Facade Design of David Weekley Town Homes Revealed

The Abo Group, an architecture firm located in here in Lakewood and headed by Ronald Abo and Peter Einsle, has been tapped by David Weekley Homes to design their new town homes in Belmar.

The town homes-- as seen in this rendering-- will be a three story, contemporary design with private balconies and an optional fourth floor.

It's a fantastic look, and I can't wait to see these go up.

A Fall Day in Belmar Park

Construction Underway for New Chick Fil A

Construction is well underway for the new Chick Fil A going in on the corner of W. Virginia Ave. and S. Vance St.

As you can see in the photos, the restaurant building-- which is just 4600 square feet in size-- will occupy only a fraction of the total square footage of the property.

The rest of the site, unfortunately, will be dedicated to surface parking and a drive-through lane.

The site plan details substantial trees, plantings, and a wall to block neighbors' views of the worst of the drive-through lane. Nevertheless, it's a suburban-style development that really doesn't belong in downtown Lakewood.

Belmar's Boutique Future

Belmar will see several new businesses opening in time for the holiday shopping season, including:

Hot Mama
Ame Bridal
See's Candies
Kismet Accessories

This continues the trend toward boutique shopping that we've been seeing in Belmar for a while. Gone are the big chains stores, like Gap and Banana Republic. In their place, we're seeing smaller, less ubiquitous chains, like Charming Charlie, Fusion Federation, and Remnant.

All in all, I think it's a good trend.

Employees at Belmar's former Gap used to tell me that customers would always call them, unable to find the store. The Gap's location on the plaza (and out of sight from major roadways) was apparently a major headache for their customer base. But a Gap is a Gap. If one's hard to find, there are a dozen others locations to choose from in the metro area, mostly inside the major malls found off the major highways.

The big chain retailers were never a good fit for Belmar-- possible because Belmar was never meant to be a mall!

So again, I think this new interest in Belmar by these relatively smaller, boutique retailers is a good thing. They compliment Belmar's steady evolution into a true downtown space.

Important: School Board Elections are Nov. 5th

It's is an off-year as far as elections go, and so you may not be aware that three Jeffco school board seats are open.

On a five member board, this means control of the board is at stake. If you've been following the news, you've probably heard about the disruptions and problems caused in Douglas County and Adams 12 by the election of unqualified and extremist candidates.

Fortunately, here in Jeffco, we have three stellar candidates running this year. They are:

Tonya Aultman-Bettridge in District 1
Gordan "Spud" Van de Water in District 2
Jeff Lamontagne in District 5

Although board members represent specific districts, all board members are elected at large, so your vote count, even though downtown Lakewood is in District 4.

If you want to learn more about the candidates and the stakes involved in this year's election, click on the links above.

Report: Hotel Still in the Cards for Downtown Lakewood

According to Urbanland, Continuum and GF Properties are still working to bring a hotel to Belmar. Urbanland quotes Continuum's Mark Falcone as saying, "it'll probably be a limited service hotel, like a Hyatt Place or a Courtyard by Marriott," and that "all I can say with certainty is it will be green."

Health One Interested in Downtown Lakewood Facility

According to the City of Lakewood Planning Department, HealthONE is considering 260 S. Wadsworth Blvd. for an emergency medical facility.

This is the vacant parcel just north of the new downtown Lakewood Walgreens, and its development would complete the transformation of the old Geico building and Bennigans property.

One wrinkle is that a special use permit would be required, along with a public hearing-- currently scheduled for Weds. August 21 at 7 pm.

Update: the proposed facility would be two stories, with doctors' offices on the second floor and a walk-in emergency room on the ground floor. The facility would be permitted to receive patients via ambulance service as well.

Coming Soon to Belmar: Corepower Yoga

Well, this is going to make a lot of people I know happy. 

According to the Belmar main page, downtown Lakewood is getting a Corepower yoga studio! The address given is 7361 W. Alaska Drive-- right along the section of W. Alaska that is also home to The Rock Wood Fired Pizza and Zynga! Frozen Yogurt.

I was very excited to hear this, as Corepower represents a a category of business that brings people to downtown Lakewood not just to shop, but to live and play, too. Really, this is is great, great news.

Moved: Colorado Photographic Arts Center

Well, the Colorado Photographic Arts Center has finally moved. As I reported last year, CPAC (formerly Working With Artists) have been looking for a new home outside of Belmar. Now it seems they have found at least a temporary one, having recently completed a move to a smaller location in LoHi.

CPAC director Rupert Jenkins reports on his blog that CPAC needed "a more central, accessible, and vibrant location."

All things that Belmar very much is, thank you.

What LoHi does have is a higher level of hipness, which I can only guess was the true deciding factor.

So, thanks for the trash talk, Rupert. Enjoy your new digs.

Snapshots of the Belmar Farmers Market

Cool weather and overcast skies made it a great day to walk to the Belmar Farmers Market, where I picked up some fresh veggies and had torta milanesa and chimichurri fries at the Route 40, a food truck with an Argentinean twist.

I'm pleased to report the sandwich and fries were both outstanding.

No Bridge Over Wadsworth for Belmar

Unfortunately, the Downtown Lakewood Connectivity and Urban Design commission looks to have ruled out the construction of a pedestrian bridge over or under Wadsworth.

At the June 18th public workshop, only at-grade crossing improvements were in the works.

On the good side, some of the proposed improvements are substantial, with landscaped medians, trees, and stone barriers to enhance pedestrian safety, particularly at Wadsworth and Virginia Ave. On the downside, however, is a depressing looking kludge at Alaska and Wadsworth (below).

The latest plan calls for a pedestrian crossing combined with what looks to be a left hand turn lane into Lakewood Commons at Alaska. (Currently, Alaska is split by Wadsworth. Westbound traffic can only merge into northbound Wadsworth, and eastbound traffic can only merge onto southbound Wadsworth.)

I can see the appeal of this option. It would allow northbound Wadsworth traffic to turn left into Lakewood Commons. Pedestrians could cross when Wadsworth traffic is stopped by a red light, and there would be little or no problem with drivers turning right into traffic and menacing crossing pedestrians.

However, I have a hard time seeing how this would work in reality, based on current traffic patterns at Alameda and Wadsworth.

The first problem is that in the rendering above, the plan appears to take out a lane of northbound traffic and divert it into Belmar at Alaska. This is going to result in inattentive drivers getting trapped in that lane, and when they try and merge left, it's going to backup traffic on northbound Wadsworth. I say this because there's already a problem with drivers doing this when they realize they have to turn right at Alameda, and they currently have 100 or so more feet of road in which to merge left.

The second problem is with the turn signals at Wadsworth and Alameda. Right now, there's so much traffic at this intersection that cars turning southbound are continually getting trapped in the intersection on red. What happens is that they get the green turn arrow, but because of a red light at Virginia and Wadsworth, there's already a road full of southbound cars that aren't going anywhere. Drivers turn into the intersection anyway, and a giant mess ensues. It's bad enough right now that it can take 2-3 cycles to make a turn at this intersection if you hit it at the wrong time of day. So my question is... what's going to happen if the city adds a third stop light into this mix, in between the first two?

Disaster, that's what. At least from a driver's perspective. And I'm not at all sure that it would feel that much safer from the pedestrian's point of view. What it does have going for it is that it's the cheapest option short of doing nothing. Which brings me back to my initial use of the word "unfortunately."

The best option-- the really, truly, absolutely best option-- would be to bury Wadsworth in a tunnel starting at Ohio. It would then come up again at around Alaska, and the area in between would allow for easy pedestrian crossings. It would also square the circle of how to allow Wadsworth to function as a major arterial while at the same time connecting downtown Lakewood into a cohesive space. I'm sure it's also completely cost prohibitive. Unfortunately.

The second best option would be a bridge of some sort for pedestrians over (or even under) Wadsworth, but I'm willing to guess this is cost prohibitive as well, and probably politically unpalatable as well after all the fuss that was made about the "Bridge to Nowhere" at Wadsworth and Bowles.

So instead we're left with what's really a third or fourth best choice.

In this rendering, you can see the proposed Wadsworth and Alaska pedestrian crossing. Note how the far right lane would now end at Alaska instead of Alameda, and the stop light at what would be a new intersection.

Pho Restaurant Coming to Belmar

Pho Saigon Basil is coming soon to Belmar, according to a note on the Belmar homepage. The location is listed as 7057 W. Alaska Drive, the former home of Delany's Deli.

As a big pho fan, I'd have to say this looks promising!

Third Connectivity and Urban Design Meeting Held for Downtown Lakewood

The city of Lakewood held a third public workshop on April 30th on the topic of connectivity and urban design in the newly designated downtown Lakewood area. Previous meetings have mostly focused on the need for uniform signage to link together Belmar, Lakewood Commons, and the Lakewood Cultural Center. This third meeting, however, really broke the mold with some exciting proposals.

How exciting? Think urban gondolas, bicycle sharing, and a monumental downtown gateway. Here's a quick breakdown:

1.) Uniform Design-- the proposal calls for enhanced streetscaping and signage in the downtown Lakewood area. Streetscaping would involve consistent use of street trees, colored concrete, pedestrian lighting, and consistent median treatments. Signage would be contemporary, with aluminum and stainless steel finishes and red sandstone bases. The idea would be to create a downtown Lakewood "brand" in the design elements.

2.) Improved Transit Connections-- the exciting part here is the discussion of how to connect downtown Lakewood to the new Wadsworth light rail station. Proposals included bus rapid transit (boring), streetcars (yes, please!) and even urban gondolas (wow!) running along Wadsworth. Equally exciting is the idea of a downtown Lakewood bicycle sharing system like Denver's B-Cycle. Finally, there continues to be talk of how to link Belmar and Lakewood Commons, with the current proposal being a below grade crossing of Wadsworth at Alaska Dr. and an enhanced crosswalk at Wadsworth and Virginia Ave. ("enhanced" meaning mostly brighter paint).

3.) Wayfinding Elements-- this includes directional signage pointing to public facilities (library, cultural center, RTD transit hubs, etc.) as well as a series of "monumental" gateways identifying downtown Lakewood for approaching drivers.

4.) Improvements to the Belmar and Lakewood Commons RTD transit centers.

5.) Development of surface parking along Alaska Dr. in Lakewood Commons to create a pedestrian mall effect.

A few screenshots of the city's presentation are below:

    

New Restaurants Coming to Belmar

As of today, the Belmar homepage lists four new restaurants as coming soon to Belmar. Here they are, copied and pasted over:


Rocko's Tacos - Open May 5th! 
World of Beer - Summer 2013! 
San Francisco Sourdough Eatery - Summer 2013! 
Osteria Grappa Wine & Bar - Coming Soon!

Update:

As it looks like the Osteria Grappa is connected to the Grappa Mediterranean Bistro in Golden, I thought I'd look up user reviews of the Golden location. They're mixed, but take a look for yourself:  Urban Spoon, Trip Adviser and Yelp.

The webpage for the Grappa Mediterranean Bistro is also interesting. It looks like exactly the sort of place I'd like to see in Belmar-- upscale, with a menu that reaches beyond the typical pasta. The chef, Maurice Couturier, has restaurants in Snowmass and Aspen as well the place in Golden. The question, of course, will be whether or not his team can get the food and the service right. If they can, Osteria Grappa will be a fantastic addition to downtown Lakewood.

Little Pub Holdings to Open "Rocko's Tacos" in Belmar

Little Pub Holdings intends to open a bar/restaurant in the old Las Margaritas location on W. Alaska Drive. The name? "Rocko's Tacos."

Little Pub owns a dozen or more bars and restaurants in town, including the Spot Bar & Grill on S. Pennsylvania St. and the Three Dogs Tavern in the Highlands neighborhood. Little Pub also owns Don's Club Tavern, perhaps the most storied dive bar in Denver.

Little Pub knows how to open and run a neighborhood bar, and so Rocko's Tacos should be a good addition to downtown Lakewood, but I really have to question the name.

Rocko's Tacos? Is that the best Little Pub could do?

Really?

It sounds so lame. So, so... gringo. Even if it turns out to be the best neighborhood bar ever, it'll still be saddled with that name. Rocko's Rhyming Tacos. As if anyone should ever willingly buy a taco from a dude named Rocko. (Or a dog. Little Pub seems to like dogs. God forbid Rocko should turn out to be a cute little Chihuahua...)

So what would I name a Mexican cantina? There are so many excellent and authentic possibilities. Here are my top three:

1.) Las Quince Letras-- "The Fifteen Letters."

2.) La Boudeguilla-- "The Little Cellar."

3.) El Malacate-- "The Winch."

Cities and towns throughout Mexico have bars and restaurants with these three names, so they're hardly original. But they are authentic. And they don't rhyme. Plus, don't these names sound like great places to hang out and drink?

Damn straight they do.

That last one's important, because it's something the name "Rocko's Tacos" just doesn't have going for it.

David Weekley to Build East Side Town Homes

More good news... in addition to building on Block 10, it looks like David Weekley is going to put up around 12 town homes on the far east side of W. Alaska Dr.

Holland Partners to Develop Belmar Blocks 13 and 14

I posted earlier about the impending sale of Belmar Blocks 13 and 14, which are separated by S. Saulsbury Street and bounded by W. Virginia Ave. and W. Custer Ave. Now a report has surfaced at Denver Cityscape that the Vancouver, Washington-based Holland Partners Group has plans to develop two blocks within Belmar as multi-family housing. Could this be the plan for Blocks 13 and 14?

Here's the rendering for the larger of the two buildings, which looks to me to be situated on Block 13:

And here's the second, on Block 14. The road appears to be Saulsbury.

Holland Partners Group is investing big in Colorado, with a planned project in LoHi, another in LoDo near Union Station, and a third at the I-25 and Belleview lightrail station.

First Renderings of CityScape at Belmar

The blog Denver Cityscape has posted a rendering of the CityScape at Belmar development. This is the building slotted to go on Lot 37 of Block 12, between the Belmar detention pond open space and the Belmar Rowhomes.

Some great news is that the parking for CityScape Belmar will be in an underground garage, out of sight by neighbors, who might otherwise have ended up looking down from their balconies at a parking lot.

Also interesting is how the building will jut out slightly on the northwest corner in order to overlook the pocket park that sits to the north.

David Weekley Townhomes Planned for Belmar Block 10

It looks like the surveying equipment seen recently on Block 10 was a sign of good things to come.

According to Denver Cityscape, David Weekley Homes will be putting 22 town homes on the site. This is the perfect development for Block 10, which sits between Belmar Square Park and the KB Home development.

And it really is perfect. Why?

Well, although I was really impressed by the layout of KB Home's "paired homes" (a.k.a. duplexes), I feel the higher density of town homes is better for Belmar's urban aspirations. Without gaps between each individual unit, town homes create a more defined and aesthetically pleasing street space. It's solid, not jumbled. The higher roofline adds to this as well. When you walk down a street lined with 3 and 4 story buildings, you have a sense that you are in an urban room, with the sky above you as ceiling. It looks like the David Weekley development will add to this effect, which is especially important given it's location next to Belmar Square.

One of the great pleasures in life is walking the streets of a dense city center and then suddenly coming upon a plaza or town square. One moment you're on a narrow, urban street, and then-- bam!-- you turn the corner and the sky opens up, the sun shines down, and a bench or fountain beckons. It's the sudden contrast that makes these spaces so memorable. You can't see the openness until you're standing right in the middle of it. Hidden from view, surrounded on all sides by taller buildings, a plaza or park feels elegant and jewel box-like.

I've always felt that Belmar Square has the potential to be a little like, but only if the blocks around it were developed with sufficient density. The Lofts at Belmar Square, immediately to the south of the square, are 5 stories high, and already hint at how great a park space Belmar Square could be. It just needs the other three sides.

So the good news is that the David Weekley development on Block 10-- at 3 and 4 stories--  appears to fit nicely with this vision.

Panaderias Rodriguez

One of the biggest charges leveled against Belmar is that it represents a sort of fake urbanism. Sure, it looks nice, the cool kids say, but in the end it's just an open air mall with the same old chain stores and restaurants. And if you were to look at downtown Lakewood as simply the new Belmar development, there might be something to this. But downtown Lakewood is bigger than just the new Belmar, and all it takes is a short walk north of Alameda to find plenty of urban grit.

My favorite example is the Panaderias Rodriguez, located at 6201 W. Alameda Ave. The place is a bakery, obviously, and I love to swing by in the mornings for freshly baked pan dulce (in particular, I'd suggest getting a concha and some churros). Everyone speaks Spanish, and the place bustles. It reminds me so much of the local, little bakeries one finds all over small town Mexico.

However, the Panaderias Rodriguez also serves up some of the best and most authentic Mexican food in Lakewood. We're talking great tortas, tacos... even chilaquiles and eggs in the morning. For the purist, the place offers tacos de lengua and burritos de chicharron-- perfect for hangovers-- although my preference is for the fantastic tacos de chorizo. For those who prefer Colorado-style Mexican food, Los Rodriguez also make a mean smothered burrito.

The location and the decor offers the perfect antidote to hipsters concerned about the authenticity of Belmar. It's gritty, urban... and delicious.

Surveying on Block 10

Drill rigs were out on Block 10 the other day, and the crew left behind spray painted posts all over the property. I haven't heard anything about any fresh development plans, but maybe it means a developer is looking at the lot? 

Construction Begins at Firestone Complete Auto Care Site

Construction has started at 575 S. Vance St., the future site of a Firestone Complete Auto Care. This is across from the KB Home site and just north of Panera Bread.

I haven't come across any plans or architectural drawings online, so I don't know what it's going to look like when finished. It is clear from the positioning of the foundation, however, that the building will front Vance St., with parking hidden on the west side. This is a good thing, of course, as New Urbanist design principles call for parking to be kept away from the street, and instead for building facades to define the urban streetscape.