on-course
concession remain open while general manager,
Chris Schild, oversees Phase Two. A glass
enclosed, heated and air-conditioned Mountain View
Pavilion will seat up to 250 guests with
"spectacular views" overlooking the golf course
and Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.
Construction of the pavilion, a new
entryway and a remodeled front patio are expected
to be completed by May.
Phase Three will include an
enclosed western patio overlooking the 9th green
for events up to 350 guests and extensive
renovation of the Golfer's Pub and adjoining
patio, all to be completed in 2011-2012. Penny
Parker in the Post quotes Torgove as saying this
will be Denver's Tavern on the Green. To book
events call Todd Seymour or Kristen Loika
303-759-3333.
