by Mark Smiley | Oct 24, 2014 | Main Articles
Merchants Suffer From Construction, Traffic And Parking Woes;
Will There Be Healing During The Holidays?
by Phil Kummer
Delirious development plus the University-Josephine storm sewer system and street project through Cherry Creek are aimed at creating a rebirth of this upscale area. Yet after suffering through nearly a year of parking and traffic turmoil plus shopping setbacks there are a few signs of healing as the holiday season draws near.
Furthermore, the half-built building boom has businesses seeing mounting monetary scars while some have abandoned the area altogether. “Often it has been easier to spot cranes soaring overhead than shoppers on the streets and in stores,” said Beth Saper of Little Feet, the family-owned footwear fashions store for kids located in The Plaza at Cherry Creek on the west side of University Blvd. Many local businesses have been impacted and the rippling effect goes beyond the area bounded by 1st and 3rd Avenues and University to Steele Streets or the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
Hayley Morris, store manager of Ten Thousand Villages — a national non-profit that promotes artisans from around the world — says that construction has impacted sales. “Foot traffic, which is critical to the store, is down 25 percent compared to before construction,” she reveals. Due to the resulting loss of business the store, located on 3rd Ave. next to the 250 Columbine construction project, has increased store hours is are now open on Sunday. They also organized a fundraiser — Art for Artisans — to recoup some of the lost revenue from previous months. Hayley is hopeful nonetheless that during November and December customers will return for the holiday shopping.
Busting Business
The Cherry Creek Whole Foods store sandwiched between the University-Josephine projects began feeling the effects last February. Due to a dramatic revenue drop, 50 employees were transferred to other stores or in some cases chose to leave the company. Sharon Wilkinson, the store’s Greater Denver Area Marketing Team Leader, gives the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District high marks for setting up meetings with the city and in particular with Mayor Michael Hancock at the beginning of the infrastructure project. Those meetings resulted in certain noise restrictions being lifted to allow for a quicker construction pace. Even so, the length of the project and the decline in sales has been tough on Whole Foods.
The ongoing construction has not only had an impact on businesses within Cherry Creek North and at the Shopping Center, but extends to small businesses along 6th Ave. Arv Singh, owner of the 7-Eleven convenience store at 6th Ave. and Columbine, has noticed a drop of perhaps 22 percent in revenue. Singh is making every effort to retain his nine employees. “We’re giving supplementary employee training plus doubling our marketing effort to realize the most business from each customer visit.” He nonetheless thinks about how the City might have been of more help to the small business owner, possibly with bridge loans or a tax forgiveness program.
Mathnasium, a math tutoring business also located on 6th Ave., has seen revenues shrink more than 20 percent in the past few months. Owner Bernard Doughit echoes Arv Singh, speculating that the city could have reached out to small businesses that don’t have the resources of large corporations.
Happy Holidays?
Since the 1950s the intersection of First Ave. and University Blvd. has been the foremost roadway into this premier shopping district. The biggest roadway closure ever attempted by the City shut down the intersection for 60 hours from Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. until reopening on Sept. 23 at 7 a.m. The closure brought business in the district to a screeching halt and created colossal traffic jams. Little Feet’s Beth Saper said the mayor and City held a meeting with storeowners prior to the shutdown promising a marketing plan. However, she quickly adds, “There was never any follow-through whatsoever.”
The closure, approved by Mayor Hancock, was an attempt to accelerate the paving of the intersection and move up the overall project reconstruct by 24 days. Furthermore the Public Works’ University-Josephine storm sewer project jumped ahead of schedule by three weeks, “We’ve definitely seen increased traffic to our store since the partial reopening of the roadway in October,” Saper reports. The goal of the shutdown was to allow an early start to Cherry Creek’s holiday shopping season. In late October area businesses were still holding their breath, hoping the project will be completed by the projected completion date of Nov. 1.
Even if the First Ave. and University project is fully completed in time to save Christmas, neither businesses nor shoppers can look in their rearview mirrors. Fact is the hefty rebuild of Cherry Creek North has only just begun. By the time the block-long 250 Columbine project is finished next year, across the street the seven-story, 150 room luxury hotel at 245 Columbine will just be getting underway.
Makeover Madness
The intersection of First Ave. and Steele St. is going through an equally implausible makeover. On the same corner as the 1st and Steele Apartments, there are two other major projects currently under construction: 12-story apartment building, the Steele Creek Apartments, and an 8-story office building, 100 Saint Paul. That’s 149,000 square feet of new office space and 435 residential units being added to just one intersection. Ground has just recently been broken for the Steele Creek Apartments.
Finally, mid-next year when the work is completed in front of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, the gateway to Cherry Creek North — Clayton Lane — may again endure redevelopment. As reported by the Chronicle last month, the owner of 7.7 acres of the development site is considering redevelopment options and hired the original architect — David Tryba — to consider development options. The project is generally between East 1st and 2nd Avenues, Detroit and Josephine St.
What is impressive about Cherry Creek small businesses that have so far survived is their determination to reach out to customers in creative ways and to not give up even when the cards seem stacked against them. So when stuck in traffic or you can’t find a parking space and are ready to scream, remember that retailers in the area are feeling the pain even more. These merchants have nowhere to turn and are doing everything they can with hopes of eventually enjoying the improvements that are causing their distress.
What the future holds for Cherry Creek retailers is a matter of debate. Some store owners are hoping that the significant number of upscale apartment buildings and other new developments will result in a large client base to shop and eat in Cherry Creek. Others fear that the lack of any traffic planning or improvements coupled with a minimum number of parking spaces required by the city for the new developments will destroy the area as a retail destination for those who do not live or work in Cherry Creek.
For many of the smaller retailers they are just hoping a successful Christmas season will allow them to survive after a year of constant challenges caused them by the city and by what they view as a chaotic and haphazard planning and development process for the area.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 24, 2014 | Glendale City News
by Marco Cummings
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
Following last spring’s successful Pacific Rugby Premiership (PRP) campaign in which the Glendale Raptors fell just a few plays shy of winning the championship, the team has been taking new steps in preparing for another successful run in 2015.
Traditionally, the Raptors first team would play a more robust fall season, but the team’s transition to the action packed spring schedule in the PRP means that Glendale has been using this fall to refocus its roster and players.
“Previously we would be playing Division I games during the fall. The fall season is pretty much open for the Division I players now, so we’ve got to keep them busy, train and keep them fit,” Raptors head coach Andre Snyman explained. “I just don’t want them to sit at home for four or five months and wait for the PRP season.”
This fall, the Raptors participated once again in the Aspen Ruggerfest, a tournament the team has participated in for the past four seasons.
Using a mixed group of veteran players and younger players who are competing for the possibility of being included with the first team next season, the Raptors won the Ruggerfest crown for the very first time.
“I think it was a great milestone for the club,” Snyman said.
Even though the Raptors were proud to take home hardware in Aspen, the tournament largely serves as a social tournament, and Glendale was looking for stiffer competition for the remainder of the fall.
For its next two matches, Glendale would play friendlies against two collegiate teams. But they weren’t just any two college teams. The Raptors would play two top-10 college programs with a home game against No. 5 Arkansas State followed by a road trip to No. 8 Lindenwood.
“We’ve always gone to Aspen, but this year we needed something different,” Glendale Director of Rugby Operations Mark Bullock explained. “The two college sides reached out to us because it gives their players an opportunity to play with a club side in the PRP.”
The competition was stiff indeed. The Raptors suffered defeats in both collegiate matches, losing 51-24 to ASU and 24-15 to L
indenwood.
But the results on the scoreboard weren’t the most important point of emphasis for Glendale during their fall preparation. Forging new relationships with the two college programs was a prospect that the Raptors, as well as their opponents, were excited to be a part of.
“The most important thing for us is building bridges between ourselves and the schools. When these players graduate, then maybe they’ll have the opportunity to play for us,” Snyman noted.
“We all know that Glendale of the fall is a distant cousin of the Glendale of the spring, so it’s about development,” Lindenwood head coach J.D. Stephenson added. “Although we’re happy with the victory, we’re not branding ourselves world champions or anything too soon.”
For Snyman and the Raptors, evaluating what kind of players the staff has at its disposal within the club’s broader talent pool, in addition to testing out new ideas prior to the competitive matches in the spring has been a greater goal.
“Those two games helped to give me an idea of the depth of the club,” Snyman explained. “It gave us an opportunity to see new players in different positions, try new combinations, and look at new structures and game plans.”
New players can be defined as players new to the club, or simply players from Glendale’s Division II team that are getting new looks and a shot to contribute to the First Team. Snyman describes the latter as “bubble” players.
So who are some of the players that have caught the eye of the coaching staff this fall?
Snyman highlighted two Australians, prop Jake Turnbull and flanker Leslie Stephens.
“Turnbull is definitely PRP material. Stephens is a really busy little flanker, he could become a good PRP player,” Snyman said.
Players from countries where the rugby tradition is more deeply rooted always make for a strong side, but Snyman and his staff don’t necessarily have to look far to find talent.
“We’ve got local guys like Cody Melphy,” Snyman noted. “He’s always steady, a good young player.”
Glendale’s fall slate of games has concluded, but it doesn’t mean the team has taken a break from its preparations.
“We don’t have any more games scheduled for the fall but we’ll still be practicing and doing weight training,” Raptors veteran forward Justin Mitchell said. “We’re working on skills and strategy preparing for the spring.”
Given all the work put into team strategy, evaluating players and working on strength and conditioning in this fall’s Pacific Rugby Premiership offseason, fans of the Glendale Raptors are assured a new look side coming this spring.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 24, 2014 | Editorials
An old proverb declares that “It’s a foolish bird that fouls its own nest.” Brad Buchanan, the beefy, bloated, ethically challenged, new executive director of Denver’s Department of Community Planning and Development is no one’s fool. Prior to taking on the top job in planning Denver’s future growth he moved out of the city, over an hour away to a 1,500 acre ranch on the Eastern Plains beside Kiowa Creek so he would not have to personally suffer from what he and the city government are doing to Denver’s neighborhoods one at a time.
Larry Ambrose, president of the Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation which is the umbrella group for all of Denver’s neighborhood associations, summed the situation up well when he told The Denver Post, “It’s very easy for Brad to come into the city and shove this density down our throats and then drive back home to his ranch.”
Considered by some an uninspiring and somewhat hackneyed architect he eventually became highly politically connected. He was the chairman of the Downtown Denver Partnership but hit real pay dirt when he was appointed to the Denver Planning Commission by then Mayor Hickenlooper. He eventually was made chairman of that entity. The 11 member board advises the mayor and Denver City Council on land use matters including making recommendations on rezoning requests.
There was no direct remuneration for the positions he held but he made the appointments highly profitable for himself. He became the man developers hired when they had a questionable project that had to get past the Planning Board. He was hired for the highly controversial Red Peak development at the Denver Highlands that many in the neighborhood considered the buildings to
o high and the density excessive for the historic area. The citizens unsuccessfully sued to stop the project.
He was also hired for the redevelopment at the St. Anthony’s Hospital site on West Colfax where his design included downtown density and heights in a single-fam
ily residential area. Ethical questions were raised by his actions including a formal complaint filed by former Denver City Council President Cathy Donahue who objected to his making presentations to the Planning Commission shortly after leaving as chairman, but to no avail. In Denver, ethics appears to offer little or no constraints to politically connected individuals like Brad Buchanan.
Mayor Michael Hancock declared that Buchanan was his “dream pick” which is very bad news for Denver’s neighborhoods. Buchanan has preached the need for ever more density in the form of high rise apartments and condos in every neighborhood across Denver. At the same time he opposes open space requirements that exist in the present code and intends to bring forward controversial amendments which will drastically limit open space requirements in large developments despite vociferous objections by neighborhood groups.
Upon being appointed executive director in March, Buchanan threw a bone to the neighborhood associations saying they will be notified of a rezoning application after it has been submitted a second time as opposed to after it has been formally vetted and approved. But neighborhood groups understand that the concession was one without any real meaning as they will have no possibility of any real input unless they are notified when the Planning Department first receives a request to rezone.
Neighborhood groups moreover realize the deck is stacked against them no matter when they are notified. As it stands the Denver Planning Department is little more than a minor speed bump today for well connected developers. The Planning Board is packed with pro-developer advocates appointed by Mayor Hancock who learned his lesson when a majority of the Denver Parks Board stood up to him over the Hentzell Park giveaway. He made sure anyone who opposed him was replaced by individuals who will do what they are told.
At one time being appointed to a volunteer board in Denver government was a mark of true honor and distinction. Under Hancock it has become something of a badge of shame as appointees are viewed for the most part as pliable hacks that will do the Mayor’s bidding without question or independent judgment.
Buchanan has expressed his admiration for cities that have incorporated “incredible density” such as Singapore. He has also repeatedly toted “walkability” by which he means citizens in new developments with minimal required parking will be forced to walk in the shadows of towering apartment and office buildings. The walking will be in an urban setting devoid of trees or grass or anything else that once served as open space. Under Buchanan paved streets are in some cases argued to be what serves as open space in the new Denver.
He has personally helped in the design of some of the worst projects and ugliest developments in Denver from the Highlands to Sloan’s Lake. His appointment means no neighborhood is safe from a high density makeover as the denizens of Cherry Creek, Observatory Park and the Country Club areas have discovered, to their chagrin.
Buchanan wants to place the majority of the residents of Denver into dense vertical structures with families living in 1,000 square feet or less of living space while he and his wife and two children enjoy the luxury of 1,500 acres of land in Strasburg, at his Flying B Bar Ranch. As the pig Napoleon declared in George Orwell’s Animal Farm: “All animals are equal; but some are more equal than others.”
Brad Buchanan most definitely sees himself as being one of the “more equal” animals. His appointment was a disgrace — what he is doing to the formerly livable neighborhoods should be a crime. Instead, it is deemed “progress” in Michael Hancock’s Denver.
— Editorial Board
by Valley Gadfly | Oct 24, 2014 | Valley Gadfly
If we take the time to lay it on the line akin to the lyrics in the Guns ’N’ Roses song November Rain, we’ll be way too full to go walkin’ in the rain following Thanksgiving dinner. It is the Meal of the Year and never comes in a Limited Edition. By the time we’ve finished feasting we’ll have likely eaten an entire week’s grocery list.
Thus be thankful that if those clothes fit a little too snug it’s because we’ve had enough to eat. And cleaning up the mess just means we’ve been surrounded by friends.
Here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertainment that will translate into long-term memories filled with copious amounts of food and fun — Gobble, Gobble:
3 Get in the holiday mood during the Denver Assistance League lunches, brunches and boutique shopping events to raise funds and open the festive season in the Bosworth House, Nov. 5-9. Information: 303-322-5205.
3 Volunteer to participate in the annual Thanksgiving Outreach to feed the homeless downtown Nov. 8, noon-6 p.m. Information: 303-893-8363.
3 Enjoy a bit of holiday history during Living History Day at Four Mile Historic Park Nov. 9, noon-3 p.m. Pan for gold, sample a treat cooked on a wood stove, take a horse-drawn wagon ride. Information: 720-865-0800.
3 Rock into the season by viewing photos of the Legends Of Rock at the Robert Anderson Gallery, Nov. 14-Jan. 3. Information: 303-388-1332.
3 Go holiday styling to the VOA fashion lunch honoring Mariel’s Denise Snyder at the Pinnacle Club Nov. 14, 11 a.m. Information: 720-264-3333.
3 Celebrate a luscious Thanksgiving dinner with roasted turkey and six other choices at the Monaco Inn, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Here’s a brilliant idea, see stunning jewelry by Cartier on display in the Denver Art Museum, Nov. 16-March 15. Information: 720-865-5000.
3 Sample French wines, entrees and desserts plus music during Beaujolais & Beyond at McNichols Nov. 20, 5:30 p.m. Information: 720-443-1763.
3 Viewing the dazzling decor during the annual L’Esprit de Noel holiday home tour and Marche de Noel is always a Valley holiday highlight. Presented by the Central City Opera Guild, this year’s event tours five homes in the Glenmoor Country Club Nov. 14-15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There’s a patron party in the clubhouse Nov. 13, 6-9 p.m. Tickets are available at all King Soopers. Information: 303-292-6500, ext. 114.
Out of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is particularly steeped in tradition. It is about remembering the kindness of strangers, unforgettable acts of generosity, hilarious tales of cooking misadventures. It’s nice to think back on memories that put a smile on our face: Mom’s stuffing, the elegant wine and above all lump-free mashed potatoes.
It is a time to enjoy festive tablecloths, decorations and irresistible aromas in a home filled with food and spices and particularly the laughter of family and friends.
Ah, those aromas: Turkey, cranberries, candied yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. But a life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your good fortune. May you be blessed with family, friends and fond memories this Thanksgiving.
— Glen Richardson
by Mark Smiley | Oct 24, 2014 | Feature Story Middle Left
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
— Ferris Bueller
I was channeling my inner Ferris during a recent trip through Denver International. It was early as in even earlier than Toddler App wakes up. To put the earliness of the morning in some perspective, Toddler App wakes the roosters up. Maybe all of the people I observed were on East Coast time. I just wasn’t interested in anything except getting to the gate on time and drinking my Dunkin Donuts coffee. For once, I was looking around rather than staring at my phone. Have you tried this? Did you know there are other people in the same vicinity as you? I counted 15 people that walked by without picking their heads up. Do they have sonar? How are they all not crashing into each other?
My favorite moment was the grandmother giving an Academy Award performance of voice to text. Beep Beep. A pause as she reads the text. Then, beep beep, followed by yelling the text into the phone. Beep Beep. Another pause. More yelling. This continued for five minutes or at least long enough for the first group to board the plane. I openly laughed while watching and sipping some caffeine. Of course, the Frontier flight proceeded to run into an owl on an aborted take-off and a return trip to the gate. Once at the gate, everyone took out their phones. From the back of the plane, beep beep, the same woman yelling “We’re delayed. Send.” Serenity now! Be cognizant of your surroundings for the love of others!
iOS8 — The Ocho is a disappointment. Maybe I was expecting the interface to change like previous upgrades. It feels like the same software as iOS7. Maybe I just haven’t played around with it enough. Maybe I’m getting cranky as I approach 40. Not sure what it is, but the best feature with the new software is that my battery doesn’t drain. Do you have a favorite iOS8 or iPhone6 feature?
More apps were built around the Notification Center with iOS8. What is the Notification Center? From the locked screen, drag the dash straight down to open “today’s” notes and reminders, and notifications. The dash is replaced with the current time when the phone is unlocked. Drag straight down from the time to open the Notification Center. This area has the ability to display active information from your apps. Interested in trying some apps? Try App in the Air, which lists flight info. Vidgets, displays the battery meter and available storage. The battery meter may be redundant, however the storage is helpful. Waiting for the storage availability to load through the settings takes a few minutes. And we can’t possibility wait a few minutes for anything now-a-days, right? For the sports junkie, use this area for ESPN SportsCenter, which shows sports scores and a button to listen to live ESPN radio. Quick-Tap allows shortcuts for activities, such as Text Wife, Call Mom, and Directions to Home. Think of Quick-Tap as the iPhone’s version of adding an icon to your desktop on your PC.
Cool Apps
BlackFriday… It’s that time of year again. This is still the app leader for the best deals. Can you believe stores are open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving? Is it really necessary to stand in line to grab a $100 flat screen or duke it out over a Teddy Ruxpin? | Trello… it’s a whiteboard. Wait. It’s a to-do list. Wait. It’s both!| MailDeck… an email app that merges multiple accounts in one, which is handy. It allows for sorting by sender, which is better than the Apple version. Better yet? It’s a Denver-based startup. | Litely… Edit your photos to look professional | Fleksy… customize your iPhone keyboard. | For the person two cubes down from my cube, Post-it Plus. Take a picture of your Post-it note and the app turns the written note into an interactive board allowing you to move the notes around and brainstorm. Free up that poor monitor that has 34 post-it notes taped along the screen edges. | Swype… swipe your finger across the keyboard to type rather than pressing the keys. Now iPhone users can be like Samsung users. | PopKey… send a GIF (picture) with your text.
Beep Beep. Happy Turkey Day. Send.
How are you, and or your business using mobile technology? Are you using this technology to entice new hires to join your company? Are you eliminating hardware and going cloud? Has it allowed you to hire employees from outside your area? I’d like to hear your story for a future column.
Do you have a favorite app you’d like to share? Contact Brian at brian@brianzabro ski.com, on Twitter @BrianZab or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brianzab.
Brian, a Corporate Account Executive with NetSuite, has spent nearly twenty years in the telecommunications and software industry. Businesses use NetSuite software to run and manage all of their business applications. It’s web-based, so businesses can access their information from anywhere; It’s flexible, which allows the software to be customized for their business; and, it is built on a single platform, which businesses appreciate since they can often eliminate multiple software solutions. Trending companies, such as Box, GoPro, FitBit and Dropbox use this software to run their business. Reach out to Brian to learn how your business can benefit with this software.
