The Scoop on Some of Stapleton’s Latest Developments

Drive around and you can see Stapleton & the surrounding areas have a lot in the works.  Eastbridge Town Center, Stanley Marketplace, Punch Bowl Social, Westerly Creek North park, extension of MLK to Peoria, Central Park bridge (which will lower the traffic jam on the way up to I-70), TOD site by the light rail, retail in Northfield, etc.

So what’s the latest on the timelines for these projects and the scoop on the new tenants coming to the area?  Here is update from Forest City that they provided at the recent Stapleton United Neighbors (“SUN”) meeting.  If you noticed the featured image for the post you may be able to figure out what I thought was critical information!

Denver Update Tom Gleason (Forest City)

·       North Westerly Creek Park needs a chance to establish new plantings.  North Westerly Creek is very important for regional water quality.  Please stay out of “off limits” areas.

·       MLK Extension to Fitzsimons Parkway/Peoria St: Starting November 2016. 2 lanes each way. Paths on north side include a paved and horse path.  Raised median in middle. Parking lane on south side, 10’ multipurpose path.

·       Central Park Bridge 2^nd half over Smith Road Rail corridor, including financing for additional 2 lanes, will start November 2017 and will take until estimated Summer 2018 to be completed.  Currently work at 40^th and CPB involves drainage control. Tif funded.

o   Piers for 2^nd half of bridge were installed with 1^st half because of the rail line, but the bridge was not installed then because of cost.

·       Prairie Meadows Park: no updates.

·       Punchbowl – Jody, Marketing Director: Punchbowl will take position of the property this week, start construction early next week. The fence around the project will come down, and a fence will go up around the perimeter. Plans to open this Winter.  Final Signage design: still in design process, but signs will not be on top of the building.  Will neighboring areas have input into the signage?  (Tom): all signage in Stapleton must be approved from a design standpoint, all lighting in Stapleton must comply with Dark Skies.

·       Northfield Commons retail: Jon Hauser of Drake Development, architect Michael Cassett:

o   4^th project by this developer (first 2 on either side of Conservatory Green, and Claire Dentistry).

o   North-east corner. 4 acre site on corner of CPB and Northfield Blvd. Northern end of site will be a steak burger site, and a tire shop.  Drake’s 2 multi-tenant buildings on the corner will have around 9 shops.

o   Tenants signed: first building: west and east end caps are not signed. Interior: Redi-fit-go, main street nails, Waxing the City, second building: Costa Vida, Jimmy Johns, Mod Pizza.

·       Eastbridge: Tyler Carlson, leasing and construction update:

o   Under construction, 75% leased, letters of intent signed with final users.  5 restaurants.

§  North Building (14,600 sq feet): Los Chingones, breakfast restaurant, endorphin, wildflowers, beauty boutique (nails/waxing out of Cherry Creek North), kitchen next door

§  South Building: restaurant, Pilates, Ion’s restaurant Italian wood fire pizza and chicken.

§  Kiosk – little man ice cream (building will have an airplane wing)

o   Shells delivered to tenants in August, planning to hopefully open in November 2016.

o   HAWK Street Crossings: between Galena Street and Geneva Street on north, and on south side just east of Galena Street

o   North Eastbridge: western third of lot north of MLK at Geneva Ct: service uses: super cuts, Wells Fargo, Dentist. A middle building could also possibly be developed by Evergreen.  Western building will be developed separately.  1 parking lot entrance from Geneva Ct, 2 from 31^st ave.

§  Neighbors across Geneva Ct are concerned about traffic volume increasing.  Denver denied the developer’s request for an MLK entrance.

§  Western lot has a different zoning that does not allow a dental office or bank.  Evergreen is requesting a rezoning.  Intentionally trying to keep restaurants out of this to decrease traffic volume.

o   Remainder of Eastbridge: King Soopers opening November, Gas station opening on Northern Parcel, Williams Family Dentistry expanding.

·       Aurora/Bluff Lake: 322 homes south of 26^th ave in Aurora. From Moline to Peoria is Environmental Remediation by DIA. 26^th avenue was originally supposed to be 60 feet wide, it has been narrowed to a planned 48 feet wide.  The south side of 26^th avenue will have Residents in Aurora.

·       Aurora/Stapleton Street connection: Dayton and Emporia – no timetable for this road completion.

·       Ground movement near Punchbowl: 32^nd ave extending east to CPB. No other building at this time.

·       Sand Creek (Paul Frohardt): the portion near 56^th ave should happen soon, the part along the MLK will happen when MLK is extended.  This will leave some gaps. City of Denver sought a great outdoors Colorado grant but did not get funded this year.  Lots of ruts are along the trail. The maintenance of the dirt is an ongoing challenge.  In the short term, it’s a dangerous path.

·       Transit Oriented Development (TOD) – development of lots around the Central Park Commuter Rail Station

o   Lots of interest, not ready to make any announcements.

·       Some interest in retail on the east of CPB north of I-70, south of Northfield Blvd.

·       West of CPB between creek and I-70: no specific plans.

·       Mint apartment – retail will wrap around the corner to be across from the library.

·       Retirement Apartments – developer changed to assisted living (Balfor).

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