Neighbors Defeat Plan For ­Massive 12-Story Project In Belcaro ­Neighborhood

by Mark Smiley | Sep 22, 2025 | Main Articles

by Mark Smiley

Leaving Soon: The popular Belcaro King Soopers will close in 2026. What will replace it is presently being reimagined by the Kentro Group after its original plans had fierce opposition by neighborhood groups due to height and density concerns.

Empty Center: All of the stores in the Belcaro Center with the exception of King Soopers have been closed for months awaiting redevelopment.

Neighbors in Denver’s Belcaro community are breathing a sigh of relief after developers dropped plans for a 12-story residential tower on the site of the former King Soopers. Plans to redevelop the former King Soopers property have been scrapped after strong pushback from nearby homeowners. City planners, who had been reviewing the rezoning request, said the withdrawal halts the process for now. The future of the prominent corner lot remains uncertain.

Many blame the Denver Community and De­vel­­opment Department for the debacle. Critics of that Department are blaming it for ­constantly harassing developers to add more and more density and height to virtually all projects in contrast to the residents living in the project areas.

Earlier this year, the Kentro Group, ­Denver based developers, unveiled a plan for a mixed-use building that would have brought apartments, shops, and a few retail shops to the 7-acre property. Kentro admitted it was the city that pushed the proposal and not the developer. One resident proposed that it should be “defund Community Planning” rather than” defunding the police” She also wondered “who exactly does Community work on behalf of? It is certainly not the residents of Denver.”

Many nearby homeowners worried the project was simply too tall and dense for the neighborhood. At packed community meetings, res­i­dents spoke out about traffic, parking, and blocked views, demanding the developer to rethink their and the city’s approach.

“This isn’t about being against growth,” said longtime resident Carol Simmons. “It’s about keeping the scale of development in line with the character of Belcaro.” Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer, who represents the district, said she was glad neighbors’ voices were heard. “This site is important, and it deserves thoughtful planning,” Sawyer said. “We need solutions that both address Denver’s housing needs and respect the character of existing neighborhoods.” She did not appear to have weigh­ed in or supported residents until Kentro withdrew its plans.

This is the second major victory for neighborhood groups this calendar year. The first of which was the battle over the Park Hill Golf Course (February 2025 edition of the Chronicle, “Park Hill Golf Course Miracle”). It is rare for neighborhood groups to claim such victories as some people call it a David vs. Goliath atmosphere with city planners appearing to attack residents and their concerns. That is why this second victory in the span of six months is monumental.

In a statement, the developer confirmed it has pulled its rezoning request and will go back to the drawing board. Representatives said they still see the site as a strong candidate for housing and retail but want to work more closely with the community before moving forward.

Kentro Group’s full statement is as follows:

“With the proposed zoning change, we had hoped to create a friendly neigh­bor­hood gathering spot with per­­sonality gen­­erated from new res­­i­dents mixed with retail, restaurants, and services, and combined with green space that all could enjoy. But we listened with care to current neighbors who didn’t prefer the additional zoning heights required to achieve this vision and decided not to pursue a zoning change. We remain committed to delivering a great project.”

King Soopers, a division of Cincinnati based Kroger Company, has operated a grocery store at the aforementioned 7-acre site, 825 South Colorado Blvd., for over 65 years. It elected to sell the property to the Kentro Group and build a new 113,000 square facility a mile south in the Virgina Vale neighborhood. The 13.5-acre site once housed the CDOT campus headquarters between Arkansas and Louisiana Avenues and was purchased by the Kentro Group in 2018 for $19.3 million.

The proposed project, which included a 12-story residential tower with ground-floor retail, was introduced earlier this year as a way to repurpose the vacant grocery store site near Colorado Boulevard and Exposition Avenue. Developers pitched the building as a mixed-use hub designed to bring housing, shopping, and new energy to the aging retail corridor.

But neighborhood residents quickly mobil­iz­ed, citing concerns about traffic conges­tion, blocked mountain views, and the scale of a high-rise in an area dominated by ­single-family homes and low-rise apartments. At recent community meetings, dozens of home­­owners voiced frustration over what they called a lack of transparency and compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.

“The density and height simply didn’t fit the character of Belcaro,” said one resident during a public forum. “We’re not opposed to development, but we want something that respects the scale of our community.”

Neighbors and city leaders alike have debated what should replace the longtime grocery store once it closes (sometime in 2026). While some residents have pushed for a new market, others say the area is overdue for fresh housing and retail options — but on a more modest scale.