Will Amazon move to Denver?

So Denver it is. The city’s lifestyle and affordability, coupled with the supply of tech talent from nearby universities, has already helped build a thriving start-up scene in Denver and Boulder, 40 minutes away. Big tech companies, including Google, Twitter, Oracle and I.B.M., have offices in the two cities. Denver has been attracting college graduates at an even faster rate than the largest cities. The region has the benefits of places like San Francisco and Seattle — outdoor recreation, microbreweries, diversity and a culture of inclusion (specifically cited by Amazon) — but the cost of living is still low enough to make it affordable, and lots of big-city refugees have been moving there for this reason. Amazon would be smart to follow them.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/09/upshot/where-should-amazon-new-headquarters-be.html

The Kmart at Colfax & Chambers is closing

The Kmart at 15200 E Colfax Ave is closing along with many others across the nation.  Liquidation of store inventory will begin on Aug. 31, and the store will be vacated by the end of November.

I thought that Sears corporate would keep it open at least through Christmas.  I previously predicted that it would close in early 2018.  But no such luck.  The Kmart at 200 W Belleview in Englewood is also closing.  This leaves only one Kmart open in the Denver area, at 9881 W 58th Ave in Arvada.

Update: The Kmart in Arvada closed in September 2018.

Denver wants to buy closed strip club

http://www.9news.com/news/local/city-of-denver-looks-to-buy-property-with-a-closed-strip-club/464986608

DENVER - The City of Denver wants to take a notorious section of Colfax Avenue and turn it around. How exactly is still up for debate.
But the city hopes buying the property with a former strip club will be a good first step.The City of Denver is in the process of buying the property, hoping it will the first of many investments in an area where police carry out gang, narcotics and prostitution operations.
"If you think about the Colfax corridor, we have downtown Denver, Anschutz campus and VA hospital. And Colfax is our main street. It's a great opportunity to do something spectacular," he said.
There are no concrete plans yet but there are guidelines since there are federal dollars involved.
"Has to be neighborhood serving. It could be could do job creation. When I say neighborhood serving, a non-profit, a small business and/or an affordable housing component ," said Herndon.
"We’d like to keep that sense of diversity and community here," said Fesing.

The property they are talking about is the old Saturday's, located at 8315 E Colfax Ave.

DIA redesign animation

This is just part of the proposed changes.  The renovation will take 4 years and cost $1.8 billion.  For that amount of money, you could build another VA hospital.

The animation doesn't show any of the hideous apocalyptic pictures.  Maybe they will be painted over with just a white wall.

Colorado Heights University closing

Colorado Heights is scheduled to close this fall after the last group of students complete their course work in late October. The closure is sparking anxiety among neighbors and others connected to the historical campus, which was opened in 1891 by the Sisters of Loretto as Loretto Heights Academy, a Catholic elementary and secondary school for girls.  They worry a new owner of the campus will invite more development and increase local traffic. They also want any new owner to preserve the college’s main building, which was designed by architect Frank Edbrooke,who also worked on the Brown Palace, state capitol and numerous other historic buildings.  http://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/28/colorado-highs-university-campus-future/

The historic campus has a twin building, called Westminster Castle, located at 83rd & Federal. 

Construction Fire

This was right next to a light rail station at 2nd & Abilene on June 19.

Buckingham Square Mall

Buckingham Square was first announced in 1965 when The Denver Business Journal announced that the Joslins Department store chain planned to build a two million dollar store in a fifteen-acre site at Mississippi and Havana streets in Aurora Colorado. The developer Robert Hayutin proposed that the development would include major department stores as well as other retail, offices and restaurants. In late 1970 plans were also announced for The Aurora Mall on East Alameda and Exposition Avenue, which would soon become Buckingham Square's lifetime competitor. The Rocky Mountain News warned that Buckingham may eventually displace Aurora East Colfax and become Aurora's new downtown. Buckingham Square was sold as a 24-hour a day community where Aurora would live, work and shop. In November 1970 the first of two office buildings was started. Called Camelot I it was eight stories tall and was Aurora's first high rise. The buildings twin was finished in 1973 called Camelot II during this time the Sherwood Apartments were built on the north west side of the mall site. The mall itself opened on August 5, 1971 The building, designed by architects Kenneth Boyle and William Wilson of Overland Park, Kansas was expected to provide over 1,500 jobs for the community. The mall had the latest technology and elegances available at its opening including 4,000 parking places, living and artificial plants, fountains and acoustical plaster ceilings accented by walnut inlay. Additionally, the mall was climate controlled, allowing shoppers to browse the stores in seventy-two degree comfort. 
 The Lancelot Restaurant was in operation a full four months before the mall opened because Hayutin felt a fine restaurant to serve the residents of Village East should be a priority. The building itself, which stood in the parking lot west of the mall, featured a main dining room with seating for 200 people and a large fireplace as well as a separate lounge with leather furnishings and a second fireplace. This building went through several changes through the years including becoming a part of the Broker chain of fine restaurants in the 1980s and a Beau Jo's pizza in the 1990s. Eventually, the building was razed to make way for a McDonald's.
http://deadmalls.com/malls/buckingham_square_mall.html

The area southeast of Havana & Mississippi once had ambitions of being Aurora's downtown.  It was elegant and futuristic and climate-controlled. It was British-themed and you could listen to Scottish bagpipes and pretend you were in an English village shopping for a kilt before you stop off in The Lancelot for a spot of tea.

Today?  You could shop at Toys'R'Us or Petco, or pay your bill at Comcast before eating at McDonald's  The high-rise buildings are mostly empty, but just scored by getting the Guatemalan consulate to locate there.  The most exciting thing going on there today may be yogurt shop.  I'm sure people living 50 years ago thought the future would be more exciting than it is today.

Out with the old

This old folks home at , called the Lowry Park Independent Assisted Living Center, is being demolished to build upscale apartments.  Here is an article from March 2016:

DENVER -- Elderly residents living at Lowry Park Independent Assisted Living Center have until the end of June to find a new place to live. They were notified a few days ago that their building had been sold to a developer who plans to demolish it and create new, upscale apartments. A New Jersey-based company owns Lowry Park. According to the group that manages the building, Vivage Senior Living Solutions, the owners received an offer they couldn’t refuse.
http://kdvr.com/2016/03/30/106-elderly-residents-in-denver-forced-to-find-new-homes/

The A-Line will never be fixed

After more than a year of trying to address problems at crossing gates along RTD's A, B, and G commuter-rail lines, the systems that control the timing of the gates are the best they can be, even though that may not satisfy federal and state regulators, the contractor operating the trains has told the transit agency.  And with Denver Transit Partners (DTP) saying there is no improvement in sight, or even possible "with available technology," the contractor told the Regional Transportation District in a May 26 letter to quit levying fines against it for problems beyond the contractor’s control.   http://www.9news.com/money/business/disagreement-emerges-between-rtd-contractor-over-rail-line-problems/446631294

I think the problem is that they got entranced with technology that is too complicated.  Instead of having sensors in the track that are connected to the crossing arms, they have GPS systems on the trains that go up to satellites, then to a command center, then internet over radio to the crossing arms.  I think they should scrap the whole system and do it the old way.  Yea it will cost more, but RTD is spending $6 million per year just on extra crossing guards and police protection.  This is ridiculous.

Cursed

I think this empty church at the corner of Leetsdale and Colorado Blvd (50 S Colorado Blvd) is cursed.

It once housed Denver Temple Baptist Church.  A 1995 article said that it was Denver's oldest Southern Baptist Church and it was debt-free.  And the property was shared by 4 congregations - Anglo, Hispanic, Korean, and black.  A cellular phone company rented the steeple to house an antenna.  Then something happened to make them sell the debt-free property to the Universal Church.  The Universal Church evidently had trouble spreading their message (since if you don't believe in hell, why go to church) and it folded sometime around 2011, I think.

Then in 2014 it was purchased by McKinnon & Associates who had plans to build either 40 or 54 condos/townhouses on the 1 acre site.  However, the neighborhood association would not agree because they said it was too dense and because of the awkward entrances and exits.  The developer would not agree to less units because of the cost of building an underground parking garage.  So the city council denied the re-zoning request.

So now it sits empty with a fence around it as you can see.  There aren't any broken windows or graffiti, but it is just a matter of time.  Unless either the city or the developer changes their minds, the property will sit abandoned, while hundreds of thousands of cars zoom by every day, only 1/2 mile from one of the most booming areas in the country (Cherry Creek).

Update 7/8/17:  I was wrong about no graffiti.  The side facing Colorado Blvd has a lot of graffiti on it.

Wasted Away

This is a screenshot from Google in Nov. 2016 of a very tired retail center just south of Evans on Colorado Blvd.  Now there is a fence around it and demolition is imminent.

I have no word on what is next, but maybe we can hope for a high-rise.  It is very close to the Colorado Center which has several tall buildings.

Closed Kmart

This Kmart at 363 S Broadway in Denver closed in March 2017.  Previous Kmarts closed at Evans & Federal, and of course the wasteland at Evans & Monaco.

There are still 3 Kmarts left in the Denver area: 9881 W 58th Ave in Arvada; 200 W Belleview in Englewood; and 15200 E Colfax in Aurora.  I think they will hold on to the bitter end, which may be in early 2018.

Walmart closed two grocery stores

Wal-Mart Stores closed its Neighborhood Market store at 3615 W Bowles Ave on April 7. Earlier this month, Wal-Mart Stores closed a neighborhood market store at 3125 S. Sheridan Blvd.
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2017/03/14/walmart-closing-a-neighborhood-market-in-littleton.html

Walmart earlier in 2016 closed two other grocery stores at 8196 W. Bowles Ave and 2253 S Monaco Parkway. http://www.denverpost.com/2016/01/15/walmart-will-close-two-metro-denver-neighborhood-markets/

Its not looking good for that location at Bowles & Lowell in Littleton.  The Albertson's that used to be there closed in 2011.  So that location could be open for long time.  The location at 2253 S Monaco used to be a King Soopers.  The one at 3125 S Sheridan was built in 2014 and it is already vacant - sad.

I'm not necessarily trying to keep track of every closed grocery store in the Denver area, but I do have an interest in them because they are so big and the spaces are so hard to fill.

Update on Amazon and Gaylord

NASCAR speedway to be built near Watkins

BACK ON TRACK? Aurora will again ask voters for permission to pursue racetrack, entertainment complex. The measure would quarantine a potential entertainment hub to the tract of land north of Interstate 70 and east of Hudson Road, according to proposed language. A development would also be prohibited from breaking ground within a half mile of any property in a residential zone.

[Mayor Steve] Hogan pointed to a 1,700-acre parcel of city-owned land, located roughly near the intersection of 26th Avenue and Hudson Road, about five miles west of Front Range Airport, as a possible home for a recreation multiplex.

More than just a potential Nascar-style motor speedway, that entertainment district could include concert venues, retail strips or even a minor league baseball stadium, Mounier said. Both she and Mitchell pointed to the Kansas Speedway development in Kansas City as a potential blueprint for Aurora’s vision. That venue is hugged by an outlet mall, a baseball stadium, a water park, a casino and other developments.
http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/back-track-aurora-will-ask-voters-permission-pursue-racetrack-entertainment-complex/

Commentary:  In the Obama era, Aurora proposed to build a laboratory and testbed for renewable energy on the land.   See: Aurora Center for Renewable Energy (ACRE) .  In the Trump era, the plan for a renewable energy laboratory will be scrapped, and a motor speedway built instead.

Aurora has had two speedways in the past - the Century 21 speedway near Picadilly and Tower, and the Second Creek Raceway near 88th and Buckley.

DIA terminal renovation

5512 Leetsdale

There is a lot of earth being moved at the corner of Holly & Leetsdale.  The location used to be a Dillon Dairy processing plant, but it closed at the end of 2014.  There is no word on what is next.  The project seems to be stalled, so it could be a while before something else is built there.

Will Colorado Mills close?

Colorado Mills in Golden was damaged badly in a hailstorm about 10 days ago.  However, it should have re-opened shortly thereafter.  The fact that it is still closed is leading to rumors that it may close for good and the owners are just using the hailstorm as an excuse.

The mall in Lakewood remains closed since a hailstorm badly damaged the property 10 days ago. Simon Property Group has provided few details to tenants or the public. Super Target, which owns its building attached to the mall, is doing pretty well. It's still free of that meddlesome parking lot rock, its doors are open to customers. The store was closed for eight hours because of the storm.
http://www.9news.com/news/local/next/colorado-mills-closure-means-lakewood-could-lose-350000-a-month-in-taxes/441019263

Paola Amado, who manages Elegance Perfumes, told 9NEWS she hasn’t received any communication from Colorado Mills or Simon about when the mall might re-open. “This is the most frustrating part of all. We have no idea,” Amado said. “I know they’re working their best. They have no answers; the management says they don’t know.” She’s a partial owner and the manager on site, so she can’t imagine she’d be left out of the loop if the mall was sending out emails. Amado’s heard different timelines from other store employees, mall employees and contractors working inside the mall. The estimates range from two to six months. “They’re tearing apart the floor… everything is shut down. There’s no electricity,” Amado said. “Everything looks damaged.” So, she believes it’s possible repairs could take six months or more.
http://www.9news.com/news/local/verify/verify-when-will-the-colorado-mills-mall-re-open/440617903

The Colorado Mills Mall set up a website for store owners and employees. In a memo posted on that website, it says the mall doesn't expect to open before November. The memo goes on to say the rain ruined electrical systems, mechanical systems and common spaces. The entire roof of the mall needs to be replaced.
  http://kdvr.com/2017/05/19/colorado-mills-mall-store-owner-says-with-extensive-damage-november-re-open-date-makes-sense/

All of the inventory in the mall will be damaged or obsolete, so just the restocking costs will be huge.  All of the stores will suffer huge financial losses.  Insurance will probably not cover everything.  I think this may be the end.

Aurora Central Rec Center

A new $28 million recreation center will be built on this land this summer.

Aurora is building a new recreation center! The new Aurora Central Recreation Center will be built on 20 acres near Tower Rd. and E. Vassar Pl that was purchased in 1998 for this purpose. The project is funded through marijuana tax revenue.  After an extensive public input process, plans for the recreation center were approved by the City Council on Jan. 23. Construction of the two-story building of approximately 55,000 square feet is expected to begin in the summer of 2017 and completed in the fall of 2018.  The new recreation center will include an aquatics area, gymnasium, and elevated walking/jogging track and fitness area. It will also include a teaching kitchen, party rooms, multi-purpose rooms, group exercise rooms, offices and locker rooms.https://www.auroragov.org/things_to_do/parks__open_space___trails/park_listing/planning__design___construction/future_projects/

NREL Parking Garage

NREL Parking Garage in Golden, CO

Source:  http://www.nrel.gov/news/features/2012/1953

The irony here is that the renewable energy laboratory would build something that uses so much energy.   A blogger comments:
Our transportation system is this country’s biggest energy hog. You might think that the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) would know that better than anyone. But look where the lab is situated, way out on the Denver ex-urbs. This mammoth 1,800-car parking garage was built to accommodate all the employees driving. And boy the NREL is sure proud of their ‘energy-efficient” parking garage. Without a hint of irony they write: It’s no secret that researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) do cool things — including finding new ways to capture energy from the sun and wind. But there’s nothing cooler than working on a parking garage, right? The garage generates so much traffic that an entirely new access road had to be constructed to connect it with the I70 highway.
https://systemicfailure.wordpress.com/2017/05/06/behold-the-1800-car-parking-garage-at-the-national-renewable-energy-lab/

I have noticed before a trend of empty parking garages built right next to open space.  I will probably have more to say about this.

Maxed out

This OfficeMax at 14030 E Mississippi Ave, is now closed, and the space is vacant.

OfficeMax was acquired by OfficeDepot in 2013, but there are still a handful of OfficeMax branded stores open in the Denver area.

Adventure Mountain

Source: https://www.uer.ca/locations/show.asp?locid=29537

Adventure Mountain was a putt-putt golf course at 18000 E Colfax.  It has since been torn down.  The parking lot is still there, but that isn't too exciting.  It is too bad that some of it couldn't have been preserved.

I think that this area will probably be open space forever.  Sand Creek runs nearby.

Empty warehouse 532 Golfers Way

This warehouse at 532 Golfers Way, Denver 80230, in Lowry has been vacant for a very long time, since at least 2011.  It is totally surrounded by residential, and I am sure the neighbors would complain if there were any loud noises or hazardous waste or smoke.  It is on 2.5 acres.  It has an interesting history:
"Former cold-storage warehouse building that was designed and built in 1990 for the United States Air Force "USAF". The USAF used the building to store and supply food and beverage to the soldiers and staff who were then stationed at the base."

If you have $3.2 million burning a hole in your pocket, you can buy it.

Resigned

This picture was taken in Oct 2016. Since then CDIS (sign,design and print) has closed, leaving a large empty space (6860 SF) at 11091 E Mississippi Avenue.

Daniels Park Armory

I have never heard of this before today, and have no idea where it is, except obviously somewhere in Daniels Park. It would be worth exploring.

Castlewood Dam

The Castlewood Dam was built in 1890, but failed in 1933, releasing a billion gallons of water, causing a 50-foot wall of water to rush down the canyon, and sending a 15-foot wave all the way into downtown Denver.  Luckily, only 2 persons were killed.

See also: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/castlewood-canyon-dam-ruins

Busted

This building at 1175 S Havana St (near Mississippi & Havana), once contained a Blockbuster Video.  The Blockbuster shut down in 2013, and the space has never been occupied since.  The Wingstop next door is very busy.

Update (6/30/20):  This is now a Bank of America. 
See https://locators.bankofamerica.com/co/aurora/financial-centers-aurora-16859.html

Empty showroom

This is 1600 S Abilene St, which is now totally empty.  The above picture, taken in Aug 2016, shows an Affordable Consigned Furniture store, but it has since vacated the place.  Hopefully, something else will move in soon.  It is only 1 block from the Florida light rail station.

You will be assimilated

Dusty gets the boot

This Dusty Boot Steakhouse & Saloon at 16270 E Arapahoe Road in Foxfield is now closed.  There are other locations open in Greenwood Village, Beaver Creek and Eagle.

10 Best New Urbanist Retail Centers in the Aurora Area

I define a "new urbanist retail center" as a two-lane street with retail on either side.  Preferably it would have a town square or park in the middle.  It would be pleasant for walking, and it also may be a nice place to work.  It may have some restaurants or a pub.  It may have parking lots on the outskirts.  These nice areas are surprisingly rare in the vast cultural wastelands of the suburbs.

1.  29th Avenue/Founder's Green in Stapleton.  This is in the city of Denver but close enough.  The focal point is Founder's Green, which is laid out on an east-west axis. It has a stage for live music. For centuries, towns were built around a central green — a place where people gathered for community events or just to relax and watch the world go by. The same goes for Stapleton. Lined by oak trees and distinguished by a sculptural fountain, Stapleton’s Founders Green has an urban formality to its design. And a festive vibe that makes it the perfect Denver venue.
The area (Founder's Green and 29th Ave/29th Place which circles it) is in the shape of a cylinder.  On both the east and west ends, the building curve to match the street.  Four-story buildings surround the green, which are mostly residential, but with retail on the bottom.  The building to the north is still under construction but will be completed soon.  When it is finished, it will seem like this is a "historical" part of Denver, like it is 100 years old.  It has a European or at least East Coast vibe.  It is urban planning genius.  Bravo.

2. Main Street at Northfield Stapleton/Valentia St.  This is really kind of an outdoor mall, with hardly any green to be seen, except for some trees.  There are some "formal" parks a few blocks north on Valentia St.  The "downtown" area, (also called "The Shops at Northfield Stapleton"), is only 2 blocks long, but the cross streets (46th Avenue, 47th Avenue, 48th Street) also have retail, so this is really about an 8 block district rather than just a street, making these seem like an old downtown that is undergoing urban renewal, surrounded by parking lots where the slums used to be.  (Except there never were slums - this used to be an airport).  
The south end is anchored by an 18-screen cinema, but disappointingly enough, there isn't a distinctive sign to draw your eye.  The north end is anchored by a Macy's.  What is missing here is residential, but there are some beautiful townhomes just a few blocks to the north.   The soccer stadium where the Colorado Rapids play is within walking distance.  The charms of the area grow on you.  Which is amazing because this is very close to 2 highways (I-70 and I-270) which are constantly jammed, and to industrial areas to the east and west.

3.  Southlands Main Street.  I have written about it before, where I called it "the nicest urban center in Aurora".  It is the largest non-enclosed mall in the U.S.  I put it number 3 here because it doesn't seem as authentic as the above two.  The heart of Southlands is the square, which I can't find the name of so I am calling it "Compass Rose Square" because that it looks like a giant compas rose from above.  The middle of the rose is a fountain, and during the summer, kids run through it.  There is an ice cream shop nearby.
To the north is a cinema, which has a nice vertical eye-catching vertical sign, making it seem like something from the 1920's.  The main street bends a few blocks to the south.  There isn't an anchor to the south, just a busy 6 lane boulevard.
This almost qualifies as a new urbanist area, but there is no place to live nearby, well, not within walking distance.  There are certainly thousands of houses around, where the soccer moms would drive the kids to the mall to run through the fountain and get ice cream (because there is nothing else to do in the 'burbs), while she shops at Macy's.  Oops, there is no Macy's here.  But there is a Walmart and a Sam's Club.

4.  Ursula Street at Anschutz.  Ok, this isn't a retail center, except for a CVS pharmacy and an Ursula Brewery.  It is all residential.  But it has an authentic feel to it.  This seems like it could be in Chicago or someplace.  There is a formal garden park (the only one within the city limits of Aurora). The apartment buildings on either side of Ursula Street are 4 stories tall and have balconies, which would be nice for watching a parade or the drunken mob on Mardi Gras.  (Except nothing like that ever happens around here).  To the south there are skyscrapers, well Aurora's version of them.  There are 3 or 4 12-story hospitals.  To the north, you can catch the light rail station in the middle of nowhere.

5.  Cedar Avenue.  This is basically a strip mall, but surprisingly nice.  There are actually about 3 blocks with stores on either side. The west end is dominated by a 4 story Venetian tower, with great views from the top.  (Probably, that is, if anyone was allowed to climb it, which no one is).  You can eat at the outdoor cafe and drink wine while you watch the people walk by.  Not really.  But you can order a Jamba juice and sit at a cast iron table on a cast iron chair and read a book from a nearby Barnes and Noble.  There is also a Starbuck's a few blocks down.  A few blocks away to the east is a beautiful lake with fountains.  (Except I doubt if anyone has ever walked from Cedar Avenue to the lake, because you can't see it from a distance, and you would have to walk several blocks through a parking lot to get there).  While we are in the mood to walk, there is also a light rail station about 4 blocks away.  But back to Cedar Avenue.  There is no park here, unless you count a parking lot.  And no Macy's.  But there is a Target, if you feel like walking across a huge parking lot.  Overall, not bad.  Definitely, better than your average suburban strip mall.

6.  Garden Drive.  This is the showpiece of Havana Gardens.  Except I don't know where any gardens are, unless you count a couple of vacant lots.  There is an interesting obelisk sculpture about 12 feet tall on the east end, and some cast iron benches in front of gravel. Maybe it is a rock garden?  You could eat at an Applebee's or Buffalo Wild Wings or get some yogurt.  And there is a Target.

7.  Second Avenue in Lowry.  This is just a few blocks long, but it has an small-townish feel to it.  There is a nice square here with a very large 5 pointed star surrounded by a circle, which makes me think of Texas.  Unfortunately there is no fountain.  You could actually sit outside at a cafe and look at the Texas star.  To the northeast, Second Avenue ends, but really turns into a grass park.  There are nice townhomes all around here.  Close by is the Wing Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.

8.  Cornerstar Way.  Ok,  I am really lowering my standards here a little.  This is part of a strip shopping center near Arapahoe Road and Parker Road.  It is about 10 stores on either side of a street. And there is a Target nearby.  And a soccer field.

9.  Montview Boulevard.  Between Chester & Dayton.  This is not a new urbanist retail center, but it is an old style retail strip with kind of a 1950's feel to it. The area is a little run down, with bars and liquor stores, but it is gentrifying a little, being right next to Stapleton.   Montview is 4 lanes here but it is not a major arterial.  There are a couple of nice parks here, and Westerly Creek.

10.  Main Street in Parker.  This isn't new urbanist, it's old small town-urbanist.  There is a nice town park, O'Brien Park.  This is the look we are aiming for.

Another empty Office Depot

This building at 422 S. Chambers Road used to be occupied by an Office Depot.  I think the best use of the property would be for the adjacent Roca Fuerte private school to expand onto.  They could use it as an auditorium or gym, and that would be better than having it empty.

Aurora Center for Renewable Energy (ACRE)

ACRE is a 1,762 acre (2.75 sq mi) parcel of land northwest of the unincorporated village of Watkins.  It is supposed to be a laboratory and testbed for solar energy.  The real purpose seems to be to make a buffer to prevent Watkins from expanding to the north and west.

It seems to me to be yet another big empty wasted piece of land on the prairie.  They say it is to help the environment.  "To serve as a leader in exploring alternative energy resources for the citizens of Aurora.  To take advantage of the green economy to create new, quality jobs in Aurora." etc.

If it makes us feel better about ourselves and it stops those evil developers then it is all worth it, I guess.

See https://www.auroragov.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1881137/Image/ACRE%20FDP%20part%201.pdf for more information.

Aurora Places Plan

Source: http://auroraplacesplan.com/

What is the Aurora Places Plan?
Aurora Places will be the City’s “road map,” detailing a long-term vision for land use and development. Aurora Places will answer the questions: “What should Aurora look like in 10-20 years?” and “How will we get there?”


It will update the 2009 Comprehensive Plan.

No more Dora

This Dora's Mexican restaurant at 2406 S Parker Road closed sometime in 2015.
"When the City of Aurora Tax and Licensing seized the restaurant building in October [2015], it was auctioned off to Kimco, the owners of the Village on the Park Shopping Center."
http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/for-the-highest-bidders-an-aurora-institution/

See also: The Empty Village on the Park

It's bad for the Gander

Source: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gander-mountain-aurora-aurora

This Gander Mountain at 14000 E Jewell Avenue closed sometime in 2016.  There is another Gander Mountain still open in Parker.

The Gander Mountain chain has 160 stores nationwide, but it has declared bankruptcy and many of them will close this year.

Thrift Store Fail

This former Savers Thrift store at 1200 S Abilene is now permanently closed.  If a thrift store can't make it, who can?

Thrift stores also closed at 16801 E Iliff Ave, Aurora, and in Littleton and Highlands Ranch.

Null Foods

This photo comes courtesy of Google streetview in Sept 2016.  The Whole Foods at 2584 Baseline Road in Boulder seems very busy, however, the store was permanently closed on April 9.  I don't get it - there are lots of former hippies in Boulder.  Why couldn't they just have raised prices and laid off a few more workers?

Apparently the store was too small.

The Baseline store was just shy of 17,000 square feet, and was the site of the original Wild Oats market. But such small markets typically don't generate the profits larger stores do, local natural food experts said.  "Smaller footprints don't allow you to carry as many items, and therefore customers can't do their full shop there," said Ben Friedland, vice president of marketing for Boulder-based Lucky's Market. "The store ends up becoming a secondary rather than primary destination for shoppers."  That matters, he said, particularly in a market as competitive as Boulder, which is home to multiple Lucky's, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Safeways, King Soopers, and a Natural Grocers, Trader Joe's and Alfalfa's.  http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-business/ci_30784849/boulder-whole-foods-closing

Closed Sports Authority in Westminster

This is a Google streetview of the closed Sports Authority store at 9219 (or 9223) Sheridan Blvd, taken in Nov. 2016.  I think it is still empty.  Many of the Sports Authority stores were taken over by other sporting goods stores (like Dick's Sporting Goods on Havana).  I think the Westminster store will be one of the hardest to fill and it is near the empty former Westminster Mall site.

Here are other closed Sports Authority stores in the Denver area that as far as I can tell are still empty:
301 Marshall Road, Superior
7400 W 52nd Ave, Arvada (Arvada Market Place)
8055 W Bowles Ave, Littleton (Bowles Crossing)
1265 Sergeant Jon Stiles Dr, Highlands Ranch
7848 E County Line Road, Lone Tree (Park Meadows)
6305 S Main St, Aurora (Southlands)

Bizarre ways to die in Suburbia

A house in Firestone exploded in huge balls of fire, killing 2 men and seriously injuring two women.  The cause was that it was built near a leaky oil well that somehow met a heat source.  You would think that the developer would have avoided building a house right next to an old well.  Oopsie daisy, sorry about that.



See http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/30/firestone-home-explosion-drilling-setbacks/

15007 E Colfax

The above shot is from Google Maps in 2008 when it was Barney's Sports Bar.  It later became Foco Rojo Bar.  The building at 15007 E Colfax Avenue has been vacant since about 2012.  It would be a good location for a sports bar, billiard hall or restaurant.  

It is about 3/4 mile from the light rail stop, a little far to walk, but doable.

An elephant walks into a bar

The Elephant Bar in Belmar in Lakewood is now closed, as are the Elephant bars in DTC and in Colorado Springs.  Before declaring bankruptcy in 2014, the Elephant Bar had about 45 locations nationwide.  Now there are only about 10 still open.  It was a unique concept, and I don't know why it wasn't successful.  I hope another restaurant fills the empty hole in Belmar soon.

Restaurants opening in Eastbridge

If you’ve been following restaurant openings for the past couple of weeks, you’ve probably noticed that there’s a lot going on in the Stapleton development of Eastbridge. First, Cattivella — the much-anticipated Italian eatery from chef Elise Wiggins — opened. Then came the debut of Next Door, another much-anticipated restaurant from The Kitchen group. On May 3, Concourse, the new spot from chef Lon Symensma will open in (you guessed it!) Eastbridge, helmed by chef Luke Bergman. Next up, chef Troy Guard will be opening not one, but two much-anticipated restaurants in Eastbridge. (Hashtag and another installment of Los Chingones.)
http://theknow.denverpost.com/2017/05/01/stapleton-eastbridge-denver-troy-guard-elise-wiggins/142925/

Hicksville

On the north side of Iliff Avenue, just west of Yosemite, sits a blighted hillbilly-type area I am affectionately calling "Hicksville".  The land is used for chopping firewood, making moonshine, landfill, abandoned cars, has old buildings with plywood that should be condemned with graffitti on them, etc.  This wouldn't be so bad, except it is right across the street from the very exclusive Cherry Creek Country Club and Golf Course.

Apparently, it is in unincorporated Arapahoe County so not much can be done.  But I wish someone would buy them out.

10 Creepiest Places near Aurora, Colorado

Here is a list I am making for fun, and having 10 entries makes it more interesting.  I don't believe in ghosts but this might give you some chills.

1.  Fairmount Cemetery.  This is actually in Denver, but it is close by, at Quebec and Alameda.  This has to be one of the coolest/creepiest cemeteries anywhere outside of New Orleans. This has numerous above-ground mausoleums.  A search on Google images brings up lots of spooky images.

2.  Third Bridge.  This is connected with multiple deaths, such as a massacre of a ranch family by Indians in the 1860s (which led to the Sand Creek Massacre), an unsolved murder, and a car accident killing two teens.  (See http://www.imfromdenver.com/third-bridge-in-aurora-colorado/).  There are also some Youtube videos of apparitions.

3.  Richthofen Castle and Molkerei Tuberculosis Clinic.  This is also in Denver, but close by.  This would be a great scene for a movie.  The castle was owned by real German royalty, the Von Richtofen family which included the Red Baron. The Molkerei/Molkery later became an insane asylum.

4. Haunted 7-Eleven.  A 7-Eleven on Smoky Hill Road was supposedly built on a old indian graveyard.  See http://www.imfromdenver.com/most-people-in-colorado-think-this-7-11-is-seriously-haunted/

5.  Building 500, Anschutz Medical Center/Fitzsimons.  The old Fitzsimons hospital, which today has administrative offices, is supposedly haunted with the ghosts of military personnel.  Also, some of the old military buildings may be haunted. See http://coloradoghosts.blogspot.com/2009/10/fitzsimons-army-medical-center.html

6.  Rocky Mountain Arsenal Army Headquarters.  I have written about this before, and the whole setting is surreal.  Abandoned vehicles, weeds, deer hiding in the shadows, nuclear waste, etc.  The view from Rattlesnake Hill is impressive.  The whole area gives off a "Cold War" vibe.

7,  Parklane Swimming Pool.  Someone supposedly saw an old woman in a black dress with long white hair standing next to a slide.  See http://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/parklane-swimming-pool/

8.  Bicentennial Park. I have written about this before.  There was an old putt-putt golf course here which has been removed because of a fire.  There is an Army National Guard base across the street with lots of camouflage vehicles.

9.  Utility shed at First Creek Park.  In First Creek Park, on old Buckley Road, about a mile north of 56th Avenue, next to Pena Boulevard, sits an old abandoned utility shed, with stairs leading to the basement.  Hopefully, no one is hiding there.  Near to this is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal fence, with holes in it where some one could climb through.

10.  Mount Nebo Cemetary, Aurora.  This is more of a curiosity rather than being creepy.  Two ley lines intersect in the west end of the cemetery.  There is one to the northeast which follows the property line of the King's Inn motel, and another ley line to the southeast which follows a fence line and property line right down to the intersection of 6th & Peoria.  The lines predate the cemetery, which was built in 1902.

Airport Blvd & Colfax

This is a very large piece of land on the southwest corner of Airport Blvd & Colfax.  This would be perfect for residential, with some retail.  At least it doesn't have a chain-link fence around it, like a couple of other large pieces of undeveloped land.

See also:  Trolley Station

Meritage Highline

Soure: https://www.meritagehomes.com/assets/resources/denver-co/highline/HL-WebSitePlanFlyer.jpg

This is a very nice infill project at Dayton & Mississippi, with homes starting at $450k.  One interesting thing is a "wilderness area" just below lot #31 on the map.  It's good that this blank spot on the map is finally filled in.  I will highlight some more areas that need projects like this.

See: https://www.meritagehomes.com/search/denver-co/highline/

Coast Guard in Aurora

Did you know there is an active Coast Guard unit stationed in Aurora, Colorado at Buckley AFB?

On Buckley Air Force Base outside of Denver is the Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit Colorado; one of four cryptologic units in the Coast Guard. The commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Logan Medica, leads the 18 member unit conducting technical training, analysis and reporting of the maritime domain in support of tactical and operational fleet commands, the Coast Guard Intelligence enterprise, combatant commanders and national policymakers. 
http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2013/05/the-coast-guard-in-colorado/

What happened to Project Keystone?

In 2009, there was news that a facility for processing national intelligence would be built in Aurora.

A Virginia company is developing a 350,000-square-foot office building on 64 acres in Aurora for the federal government. The Peterson Cos. is expected to break ground in March on Project Keystone, which will be occupied by the Aerospace Data Facility Colorado, the largest tenant at Buckley Air Force Base. “We’re out of space at our facility,” said Sharlene Fairbanks-Kyte, public- affairs officer for the agency. “Project Keystone is to augment ADF Colorado.” The site within Gateway Park is bounded by North Walden Street, East 40th Avenue and North Salida Street. The Peterson Cos. purchased the ground from the Pauls Corp. Under an agreement reached in April, Peterson will lease the building to the Office of Director of National Intelligence. The National Reconnaissance Office will act as the executive agent for the project, which will be occupied by ADF Colorado.
http://www.denverpost.com/2009/09/10/aurora-to-get-a-new-federal-facility/

This was basically an extension of Buckley Air Force Base.  This project was obviously cancelled but I can't find out any more information about what happened.  There was a whole environmental assessment done called "Construction and Operation of Project Keystone, Denver: Environmental Assessment", which is available for free in Google Books.

Envision East Arapahoe

Envision East Arapahoe 3D Scenarios from City of Boulder on Vimeo.

See also: https://www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/2_24_Presentation_-_Envision_East_Arapahoe-1-201507100910.pdf
http://colorado.uli.org/building-healthy-places/citys-east-edge-due-boulder-junction-style-makeover/

Boulder is trying to make an area that is filled with office and industrial parks and make it just a little bit more liveable.

Parkside @ City Centre

Source: http://navpointre.com/properties/ne-corner-of-sable-blvd-alameda-ave/

This is a great project at Sable & Alameda with 38,000 of retail and office space.  It is supposed to open in 4Q 2017.  To make it even nicer, behind it is a lake.  Light rail does run by the project, but the nearest stop is a couple of blocks south.  Access to the site will be a little problem as there will basically be only one way in and out - on Sable.

Now if they could only build something similar right across the street, which remains hideous open space.

See also: http://aurorainfill.blogspot.com/2016/07/new-alameda-center.html

Dinosaurs battle car dealerships in the Dakota Hogback

Source: http://www.westword.com/news/jeffco-battles-over-proposed-car-dealerships-next-to-dino-ridge-8672438

There are two related items from the same area that I want to write about.  First, the proposed development of the area around C-470 and Alameda Parkway, which the Westword article explains very well.

Second, the failed Mt. Carbon development just southeast of that intersection.  In the early 1980s, there was a proposed development in which more than $100 million was invested with not much to show for it. It was repossessed by an S&L, which failed, and then the Resolution Trust Corp took control, but was unable to sell it. It was then inherited by the FDIC, which couldn't sell it.  The city of Lakewood refused to buy it for open space.   The metropolitan district went into bankruptcy and shed some of its debt.  In about 2005, a new development, called Springfield Green was planned for the area.  The neighbors wanted the area for open space and raised massive opposition to the project so it stalled again.

The project now is called "Rooney Valley".  It consists of 2,200 acres of land in Lakewood, Morrison and unincorporated Jefferson County.  The promoters hope to build about 3000 housing units and almost 2 million square feet of retail, commercial, and light industrial space.  This project deserves more complete coverage and I will probably write more about it.

Bye Bye Lone Star

All the Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloons in Colorado closed in January 2017.  This is a picture of the one that was at 6th & Simms in Lakewood.  I think there were 7 in the Denver area at one point - in addition to the Lakewood one, Lone Stars in Golden, Arvada, Aurora, Thornton, Littleton and Brighton closed (some of these in 2015). Plus one in Loveland.

The one in Aurora was at 3055 S Parker Road, Suite 103.  There is a Touchstone Imaging there now.

Condo Project Fail

This is a view of a failed condo development near Sable and Tennessee.  Construction started on the project in 2005, at least laying out the streets, but it was never finished, and has sat abandoned for 12 years.  There also was graffiti on the back wall, but I think it has been removed now.

Century is responsible for an unfinished condo project it started in 2005 at East Tennessee Avenue and Sable Boulevard where residents have long complained about it being an “eyesore” and a dumping ground. “We’re perplexed why the city would allow them to screw up another neighborhood when they still have collateral damage at Tennessee and Sable,” At a Jan. 27 [2016] Aurora Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for the project, Century spokeswoman Lisa Albers said the economic downturn prevented Century from completing the East Tennessee Avenue and Sable Boulevard condos. Albers said Century took over ownership of several of those condo units during the recession to keep the site’s HOA funded, and that Century is now being proactive about removing items dumped near the units. 
http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/revised-plan-century-housing-still-danbury-shamrock-neighbors-upset/

How about radically redesigning the area.  Put a small plaza with a fountain in the middle, and surround it with 3 story buildings that have retail on the bottom and apartments with balconies on the top 2 floors.  The whole area is pretty dense with both retail and condos.  And its not that far, about 4 blocks, from the mall light rail station.

Now that I think about it, this is one of the best candidates for an infill project anywhere in the city.  How about have a design competition.

And while I am at it, how about making Sable Boulevard from Iliff to 6th Avenue a main street?  And there is another failed development near 2nd & Sable, that could be redeveloped in a similar fashion.

May they rust in peace

A short video with still of rusted old cars with a weird soundtrack.  From Murphy Creek, Aurora.

What do you do with a problem like Chambers and Green Valley Ranch Boulevard?

I think this is about a mile in length and a quarter-mile high, or about 160 acres.  Why hasn't it been developed yet?

It would be perfect for single-family homes. It is too far away from light-rail for a high density development.

Stapleton may have 16 story buildings

Source: http://couldbedenver.com/2017/03/30/stapleton-continues-to-grow-as-denver-will-extend-mlk-and-build-second-central-park-bridge-over-i-70/

Wynkoop Square

Gartrell Road Fail

Gartrell Road is a brand new road just north of E-470.  There have already been two newly opened business close there for lack of business.

There was a Walgreens at 7510 S Gartrell Road (shown above) which is now closed.  Also a 1st Bank was opened at 7460 S Gartrell Road which is now closed.  That is sad that newly opened businesses in newly developed have failed.

West Bijou Creek

Source: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/ArchitecturePlanning/AboutCAP/ResearchCenters/CCCD/2012/RuralTechnicalAssistanceProgram/Services/Rural/ProjectSamples/Documents/Aurora_PCCBijouSiteMasterPlan.pdf
























West Bijou Creek is a 7,960 acre "campus" located south of Strasburg.  Part of the land is in Arapahoe county and part of it is in Elbert county.  The red lines on the above map are roads that will be built.  I don't think West Bijou Creek is nearly as wide as it appears on the above map.  I think it is mostly dry.  The map must show the streambed.

There are also other conservation easements nearby.  The West Bijou Creek Conservation Easement is a 1,363 acre working farm and the easement is owned by Arapahoe County Open Space and the Bradbury Bijou Creek Ranch which is 2,800 acres.   There is also the Middle Bijou Creek Conservation Easement, which is 12,578 acres.  "The Middle Bijou conservation easement is the largest easement in Arapahoe and Elbert Counties and is the largest easement ever funded in the United States".

What is interesting about the area is the KT boundary, which runs through the site.
The KT Boundary is a geologic layer found in places all over the world, but Johnson calls the example in the Bijou site “one of the best examples of the KT boundary known in the world.” The boundary is the result of a huge asteroid hitting Earth 66 million years ago.  “My finger is sitting on a layer that was at the surface of Colorado the day the asteroid struck Mexico. At the end of the day, it was particularly bad day on planet Earth … and when the smoke cleared some months later, all the big animals had gone extinct,” Johnson said.  Just a short distance away, in the soft rock of an outcrop, Johnson showed Whitehead evidence of what the world looked like after the dinosaurs disappeared.  “This hill is made of fossil leaves. There are literally tens of millions of fossil leaves in this one outcrop and as a result a place like this is fabulous for study about what happened to the world after the asteroid struck,” Johnson said. “We can count the fossils and built a real understanding about what the forest looked like here.  “Right now it’s shortgrass prairie, but 66 million years ago it was a subtropical forest and you would have found things like crocodiles and turtles and snakes. Imagine yourself more in Costa Rica than Colorado.”
--http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/05/07/many-plains-surprises-to-be-found-in-bijou-valley/

Hyperloop One

See also: DIA to Greeley in 10 minutes

Second Creek Raceway

Second Creek Raceway was a racetrack near 88th & Buckley.  It was shut down about 2005 but the track is still driveable, as shown by the above video.

I don't know why it was shut.  The whole area around it is just empty fields.  Yes to the north there are some housing developments, but to the west is the Arsenal, to the east about 5 miles is DIA (but there is nothing but empty fields in between), and to the south (again about 5 miles) there is nothing until you get past Green Valley Ranch Rd (48th Avenue).

This has to be one of the most desolate places anywhere that is actually within city limits (in this case I think it is Commerce City), and has major traffic running nearby - E-470 and Tower Road.

Emil-Lene's Sirloin House

This is the now-closed Emil-Lene's Sirloin House at 16900 (or 16000) Smith Road.  It is right next to the Star K Ranch open space (about which much more needs to be written).  It is very hard to find (hint: take Laredo south of Smith Road) and you would have to know it is there.  That's probably why it closed.  It would be nice if another restaurant would open there.

Update 4/30/2017:  The building has now been torn down and it is just vacant land.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal Army Headquarters

This is a screenshot of a tilted satellite view from Google earth of the old Army Headquarters at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.  The road at the bottom of the screen is 72nd Avenue.

This is one of the creepiest places in the "Aurora area".  The view above doesn't look that bad.  But consider that it is completely abandoned, and the view is somewhat sanitized.  There are weeds everywhere. This is a flagpole in the circle at the left third part of the picture, but no flag flies.  There are lots of abandoned vehicles around, and deer walking around.  There are "guards", really just a forest ranger driving around a pickup truck who might ask you questions if he sees you.

Nearby is Rattlesnake Hill, which is worth a climb, to look through the binoculars.  Also to the east of this is a large fenced area topped with barbed wire.  Behind the fence is some of the most radioactive land on the planet.  It is owned by the US Army and signs say something like "Property of the US Army.  Trespassers will be shot on sight."  The gate to this area is open and unlocked.

This could easily be a setting in a video game, or in a movie.

Richthofen Castle

Source: Google Maps, at 7020 E 12th Avenue, Denver, CO

This is the entrance to the Richthofen Castle.  You can search for pictures of the castle, but this is what you see from the street level, which is what us peasants see.  This is technically in Denver, but before it was annexed (in 1903), it was in the town of Montclair.  It was built in 1887, before the silver bust of 1893.

I am thinking of doing a series on spooky places in the "Aurora area", and this definitely would be in the top ten.

Abandoned Office Depot

Source: www.commercialsearch.com

This is a closed Office Depot at 3511 N Salida Ct.  It is near a very busy Walmart, Home Depot, and Best Buy.  But it is also near a lot of vacant land.  It had only been there a few years.  Another big box store bites the dust.  It may be empty for a long time.

The House in the Woods

Source: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/centers/BioethicsHumanities/Documents/Masterworks%20Catalogue.pdf

There is an art exhibit of 21 masterworks from the Morton and Tobia Mower Collection at the Fulginiti Pavilion on the Anschutz campus.  It includes works from Monet, Renoir, Rodin, Picasso and Pissarro.  It will be there through May 24.  The above picture is my favorite from the collection.
See: http://www.cuanschutztoday.org/masterworks-exhibition-at-cu-anschutz-showcases-masterpieces-by-impressionists-picasso-and-rodin/

Closed US Bank at Iliff and Parker

This is a former US Bank at Iliff and Parker.  There is a new replacement US Bank branch just a couple of blocks away at 2361 S Parker Rd.

This whole area seems kind of depressed and I have no idea why because it has very heavy traffic.