Development Along Cherry Creek Comes To Fruition
by Charles C. Bonniwell
It has been almost a fifth of a century in the imaging and planning but at long last a spectacular entertainment district along Cherry Creek from Colorado Boulevard to South Cherry Street appears to becoming a reality. The city held a press conference at Infinity Park in which the project principals were introduced and the newest vision outlined by Mayor Mike Dunafon and Deputy City Manager Linda Cassaday. Dunafon indicated the project was intended to augment and assist the entire area rather than compete with Cherry Creek and 9th and Colorado Boulevard.
Revised Plans
A little over three years ago Glendale applied for an $80 million tourism subsidy from the state under the Regional Tourism Act for its $360 million Riverwalk project. The application was turned down along with other small county and city projects for the highly controversial $800 million Gaylord Entertainment project in Aurora. That award for the Gaylord project was widely perceived as resulting from a rigged process and continues today to be mired in litigation. After the Regional Tourism Act rejection Glendale had to go back to the drawing board.
The revised project along Cherry Creek has a budget of $175 million of which the city will provide approximately $75 million for roads, creek edge treatments and in particular a parking garage as well as surface and underground parking.
What makes Glendale 180 somewhat unique is the fact that there will be no apartment houses or condominiums involved as a standard method of increasing the rate of return in mixed use projects in Colorado. The mayor pointed out that housing has proved a major impediment in many entertainment projects as residents soon fight to lessen the noise and traffic impacts.
New Name And Parking
The somewhat quixotic name “Glendale 180” is an oblique reference to the fact that Glendale in the 1970s and 1980s had one of the most vibrant entertainment areas in Colorado. The city fathers in the 1990s slowly destroyed the entertainment area to the enormous benefit of Denver’s LODO area. Thus “Glendale 180” is a type of homage to the phrase “back to the future” made famous by the 1985 movie by that title.
The 22 acre project will have 303,225 total leasable square feet including 109,000 anticipated for entertainment, 151,725 feet for food and beverage and 42,500 for retail. By way of comparison the Cherry Creek Shopping Center has a gross leasable area of 1,032,000 square feet.
A key to the success of Glendale 180 according to city officials will be the existence of ample parking. The city will provide 2,270 public parking spaces including 454 underground, 506 surface parking and a parking structure containing 1,310 spaces. Nearby Cherry Creek North has only 555 public parking spaces all on-street along with private parking.
Spokespersons For Developer And Architect
The developer of the project will be Wulf & Co. a commercial and retail real estate firm centered in Houston, Texas, founded in 1985. Bob Sellingsloth, the president of Wulfe & Co., spoke at the Infinity Park even
t praising the city for its forward looking perspective. He noted that at first his firm was unsure of the naming of the project Glendale 180 and so it had a survey done which proved that the name was in fact highly effective.
David Glover on behalf of the project architect, Gensler, spoke eloquently about the desire for the project to bring a vibrant sense of city to the area. He noted that 40 percent of the public surveyed indicated a sense of loneliness in today’s modern society. His design is intended to bring a feeling of light and air as well as “being a place for maximum happiness.”
Glover also indicated that Glendale 180 will be divided into three areas. The area nearest Colorado Boulevard will be known as the “Promenade” while the central area will be entitled the “Meadow” and the area adjacent to South Cherry will have the title the “Mountain.” He noted that if you valet your car you can have it delivered back to you anywhere along the project.
Common Consumption
Patrons will be able to walk from bar to bar with their beverage under the common consumption law.
The city helped pass, at the Colorado legislature, a common consumption area law with Glendale 180 in mind. The law allows patrons to go from bar to bar and long the sidewalks with open containers.
Among the remaining challenges is securing the parcels along East Virginia not owned by the city including the Staybridge
Suites Hotel on East Virginia and the property along Colorado Boulevard and east owned by M.A.K. Investment Group, LLC who acquired it in 2006 from the O’Conner family. The city is in negotiations with both property owners and ultimately has the power of eminent domain as the land is part of an urban renewal district.
City Officials
Overseeing the project for the city are Deputy City Managers Chuck Line and Linda Cassaday who were designated as officers for the urban renewal district titled Glen Echo. Line noted that for himself and Cassaday the project will mean long hours in addition to their normal duties, “but it is an incredibly exciting and fun project to work on.” Cassaday stated to the audience that the announcements on new tenants for Glendale 180 will be featured on its website at www.glendale180.com. Leasing on the project is being headed up by the Denver-based firm The Laramie Company and its leasing agent Mary Beth Jenkins.
Groundbreaking for Glendale 180 is scheduled for the fall of this year with the opening of the project in early 2017.
