Here’s an interesting article from the Denver Post’s Margaret Jackson about the Nichols Partnership’s proposed mixed-use project in the Central Platte Valley that is planned to include a King Soopers grocery store: Soopers Stalemate
On one hand, I’d love to see the King Soopers project move forward as quickly as possible. On the other hand, I certainly don’t blame East West Partners for wanting to enforce their exclusive development rights.
Perhaps some kind of joint venture between East West and Nichols is in order?
Why doesn't E/W develop a grocery store. They pretty much have developed the rest of the area. They want the people to move into their neighborhoods but they don't provide the space for the services many of these new residents need. Yes, legally they have justification to challenge Nichols. Maybe Nichols should have been a little more diligent, and figured out a solution before it came to this point.
This is an odd one. Hard to believe Nichols didn't realize the deed restriction was in place before buying the land. Maybe he thought E/W would be more flexible? But E/W does hold a heavy club. As Jackson's story pointed out, it has already denied one developer permission to go forward with a supermarket on that plot of land. You would hope retail, especially in the form of a supermarket, would be something E/W would want to promote in order to attract more interest among consumers who want to live in CPV….
It seems that E/W doesn't really care about the people that live in its developments anyway…I've been in a number of the buildings they've developed down in the CPV. The prices they charge for what are, essentially, apartment-style finishes are ridiculous, with the Glass House being the absolute worst example of this. Sure the building's look good, just don't live in one.
They don't promote much in the way of activity or commerce down there, much of what activity there is in the area was either already there or has happened organically.
Anyone can throw up some buildings and a park and get activity. But to get a true neighborhood? That takes care and commitment. They haven't proven themselves to have either and, as a result, there's not a real neighborhood down there.
There certainly is a disconnect within the neighborhood itself. There is something sterile about it. I'm not saying that a grocery store will change all of that but I definitely think it would be a step in the right direction. I'm hoping that with the eventual development of Union Station, retail will become an intergral part of the neighborhood.
Riverfront Park is a big huge sterile joke.
I don't know the specific details of this agreement but I wonder if they can time the housing component to be complete by Jan 2011? I'm sure they could get this project completed sooner, but realistically, is 2011 a significant delay given the time needed for financing, design, approval, and build? I assume of course that they can start housing construction before 2011.
Man, Smith is kind being a prick in this one. He must know that the area needs a grocery store, as he even admitted in the article. If he doesn't allow one to be built, how will it be built? So what if the project includes housing? That's the only way a store will get built, seems to me.
Wow, who knew there was such Riverfront Park-envy around here? Just because you can't afford it doesn't make it "sterile."
There needs to be a solution that benefits the residents downtown. There needs to be a grocery store downtown ASAP. Whether Whole Foods or Kings, this will be the foundation to long term retail in the area. This store will support further long term retail i.g. Department Stores-small boutiques, etc. With so many residents moving back downtown, a simple vitamin cottage won't support thier tastes. E/W needs to allow this or find a solution with Randy for this grocery store to continue. If this was build and developed before Union station, It might help lure bigger and diverese names to that development.
Just Like Ken, I have full confidence in Randy Nichols and his abilities. He will make it happen with or without the full help of E/W. Just build it!!! There is no reason for this obstacle, but pride and money.
J-ROD
I really like the Riverfront Commons neighborhood and hope to live there someday. I love the fact it's very near to LoDo, LRT, access to the 16th Street mall shuttle, Confluence Park, a good coffee house and wine store, etc. And it has a park along the Platte River and interesting places to shop/eat on the west side of the Platte. Yet, it's away from much of the noise and commotion of downtown (except the trains!).I see nothing about it that makes it sterile, except it is all very brand new. Yes, a "regular" grocery store would be great, and it will come. In the meantime, I find that the neighborhood Vitamin Cottage offers a lot to get you by and it's healthy, too.
The residential restriction is actually a restriction placed over many of the now open parcels – in fact, some of the current projects under construction are being phased due to this restriction. A creative financier with some patient money could build the grocery store, and then build the apartments later. Of course, this requires someone who can wait on the IRR over a course of the next 5years, not take out 20% immediatelty after opening.Randy and Bill are sharp guys, who can figure this thing out.
Juat because it's expensive doesn't make it interesting.
that was brutal ! such a shame !
Very, very disappointing, it's embarrassing!…
HAHA…i'm loving this discussion. I'd have to agree that riverfront is NOT sterile. There is a ton of life there and always something going on. Haven't you ever been to commons park/zengo/ink/mcloughlins?? I'm an unfortunate resident of the glasshouse…but love the community. Its a great neighborhood. Now, there is a lack of punks/homeless/rif-raf…is that what we are missing?
As for the grocery store, its much needed…but what can you do? Nichols signed it away till 2011. I'll patiently wait…