Building Remodels: Torchy’s Tacos Falls Short While Belmar Groves Looks Successful

While one of my favorite things to post about on this blog is new construction, the reuse of existing buildings can also be exciting. It’s rare, however, to see it done right. 

Part of the problem is that so much of Lakewood’s existing infrastructure is low-density and car-based. Think one story buildings surrounded by a sea of empty and unused asphalt. Reusing these buildings, while cheap, doesn’t do anything to build a vibrant and walkable downtown. The Belmar shopping district is a perfect example of this. The old Villa Italia mall was surrounded by acres of unnecessary parking. Tearing the entire thing down paved the way for the Belmar to rise as a walkable downtown. 

With that in mind, let’s focus on two building remodels currently underway in downtown Lakewood—one of which appears successful from a design standpoint, and the other not so much.

The first remodel is of the Belmar Groves Apartments on the north side of Alameda and Wadsworth. Metro West Housing Solutions is the developer, and like everything they do, the Belmar Groves remodel appears to be a quality project. Starting with 118 apartments of undistinguished 1970’s design, Metro West is removing the bland outer facade and replacing it with a modern facade featuring a number of different textures and feels. The apartments will receive new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, HVAC systems—the whole shebang.

What’s really exciting, however, is Metro West’s emphasis on connecting residents to the spaces outside their units. Apartments are getting balconies and doors that open onto the complex’s updated landscaping. There will be gardens, BBQ areas and a playground. 

It’s an impressive design of the kind we’ve come to expect from Metro West Housing Solutions. There work to bring affordable housing to Lakewood has been continually impressive.

The second remodel is being done by Torchy’s Tacos, which is taking over the defunct Village Inn location at 7381 W. Alameda, across from Belmar and along the beautifully renovated Alameda Parkway Business Improvement District. Although the interior of the old Village Inn building is being renovated, the outside footprint has been left unchanged. That’s my problem with it.

The Village Inn was a car-centric building that did nothing to interact with the surrounding space. It remains that way, despite its transition into a taco joint. Literally the only exterior change appears to be the replacement of the words “Village Inn” with “Torchy’s Tacos.” 

In my view, a better plan would have involved adding outdoor seating and perhaps a garage-style door connecting patrons to the landscaping along Alameda and adding to a sense of “urban bustle.” 

I put this term in quotes, but it’s a real thing. Being able to see people in an indoor/outdoor space encourages others to come into the business and patronize it. Connecting what’s happening inside a building to what’s going on outside keeps public spaces from feeling empty or dangerous. It’s what the Belmar Groves projects gets right and the Torchy’s Taco project ignores.

  

Improvements Coming to Alameda Between S. Carr and S. Benton

Construction has started on the stretch of Alameda that passes through downtown Lakewood, and the plans call for extensive upgrades to the streetscaping of the area.

Alameda between S. Carr and S. Benton will receive landscaped medians, new sidewalks, trees and other landscaping (along with an irrigation system), new street lighting, and flagstone place markers. The goal is to create a "front door" to downtown Lakewood.

Attention will also be paid to Teller St, which will receive a new traffic signal, an upgraded cross walk, and a sidewalk on the west side of the street to improve access to O'Kane Park and Rose Stein Elementary.

Belmar Medical Plaza Planned for 7955 W. Alameda Ave

Centum Health Properties plans to build a three story medical center on the vacant lot at 7955 W. Alameda Ave. This is the undeveloped space at the corner of Alameda and S. Allison Parkway, next to the recently completed Village at Belmar senior living development.

The building's height will help with the creation of a classic urban street wall along that stretch of Alameda. Having a continuous street wall helps to define the Alameda and Wadsworth intersection as a downtown, mixed-use area. At the same time, street walls cut down on the number of hazardous driveways faced by pedestrians who are moving through an urban area. Two story quadplexes at the Village at Belmar behind this new building will then act as step downs to the single story ranch homes found in the neighborhoods north of Alameda.

To me, all of this is a sign that Lakewood's revamped zoning code is working as intended. We're seeing development channeled to our new urban core and our existing neighborhoods protected.

At the same time, some people have asked me why we're seeing so much health care related development. My answer is that Colorado is a graying state, and health care is going to be a growth industry for quite some time. The buildings that are going up in downtown Lakewood, however, are quality, well-designed buildings. Many of them will be a part of our city for a long time, and their design and use of quality materials makes it likely these buildings will be used for different purposes 25 or 50 years from now. That's smart and sustainable.

Alameda Shops to Bring Four New "Fast Casual" Restaurants to Belmar

Back in early 2015, I wrote about the plan to add retail space to the corner of Alameda and Salisbury in the form of two buildings-- one along Alameda, the other facing Salisbury. I later heard was that the existing infrastructure (sewer, power, water, etc.) of the location wasn't up to the needs of two buildings, and that as a result the plan would run substantially over budget if built.

The plan never went away, however, and now looks close to approval by the City of Lakewood. The biggest change has been to reduce the number of buildings from two to one-- only the building fronting Salisbury will be built, while a pedestrian path will connect the stores to the rest of Belmar.

Renderings of the planned building show a one story structure fronting Salisbury but with its facade turned toward the parking lot behind it. There will be room for outdoor seating, ideal for "fast casual" restaurants.

Indeed, Starwood appears to have leases already in hand for the entire space, with Zoe's Kitchen, R Taco, Pieology, and Mad Greens being the expected tenants.

CubeSmart Self-Storage Planned for 6206 W. Alameda Ave.

The defunct Asian buffet at 6206 W. Alameda Ave. may become a self-storage facility under a proposal currently before the Lakewood Planning Commission.

The plan calls for demolishing the current structure and replacing it with a multistory building with a masonry facade on the first floor and glass curtain walls and metal canopies on the upper floors. The building would house climate controlled storage units, as well as business center with private workstations and a shared conference room.

The building would have windows along Alameda, connecting the office space inside to the Alameda greenway. Parking would be along the side and back, while a masonry wall and landscaping would separate the development from neighboring residential areas.

Overall, this plan strikes me as a good one. This is a site that's peripheral to downtown Lakewood, and as such, isn't a good site for a restaurant. A self-storage center is useful to have nearby, but isn't going to generate a lot of traffic and disrupt neighboring residential areas. At the same time, it's a chance to replace an eyesore structure and parking lot with a building that follows current zoning and building codes, placing the building along Alameda in order to contribute to the overall streetscape, and requiring higher quality materials on the facade.

Bowlero Lanes at 5480 W Alameda Ave to Become Vintage Car Dealership

You may have noticed work happening at the Bowlero Lanes building at 5480 W Alameda Ave. The bowling alley has been closed for a while now, but the new owners, Elevation Motors, are renovating the space, which is set to become a rare and vintage car dealership.

The empty building had become home to squatters, and graffiti still covers many of the inside walls. As part of the renovation, all but a couple of the original wood bowling lanes were removed, with some of the wood being repurposed into furniture for use at the dealership, and the rest sold off for use in other projects.

The front of the building has some nice, mid-century bones, and I'm expecting the renovation to keep some of the building's retro looks.

Also, from what I've learned about the kind of autos the owners deal in (vintage muscle cars, German classics), I seriously doubt any of these cars will be parked out front. That leaves the question of what Elevation Motors plans to do with the large and dilapidated parking lot that sits between the building and Alameda. Hopefully the renovation budget extends to landscaping, as this project-- done right-- could really enhance this stretch of Alameda.

Huge Turnout for Democratic Caucuses in Downtown Lakewood

The Democratic caucuses brought out huge crowds in downtown Lakewood last night for the contest between candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Organizers said that, although they were expecting large crowds, actual turnout was four times what had been predicted. Parking was non existent, and long lines formed as people waited to get in.

Owing to the crowds, the process took over three hours. Caucus-goers gathered in the gymnasium at Alameda Junior/Senior High School. Speeches were kept to a minimum, and runners guided voters to the individual classrooms where their precincts organized.

Official results haven't been posted, but my impression from asking around was that Bernie Sanders won roughly two thirds of the delegates in most precincts, with Hillary Clinton picking up the remainder.

King Soopers Remodel and Expansion in the Works

The vacant Office Max location in the Lakewood City Commons won't be staying vacant for long. King Soopers has announced that an expansion and remodel is in the works for their location at 7984 W. Alameda Ave.

King Soopers has been expanding and remodeling stores throughout Colorado over the past 2 years, using the additional space to add more baked goods, prepared foods, coffee, and organic products.

The remodel here in downtown Lakewood comes as King Soopers prepares to compete with  the new Sprouts Farmers Market opening at 98 N. Wadsworth Blvd. in the Fairfield Commons strip mall.

Centura Health to Open Family Medical Center at Wads & Alameda

 Centura Health is opening a family medical center above the Walgreens on the north east corner of Wadsworth and Alameda.

Healthcare has been a big driver of the economic recovery here in Colorado, and Lakewood is no exception. The biggest impact has been from the new St. Anthony's Hospital, located on land that was formerly part of the Denver Federal Center at Simms and Alameda, but downtown Lakewood has seen its share of growth too. Kaiser Permanente has plans to expand their Alameda and Carr St. location, while HealthOne will run the emergency medical center currently under construction at 260 S. Wadsworth (directly north of the downtown Lakewood Walgreens).

Why the boom? I've heard there are two factors. The first is the transition of the baby boom generation to retirement, medicare, and greater health care needs. The second is the huge expansion of medical care made possible by the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). More people with health insurance means more business for heath care providers, and that has meant more economic development for Lakewood.

MetroWest Housing to Develop 155 Unit Residential Site at 5800 W. Alameda

You know the baseball park on Alameda that looks like a miniature version of Coors Field? It's just east of Belmar, and it's pretty cool, no?

Now, how about the big, abandoned-looking strip mall just across Alameda from the baseball field? If you're like me, you've avoided looking at it ever since the Viet Hoa grocery store moved out, hoping that maybe it would go away.

Well, it's going away.

MetroWest Housing, the same people who are developing the CityScape project in Belmar, have announced plans to build a 155 unit, mixed income apartment complex on that parking lot, and to redevelop the adjoining tower and retail strip.

The proposed building would front Alameda, hiding the balance of the surface parking lot from view, and forward the city's vision of Alameda as a denser, more urban landscape as it passes through the downtown area.

A closer look at the plans show that the development will also restore the stretch of green parkway along Alameda that is currently broken up by asphalt parking lots.

If funding comes through, MetroWest Housing says they're looking at a 2017 completion date.

Phase Three Underway at Geico Tower Redevelopment

Construction is well underway on the emergency medical center at Wadsworth and Alameda, adjacent to Key Bank and Walgreens. This is the third and final phase of the redevelopment of the former Geico Tower, and I'm a little amazed (but in a good way) at how quickly it's happening. 

It does make me wonder if we might have gotten a taller, denser cluster of buildings if the parcel has remained undeveloped until after the recession ended-- there were plans floated back in 2007, if I recall the date correctly, to put a mid-rise tower with residential units there, which was abandoned when the economy tanked.

More Renderings of the Village at Belmar

The Village at Belmar, as you may recall, is an upscale retirement center planned for the north side of Alameda and Wadsworth, across from King Soopers in downtown Lakewood.

Here are some more renderings of the proposed development, which is currently working its way through the city planning process.

Protests Continue to Rock Jefferson County, Downtown Lakewood

Protests against the Jeffco School Board's conservative majority continued on Friday night, as an estimated 2500 protestors waved signs at intersections from 120th Ave in the north of Jefferson County to Ken Caryl Blvd. in the south. Newspapers as far away as Great Britain reported on the controversy.

Parents, students and teachers line Wadsworth

Blvd. in downtown Lakewood on Friday night 

to protest the actions of the Jeffco School 

Board.

The protests began last year when a newly elected conservative school board majority announced its plans to end the Jeffco school district's 45 year history of collaboration with its employee association and implement a series of controversial decisions, including the firing of Jeffco's award winning superintendent, Cindy Stevenson, and the unilateral imposition of an opaque and untested pay scheme for teachers.

It was the decision by board member Julie Williams to create a curriculum review committee, however,  that ignited the latest round of protests, sick-outs, and student walk-outs. The proposed committee would have had the mandate to seek out and bring to the board's attention classes and curriculum that failed to promote Ms. William's narrow view of patriotism, the free-market system, and history. The original text of the committee's mandate even hinted that courses that taught about safe sex, global warming, or evolution would soon be placed under the school board's microscope.

The Jeffco School Board dropped Ms. William's language at its Oct. 1st board meeting, but voted nevertheless to establish the curriculum review committee, despite nearly three hours of public comment that ran overwhelming against the proposal.

All year, I've been hearing rumblings about the Jeffco School Board's hidden agenda. Now it seems that agenda is out in the open.

Progress at the Walgreens Site

Quite a bit of work has already been done at the new Walgreen's site.

The Walgreens will be two stories, and it looks like it will do a good job of filling in the northeast corner of Alameda and Wadsworth. Immediately to the east, the foundation has been laid for the Key Bank, which will also be two stories. A third building will sit to the north of the Walgreens, fronting Wadsworth. No construction has started there, and it's my understanding that no tenant has been identified, but the building is planned to be between three and five stories.

I'm happy that the buildings will all be at least two stories high, and that parking will be on the interior of the block. Taken together, this will allow the buildings to front the street in proper New Urbanist style.

Key Bank Site

Walgreens at Alameda & Wadsworth

Walgreens Development Site Plan

Viet Hoa Supermarket

Where to grocery shop when you live in Belmar?

Well, downtown Lakewood has both a King Soopers and a Whole Foods Market. But living in Belmar also gives you choices you wouldn't have if you lived in a newer, less-ethnically diverse suburb. 

For this post I want to focus on the Viet Hoa Supermarket. If you haven't ever been, it's on Alameda, just 1 mile east of Wadsworth Blvd, and it's my go-to store for Asian noodles, hot pepper sauces, fresh basil and frozen dumplings. They also carry a decent kimchi, perfect for homemade Korean tacos.

It's a big store, located in a more or less decrepit strip mall. The vast, empty parking lot is not sexy. There's no where to lock your bike, even though the location is very bike-able (it's connected to Belmar by bike path). It's pretty much the antithesis of smart urban design.

But thank goodness it's here, as it often saves me a trip across town to H-Mart, when I'm in need of a specific ingredient for a dish I'm craving.

Update March 2013

Viet Hoa has moved from the location mentioned here, but thankfully just a little bit down the road. The new location is at Alameda and Sheridan, on the northwest corner of the street.

Belmar Sign at Alameda and Wadsworth

I noticed a while back that Continuum had requested a replatting of Belmar Block 1 to shrink the size of Lot 1. It looks like this was a prelude to putting in a sign on the corner of Wadsworth and Alameda, which the corner certainly needs. Of course, what I would like to see is a building on that corner (and not a Best Buy parking lot), but a big, bold sign would be a start.

Work is now underway on the sign, as you can see in this photo:

Update: Here's a photo of the finished work. The sign pulses from blue to orange, but in a generally good way. It's not as tall as I'd have expected, but it works.

Walgreens to Replace Office Tower at Wadsworth and Alameda

The city of Lakewood looks set to approve a redevelopment plan for the northeast corner of Wadsworth and Alameda. The plan would involve tearing down the current office tower and replacing it with a Walgreens. The site would also accommodate two other smaller buildings for potential further future development.

Of course, this isn't the first redevelopment plan for this corner. Until demolition/construction begins, I wouldn't hold my breath.