Glendale Chamber Formally Condemns Kheirkhahi And Authentic Persian Rugs
Wealthy Rug Merchants Turn On Dana Crawford
by Mark Smiley
The new Glendale City Council at its first regular meeting was met with an incredible outpouring of community opposition, from Glendale, Denver and even suburban towns, to Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and his M.A.K. Investment Group, LLC’s massive proposed condominium high-rise known locally as the Tehranian Death Star along Colorado Boulevard.
Chamber Resolution
The Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce announced that a formal resolution unanimously passed (with one abstention) opposing “the efforts of M.A.K. to impose residential units in the Glendale entertainment district in conflict with the city’s zoning and Master Plan.” The resolution went on to “repudiate and denounce the efforts of M.A.K. and its principal Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi to intimidate Council members and Glendale’s minority community by utilizing para military hate groups such a
s the Oath Keepers as well as attempting to graymail the Council with negative publicity concerning the city and its residents.” For the complete resolution please see page 24.
Denver Neighborhoods And Tower Of Doom
President of the Chamber Barret O’Brien stated that the “business community is simply sick and tired of how Kheirkhahi and his family are attempting to destroy the city’s 
entertainment district for their own greed. They have personally offended just about everybody in town. They apparently believe that if they are vicious enough and trash the town enough they can get what they want. It is time for local businesses to stand with unintimidated residents and take on these bullies.”
Among those addressing the City Council was the President of the Virginia Vale Community Association Paul Aceto who spoke of concerns of traffic that the Death Star would inevitably occasion. A letter from Jeff Mauck as President of the Belcaro Park Homeowners Association was read opposing the Death Star project indicating it would be a disaster for southeast Denver. Bonnie Brae area resident Linda Young noted her strong opposition to the project as a traffic nightmare for the area.
Former Glendale City Councilman Dan Van Winkle helped lead a group of Glendale residents to address the Council in opposition to what they called the “Tower of Doom” in reference to the Lord of the Rings books and movies. He noted a variance is a little less green space or a couple less parking places and not a wholesale destruction of the city zoning codes and Master Plan as proposed by M.A.K.
Key Speech
In perhaps the most rousing speech of the night, Kristina Beacom from the Phenix Infinity Park residential complex in Glendale, declared:
“The wealthy rug shop owners have attempted to play a very devious and shameful game in the court of public opinion. The transcript of their most recent meeting has exposed them for what they are — shamelessly opportunistic in every way. I urge the Mayor and council to continue the good fight against some very bad people!”
Her remarks were met with warm approval from almost everyone in the crowded City Council Chambers
Wealthy Rug Merchants Respond
Even though Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi attended the City Council meeting, he spoke through front women Nasrin Kholghy, his sister-in-law, and Jeanne Price. Kholghy appeared to repudiate and disclaim developer Dana Crawford who she said was the person who called the pre-site meeting and Authentic Persian and Oriental Rugs could not be held responsible for anything she might have said.
Deputy City Manager Chuck Line later indicated such a disclaimer was preposterous as Kheirkhahi and Kholghy were an integral part of the meeting and the city does not meet with anyone concerning land development unless they are talk
ing on behalf of and for the landowners.
Kholghy then purported that the wealthy rug merchants had never said they wanted a 60-story building and that they showed pictures of 50- to 60-story buildings in places like Austin, Texas, simply because they were residential towers on a river near entertainment districts. Chuck Line later remarked that the recorded tape of the “pre-site plan meeting” made such an assertion simply not credible. Kholghy then argued to the incredulous crowd that a condominium tower would not, in fact, increase traffic.
In addition Kholghy berated Deputy City Manager Linda Cassaday who could not help shaking her head at some of the more outlandish statements from Kholghy, including her claiming money for the land was not important, but she simply wanted what was “best for the land.” Kholghy also asserted that because of the long tenure of Authentic Persian and Oriental Rugs on Colorado Boulevard she knew what was best for Glendale.
Former Councilman Dan Van Winkle indicated that, “In my opinion Ms. Kholghy appears to be willing to fabricate, even when the truth will do.”
Phony P.I.
A fraudulent, unlicensed private investigator, Charles Johnson, who was alleged to have flown in from Tennessee to stalk and harass anyone who was quoted in the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle opposing Kheirkhahi and his Death Star plans, is scheduled to appear for his arraignment in Arapahoe County Court on May 12, 2016, at 8:30 a.m.
The question that remains outstanding is who he was purporting to be investigating on behalf of in his activities. To date, he has steadfastly refused to reveal who employed him other than it was a female writer and at other times a female journalist. Jeanne Price, who is a female writer and has been a female journalist and is believed to be employed by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, told the City Council she did not employ Johnson and does not know Johnson.
