East Colfax Development

The shattered, and nearly forgotten, stretch of East Colfax Avenue is getting an updated makeover, thanks in large part to Sprouts Farmers Market. A massive project is in the works for the site of the long-vacant Rosen-Novak and Elway car dealerships, near Colorado Boulevard, reports a recent Denver Post article.

The site was originally set to host a Sunflower Farmers Market, but when the two companies merged, Sprouts was the surviving name. The Sprouts Market, estimated at 26,000 square feet, will take up the north side of Colfax between Garfield and Monroe. The adjacent block, what is now used as a parking lot for National Jewish Health, is going to see the addition of numerous restaurants and shops, according to plans unveiled by the retail developer, Evergreen Development, and the landowner, the Rosen family of Denver.

The big picture for the grocery store is to help boost the neighborhood’s redevelopment, while maintaining a low impact on the people. Small details are being taken into big consideration, as Sean Mandel, a part of Rosen Properties, wants the parking lot hidden behind landscaping and a brick wall. Other architectural features were designed with the public in mind.

Demolition for the new Sprouts was scheduled to begin on August 20th of this year, with completion in April of 2013.

Cherry Creek North Development Project Put on Hold

A recent Denver Post article said that a proposed redevelopment along Columbine Street in Cherry Creek North is on hold while Denver finalizes the area plan for the neighborhood. According to the article, the proposed project by Western Development set forth plans for “an eight-story, 70,000-square-foot office building on the northeast corner of Columbine and East Second Avenue. The $100 million development would step down gradually as it approaches Third Avenue, where a three-story building would include about 80 condos. The development also includes 38,000 square feet of retail space.”

Western Development is facing opposition from the Cherry Creek North Neighborhood Association, in terms of building scale, traffic and parking associated with the project. The Association will be hosting a General Resident Meeting on Tuesday, May 22th at 7pm at the Daniels Fund Building. The Meeting will provide residents with highlights of the Cherry Creek Area Plan and present specific information from two of its important working groups 1) Urban Form and its work on BID zoning modifications and 2) Transit with its views on future Cherry Creek transportation issues and improvement recommendations.

Denver Botanic Gardens Summer Concert Series

There’s nothing like a gorgeous summer night in Denver set to some live music in an amazing setting. Maybe throw in some wine and cheese too. All of these things come together at the Denver Botanic Gardens Summer Concert Series and this year’s line-up is pretty stellar with music that runs from classic R&B to traditional South African harmonies.Tickets went on sale Monday for Garden members and then open up to the general public on May 1. Here’s the line-up of concerts:• July 11—Nanci Griffith with special guest Greg Brown• July 16—Marc Cohn with special guest Joan Osborne• July 17—Natalie Merchant with the Colorado Symphony• July 23—Al Green• July 25—Mary Chapin Carpenter• August 6—Diana Krall with special guest Denzal Sinclaire• August 9—Ladysmith Black Mambazo and The Johnny Clegg Band• August 10—Shawn Colvin and Loudon Wainwright III• August 16—Kenny Loggins• August 17—Wynonna & The Big Noise• August 21—Gipsy Kings• August 30—Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers with special guest Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers• September 7—Pat Metheny Unity Band
And if you don’t feel like packing your own food, pre-order a meal by Catering by Designs and you’ll have an amazing basket of culinary delights waiting for you at the concert.

Another Reason to Love Denver—Tour de B-cycle

We all have our “active” Colorado bucket list items: hike a fourteener, plan a hut trip, take an epic mountain bike ride, etc. Well, there’s another challenge to add to the list that takes place within Denver and can be done any weekend you want—the Tour de B-cycle.

Most locals are aware of the Denver B-cycle program that offers people the chance to temporarily check out bikes at stations spread across the city. Denver B-cycle charges a membership fee to gain access to the system plus additional charges for any trip lasting longer than 30 minutes. An annual pass costs $80 and ride data such as distance, duration, calories burned, and carbon offset is captured and uploaded to your personal page at Denver.Bcycle.com if you register online for an account.

The Tour de B-cycle is a challenge where you have to visit all 52 stations in one day and all rides between stations must be under 30 minutes. The other rules for this include:
• E-mail info@denverbikesharing.org letting them know your intention to “conquer” the Tour de B-cycle (put “Tour de B-cycle”in the subject line). Include your full name and date of your planned attempt.
• You must check-in and out a B-cycle at all stations. (This ensures you’re tracked in your trips report for going to each station.)
• You MUST return to the B-cycle station that you started from for a complete loop.

Wine & Art—“Uncorked” Event at the Denver Art Museum

Mixing wine with art is always a solid pairing, and the Denver Art Museum (DAM) will be hosting one of the city’s premier events for wine lovers—the twelfth annual DAM Uncorked Wine Tasting on April 20, 2012.

The event is a great evening where guests get to sample and enjoy more than 300 wines from vintners around the world. There will also be helpful tasting guides available and delicious hors d’oeuvres at this popular annual fundraising event.

Tickets are $90 for DAM members, $125 for non-members and $45 for designated drivers. If you want to beat the crowds and be part of the First Taste, which begins at 5pm, you can pay an additional $35 per person to be there when the first bottles get uncorked. All tickets also include admission to the museum that day (April 20) during regular hours.

It’s a great event to support the museum’s efforts and a chance to enhance your palette for fine wines while taking in DAM’s world-renowned art collections.

Architectural Salvage—Hunting for Hard-to-Find Home Items
If you’re tired of making trips to Home Depot to browse through off-the-shelf, standard items or are looking for one-of-a-kind, unique antiques for home projects, then consider a trip to Architectural Salvage. Located in Denver, it offers an array of great finds that include doors, fixtures, mantels, lighting pieces and much more.

Their website is loaded with image galleries of the items they have for sale such as:
• An oak ten-panel swinging door in jamb with Rixson in-floor hardware
• A leaded stained and beveled glass window in an oak frame
• A 5-tier crystal chandelier (circa 1928) that has been professionally rewired
• An oak mantel with original beveled mirror with fireplace opening
• Antique, whole-embossed green and cream tiles

A trip to Architectural Salvage’s warehouse is an adventure in itself and what they have in stock changes on a consistent basis so you can find some great treasures for your home. It is located at 5001 N. Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80216 and hours are Monday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, and open Thursday nights until 7:00pm.

Downtown Denver’s Fourth Quarter 2011 Economic Report -

The fourth quarter economic data indicates that Downtown Denver’s economy is on an upswing, consistent with national forecasts that 2012 could be a “gear year,” where consumers are more comfortable spending. The fourth quarter of 2011 emphasized several strengths and weaknesses in Downtown Denver’s recovery. For example, while many of the indicators are positive, such as low retail and office vacancy rates, high retail sales tax collections and increasing hotel occupancy rates and room rates, the retail and office lease rates still haven’t returned to pre-recession levels. Read the full Downtown Denver economic report, online.

Don’t have time to read the whole report? Check out the first page (the executive summary) to catch up on the highlights.

The Downtown Denver Partnership produces an array of research to support Downtown’s overall economic development, retail and housing efforts. The research can be found on DDP’s website. As part of its research portfolio, DDP produces comprehensive reports each quarter that provide a holistic perspective on the overall economic health of Downtown. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Cole Judge, Downtown Research Coordinator, at cjudge@downtowndenver.com.

Kentwood Real Estate Unveils Newly Enhanced Website Showcasing Lifestyle Information About Metro Denver

Denver- Kentwood Real Estate, Colorado’s premier Real Estate Company, has unveiled newly enhanced website showcasing informative “Lifestyle” information about the Metro Denver area and other new upgrades that take the online home searching experience to a whole new level.

This website is already one of the most visited Real Estate websites in Colorado, and now it offers comprehensive information on special events, restaurants, things to do , music, concerts, and even details on Colorado’s professional sports teams.

Carol Ihli, Marketing Director for Kentwood Real Estate says,” To our knowledge, we are the only leading real estate website in the country to expand its website to include lifestyle information about metro Denver and Colorado in general.”

For those who enjoy arts and theatre, you can find details on www.DenverRealEstate.com including special exhibits and acclaimed artists performing. You can even find information on varieties of cuisine.

Sports enthusiasts will get details on the Colorado Rockies, Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Avalanche.

Website visitors can search featured listings, view city statistics, and weather information, open houses, photography, communities, and neighborhoods.

Kentwood Real Estate is comprised of The Kentwood Company in the Denver Tech Center, Kentwood Company at Cherry Creek, and Kentwood City Properties.

Rocky Mountain West Urban Leadership Symposium

The Downtown Denver Partnership released a new research report, Downtown Denver: A Magnet for the Future Workforce, last week at the 2012 Rocky Mountain West Urban Leadership Symposium in Denver. Details of city building efforts- including amenities, transportation infrastructure, educated population, residential growth, innovation and entrepreneurship, and emerging green economy-that make the urban core of the Mile High City an attractive spot for a new generation of workers are outlined in this report. The strengths and opportunities for Downtown Denver are also discussed in this report.

Our city’s long term commitment to comprehensive and collaborative planning strengthens our position to reap economic benefits of the millennial generation. In recent reports by the Brookings Institution analyzing U.S. Census Bureau data notes, “To the extent they are moving at, all young adults are headed to metro areas which are known to have a certain vibe like college towns, high tech centers, and so-called ‘cool cities’.” These “cool cities” are places where it is easier to consume less and live more sustainably. They are places with transportation infrastructure, an educated population, and innovative business climates. Brookings has named Denver the number one most attractive city in the entire country for young people or the future workforce to live and work.

Employers are recognizing on a national scale that the millennial generation is more likely to choose to live and work in or near an urban center. Mountains and oceans have become secondary to downtown locations or proximity to downtown locations. Strategically minded companies are leveraging downtown locations or closeness too these locations as way to attract candidates. This is important to the economy because this means that downtown locations will continue to be a hub for infrastructure and growth.

The Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc is a non profit business organization that creatively plans, manages and develops Downtown Denver as unique, diverse, vibrant and economically healthy urban core of the Rocky Mountain region. For more info, visit www.DowntownDenver.com

Latest Projects In Denver's Hottest Neighborhood

Lohi Row

Dramatic townhomes in the heart of Lohi. This is a new project by Sprocket, one of the city’s leading architectural and Design/Build firms known for their mastery of form and function and quality! The project consists of 12 town homes ranging from 2 bedrooms + study and 2-3 bathrooms, 1300-1485 square feet, and priced from $399k-$439k.

More features for Lohi Row:
• Fabulous open floor plans
• 10-13 foot ceilings
• European finishes
• Oversized windows
• Chroma Quartz Slab Countertops
• Euro Style custom cabinetry
• Stainless steel appliances
• Attached garages
• Hardwood floors
• Prewired rooms for surround sound
• Fireplaces
• Media center
• Amazing design nuances
• Private rooftop decks
• Jaw dropping views of Denver’s cityscape and Rocky Mountains
• Prewired outdoor entertainment spaces plumbed w/ gas and water to accommodate hot tubs

Young Adults Choose “Cool Cities” During Recession

In an article written by William Frye, Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution, the Average Annual Net Domestic Migration by Metropolitan Area Among Persons Aged 25-34 according to the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data mid decade is compared to the results at the end of the decade.

It turns out that the top gainers in 2005-2007 Riverside Metro Area, Phoenix Metro Area, and Atlanta Metro Area have changed as the destination hot spot for young adults by the end of the decade. Riverside moved from first to eighth in the nation gaining less than one quarter of the young adults it drew from the mid decade numbers. Phoenix went from second to seventeenth and Atlanta fell from third to twenty third.

It seems young people are moving less than before, it is interesting to see where those who did move chose to move. Heading the list are Denver with 10,429 new young residents, Houston with 9,366 new young adults, Dallas with 8,731, Seattle with 7,451, Austin with 7,099 new young residents, Washington D.C. with 7,044 and Portland with 6,656 new young adult residents. It can be said that the top three areas and our nation’s capital fared relatively well economically during the recession. All seven of the top gainers are places where young people can feel connected and have attachments to colleges or universities among highly educated residents.

Young people’s destinations differ sharply form the top migrant draws for all ages combined-where Phoenix, and Riverside still rank in the top three. Two on the 2008-2010 U.S. Census generated list gained tremendously in rank among young movers. Denver which moved from twelfth in 2005-2007 to first in 2008-2010 and Washington D.C. which improved from forty fourth to sixth in the same years time. There is no doubt that the current economic doldrums are leaving many young people in limbo, waiting for employment and housing opportunities to emerge. When the economy does eventually pick up, they follow the jobs, no doubt, wherever they become available. In the meantime, a select group of metro areas with modestly growing economies, and strong youth cachet, seem to be the places where they are riding out the downturn. Which makes Denver the number one destination for ages 25-34 among any where else in the nation as this decade turns.