Massive Redevelopment Proposed For Former CDOT Property

Massive Redevelopment Proposed For Former CDOT Property

by | Jul 20, 2018 | Main Articles

Will Proposal ‘Activate’ East Virginia Village Neighborhood Or Help ‘Destroy’ It

by Mark Smiley

Old Headquarters: CDOT moved its headquarters from this location pictured to a new $70 million building southeast of the West Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard interchange.

The recent departure of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) from its headquarters located at 4201 E. Arkansas Ave. has left neighbors and surrounding businesses wondering what the City and County of Denver will do to their neighborhood. Initial indications are they are planning the usual — massive high density and crippling traffic.

The City of Denver is uniquely in charge of the large 13.2-acre parcel as the plan to purchase the old CDOT headquarters, between Louisiana and Arkansas Avenues east of Colorado Boulevard, as well as a second 11.5-acre CDOT-owned property at 2000 S. Holly Street (Holly and Evans) for $19.25 million. State law mandates that the CDOT properties were first offered for sale to other government agencies.

Developer: Dimitrios Balafas of Kentro Group will oversee the development of the old CDOT property at 4201 E. Arkansas Ave and 2000 S. Holly Street once the sale is complete.

So Denver owns and will do all the planning on this critical piece of the East Virginia Village neighborhood property. Councilman Jolon Clark has stated that Denver needs, and wants, to expand and improve its inner city park system as “green spaces are getting too crowded” and is proposing an increase in the sales tax which would provide over $45.9 million for such purposes.

Cynics suggest that the Clark proposal is little more than Denver overpaying for property owned by those close to City Hall that developers nor anyone else wants. However, they note the CDOT property is one in a beautiful neighborhood setting that could be exploited for a great deal of profit by a developer and thus perhaps not the type of property which would be covered by the proposed project.

In turn, Denver will buy the land and immediately flip it to the politically connected Kentro Group, a local developer of such projects as Trader Joe’s at 8th and Colorado Blvd., the new TMobile store on Colorado Blvd. and Kentucky Avenue, the development at Cherry Street and Leetsdale in Glendale, and the Colfax Collection at York and Colfax and Josephine and Colfax.

But it will only do so after getting it rezoned for massive high density which, of course, the City controls through the Denver Planning Board and City Council.

Kentro Group has held a series of community meetings dating back to January 25, 2018, laying out their plans for the 13.2-acre property where CDOT once stood. Some neighbors who attended for the first time the July 12, 2018, meeting at Infinity Park in Glendale claimed it is the first notice of any meetings held by the group. And, some were not pleased with what they saw.

One neighbor said, “Don’t bring the tech center to our mid-century neighborhood.” And, Shelley Stuart-Bullock said, “Picture multiple 110+ foot buildings; 11,200 more cars daily on residential streets. I chose to live here in 1989, but would need to leave. I am greatly saddened by the prospect.”

The traffic along Colorado Boulevard and in and around their neighborhood is what neighbors are most concerned about. Some say adding 11,000 more cars along Colorado Boulevard will cripple the corridor between Alameda and Evans, rendering it next to impossible to drive a car.

I’m all for drive-by traffic. Many businesses, including ours, survive on eyeballs seeing your business every day while driving by — but let’s face it, it [Colorado Blvd.] already has plenty of traffic, said Sean Sutton, owner of SleepNation which is

Neighbors Activated: Kentro Group and CRL & Associates have held a series of community meetings to inform the public of their plans for the old CDOT property. This July 12 meeting held at Infinity Park in Glendale sparked a lively discussion about the increased traffic along Colorado Blvd. and the surrounding neighborhood.

situated directly on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Arkansas, two blocks from the old CDOT property. “What you don’t want is for it to end up having so much traffic, and cause so much congestion that people eventually take alternate routes and stay away from you. People who live in surrounding neighborhoods that pass through on Colorado Blvd. and see our sign every day may take a different route to avoid traffic.”

“We are trying to help minimize the impact,” said Chris Viscardi, Director of Development for Kentro Group. “My concern is that what ends up on that property enhances rather than overwhelms it,” said Denver City Councilman Paul Kashmann. However, it is difficult to imagine how the impact can be minimized when that many more cars will be planted on the busiest street in the state. Denver Public Works will weigh in on the traffic impact later in the process.

Kentro Group began the process of inspecting the old CDOT property in February 2018 and has 150 days to continue inspections. And, since the property at 4201 E. Arkansas is zoned for campus and not retail, they will need to get approval from the Denver Planning Board and eventually City Council to be able to build a mixed-use development of housing and retail.

And those plans currently call for buildings as tall as eight stories with an additional 150,000 square feet of commercial retail space. The overall project will also include 150 units of affordable housing according to representatives from the Kentro Group. The mixed-use development is “to create diversity and for Kentro, to create a destination,” said Stacey Weaks, Principal of Norris Design who is drawing up plans for the property.

A person associated with the Denver Planning Department indicated that what that actually means is: “The Virginia Village neighborhood is filled with older middle-class whites who are generally despised by City Hall. They want a City with young hip kids who don’t drive cars and do what they are told. According to Channel 9 families with younger kids are actually moving in to the Virginia Village area which City Hall believes has to be stopped. These people are not welcomed in the new City and County of Denver. Only the young hipsters, the undocumented, the very wealthy and the existing poor are officially welcomed. The rest are welcomed to move out to the god-forsaken suburbs as soon as reasonably possible.”

For those familiar with the yet to be completed 29-acre project at 9th and Colorado Boulevard, Dimitrios Balafas, co-founder and managing partner of Kentro Group admitted this project can be seen as “9th and Colorado Junior.” But, he views this project as activating a neighborhood that desperately needs it.

“I think we will come up with a design that will activate the Virginia Village neighborhood  which is what this neighborhood lacks now,” said Balafas. “We’re local, we care about the community, and we want to build a good project. We’re listening.” Balafas has been in the community since the early ’80s and some attendees of the July 12 meeting appreciated that this project would not be in the hands of an out of town developer.

One attendee who did not wish to be identified remarked, “What is this ‘activate’ b.s. that Kentro tells us we want? Virginia Village neighborhood is a wonderful quiet residential area, but we are only a few blocks from either Colorado Boulevard or Leetsdale Drive. What do we need? More crime, more muggings, more homeless vagrants, more heroin needles strewn on sidewalks?”

Her companion noted, “Why doesn’t Kentro first ‘activate’ the Country Club area where Dimitrios Balafas lives. I am sure he and his neighbors would love it.”

The scope of the project may tip the $100 million mark and may take two to three years to complete. To put it in perspective, the 9th and Colorado project, which is not complete, has been on the clock for five years. The buildings on this parcel reach as high as 12 stories which is what Kentro Group originally proposed. They recently scaled it down to a maximum of eight stories.

Skeptics wonder if this was the plan all along. One neighbor who pr

Crippling Traffic: Colorado Blvd. is already the busiest street in the state. It is feared that the development at 9th and Colorado Blvd. and the old CDOT property will bring traffic to an unbearable crawl during certain hours of the day.

eferred not to be identified said, “This is what developers do. They initially propose something they know the residents will oppose and then scal

Lobbyist: Sean Maley of CRL Associates, Kentro Group’s lobbying firm, fielded tough questions from the audience at the July 12, 2018 meeting at Infinity Park in Glendale.

e the project back to make it seem that they have listened to our concerns. It is a complete smokescreen and we are not buying it.”

CRL and Associates is the lobbyist for Kentro Group on this proposed rezoning and development. Sean Maley, Partner & Chief Business Development Officer for CRL, was at the July 12 meeting and claims they are listening to the needs and concerns of the neighborhood. We are “working our best to work with the neighborhoods,” said Maley. “We are pleased with the level of input at these meetings.”

Maley’s appearance was not welcomed by many in the crowd. “I know that CRL and the Brownstein law firm owns the City Council, but do they have to make it so obvious,” stated one attendee.

The next step in the process is the consideration of the rezoning application submitted by Kentro Group. The Denver Planning Board is predicted to consider this at o

Redevelopment Plans: The plans for the old CDOT headquarters property include eight-story residential buildings. These are approximately the same height as the Empire Park office buildings across the street at 1325 South Colorado Blvd.

ne of their September meetings (either September 5 or 19). The meetings are held in the Parr-Widener Community Room (#389), City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St. Meetings are also broadcast live on Denver’s Channel 8 and online at www.Denver8.TV.

The communication tower on the east side of the property is not included in the acquisition and the State of Colorado will retain ownership.

The matter will then be considered by Denver City Council at what will most likely be a November 2018 meeting. For more information about how to become engaged with the neighbors who plan to oppose the project, visit their Facebook page at “Help Oppose CDOT Redevelopment.” For more information about Kentro Group and this specific project, visit www.kentrogroup. com/arkansas.

Sales Tax Hikes For One And All

Sales Tax Hikes For One And All

by | Jul 20, 2018 | Editorials

Jolon Clark

Never in the 160-year history of the City of Denver has its governmental coffers been so bountifully filled as they are today. The extraordinary rise in property values have brought in untold millions of dollars in real property taxes even if it is breaking the back of small business in the city. [See Chronicle p. 1, July 2018.] Sales tax revenue is also skyrocketing and the myriad taxes on marijuana is a bonanza for the city. As for copious amounts of funds for capital projects the city’s voters approved an almost $10 billion in bonds. The original goal for bond proceeds was much smaller but grew and grew as optimism skyrocketed about the state of the city’s economy.

The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is gathering signatures for a statewide ballot to increase the state’s sales tax by 2.9 percent or 29 cents per $10 purchase for roads and transportation projects. Since Denver will be the largest contributor to the funding it can be expected to garner the lion’s share of the proceeds for projects it is interested in.

What is a little surprising is that, notwithstanding this mountain of cash, Denver appears to be ignoring various standard expenditures. One would perhaps not be shocked to find out, according to City Councilman Jolon Clark, that Denver Parks and Recreation has a $127 million deferred maintenance backlog. Mayor Hancock and the developers who own him see open space and parks as future apartment house and affordability sites. Why bother to maintain them when in the natural course of business in Denver they will be cemented over, turned into drainage ponds and/or monetized as concert venues and the like.

Nonetheless, Councilman Clark has proposed, and the City Council approved by a 12 to 1 margin, a dedicated parks sales tax of 0.25 percent or 2.5 cents per $10 purchase for park maintenance and acquisition of new or replacement parks. That would produce approximately $46 million next year. Given how fast the City Council is destroying parks and open space in the city, the $46 million would appear modest. The only person voting no was Albus Brooks who instead wants to turn all of the city’s sidewalks into runways for some reason known only to the mayor’s developer friends who want to make him the next mayor of Denver after Hancock retires in 2022.

Clark has noted that the remaining green space in the city “has become too crowded.” A good point since Denver has gone from one of the leading American cities in parks and open space per capita to one of the worst in only a couple of decades.

Kendra Black

This caused Councilwoman Kendra Black, affectionately known as “the dumbest person in America with a master’s degree,” to declare, “There’s definitely a need for this.”

It was left to Councilman Kevin Flynn to point out that what will happen is that the city will simply cut back park maintenance to almost nothing and let the dedicated park fund pay for it all. In effect the dedicated parks tax will become just another feeder to the general fund. Others have noted the Mayor, and his cronies, will use the fund to purchase virtually worthless land that no one wants, even the scummiest developers, from the highly connected. That inescapable logic caused Councilman Flynn to propose a successful amendment that the Council hold public hearings and take votes on five-year plans for the spending of the money. This way the crooks who run the city will have to grease not only the mayor but also individual councilmembers.

Others are gathering signatures for dedicated sales taxes for a myriad other good causes including, but not limited to, mental health and substance abuse treatment; college scholarships; and healthy food programs.

We say yes to all the sales tax initiative that make the ballot in Denver. All the money will eventually end up in the back pockets of CRL Associates, Norm of Arabia, the mayor’s favorite developers and other politically connected individuals. But the public does not appear to appreciate the fact that the mayor spends all his time working out and chasing skirts while the City Council does virtually nothing. Shouldn’t the people who run the city and do all the work be handsomely rewarded for their endeavors? We say yes and thus the voters must approve sales tax hikes for one and all. We are confident, based on past performance, that the Denver voters will do the right thing and vote yes on any and all tax hikes that make the ballot, no matter the purported purpose.

— Editorial Board

3 Reasons To Take Your Workouts Outside

3 Reasons To Take Your Workouts Outside

by | Jun 28, 2018 | Feature Story Middle Left

by Colleen Salgado

Summer is here, and in Colorado we’re fortunate to have plenty of sunshine, low humidity and mountains of recreation opportunities right in our backyard. Here are three reasons to take advantage of the long days and head outdoors for health and wellness.

1. It boosts the mood. More than anything, going outside is good for your spirit. When you’re outside, you see, smell and hear things you wouldn’t experience indoors, which stimulates the senses.

In addition, being outdoors exposes us to sun. While sunscreen is of course important, being in the sun regulates the production of melatonin in our bodies. According to research published in Environmental Health Perspectives, this can help prevent insomnia, premenstrual syndrome and seasonal affective disorder. Exposure to sun also improves serotonin levels, which can result in less stress, more positive moods and a “calm, yet focused” mental outlook. This means simply: Sun makes us happy!

2. It sharpens the mind. As we age, we begin to lose receptors in the brain, resulting in decreases in balance, cognitive function and short-term memory. For people over 50 or for those recovering from trauma to the brain, the ability for the remaining receptors to connect also decreases.

However, when we walk outside, it’s possible to replace and repair those receptors. Every step we take sends a signal from the foot, up through the spinal column, to the brain. The brain shoots back down a signal telling the foot how to realign and reset balance before we take the next step. Creating more of this rapid communication between the body and the brain helps keep the mind challenged. This, in turn, improves the ability to think and process.

3. It strengthens the body. Walking outside does even more wonders. When we get used to walking in the same places or indoors, our bodies simply adjust. But when we go outside to walk, our bodies must negotiate new terrain. They must maneuver over cracks, slants or uneven terrain. This activates different muscle groups and further engages our legs, core and abdominals.

Walking or not, being outside in the sun also maximizes the body’s production of Vitamin D, which can promote strong bones, disease prevention, a healthier immune system and even weight loss. On the flip side, not getting enough Vitamin D can result in tiredness, aches and pain, and severe bone or muscle pain. Yes, you can get Vitamin D by taking a supplement. However, you can also just take a stroll in the sunshine, which sounds much better!

What to keep in mind. Of course, as you head outside, it is important to keep safety in mind. I like to remind people of these tips:

• When walking outside, partner up. Or, let people know where you’re going and when to expect you back.

• Sunshine is good for you — but sun damage isn’t. Remember the sunscreen!

• If you have sensitive skin or allergies, take steps to mitigate them before you head outside.

• Wear the right shoes — A long walk will require more than sandals or flip-flops.

• Bring a snack. If you’re going to be outside awhile, bring a combination of protein and carbs to refuel.

• Finally, stay hydrated. A good rule of thumb is 1 ounce for every minute of high-intensity activity.

Summer is the perfect time to get out there and get fit, have fun and stay safe. For more ways to live healthy outdoors — and indoors — all year long, contact the health and wellness professionals!

Colleen Salgado is the Health & Wellness Director at the Schlessman Family YMCA. A fitness instructor for many years, Colleen is certified in ACE personal training, AFAA Group Fitness, SilverSneakers, Zumba, Les Mills, Madd Dog, Yoga, Pilates and willPower & grace.

Glendale Pairs American Rugby With Local Craft Brewers

Glendale Pairs American Rugby With Local Craft Brewers

by | Jun 28, 2018 | Glendale City News

by John Arthur
Writer on behalf of Infinity Park

For the first time, Glendale’s Bruises & Brews Beerfest will expand to two days: August 24 and 25, 2018. Photo by Travis Prior

Since its creation more than a decade ago, Glendale’s Infinity Park has been the epicenter of rugby in the United States, establishing its rugby programming during that time as a friend and champion of local businesses. For the inaugural season of professional rugby in the U.S., the Glendale Raptors have featured local brewers at each home game, and will also host the annual Bruises and Brews beer festival in August — taking place over two days this year for the first time in the event’s history. As Major League Rugby’s exciting first season winds to a close, rugby fans and beer enthusiasts can look forward to the two-day festival — a perfect pairing with the annual RugbyTown 7s tournament. Hearing from two featured brewers demonstrates what makes the hard-hitting sport and cold, local suds such good bedfellows.

A Colorado native, Dave Meira of Boggy Draw Brewery started brewing beer in 1989. The warm, woodsy ambience of his Sheridan taproom is almost as welcoming as the rich, smooth flavor of his Groundhog Mountain Milk Stout. Built by Meira himself, a carpenter by trade, the outdoor-themed bar is named for an area in southwest Colorado’s San Juan National Forest, a place where he grew up hunting. The featured brewer at the Raptors home opener, a victory over Austin Elite Rugby, Meira’s passion for rugby is plainly equal to his passion for beer. Opened in July 2015, Boggy’s somewhat sparse décor includes a number of rugby balls and jerseys. With 16 beers typically on tap, Meira is slowly working toward expansion, though his bread and butter remains the Sheridan taproom.

Playing rugby himself in the late ’80s, Meira admits today’s professional league is another animal altogether: “It was a different game back then,” he chuckles. “Today’s game is a lot faster and a lot more fluid. Back then if you could still stand up you kept playing.” When his son was in high school, Meira learned of the rugby programming at Infinity Park and both got involved. While his son played, Meira volunteered as an assistant coach. Asked about the comparison between the sport and brewing, he notes that the two share a common mentality: “Rugby is very fraternal, and the brewing scene at our level is like that too. They’re both close-knit communities.” That fraternity ensures Colorado brewers and American rugby will continue to grow together.

Just south of Mile High Stadium, Strange Craft Beer Company was born from disaster. Owner Tim Myers had been home brewing for eight years when the Great Recession cost him his IT job. Rather than wade through unpromising employment prospects, he took the plunge and founded Strange, the first nanobrewery in Denver. Asked about the distinction, Myers explains that craft brewers are typically described in terms of size: “There are multinationals, regional brewers, packaging breweries, brewpubs, and more,” he says. “Smaller brewers are microbreweries: we’re the next size down. We celebrate our smallness, focusing on selling pints across the bar in our tasting room.” Myers experimented with nearly 65 beer recipes last year — the most in Strange’s history.

The featured brewer for the Raptors May 13 win over San Diego Legion, Strange Craft embodies how craft brewing is facilitating the burgeoning American rugby scene. Myers explains: “I always think of rugby as an English sport, and it seems like any time I’ve gone to a rugby event there has been Bass or Harp or Guinness on tap,” he says. “Those were the original craft beers in the 1970s and ’80s in the U.S. If you wanted something different tasting, that’s what you drank. I think that plays really well with bringing rugby to America. That craft beer heritage and the U.S. brewing scene work well toward Americanizing rugby.”

Myers’ sentiment succinctly explains Glendale’s brewer-friendly mentality. Pairing the athletic spectacle of the niche sport and its uniquely community-centric ethos, with the creativity, camaraderie, and local-focus of craft brewing is a no-brainer. Embracing the grassroots nature of rugby, Colorado’s craft brewers are finding themselves on the ground floor of a rapidly growing sport, and enjoying the successful inaugural season of Major League Rugby in the process. As craft brewing continues to grow, so too will Glendale’s presence as the center of American rugby. Drop by Infinity Park to check out the professional rugby action — and have a pint while you’re at it.

Beat The Competition With A Videographer And SEO Team

Beat The Competition With A Videographer And SEO Team

by | Jun 28, 2018 | General Featured

by Glen Richardson

Visual Content: JSD’s Jennifer Jordon behind the scenes at LAX producing compelling visual content that connects with customers.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. And in today’s online world, video can be worth thousands of views and that means more clicks to a business’s website, more likes, more shares and more positive connections with potential customers. Across the board, tech research shows that video content is crucial. Video posts are twice as likely to get views as still pictures. And one media company estimates videos are shared a thousand times more than a simple text post.

Julie Hayden, Marketing Director for the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle says, “Business owners know how important it is to have an Internet and social media presence. But for almost any business, providing new and compelling video content is a challenge.”

That’s why the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle is launching a partnership with JSD Digital, a video production and SEO (search engine optimization) company.

Jennifer Jordon oversees JSD Digital’s video production. Jordon says, “I discovered my passion for storytelling through the visual platform of cinematography in college.” She started out transcribing video tapes (back when footage was actually shot on tapes) and quickly moved up the ladder to an associate producer on an HGTV program.

She was promoted to field producer and director and has worked with networks like HGTV, Travel Channel, VH1 and many others. “I’ve braved grizzly bears while producing programs in Alaska, marveled at magnificent sunrises working on water park episodes in Costa Rica and been amazed at the engineering and zipline feats performed by the teams from DIY Network’s The Treehouse Guys.” Her many commercial business projects include a multi-year campaign on the renovations at LAX, Los Angeles World Airport. Hayden says, “Jennifer is uniquely qualified to handle whatever visual scope a business desires, from one camera shoots to multi camera produc

Expertise Gets Results: JSD’s Jennifer Jordon on location with reality TV series in Homer, Alaska.

tions including drones.”

Jordon adds, “Our productions range in scale from a “one-person band” operation where I do all of the preproduction, film all the components in the field while producing and directing and then edit everything in house. For clients looking for a higher cinematic value, I build teams of freelancers whose expertise complements each other. Both result in a dynamic and impactful finished product. We can achieve a lot with whatever budget a client has to work with.”

Because of her experience with large-scale productions, Jordon notes she’s seen big corporations out compete everyone else. “My goal is to give small businesses the marketing tools they need to compete with the bigger guys by making the right impression on their potential clients and customers.”

Jordon explains the Internet is both a blessing and a challenge for small businesses. “With the nature of social media like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter you don’t need network television advertising to get your commercial or video posting to y

SEO Maximizes Exposure: Seth Drake with JSD Digital utilizes SEO strategies to maximize internet search results.

our demographic. But you do still need a quality visual product and many businesses don’t have the time or the expertise to use the Internet to their full advantage. Video content can help make a great, lasting impression if you make the right impact and really captivate your viewers.”

Hayden points out, “We’re not talking about traditional commercials.” Jordon adds, “At JSD Digital, we meet with the business owner, talk about their brand and what message they want to convey. Our goal is to create visually compelling video and still pictures that spark a positive emotional connection with potential customers. We provide two to three minute clips or longer for use on websites or Facebook but also shorter ‘sizzle’ pieces for social media like Twitter. Our packages focus on maximizing the results with whatever budget the business has to work with.”

Customer Satisfaction

One of JSD Digital’s video partnerships is with Delastudio.photos. Owner Ariane Delafosse Uhll offers a unique brand where she photographs people doing whatever they are passionate about. She contacted JSD Digital because she wanted videos to show customers just what they could expect in a session with her. “I wanted to convey how fun it is, how our team of hair and makeup experts will make them look their best. I wanted a video that walked them through the process.”

Delafosse Uhll says JSD Digital exceeded her expectations. “Jennifer was totally professional and also excited and interested in my business. She worked wonders within my budget and the final product was amazing. She was able to produce something beautiful in a short period of time that perfectly captured my vision and what I wanted to convey.” Delafosse Uhll adds the investment was worth it. “Having a beautiful, professional video really helps set my business apart and sends the message that I am a high quality, successful business.”

Jordon says, ‘Seeing a business owner light up when they watch the commercial video I have created is my favorite moment. Knowing they will have something that makes them proud and will truly bring in new customers and build trust when a potential client visits their website is huge.”

SEO Maximizes Exposure

Creating compelling visuals is the first step to help businesses get noticed. JSD Digital’s SEO component provides the second step to make sure they keep getting noticed. Owner Seth Drake explains JSD Digital uses industry-leading tactics to first check and amend your site to make sure the architecture and design of the pages are recognized as relevant to your industry. He says, “This helps search engines understand your business and therefore rank them accordingly.” From reputation management to the discovery process behind keyword analysis, JSD Digital harnesses all avenues within SEO.

If you have considered maximizing your business’s potential through visual content or are curious about SEO potential, JSD Digital offers free consultation and website evaluations.

For more information, contact Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle Marketing Director Julie Hayden at julie@glendalecherrycreek .com or 303-359-8366.