by Mark Smiley | Feb 29, 2016 | Main Articles
Want Massive High-Rise Condo Building Right On Cherry Creek, Could Be Tallest Building In State
by Charles C. Bonniwell
The dark rumors that M.A.K. Investment Group, headed by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, its registered agent and part owner, wants to build a massive super high density high-rise on only 3.8 acres of developable land it owns in Glendale along Cherry Creek, have proven to be true.
M.A.K. owns and runs the Authentic Persian and Oriental Rugs, located at 550 South Colorado Boulevard, and have tried to present themselves to the media as small business people being threatened by the City of Glendale by condemnation, notwithstanding the fact that the city has consistently stated it has no plans to use eminent domain regarding the property.
M.A.K.’s Real Plans
It has been surmised by some that M.A.K. was really attempting to intimidate the city and its elected officials into waiving all of its zoning and Master Plan limitations along Cherry Creek in order to allow a super high density development which would bring the highest possible price for the land for M.A.K.
Kheirkhahi and M.A.K. have brought lawsuits in state and federal court against the city with some of the state claims having already been dismissed by the courts. They have hired one of the largest and most expensive law firms in the country, Kirkland and Ellis, to bring a federal court action in order to nullify Glendale and the state’s urban renewal statutes.
The firm has a well-known reputation for its work in cases that go to trial. Kirkland and Ellis was the primary outside law firm representing oil giant BP in litigation regarding the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rare Inside View
Seldom does the public get to see the inner workings of wealthy developers obtaining or trying to obtain super high density projects that appear to violate a city’s zoning and master plans. Meetings prior to the filing of a site plan are not public. Moreover, until a “site plan” has been submitted to a city, developers are allowed to lobby public officials in favor of a project while the public is often in the dark about even the existence of a proposed project. After getting tentative oral approval for a project, developers file the “site plan” which makes the project “quasi-judicial” in nature and elected officials can then assert that they are prohibited from talking to members of the public or anyone else about the proposed project.
But because the M.A.K. and Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi are in litigation with the City of Glendale, the pre-site plan meeting held was openly recorded which made the recording a public record. The Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act, demanded and received a copy of the recording. Experts are calling the information in the recording “unprecedented” and “extraordinary.”
M.A.K. Team
M.A.K. brought some of the highest priced and most influential advisors in Colorado to the meeting. Leading the group was Dana Crawford, best known for being the developer of Larimer Square in downtown Denver. Also on the team was David Tryba, the principal of Tryba Architects the Denver based architecture, planning and urban design firm most recently involved with the downtown Union Station development. Tryba along with his wife, were the recipients of the 2012 “Dana Crawford Award” from Colorado Preservation, Inc.
Also heading up the advisory team was Chris Shears of the planning and designing firm Shears Adkins Rockmore Architects. Perhaps demonstrating how incestuous such a meeting can be, Shears co-wrote Glendale’s latest Master Plan whose limitations Kheirkhahi and M.A.K. are now seeking to evade.
Rounding out the team was Bill James, RTD Director for District A, which includes Glendale and Cherry Creek, as well as being the Chair of RTD’s Planning and Development Committee. James has his own real estate brokerage and investment advisory firm in Denver called James Real Estate Services, Inc. Kheirkhahi brought along his sister-in-law Nasrin Kholghy who is also a principal in M.A.K.
Attending the meeting on behalf of the City of Glendale were Co-Deputy City Managers Chuck Line and Linda Cassaday as well as Police Captain Mike Gross who is the project head for Glendale 180, the city’s proposed entertainment development district along Cherry Creek.
Pursuant to the Glendale Master Plan, co-written by Shears, the height limit along Cherry Creek is 45 feet. Since the 1980s Glendale has prohibited residential development along the East Virginia side of Cherry Creek as being incongruous with a boisterous late night entertainment district.
Crawford Lead Speaker
Crawford was the primary spokesperson for the M.A.K. team and it did not take long for her to drop the hammer. She indicated that her and M.A.K.’s inspiration came from places like Tehran, Iran, and Austin, Texas, as well as Dallas, Vancouver and Las Vegas. She passed around pictures of massive luxury condominium developments which appeared to be similar to places such as the 56-story Tehran International Tower in downtown Tehran, Iran, the 56-story Austonian in Austin, Texas, and the under construction 58-story Independent also in Austin.
All buildings appeared to be equal to or exceed the tallest building in the six state region, the Republic Plaza Building in downtown Denver, which is 56 floors.
Crawford expressed her admiration for condo developers as “people with very big bucks and willing to take big risks are doing condos.” Crawford went on to declare that if we wanted to double metropolitan Denver population “we’re going to have to get over our hysteria about high-rise buildings because Denver just, you know, the neighborhoods just get bonkers over the subject.”
She then proceeded to declare that the Glendale location would be good because it is “smarter than Denver is and also because of the location to be able to do things that are not going to get people hysterical about blocking their views …”
She also went on to declare that the building “could be just sensational and observable from almost the whole metropolitan area.” Given that the M.A.K. property is at the creek level, the proposed building would probably need to be in excess of 60 stories to meet this criteria. Crawford also indicated her belief that people today want a safe community and “the safest place in the United States right now is the island of Manhattan [New York City] interestingly enough.”
Crawford’s “Special Sugar”
Crawford also added “there is, you know there’s some sugar in it, a special sugar in it for the community … taking care of some that need a little extra care.” In talking with city officials, who exactly was going to be getting the “special sugar?” How was it going to be distributed and by whom were unclear but the implications were potentially highly disturbing.
RTD Director Bill James seconded Crawford’s belief that Glendale, as a separate jurisdiction, surrounded by and in the middle of Denver, was a real benefit as this massive density would be “something easier to get away with in this environment …”
James went on to declare, apparently relating to the fact that such a massive residential building right on Colorado Boulevard would potentially create enormous traffic jams during rush hours, that people have “been sort of seduced by the car — we’re moving away from that.”
David Tryba brought forth how such mass density “leverages the value of the land” and how much money this type of project could bring to the pockets of M.A.K. as well as Kheirkhahi and the Kholghys. He stated that “just a few short years ago Dana and others were buying properties for between $1 and $5 a square foot and now the property values around those spaces are $500 to $750 a square foot.”
M.A.K. bought its Glendale property in 2007 for $6.5 million or $39 per developable foot. At $750 per developable square foot the property would be worth over $124 million. He also emphasized he and Dana had worked together on projects and what they liked about Glendale was that they were “frankly interested in having more flexibility than they could have in Denver in terms of being able to go vertically.”
Shears, the former Glendale consultant and co-author of its Master Plan which limited “verticality” brought the presentation to an end emphasizing what a “great idea” Crawford had come up with and that it was worth “proceeding with a conversation to see if it’s possible. We certainly hope.”
Nasrin Kholghy concurred, apparently keeping in mind Tryba’s economic analysis, “I was hoping we could take advantage of her vision and create something wonderful. So I’m still hopeful.”
City’s Response
It was clear that M.A.K. was hoping that its lawsuits, the constant efforts to create bad publicity for the city and its administration, along with efforts by “investigative blogger” Jeanne Price to dig up dirt on the city and staff with constant open records requests, that the city would have been softened up for the general proposal which some in the city would later nickname the “Tehranian Death Star.”
If M.A.K.’s scorched earth tactics had intimidated the elected officials it was not reflected by the remarks of the staff to the M.A.K. participants in the meeting.
Deputy City Manager Chuck Line pointed out that Glendale already had “the highest residential density in the state,” and Deputy City Manager Linda Cassaday added that Glendale was also “surrounded by density.”
Tryba appeared incredulous to the staff statements and demanded to know “would you be open to a further discussion about encouraging more verticality and integration of use and more energy and more of higher density?”
Line indicated t
hat “there are no current plans to revisit those parts of our zoning code” and Cassaday pointed out the M.A.K.’s property was “not zoned for that [high density residential] but that “other areas within the city that are zoned for residential but that area is not.”
M.A.K. Team Not Pleased
Crawford was clearly not pleased stating “most of the communities that I’ve worked with there has been from a staff perspective an expression of flexibility.” She then demanded, “Is there any attitude of flexibility?”
Line reminded Crawford that M.A.K. and the city were in litigation which could not be discussed and would have to wind through the court system before it would even be proper to examine “if we have any flexibility or not.”
The response was clearly not what M.A.K. and Kheirkhahi wanted. Days after the meeting, Jeanne Price was back at the city with voluminous open records requests clearly digging once again for information that could be used against the city and its employees and elected officials in Team M.A.K.’s demand for the so-called “Tehranian Death Star.” Negotiations were over for M.A.K. and the scorched earth policy had been fully re-instituted.
by Mark Smiley | Feb 29, 2016 | Main Articles
by Megan Carthel
Jack Barton, founder of Kacey Fine Furniture, is proving you’re never too old to start over. The 92-year-old successful businessman is now a stand-up comedian.
Barton was Governor Hickenlooper’s landlord when Hickenlooper first opened Wynkoop Brewing Co. in lower downtown Denver in 1988. Before Hickenlooper turned the brick building into Denver’s first brewpub, it had been a warehouse for Kacey Fine Furniture. Barton became Hickenlooper’s landlord and equity participant in Wynkoop Brewing Co.
Barton has always been a Denver man, growing up on the west side, and graduating from West High School. Later he attended college at D.U. Barton sold insurance for one year before he spotted a business opportunity he couldn’t pass up — furniture. Barton said he saw no “brain surgeons” in the furniture business, so he opened up his own store in in 1948 which grew to five locations. One of his daughters, Leslie Fishbein, joined the business in the mid-1970s after graduating from the University of Colorado. She was president of Kacey Fine Furniture when she tragically died in 2008.
But out of all of Barton’s accomplishments, comedy is his true passion. “I should have done this years ago,” Barton said.
Now, Barton is proving you’re never too old to start over. “My friends ask me why I’m doing this, and I said to them, ‘you know it’s like putting your penis in a fan, but this is more painful,’” Jack said starting off his set at Noonan’s Sports Bar and Grill in Aurora.
Jack’s journey to comedy has been a life-long one. Comedy and a lovingly sarcastic humor has always played a role in his and his family’s lives. In fact, comedy is a family affair. His daughter, Terri Barton Gregg, is also a stand-up comedian. So when Barton Gregg’s dad decided he wanted to be a comedian, she encouraged him to chase his life-long dream.
“I said if it’s on your bucket list, you better take it off pretty fast,” Barton Gregg said.
Pulling from his recent experiences and adventures, Jack writes all of his own jokes and material — recalling them effortlessly and confidently on stage. “It seems like magic,” Barton said. “All of a sudden you’re there and the crowd is out there and you become very calm. And the thing is, you hate to give up the mic. You want to be there all the time.”
And, Barton does want to be on the stage all the time, occasionally doubling his stage time, but no one minds. Barton’s set is not only engaging and seriously funny, it’s also very apparent he’s having fun — a contagious smile and spirit that adds to his show and radiates through the audience. His material is original, comparatively clean and classic. Barton first debuted his stand-up comedy
in November 2015, close to a year after having two brain surgeries. It’s obvious Barton has lived his life to the fullest, and with that, amassed wisdom.
“If you can’t laugh at something, really you’re a very sad person. You have to be able to laugh at yourself,” Barton said. Barton often pokes fun at himself during his sets, but never at the audience. He said he doesn’t like to go for the “shock treatment” that some comedians use to get the audience’s attention. Instead, Barton’s cool demeanor, quick wit and smart presentation grab the audience. He’s even gotten four standing ovations in 11 shows. Comedy, Barton said, has always been his hidden talent.
“Most my life I’ve been able to convince somebody with humor,” Barton said.
Barton’s wife, Shirley, is a little shyer than her comical family members, but she is a regular at both Barton and Barton Gregg’s shows. She said she won’t be joining her husband on stage anytime soon, and not only fully supports his decision to be a comedian, she’s thrilled about it. “I think it’s wonderful. I think a person who can find himself a second time is really lucky,” added Shirley.
Shirley isn’t the only one who thinks what Barton is doing is wonderful. Fellow comedian Brent Gill thinks Barton is pretty awesome. “It’s the best thing you could ever see,” Gill said. “He crushed it.”
Gill describes Barton’s style of comedy as the classic and great old-school one-liners. “He comes from a different era of life and a different era of what he finds funny and what comedy is to him,” Gill said. “It’s fun to see that again. It’s like a throwback to old school comedy.”
But comedy, to its core, never gets old according to Barton. Funny is still funny, and after all, old is a relative term and age just a number. Barton Gregg said her dad truly has found his purpose, something that everyone needs.
And who is Barton’s favorite comedian? His daughter, Barton Gregg. To that, she said, “He’s my favorite dad.”
by Mark Smiley | Jan 29, 2016 | Main Articles
Thrust From 40-foot High Rocket Ship Expected To Ignite Huge Crowds, Create Carnival Atmosphere But That Doesn’t Thrill Some Residents
by Glen Richardson
A rocket originally built in California and first tested on Nevada’s Black Rock Desert is taking aim at Denver. Target is the Lowry neighborhood, site of the nation’s first Titan Missile Base. Ground zero is Hangar 2 on the corner of East Academy Blvd and Rampart Way.
Holy Moses! Luckily this isn’t a High Velocity Aircraft Rocket — such as those the armed forces nicknamed Holy Moses — but instead is a sculpture identified by the moniker of Raygun Gothic Rocketship. It was built by a group of artists, geeks and inventors in the San Francisco Bay area, not rocket scientists.
Jim Hartman of Boulder-based Hartman Ely Investments — partner with Larimer Associates in Lowry’s Hangar 2 development — is behind the orbital maneuver to land the spacecraft here with expectations of hooking a lucrative payload of sightseers. A circular kiosk is proposed on the corner of E. Academy Blvd and Rampart Way, with the rocket ship sculpture installed on top. Height of the kiosk would be 10 feet, 10 inches and measure 10 feet in diameter. Overall height of the kiosk and rocket ship combined would be about 50 feet. The kiosk and sculpture together would be shorter than the highest point of the hangar building and comparable in height to the tailfin of the airplane at the adjacent Wings Over the Rockies Museum.
Space Disaster?
The rocket ship, according to Hangar 2 Partners, has a realistic cockpit and other “theatrical” features. The cockpit would be accessed on a custom ladder during periodic supervised events. The retail kiosk would serve as the site’s visual launch pad. Sales of ice cream, rocket models, t-shirts and other items would help to repay the cost of acquiring, shipping and installing the rocket ship. “Like the existing B-52 Airplane at Wings, the rocket ship will be an iconic image of space and flight that will not only be a significant public amenity, but will bolster the Wing’s educational programs,” the partners suggest.
Some residents in Lowry, however, say 
the location and environment at Hangar 2 just isn’t right and believe the ship would create a space disaster. “Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to us the sight of this rocket ship has as much appeal as the Blue Monster at DIA,” say Michael and Irina Merson. “By no means do we imply the same karma as befell the creator of the Blue Monster. But it simply does not fit visually and aesthetically with the surroundings that already include four restaurants. It just doesn’t belong here, it belongs somewhere else.” Local homeowner Yvonne Olson adds, “The concept of an outdoor sculpture is a good idea, but only if the size fits with the area.”
Johanna Hermanson labels the piece an “ice cream rocket” and says she is amazed the developers would consider installing it at Hangar 2.” It looks as if it belongs at a carnival. Even more disturbing,” she worries, “is the amount of traffic it will produce.” She isn’t sure input from residents will have much influence on the outcome, “but I hope that Lowry rethinks the repercussions.” Betsy Herrick admits that the rocket ship is fascinating. She cautions, however, “that the proposed location
would be a distraction to drivers at the busy intersection, given its size and surprising look. Add kids climbing on it and the staff supervising them, and the distraction is even greater. Insert buyers at the ice cream shop, and there’s more congestion. All in a small space.” She is also dismayed that the developer looked outside Colorado for artists.
Science Fiction
Intended to invoke the romantic notion of space travel before it became reality, the ornate and futuristic ship is a highly stylized vision of space travel circa 1930s-1940s science fiction, according to the organization behind the piece. Using colloquial language, the Raygun Gothic Rocketship website declares, “It is between yesterday’s tomorrow and the future that never was.” To everyone else, it’s a 40-foot tall metallic silver rocket ship.
Artists claim the piece was once launched off the ground. That claim, however, is doubtful considering the sculpture doesn’t have an engine.
It initially landed at Burning Man 2009, a festival for academics, geeks and suburban parents that gather on the Nevada Desert each year. It was then installed at Pier 14 in San Francisco where it was a huge success and remained on exhibit for more than two years. Subsequently it was displayed at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Most recently it landed at a five-day Arts, Science & Engineering event in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It would become a permanent art piece should it land in Lowry.
Flight Gone Awry
Anthony Romeo — a former WWII Na
vy and United Airlines pilot who retired from United after 31 years — tells the Chronicle, “I am concerned about the Dining District property.” He admits that installation of the a
musement park quality rocket ship will not directly affect him since he and his wife live in the west building at Luce Condominiums that is out of the line of sight. Still, he says, “To my way of thinking, it is totally out of character with the existing ambience of that complex.”
A volunteer at the Wings Museum for more than 10 years, he remembers the site as originally being a bleak looking property. “Over the years I have seen the museum property survive a number of ill advised redevelopment proposals. Then, fortunately, Mr. Hartman saved it and created the very desirable complex that we all presently enjoy. Why he would now change course and destroy his well done project puzzles me,” he wraps up.
Resident Marge Mahoney agrees. Also from an aviation family — her husband and son are Captains for American Airlines — she believes Hangar 2 is a bad place for the cold looking rocket ship. “Why not a beautiful tree in that location? It would warm up the area and be much less expensive.” She says she is also appalled Lowry voted for the extensive building now underway at Quebec, First Ave. and Monaco Parkway.
Hovering At Hangar
A rocket flying toward the ground is usu
ally a bad precursor, especially for those living at ground zero. That’s the situation faced by the 66 residents living in the Luce Condominiums, a mid-rise condo development adjacent to Hangar 2. “Depiction of this corner as quiet and spacious is far from accurate. Many times it’s not,” clarifies Luce HOA President David Allen.
He understands that the perception of the aesthetic and historical value of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship will differ. However he contends that the negative impact of drawing children and others to the site is undeniable, especially considering they already border on chaotic in good weather months.
“Opening of the fifth dining district restaurant, increasing participation at the fitness center, and a housing complex just across the street will serve to exacerbate an already safety-challenged, pedestrian-dense location,” he warns. The ice cream/t-shirt retail outlet at the base of the rocket ship with cars parked everywhere plus a line of children and others is a formula for accidents. “All neighbors are asking for is an opportunity to have a voice at an early juncture in the process of selecting a more benign art piece for our corner,” Allen concludes.
Hartman Ponders Response To Luce Condo Owner Concerns
As the February issue of the Chronicle was going to press, David Allen, HOA President at the Luce Condominiums adjacent to Hangar 2, received the following reply from Jim Hartman of Boulder-based Hartman Ely Investments:
“Our team wants Luce to know that we have definitely heard your concerns and are looking at a couple of potential ideas that you might like better. Those ideas will take at least a few weeks to analyze completely but I will be back in touch when we know more.” — Jim Hartman
by Mark Smiley | Jan 29, 2016 | Main Articles
by Mark Smiley
The lawsuits, both state and federal, filed by M.A.K. Investment Group LLC, owned by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, Mozafar Hemmati, Saeed Kholghy and Nasrin Kholghy, against the City of Glendale concerning the five acres of land the corporation owns on East Virginia Avenue appear to be going so poorly that the Iranian family has decided to resort to other methods to pressure the city to buy the corporation’s land for a price the city believes is clearly excessive or be allowed to build on the land in violation of the Glendale zoning laws and Master Plan.
“They appear to be going down and dirty,” declared former Glendale City Councilman R. Wayne King. “They appear to want to find dirt on anything or anyone to bring pressure on the City Council.”
The agent for digging up possible skeletons is Denver resident Jeanne Price who describes herself as a “freelance columnist.” She makes consistent and massive Public Information Requests to the City of Glendale, notwithstanding the fact that the city has provided to M.A.K.’s attorneys over 100,000 copies of city documents. She appears at virtually every City Council meeting sitting by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, the registered agent for M.A.K. At many meetings she addresses the City Council accusing them and the city of purported misdeeds and wrongful actions she claims she has discovered.
“It’s strange,” stated Glendale businessman Scott Brock who regularly attends Glendale City Council meetings, “you have a Denver resident with zero connection with Glendale who makes outrageous statements at every council meeting with little or no factual basis. But I guess it’s the way the Kholghys do business. They wonder why so many people in Glendale despise them and do not wish to have any connection with them. I hope Mohammad and the rest of them pay Ms. Price a lot of money to make a fool of herself on a monthly basis. It really is an embarrassment to any town to have someone like that around.”
At the City Council meeting on September 15 of this year she declared:
“Having read four or five years of your [Council] minutes that this Council spends more than half of its time in executive session. And that is a unique situation in my experience.”
At the following City Council meeting Mayor Mike Dunafon reported back to the Council that he had no idea where Ms. Price obtained her information. At the instruction of Mayor Dunafon, the City Clerk tabulated executive session frequency over the last five years. Her report indicated the City Council had not a single “executive session” in 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014. In 2015 the only “executive sessions” held were those required to be provided legal advice from the City Attorney regarding lawsuits filed by her client M.A.K. which cannot be held publicly in order to preserve attorney client privilege.
“The woman is a disgrace,” stated Glendale resident Melissa Jauregui. “She almost never gets her facts right and her claims are wild and unsubstantiated. If she actually found something that the city did wrong she would have gone to the City Attorney, the County Attorney or the U.S. Attorney or to a court. But she doesn’t. She just tries to make herself as unpleasant a human being as possible at every City Council meeting. That is apparently her purpose as the agent for this group.”
Glendale resident Doug Stiff noted, “She is a technique used by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and the Kholghys. Make life as miserable as possible until people are so worn down that they are given their demands no matter how terrible it would be for the city. This must have worked for these people before, but they certainly know how to get a whole city to dislike them. They brought in the racist paramilitary group the Oath Keepers who intimidated minorities and others at a City Council meeting. When that didn’t work they flooded the city with lawsuits, and now Ms. Price. I believe no city, and I mean no city in the world, would want Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and the Kholghys as part of their community.”
Ms. Price was contacted by the Chronicle regarding an accusation that she had followed Councilmember Jeff Allen after a public meeting, and was asked who was paying for her time and why she, as a Denver resident, speaks at Glendale City Council meetings. She responded, “This is ridiculous, I don’t think I have anything to say to you. It’s absurd.” She then hung up the phone. Calls to Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi have not been returned.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2015 | Main Articles
City Of Glendale Takes Extraordinary Measures
by Mark Smiley
While 2016 is the Year of the Rat in the Chinese calendar, the City of Glendale is trying to ensure that 2016 becomes the Year of No Rats in Glendale. Construction up and down Leetsdale Drive the last few years has disturbed rat nests — in both Denver and Glendale. An infestation of rats has dominated portions along Leetsdale Drive including North Glendale and 
surrounding Denver neighborhoods. These demolitions, tear downs and new developments cause the rats to look for new havens. Rodents run to the nearby buildings, producing a deep howl of rage from the residents.
In a small city like Glendale a problem doesn’t take long to move up the food chain to the mayor of the city, Mike Dunafon. “Residents from complexes in North Glendale would approach me and call me informing me of the rat problem,” said Dunafon. “I realized we needed to take immediate action along with the Glendale Police Department. I even got calls from various complexes that are in Denver, but I had to refer those over to the appropriate persons in Denver.”
The reason the problem cannot be ignored or overlooked is because rats are dangerous. Besides being simply unpleasant, they are frequent carriers of many diseases. Dr. Matt Perzanowski, a professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, whose research is focused on understanding the exposures that lead to allergy and asthma, said that rats and mice have special protein that could be a culprit in allergic reactions and, though it is less studied, probably to asthma as well.
Rats like to live where people live. They quickly adjust to the neighborhood. Rats can thrive on just an ounce of food and water daily, so when they enter a neighborhood and gain access to meat, fish, vegetables and grains, they will stay. Rats prefer to feed in and around homes, restaurants and businesses. But they will settle for scraps from trash bags and cans, private yards and what they find at the community refuse disposal and transfer station. Rats get the shelter they need from tall weeds and grass, fences and walls, rubbish piles and abandoned appliances.
Rats move freely in and out of buildings in the neighborhood, so any steps that neighbors take to control rats will encourage them to move into a nearby building. A community effort works best, where everyone in the neighborhood takes steps at the same time to prevent rats from entering the buildings and to remove their food and shelter.
Managing rats comes down to three things: food, water and shelter. Eliminating these three goes a long way to solving 
a rat problem. The City of Glendale’s goal is to make the necessary changes to remove food and eliminate harborage that is attracting rats to sites around Glendale and surrounding Denver neighborhoods.
Currently, the City of Glendale has contracted with Checkmate Pest Control and its owner Russell Carter. “The rats are most likely coming from Cherry Creek and they are able to move freely up and down the creek,” said Carter. “They are very good climbers, jumpers, runners, and hiders. They multiply faster than rabbits so you have to be proactive like Glendale.”
Mayor Dunafon has worked with city officials including Josh Bertrand, Director of Public Works, to help North Glendale residents feel safe again. Their efforts over the last couple of months have paid off. Glendale Public Works and Checkmate Pest Control regularly monitor city parks and sites with trash p
roblems, potential nesting areas, and adjacent problem areas in order to prevent the rat population from becoming out of control.
“We have seen a significant decrease in the amount of rats,” said Dunafon. “We are removing them and residents are once again feeling like there is progress. I am proud of how Josh [Bertrand] has helped manage this problem.”
“The mayor and Officer [Korbie] Perkins were helpful in limiting the rat situation in the best matters that were within guidelines of the city,” said Ali Langworthy, Assistant Manager of Urban Phenix. “They are still working with us diligently to continue to help us to eliminate these little creatures as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Cities such as New York hav
e been dealing with rats for hundreds of years. Fast forwarding to 2014, YouTube videos of rats on subway tracks and in a subway car in New York City went viral, as did videos of rats in a Dunkin’ Donuts in Manhattan. In June 2014, residents at adjacent Upper West Side buildings demanded an end to the rat problem they said had reached epidemic proportions, and started a rent strike.
In 2015, another YouTube video of a rat carrying a slice of pizza in the subway went viral. Within 15 hours of the YouTube upload, the video was trending worldwide on Twitter and Facebook, and within two days, the video garnered five million views.
The City of Glendale is actively taking steps to make sure they do not end up the subject of a youtube video. The key to success is to preserve public safety and kill the disease carrying rats. Rodenticides are being used in this case and have been properly applied into the burrow systems so they cannot be reached by children and animals. The battle continues along Cherry Creek but the City of Glendale is taking strides to hopefully eliminate the problem completely.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2015 | Main Articles
Hundreds Of Millions In New Developments In Glendale And Denver
by Glen Richardson
After more than two decades of coasting in idle, the portion of Leetsdale Drive that is in Glendale has shifted into overdrive. Spurred by Glendale’s growth plans, plus several ambitious adjoining construction projects in Denver, this major Cherry Creek Valley roadway is undergoing an amazing redevelopment renaissance.
Growth along this highway corridor appears to have shot out of the blocks following the redevelopment of the old Cub Foods location at Leetsdale and South Cherry Street by King Soopers. The site stood vacant 
for over a half decade as the City of Glendale demanded a high end store and adjoining retail liquor establishment as a pre-condition to its approval of development plans. King Soopers unsuccessfully sued Glendale in Arapahoe County District Court prior to acceding to the city’s pre-conditions.
The highly successful new King Soopers store attracted other developers to the area. In mid-November Natural Grocers opened a new store at Alameda and Leetsdale at the old Gunther Toody’s location. Shortly thereafter the Greek Orthodox Church located at the intersection of Leetsdale and Alameda in Glendale agreed to a long-term land lease with the next- door JCC (Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center) for property a
long Leetsdale. That lease will allow the JCC (the J) to bulldoze its existing indoor tennis facility and rebuild it across Dahlia Street in Glendale.
With that lease agreement in place, the JCC is launching a $50 million three-to- four-year construction project with plans to build a half dozen new facilities. First to break ground will be a new Sturm Family Fitness Center along Leetsdale where the current tennis center is located. The 87,000-square-foot, three-story facility will be the largest in the metro area and will have two full size basketball courts plus an indoor running track. There will also be nine fitness studios for personal training, yoga, group exercise, CrossFit, Pilates and spinning. Also included will be a cardio room with mountain views plus a large weight room. In addition the project includes a café plus 
a 15,000 square foot outdoor field, lit for nighttime.
At virtually the same time period the 1.5 acres across Leetsdale that housed Four Mile Bar and a couple of homes was sold and redeveloped as a Rite Aid Pharmacy as well as a Noodles and Company restaurant.
Corridor Blossoms
With relocation of Natural Grocers to the Gunther Toody’s site in Glendale, the former location on Leetsdale Drive was purchased by Newberry Brothers for $2.4 million. The buyer has been in the greenhouse and florist business at 2nd Avenue and Garfield in Cherry Creek North for nearly 70 years. The company will use the 12,046-square-foot building on the site when it relocates to the 
Leetsdale location later this year. The floral business also purchased the strip center at 5301-5307 Leetsdale Drive, directly adjacent to the former Natural Grocers property for an undisclosed price. That site has a roomy 1.36-acre lot that could be used for building another structure or additional parking.
Paula Newberry-Arnold, daughter of Weldon and Elizabeth Newberry who started the firm, now co-owns the business with her son Kien. She has developed the business into one of the Valley’s top floral and décor shops specializing in a variety of large themed events along with daily custom floral designs.
Near the time period last year when the grocery property transactions took place, the Hilltop Retail Center at 5512 Leetsdale Drive sold for $7.05 million. Further east on the southwest corner of Leetsdale and Holly, the 4.42-acre Dillon Dairy site at 5512 Leetsdale Drive sold for $3,950,000. Southern Food Group’s Meadow Gold Dairy closed the milk processing, packaging and filling plant that once had annual revenue of more than $20 million and employed a staff of up to 40. Equipment in the plant was auctioned off in Sept. 2014. The unnamed buyer reportedly plans to redevelop that site into retail space and possibly add a self-storage facility. Current zoning and building codes allow for a three-story or 45-foot vertical structure.
Volley Of Growth
The JCC’s new year’s develo
pment plan is also a driving engine for growth along Leetsdale. The J revealed it will construct a new Tennis Center on the currently vacant Greek Church property along Leetsdale.
The new tennis center will be a climate controlled fabric and metal structure featuring six ATP-approved tennis courts plus a pro shop and locker rooms. There will also be a party deck and an indoor viewing area. Players and followers will have 100 dedicated parking spaces at the center across Dahlia Street.
The JCC also plans to build a functional, fun indoor-outdoor Aquatics Center. It will feature an “Outdoor Lazy River,” plus a zero entry pool with water slide. Also included will be an indoor family pool with water slide. An indoor six-lane lap pool plus a year-round outdoor four-lane lap pool will be included.
Family Focused
The JCC’s current Fitness Center will be changed into a Family Center allowing for increased children’s programming. It will feature a large gymnastics facility with raised viewing area. There will be two large rooms for celebrations and birthday parties plus eight summer camp rooms. Also planned is an Arts Center with designated space for pottery and other media. An indoor play area for children and two dance studios will also be added. The Mizel Arts & Culture Center currently located on the JCC campus will be renovated.
In addition a new Early Childhood Center — a key portion of the J’s business and mission — will be built. The new ECC will be constructed to licensing regulations and with best practices in mind. It will include 13 updated classrooms with a centralized and secure child drop-off area.
Among the final buildings set for construction is a two-story, 42,000-square-foot office building that will house the J’s administrative offices, JEWISHcolorado and other Valley Jewish agencies. This will allow for increased efficiencies, collaboration and economies between the organizations involved. The office building will house a parking garage for added accessibility. Also planned is a space for seniors to meet and socialize as well as a Beit Midrash (House of Study), accessible to the entire community for learning and meeting. The redeveloped property will add 250 wider parking spaces. Additionally, overflow parking for large events will be available across Dahlia at the new tennis facility. Information: 303-399-2660.
Traffic And Parking
As with new developments along Colorado Boulevard and Cherry Creek North the new Leetsdale projects bring into question traffic and parking concerns. Glendale has much higher parking requirements than Denver and Glendale is generally unwilling to compromise on those requirements. In addition Glendale does consider and attempt to address traffic concerns which Denver, as a matter of public policy, refuses to consider or address. Glendale, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation, has demanded from developers land and easements to address concerns about traffic flow at the major intersection of Leetsdale Drive and South Cherry Street. To address general traffic levels on Leetsdale Drive as a whole will take Denver’s participation which at the present time Denver is not willing to undertake.
