by Charles C. Bonniwell
Classic Development: The Belcaro Shopping Center was built in 1960 and considered a real asset to the adjoining Belcaro Park neighborhood. The Kentro Group’s proposed 12- to16-story low income apartments are considered by residents as little more than an eyesore that will acerbate traffic jams in the area.
Brave New Future: A once campus-like setting of the Colorado Department of Transportation facility is being replaced by the Kentro Group’s massive 103,000 square foot King Soopers and low income housing. The expected completion is Spring 2026.
High Density Development Coming Soon: Belcaro is an affluent neighborhood in Denver known for its large ranch-style homes and tree-lined streets. It is located between Cherry Creek and Washington Park, featuring the historic Phipps Mansion and a high average household income. It sits West of the proposed redevelopment on South Colorado Blvd.
The City and County of Denver is known for its extraordinary neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods are represented not only by city councilmembers, but also formal neighborhood associations (HOAs) formally recognized in the city statutes. Many of these neighborhoods are tree-lined sanctuaries that almost resemble suburban enclaves.
The neighborhoods, especially the ones dominated by single family homes, are dimly viewed by the progressive Denver city planners at the Denver Community Planning and Development Department. They are seen as being anachronistic and an impediment to the type of very high density needed for a “sustainable” future for Denver.
Developers, in turn, realize that a key to profitability for them is turning low density areas in Denver into high density ones which could result in greater possibilities for “affordable housing” in the city.
More 24-hour Traffic Coming Soon: Virginia Village is a neighborhood in Denver with a population of 16,326. Virginia Village offers a balanced lifestyle with ample green spaces and recreational facilities. Parks like Garland Park and Ash Grove Park provide residents with opportunities for outdoor activities. Now, it is coming under threat with a new 103,000 square foot King Soopers coming to town.
The battles between developers aligned with Denver city planners on one side and neighborhood residents on the other are breaking out throughout the city. At one time, neighborhood HOAs in Denver were politically powerful, but no longer. Occasionally, the residents win one of those battles (February edition of the Chronicle — “Park Hill Golf Course Miracle”). But those victories are few and far between.
One of those battles is going on along Colorado Blvd. Kentro Group, a Denver real estate developer, is engaging in two such developments that have outraged the Belcaro Park and Virgina Village neighborhoods. The development scheme involves reversing what the Denver city planners view as obsolete thinking of having commercial businesses and residential areas physically separated.
As they view it why not put residences in the form of affordable apartments on busy streets like Colorado Boulevard while moving high volume retail into or next to single family home areas?
King Soopers, a division of Cincinnati based Kroger Company, had operated a grocery store at a 7-acre site, 825 South Colorado Blvd., for over 65 years. It elected to close the store, sell the property to the Kentro Group, and build a new 113,000 square foot facility a mile south in the Virgina Village neighborhood. The 13.5-acre site on
The Campus: The old CDOT headquarters off Colorado Blvd. on Arkansas Avenue had a campus like aspect to it with no traffic after 5:30 p.m. or on weekends and fit in well within the Virginia Village neighborhood.
ce housed the CDOT campus headquarters between Arkansas and Louisiana Avenues and was purchased by the Kentro Group in 2018 for $19.3 million.
The site was zoned CMP-E12 or campus, educational/institutional site. It is limited to a maximum of 75 feet within 175 feet of protected areas, i.e. single-family homes. The idea that single family homes are to be protected is no longer a concept recognized by the Denver Planning Department. The entire property was quickly rezoned for high density apartments and commercial uses.
Kentro Group, with the blessing and encouragement of the Planning Department, built a four-story 151-unit low-income apartment complex called Krisana Apartments abutting the single-family homes. Next to it will be a 113,000 square foot new King Soopers that will generate high traffic and will stay open into the night to the detriment of the Virginia Village neighborhood.
Next up for Kentro Group and the progressive city planners was the redevelopment of the 7-acre Belcaro Shopping Center. Facing off against them were residents of the low-density, single-family neighborhood to the west of the old grocery store and an active Belcaro Park HOA.
At the preliminary development review meeting over a year ago the residents told Kentro Group and the city planners w
New Neighbor: Krisana is a 151-unit, 4-story apartment community located at Arkansas Avenue and Birch Street just east of Colorado Blvd. Krisana is now imposed on the Virginia Village neighborhood.
hat they thought of the 12- to 16-story low-income housing apartment building with first floor retail use.
The residents pleaded for a maximum of three stories redevelopment which appeared to fall on deaf ears. Kentro principal Chris Viscardi told the hostile crowd that “I think there’s an opportunity here.” Some agreed that there was an opportunity, but it was for the Kentro Group to help destroy a neighborhood for its own gain.
When later asked by a reporter for the Denver Gazette whether the city was the one pushing for a higher, denser project than what was originally envisioned, the Kentro Group conceded the same.
Sue Clinton, a Belcaro resident, stated at the meeting that: “The city is driving this change and not really listening to the neighborhood.” She noted that in her mind the neighborhood conveyed a suburban, rather than an urban feel, which the city planners wanted to alter.
Others noted that at one time city planners were the advocates for the residents of the city rather than its enemies seeking to destroy a way of life many have cherished for years.
With the Denver housing market already beginning to suffer and Downtown Denver badly struggling, some residents are beginning to wonder with developers like Kentro Group and city planners like those Denver Planning Department whether housing affordability will someday be the least of the city’s concerns such has occurred in cities back East.
