by Valley Gadfly | Jul 20, 2023 | Valley Gadfly
Sure, it’s sizzling summer, but by “playing it cool” August can be quite delightful. Planned with a frosty twist, you’ll discover most of the 31 days are “devilishly divine!”
Denver usually enjoys low humidity, making for beautiful, sun-filled days, and cool, comfortable evenings. The average daily high in August is a mild 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Stirred with a spade so you’ll have it made in the shade,” here are our choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment to cover a cool, cheerful, and carefree summer romp:
Wicket & Stick It — Colorado’s longest running croquet tournament — returns to Wash Park’s Croquet Lawn Aug. 4, 2:30 to 6 p.m. Tourney has 32, 2-people teams. Spectators get three drink tickets, English Croquet Box. Information: 303-388-6022.
Chill each Sunday during brunch at ART Hotel’s Sounds of Summer Concerts on the rooftop restaurant patio of Fire, noon to 2 p.m. Information: 720-709-4431.
For sandy toes and sun-kissed nose, sail to Pelican Bay at Cherry Creek to enjoy rock-driven Beachside Blues Aug. 9, 5:30 p.m. Information: 303-741-2995.
Enjoy violin, piano, and guitar music at the Smash Fine Arts Festival on Fillmore Plaza in Cherry Creek Aug. 12-13, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Information: 303-394-2904.
One of Cherry Creek’s few remaining quaint shops, Adornments is celebrating 20 years in the chic district this October. Shop fashionable-flattering clothing, jewelry, and accessories to adore at 2401 E. 2nd Ave. Information: 303-321-7992
Make Sam’s No. 3 in Glendale your cool diner for breakfast, lunch, and dinner this summer. Famous for steak and eggs plus Mexican cuisine, eatery is equally as popular for cold beer, cocktails & milkshakes. Information: 303-333-4403.
Experience the dynamic-sassy daughter of B.B. King and the Gregory Goodloe Band playing at Dazzle@Baur’s Aug. 18, 7 p.m. Information: 303-839-5100.
Load up on tacos from 40 eateries during this year’s sixth annual Tacolandia being held at Civic Center Park Aug. 19, 4 to 7 p.m. Information: 303-861-4633.
Join Cancer League of Colorado’s Race for Research at Wash Park Aug. 20, 9-11 a.m. Run by volunteers, goal is to raise $40,000. Information: 303-292-8065.
Rock band Kansas, that also plays Ukrainian rock, bring their 50th Anniversary tour to the Paramount Theatre Aug. 25, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-623-0106.
Make Aug. 25-27 your sports holiday weekend, as world rugby converges on Glendale’s Infinity Park for the 8th RugbyTown 7s Tournament. See 20 world teams plus all five U.S. Military branches play. Fri. and Sun. tickets $5; Sat. $15. Fri. has beer, food, kids 12-under free, and fireworks. Military plays Sat. plus the Bruises & Brews Beerfest is from 3-7 p.m. See the championship match Sunday. Gates open at 11 a.m. with luau brunch and mimosas. Information: 303-692-5799.
Featuring sudden thunderstorms, Denver is a masterpiece of weather bluster in August. On August 1, 1976, the Mile High City received 1.50 inches of rain in slightly over one hour.
This is the month for early morning or late evening walks, pool parties, picnics, cycling, barbecues, and homemade ice cream. It brings a sense of freedom and a “yes” to everything.
Just another 31 days of summer, but it certainly gets one primed to welcome and enjoy the fall. Why do watermelons wish for lavish August weddings? Because they cantaloupe!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 23, 2023 | Main Articles
Shoot, Spin, Spray, And Splatter! July 1st Blast Begins A Fun, Fantastic Four Day Birthday Bash
by Glen Richardson
Glittering Glendale Fireworks is set to launch a glowing, lengthy 4th of July weekend beginning on Saturday, July 1. The flareup of fantastic fireworks, food, and festivals is expected to draw a red, white, and blue explosion of revelers ready for the country’s big birthday bash.
Glendale’s jaw-dropping pyrotechnics — considered the Valley’s premier Fourth of July display — will once again light up the skies. Family and friends gather at eateries, bars, patios, and porches from LoDo to the Dam to view

Park Hill Parade: Watch this holiday tradition starting at 1:30 p.m. on July 4. Costumed characters, classic cars, and marchers’ parade on 23rd Ave. The parade ends at a Street Fair on the 2200 block of Kearney St.
the dazzling aerial display sponsored by the City of Glendale.
In addition to musical extravaganzas, a blockbuster art festival, and parades, the weekend is a celebration of all things wonderful about summer in the Cherry Creek Valley. Here is a step-by-step guide to keep you crackling, whistling, and glowing through the lengthy weekend:
Liftoff Blast – July 1
Glendale Fireworks Spectacular: One of the Valley’s largest and oldest, Glendale’s stunning salute returns to Infinity Park Stadium again this year, gates open 7:30 p.m. Families can sit in the stands or on the turf field for viewing. Movie shorts and videos will precede the fireworks show. There will be food trucks or you can bring food and beverages, no glass containers or grills. Fireworks start at about 9:40 p.m. Information: 303-692-5799.
Four Mile Park Gala: Games, activities, crafts, food trucks, and live music, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Denver Concert Band gives 45-minute performances at noon and 2 p.m. The event is prior to Glendale’s fireworks at Infinity Park. Information: 720-865-0800.
Lowry Parade & Festival: The quaint suburban area that was once an air force base, hosts its first 4th of July Parade & Festival at the Great Lawn Park, 9 a.m. to noon. Parade around the one-mile park will feature costumes participants riding decorated bikes or pulling-pushing wagons, or walking costumed dogs. Information: 303-344-0481.
Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July 1-3: View works by 250 national-international artists, plus 13 performing artists on the streets in Cherry Creek North, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Mon., 6 p.m

Party Like A Patriot: We the People like to party, proving it by crowding Civic Center Park’s 4th of July celebration downtown. Local groups, Symphony, play starting at 5 p.m., prior to fireworks finale.Photo by Evan Semón, 720-620-6767
. There will be vendors and food trucks, plus creative stations for kids. Information: 303-355-2787.
Colorado Rockies Games: Catch the Rockies as they take on the Detroit Tigers, 7:10 p.m. A stunning fireworks show follows the game. Information: 303-292-0200.
Let Color Fly — July 2

Stunning Shot: “If you rise above the storm, you will find the sunshine,” hints this David Meyhew photograph donated to this year’s Cherry Creek Art Festival. Let your soul and spirit fly this 4th of July.
Indigo Exhibit, July 2: Sculpture, textiles, and works on paper in rich-alluring blue opens in Denver Botanic Garden’s Freyer-Newman Center. See work by artists from the U.S., Nigeria, Japan, and South Korea created from the plant-derived dye. Exhibit continues through Nov. 5. Information: 720-865-3500.
Freedom Frenzy — July 3
Civic Center Celebration: Denver’s fireworks show returns to Civic Center Park at Broadway & Colfax. Local musicians, including Dragondeer, entertain at 5 p.m. The Colorado Symphony with singer-actress Sierra Boggess as guest, performs patriotic and contemporary favorites beginning at 8:15 p.m. The fireworks finale is about 9:30

Bold Strips, Bright Stars: Fireworks on July 1 from Glendale — aka Rugby Town USA — launches a lengthy 4th of July salute to the country’s big birthday bash from the city’s Infinity Park Stadium, gates open 7:30 p.m. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
p.m. Information: 303-861-4633.
Littleton Red, White & You: Clement Park fireworks show has community exhibits, a food, beer, and wine garden, plus Kids Zone beginning at 5 p.m. That Eighties Band plays in the Amphitheater at 8 p.m., fireworks a 9:30 p.m. Information: 303-409-2600.
Ballet Blast: Ballet company Wonderbound fires-up its new $8.1 million space with original wild west tale, The Sandman. The show is a collaboration with country rock band Gas

Art On The Streets: The Cherry Creek Arts Festival returns to the streets of Cherry Creek North July 1-3. This year’s show has 255 exhibitors, including 20 from last year plus five emerging artists.
oline Lollipops, and front-man Clay Rose. Information: 303

Fun At Four Mile: Four Mile Historic Park fires up the fun July 1 with games, activities, crafts, and food trucks, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Denver Concert Band plays at noon and 2 p.m.
-292-4700.
Belmar Bash: See a fleet of drones with LED lights at downtown Lakewood’s 4th of July show. Bash begins at 5 p.m. with live music, kid’s activities, local vendors, food, and drinks. Information: 303-987-7899.
Stars & Stripes — July 4th
Aurora Spectacular: Enjoy food trucks, musical performances, and fun activities on Aurora Municipal Center’s Great Lawn, starting at 6 p.m. Launch of fireworks is at 9:30 p.m. Information: 303-739-7000.
Park Hill 4th Of July Parade: This Northeast Denver tradition starts at 1:30 p.m. and runs on 23rd Ave. from Dexter S

Colorful Configurations: See colorfully-lit drones flying in patriotic formations at the July 4th celebration for the City of Lakewood and Belmar on July 3.
t. to Krameria St. Parade has 50-plus floats, costumed characters, classic cars, a marching band, and more. The parade ends at the Kearney Street Fair on the 2200 block of Kearney. Families will enjoy live music, kids’ activities, food, and more. Information: 303-918-6517.
Wash Park Family Fun: Plan a picnic at the historic Boathouse pavilion from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Stay for the evening’s patriotic concert by the Denver Municipal Band, 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Information: 720-913-0700.
Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree: Canadian electronic music duo Zeds Dead returns to Civic Center Park, 2-10 p.m. This year has three unique stages, plus food, games, and interactive art. Information: deadrocks.net.
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 23, 2023 | Main Articles
Apartment Buildup Wave Ripples Through District Also Facing Surge In New Office Buildings
by Glen Richardson
Cherry Creek North — long notable for ritzy shops, fancy restaurants, and posh homes — is about to feel the impact of a tidal wave of new apartment construction. The tsunami of new construction apparently triggered by Broe Real Estate Group’s announcement it plans to replace a 10-story office building at 50 S. Steele St. with a 12-story, 416-unit apartment building, groundbreaking to begin in early 2024.

High Tide On 1st Ave.: Broe Real Estate Group plans to replace its 10-story office building at 50 S. Steele St. with this humongous 12-story high-rise with 416 apartments.
The district, of course, had its first ominous hint of a powerful forward apartment construction wave when East West Partners announced it would build 600 apartment units in the largely vacant west end of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Near the Cherry Creek waterway shore, work at that site is also set to begin in early next year.
Adding to the ground swell of new apartments is BMC Investments plan to build a 12-story, 250-unit apartment building on the southeast corner of East. 1st Ave. and Steele St. (High Rise Apartments Going Up at Sears Store Site, Chronicle June).
Splattering Effect
Set to splash into Cherry Creek before or following the new year and ride the wave of new apartment projects to historic high-rise highs, are these earth-movement projects:
Zocalo Development is planning to build a 12-story, 185-unit apartment complex on the northeast corner of 1st Ave. and Steele St., their first project in Cherry Creek.
Stillwater Capital, a private national real estate firm, is planning an 85-unit apartment project that will replace several buildings in Cherry Creek North, at 255 N. Detroit. The tallest part of the building will be eight-stories, with step-downs to seven and five stories.
Formally an office proposal, Blair Richardson — CEO of Denver-based Bow River Capital — is now planning a five-story, 22 apartment-condo building at the vacant lot on the southwest corner of 2nd Ave. & Adams St., adjacent to the Cherry Creek Grill.
Broe Group’s Geyser

Building Boxes Rising: East West Partners plans 600 apartment units in the largely vacant west end of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, near the Cherry Creek waterway.
The 416 apartment Broe development will have a humongous 611 parking spaces, plus ground-floor retail, and rooftop amenities. In 2021 when the site was rezoned for a 12-story structure, Cherry Creek East groups raised concerns about parking, traffic, and how a new building would block views.
Councilman Chris Hinds, who represents the district, also expressed concerns about the rezoning, particularly the impact it might have on older residents living at Kavod Senior Life around the block. But, nonetheless, he voted for the rezoning.
Broe has owned the 1970s-era, 115,325- square-foot building at 50 S. Steele St. since 1989. Elsewhere in Cherry Creek, Broe has two office developments underway at 200 and 250 Clayton St. The 200 Clayton site is in the final stages of completion. Broe plans to break ground at the 250 Clayton late this year.
Deluge At 1st & Steele
Zocalo’s new apartment building will be located on the northeast corner of 1st Ave. and Steele St., across the street from the 88

Splash On Steele St.: Zocalo plans this 12-story, 185-unit apartment complex on the northeast corner of 1st Ave. and Steele St., across from the 88 Steele Creek development.
Steele Creek development. Currently the site is just a dirt lot with some torn up pavement.
The 12-story LEED-Gold building will include their “Velo” bike room, a rooftop deck, fitness room, and ground floor retail.
Rezoning in April created a slight uproar concerning over-development and traffic congestion issues. Zocalo countered by offering $80,000 for bike and car sharing programs plus congestion relief measures.
Trio Slip Into Creek
BMC’s 12-story, 250-unit Steele Creek complex replacing the deserted Sears store, will be split, half one-bedroom, the other half divided between studio and two-bedroom units. Amenities will include a fitness center, rooftop deck, and landscaped courtyards.
Stillwater Capital’s 85-unit project on North Detroit will be eight-stories, stepped-down to seven and five-stories. Directly north of the eight-story Financial House, it will replace numerous retail sites including women’s store Garbarini.
The empty lot at 2nd Ave. & Adams St., originally planned as an office building, is being nixed in favor of a five-story, 22-unit apartment-condo project. Purchased by Bow River Capital’s CEO in July 2019, the site was bulldozed and has sat vaca

The Road Ahead: Cherry Creek West is changing Cherry Creek North Drive to be all at grade. A wide pedestrian crossing will allow walkers and bikers to cross freely.
nt for three years.
Housing Turbulence
In the past, apartments in metro Denver were simply four walls and a roof overhead, with few amenities. Renters viewed them as temporary shelter while they saved and searched for a starter home. That, however, has never been the case in Cherry Creek. Renters want luxury features like gyms, pools, walking paths, plus, of course, convenience to shopping and work.
The surge in apartment developments here reflects the overall turbulence in the housing market. The high-rise building wave is tapping into an exploding need for more housing options for everyone from millennials to empty nesters. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the apartment buildup is far beyond the most optimistic forecasts.
Still, amidst labor shortages, record-breaking inflation and unparalleled consumer demand, Cherry Creek has embraced the district’s construction buildup with grace. “At a time when other communities have struggled, we have continued to be the metro region’s economic powerhouse, and have exceeded our own growth expectations with grace,” is how Cherry Creek North’s CEO Nick LeMasters explains it modestly.
Soaking In Money Sway

Stillwater Floods Detroit: Stillwater Capital is planning an 85-unit project on North Detroit. The project will replace several retail businesses along Detroit St.
It’s hard to quantify an exact rent impact of the fast-paced buildup. As of June 2023, the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Cherry Creek was $3,000, a 15% jump from the previous year. Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment was $4,790, a 2% drop.
With a median home price of $3,488,577 and a median rent of $1,696, Cherry Creek is Denver’s most expensive neighborhood. Furthermore, based on growth in home prices in Cherry Creek over the last three years, it ranks No. 1 among all Denver neighborhoods.
Metro Denver is losing people, and so is Colorado as a whole, and that has to be of considerable concern. Between January and March of this year Denver lost 4,200 people, according to real estate brokerage firm Redfin. That places Denver among the top 10 cities people are leaving the most.
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 23, 2023 | Valley Gadfly
Who doesn’t love the month of July? It’s the summertime, the sun is out, and the days last longer. Plus, we celebrate the 4th of July with food, friends, family, and fireworks.
It’s time to hail the U.S. of A. with groovin’ patriotic songs from the nation’s best-loved pop, rock, hip-hop, and country music artists. We just want “our piece of the American pie.”
To get you fired-up and set to shout-out to America, here are our choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Pay homage to our county as you enjoy summer’s second month:
Blast into July to the sounds of Denver Concert Band’s Independence Day Instrumentalists playing at Four Mile Park’s Independence Celebration July 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See history, as re-enactors mine for gold. Information: 720-865-0800.
Park Hill’s July 4th Parade, starting at 1:30 p.m. with floats, costumed characters, and classic cars captures the holiday’s historic spirit. Information: 303-918-6517.
Relax to the rhythms of Billboard’s top Smooth Jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe, as he entertains at Dazzle@Baur’s July 8, 7 p.m. Information: 303-839-5100.
Shop the streets for not-to-miss sales and discounts at Cherry Creek North’s 16-block Sidewalk Sale July 14-16, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Information: 303-394-2904.
Oh, time for some beers and sunshine at Comrade Brewing, open noon every day, just East of Quebec on Iliff Ave. World Beer Gold Cup’s 2023 Winner for Chili Beer, their 4th Gold in five years. Mmm, oh, yeah. Information: 720-748-0700.
When the family screams for ice cream, head to Heaven Creamery in Cherry Creek, serving 500 rotating flavors, plus frozen desserts. More: Also bringing savory crepes back to Cherry Creek this summer. Information: 303-635-6779.
Experience the Brass Band Extravaganza, featuring the finest-rowdiest horn and percussion players at City Park, July 16, 6-8 p.m. Information: 303-744-1004.
Catch Cypress Hill doing their album Black Sunday with the Colorado Symphony at the Mission Ballroom July 20, 8:30 p.m. Information: 720-577-6884.
This year’s indoor-outdoor Summer Brew Fest at Mile High Station, is the hot spot for music and beers July 22, 1-4 & 6-10 p.m. Information: 720-946-7721.
End July listening to 150 bands on Broadway from 6th Ave. to Alameda at the Underground Music Showcase. Information: undergroundmusicshowcase.com.
Swallow Hill Music’s Shady Grove Picnic Series ends with three Thursday evening shows at Four Mile Historic Park July 6, 13, and 20, 6:30 p.m. Miguel Avina kicks things off with folk ballads, pop, and indie sounds. High-energy stage antics by Los Mocochetes follows with politically charged lyrics. The series ends with Colorado-based string band High Lonesome doing hard-driving bluegrass with good pickin’ and two- and three-part harmonies. Information:303-777-1003.
To really sense what it means to be an American, listen to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” Song is from his 1984 country music album “You’ve Got A Good Love Comin.”
Bruce Springsteen’s super-patriotic, “Born in the U.S.A.” is a song where he scream-sings the title. It’s about a Vietnam vet who returns home to find life isn’t the way he left it.
It’s Woody Guthrie’s lyrics, “this land was made for you and me,” that reminds us the U.S. isn’t for a specific group, but rather, it’s all of us who make it an amazing place to live.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | May 22, 2023 | Main Articles
The Eight Story $400 To $500 Million Project To Build 430 Apartments, Restaurants And Retail
by Glen Richardson

Curtain Call: The empty Sears building along 1st Ave. in Cherry Creek North is set for demolition. Construction is expected to begin in mid-2024, with completion in two years.
The unoccupied Cherry Creek North Sears building that has eluded development and sat empty since 2015, is finally going to hear the sound of trucks and construction equipment at work. After years of false starts, announcement that BMC Investments will improve and enhance the abandoned store site is electrifying news in the booming district.
Plans proposed by BMC’s Matt Joblon, founding partner & CEO, to create a “flagship centerpiece” on the 4.28-acre site intrigues and fascinates virtually everyone. Joblon — his firm has completed multiple apartment, hotel, and office projects in Cherry Creek North since 2013 — plans an eight-story multifamily complex. The site will also include 100,000-sq.-ft. of retail and restaurant space plus an “outdoor paseo” for entertainment. Initial site development plans have been submitted to the City & County of Denver by BMC.
Located along East 1st and 2nd Ave. between Clayton Lane and Josephine St. — one of the last developable sites in the district — demolition and new construction work at the site is expected to begin by mid-2024, with completion in two years. The Cherry Creek West project planned directly across First Ave. at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, also expects to begin construction in mid-2024.
Development Firms
At the end of last year Atlanta-based Invesco Ltd. — now the sole owner of Cherry Creek’s Clayton Lane — selected BMC Investments and Los Angeles-based Prism Places to develop the property. Denver’s Tryba Architects — the same firm that designed the initial 9.5-acre Clayton Lane for Nichols Partnership 20-years ago — has been tabbed as the project’s architect. Employee-owned, Denver-based PCL Construction is the general contractor.
The development site includes the Crate & Barrel store on the corner of 1st Ave. and Clayton Ln. BMC and store officials are working through options for the site, including leaving the building untouched. If the decision is to demolish the building, architectural plans call for it to be replaced by a five-story mixed-use residential building, but the below-grade parking garage would be preserved.
To keep businesses, residents, and shoppers cognizant of changes ahead, here’s the Chronicle’s community guide for what to anticipate:
What’s Changing

Betwixt & Between: Crate & Barrel at 1st and Clayton Ln. is a slice of the makeover site. BMC and store execs are reviewing options. Architect’s draft shows a five-story residential building.
The old Sears store is being replaced by an eight-story apartment building with 430 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units.
In addition, 100,000-sq.-ft. of retail and restaurant spaces will be added. The units will range from 1,200 to 2,000-sq.-ft. Two of the spaces will be reserved for minority-owned art-retail units at more affordable rental rates.
The site will also include an outdoor courtyard-paseo designed for entertainment. From 100 to 200 events are planned per year. Live band concerts are expected to be included in the site schedule.
What Won’t Change
The Whole Foods Market at E. 1st Ave. & University Blvd. has a long-term lease and won’t be relocated or demolished. The store will stay in its long-established spot.
In addition, the five-story Clayton Lane Parking Garage next to Whole Foods won’t be taken down. Independent of Whole Foods customers use, the Clayton Lane condo owners will continue to have access. Furthermore, parking for nearby offices will endure.

Sears Saga: The Cherry Creek Sears store opened in 1954, part of what was once the largest U.S. retailer. Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck issued their first catalog in 1891.
Development strategy is to follow current zoning, with no plans to request zoning variances. Moreover, structures east of Clayton Lane will not be changed or altered.
People safety remains the top priority for Clayton Lane and the Cherry Creek North community. People continue to feel safe in the district day or night — it’s a shopping sanctuary and safe neighborhood. Keeping it safeguarded is crucial, declares BMC’s Matt Joblon.
Street Enhancements

Clayton Lane Climax: BMC Investments to complete Cherry Creek’s Clayton Lane project launched 20 years ago. Swap of empty Sears store for high-rise, retail is planned on 4.28-acre site.
Restructuring of existing storefronts on Clayton Lane and 2nd Ave. are being designed to engage customers and create a charming, eye-catching street.
Store layouts will be updated into small- format floor plans preferred by boutique shops and restaurants. They are adjustments that impact performance and make spaces competitive. Interiors of ground floor retail spaces will be revamped and modernized; effective designs intended to dramatize the space and stimulate sales.
There is some unease that Cherry Creek North’s increasing density could create community character concerns. District density, however, will be somewhat offset by the planned outdoor courtyard. There’s also nervousness that building height limits — all buildings 8-12 stories in height — are causing the district to become monotonous.
Story Of Sears
The Sears store in Cherry Creek opened in 1954 after Sears closed its store in downtown Denver. The. Cherry Creek store on 1st Ave occupied 133,493-sq.-ft. and the adjacent Auto Center took up another 18,769-sq.-ft. The combined store and auto center at one time had 66 employees.
Sears declared bankruptcy in October 2018, resulting in the closing of Denver’s last two stores. They were located in the Southglenn Mall on S. University Ave. and in Lakewood’s Westland Center.
Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck issued their first catalog containing 322 pages in 1891. The first Sears retail store opened in Chicago in 1925. At its peak, Sears was the largest U.S. retailer with 3,500 Sears and Kmart stores.