Coming Soon: KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

Walking through the Belmar Plaza this morning I spied the sign below in the window of the old Qdoba corporate office space. Most of the old Qdoba office has become the home of Google Fiber, but the I love the idea of the plaza getting another restaurant. And Korea BBQ? Yes please.

Having lived in Korea, I have my own thoughts about what makes for good Korean BBQ, but I'm excited to try KPot when it opens, and I'll write a review after I've had a chance to check it out. In the meantime, it's good to see another restaurant coming to the Belmar Plaza.

 

Change Is Good, Mostly.

Change is good. Mostly. I think. Or at least, it's good on balance. 

What change am I talking about? New businesses. New landlords. 

I'm excited by the soon-to-open Lady Nomada, because I live in Downtown Lakewood, and what I really want is a patio to go and have drinks on in the summer (if it's ever going to be summer again, which is a different topic altogether). At the same time, I'm sad to see Sur La Tabla gone, along with Baker Street.

Actually, it doesn't matter what I think, change is happening. The pandemic closed a lot of businesses. Others retrenched. The old ownership structure of Belmar in Downtown Lakewood went belly-up and Bridge 33 bought the property with the goal of finishing the project.

Bridge 33 has been aggressively trying to fill empty storefronts, and that work is starting to bear fruit. A Lululemon pop-up has filled the space vacated by Guess at the corner of Teller and Alaska. Directly across from the Lululemon pop-up is Garage Sale Vintage, a pop-up thrift store/bar. 

As I mentioned above, Arvada-based Mexican restaurant Lady Nomada is renovating the space that was previously the Italian joint Brodo. And the old Sur La Table location on Teller has become...a Fidelity brokerage??? Well, as I said, change is good on balance, but perhaps not in every detail.

It's also been a busy few years for me personally, and I haven't had a much time to write this blog. I'm still busy, but I'm going to try and post more regularly, now that Belmar and Downtown Lakewood have come out of their pandemic lull.

So yeah, change is good, mostly. Let's see what the year brings.

 

In-and-Out Burger Is a Go for Downtown Lakewood

Although I'd heard a while ago that the corner of Wadsworth and Alameda was under consideration for one of Denver area's first In-and-Out Burgers, there was a long period when nothing seemed to be happening. 

Well, things are happening now, as evidenced by the construction happening on the corner, as well as the banner hanging out front. Woot!

Now, I first heard about In-and-Out Burger in the 1980's, when high schools friends who'd moved to Colorado from California regaled me stories of the chain's burgers. I also recall a cheerleader I knew who coyly modified the In-and-Out Burger bumper sticker in her locker by carefully cutting out the "b" and the "r" in "burger." Such was the 80's.

It wasn't until the mid-90s that I actually tried an In-and-Out Burger-- and it was good! So I'm pretty happy to have one in my neighborhood to keep me out of McDonald's.

That said, the architecture is pretty standard fast-food design, the building on a small pad with lots of room around it for a drive through and parking. The building does front Wadsworth, and the drive-though looks as if it will be hidden behind the structure, which I suppose is a sort of win. But it's a lot of asphalt.

It also seems likely, at least in the short term, that downtown Lakewood's In-and-Out Burger is going to drive some horrendous traffic our way.

Time to brace ourselves for lots of people with the urge.

Locust Cider Coming to Belmar Plaza

It feels like a million years since last January, which is also the last time anything seemed to be going right with Downtown Lakewood, America, or the world. 

Belmar has felt like a ghost town for much of 2020. During the mandatory shelter in place orders, the lights were literally turned off throughout the shopping district. Cars gathered dust in the parking lots, untouched and undriven for weeks. Store shelves were emptied at Target and King Soopers. It became hard to find toilet paper, bleach, meat, milk.

Then, as the nation reckoned with protesters demanding an end to police brutality and affirming that Black Lives Matter, storefronts in Belmar were literally boarded up by owners fearful of looters. 

Later, as the virus spread unchecked and the economy plunged into depression, a dozen or so businesses in Belmar shut their doors permanently. 

Yes, it's been quite the year. 

So when a sign appeared on the boarded up Crazy Mountain Brewery space, I couldn't help but feel like a weary traveller who has stumbled across single flower sticking up in a field of snow. 

Locust Cider is based out of Washington state, but has locations all over the western US. They specialize in flavored ciders like Dark Cherry, Pineapple Smoked Pepper, and Hibiscus, but make a traditional dry cider as well.

Now, I love hard cider. The first time I encountered it was as a university student in Wales, where cider was the preferred drink of coal miners, fisherman, and other hard-working types. This was over thirty years ago. Since then, I've sampled ciders in England, France, and Spain. Some are sweeter, while others are indistinguishable from a dry sparkling wine. But cider was always hard to find in this country. 

That's changed in recent years. Our own local Lakewood event, Cider Days, has for several years now hosted a cider tasting event, and Denver's RINO is home to several boutique cideries. But the thought of a cidery in downtown Lakewood, right on the Belmar Plaza, has me flashing back to my days wandering the streets of Europe.

If, that is, restaurants and tap rooms are allowed to stay open. The coronavirus is currently spreading uncontrollably in Jeffco, with Lakewood as the hottest of hot spots. New restrictions could be announced any day. It's a brave bet, opening a cidery in the middle of pandemic, just as the weather outside is getting cold. But if Locust Cider does open, I'll be there, mask on, to get a case of bottles to go.

Denver-based Ramen Shop, Menya Noodle, Coming to Belmar

I know it's been quiet here at La Vida Belmar. I've been meaning to go out and take photos of the amazing streetscaping that's finishing up on Alameda, or write a review of ShareTea, the Taiwanese bubble tea chain that's opened up shop in Belmar. But I was on vacation for much of June, and then I was back at the office with a lot of work to catch up on. So yeah, things have been kind of quiet on this blog.

Today, however, I was walking past the former Grappa Italian Bistro location on S. Teller St. in central Belmar an I saw something exciting. Work is happening inside the restaurant space, and the permits on-site are for Menya Noodle. This was so exciting that I had to write about it.

Menya, if you weren't aware, is a local chain of noodle shops owned by Denver chef J W Lee, who also happens to own Belmar's Wasabi Sushi. Each Menya has a slightly different menu, but I believe they all serve ramen. And if there's one thing Lakewood needs, it's a good ramen shop. Really. I get so tired of driving across town for ramen.

Now, when it comes to ramen, I prefer the Korean variety, which is topped with kimchi and deeply flavored with hot pepper paste, to the Japanese broths, which tend to strike me as a little bland. Lee is originally from South Korea (even if his restaurants are Japanese), so I'm hoping the Belmar location will carry a bold, Korean-style spicy ramen.

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.

Kum & Go Gas Station and Convenience Store Proposed for 150 S. Wadsworth Blvd.

The City of Lakewood is reviewing plans for a 6,000+ square foot gas station and convenience store at 150 S. Wadsworth. This site is an undeveloped property just north of the downtown Lakewood Swedish Medical Center and ER, and just south of the planned (but not yet built) nursing facility at 100 S. Wadsworth. The planned gas station will back up to The Villas, an adult living community of 145 townhomes.

In the past, the city has worked with residents of The Villas to ensure that both the Swedish Medical Center and the downtown Lakewood Walgreens would have buffer zones between the planned developments and the homes of Villa's residents that backed up to the Wadsworth corridor. I'm guessing the city will require a buffer in this case as well, but I haven't heard any details yet.

I also don't have any details yet on the site plan for the downtown Lakewood Kum & Go, but I do know that the company has been rolling out new, larger stores that feature outdoor patios, a food focused layout, and craft beer stations that can fill growlers to go.

In Photos: Belmar Chuy's Construction Site

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.

Chuy's Tex-Mex Coming to Belmar

Chuy's, the Austin-based Tex-Mex restaurant with a cult following, plans to open a Belmar location later this year.

Negotiations have been ongoing for at least a year to bring the restaurant to 499 S. Vance Street, across from the Belmar Chick Fil-A. This is the corner lot that cuts into the parking garage attached to Whole Foods and Mile High Wine and Spirits, and it's fantastic to see it finally get developed.

I haven't seen any renderings of the planned structure, and Chuy's is known for giving each of their locations its own, unique look. Among the common design elements are shrines to Elvis and funky, vintage decor.

As far as the menu at Chuy's goes, it's standard Tex-Mex fare, gently influenced by a New Mexican focus on green chilis. As such, it doesn't represent anything particularly new to the culinary scene in the metro area, where "Colorado-Mex" already blends New Mexican, Mexican, and Tex-Mex flavors together. I've never eaten at a Chuy's, but reviews tend to mention the freshness of their ingredients and their housemade tortillas. Perhaps the most notable thing about the menu is the absence of green chili, by which I mean the green chili, tomato, and pork stew that tops nearly every burrito, tamale, and relleno served in Colorado. Instead, Chuy's goes with New Mexican green chili, which is a thinner sauce made from green chilis alone.

My favorite Tex-Mex joints in Denver are the Blue Bonnet, Benny's, and the Rio Grande. And although I don't eat at any of these restaurant all that often, all three are well worth the occasional crosstown drive. For me, I'm excited to see how Chuy's fits in. If the food and the atmosphere are at least as good, then Chuy's will be a great addition to downtown Lakewood.

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.

Brodo Italian Scratch Kitchen to Open in Belmar

Update: Now that Brodo is open, see my 2/20/17 review.

Jane Knauf and Rachel Shaheen, owners of The Wooden Table in Greenwood Village, are getting ready to open new restaurant in Belmar. The restaurant, which they describe as an 'Italian Scratch Kitchen,' will be called Brodo, and will take the place of The Oven and the original Jamba Juice location at 7161 W. Alaska Drive.


Business Den has the details, but Knauf and Shaheen apparently plan to Americanize the fare,  making it less authentically Italian than at their other restaurant.

Personally, this sounds like a terrible idea. With entrees expected to run between $18 and $25, I'm not likely to drop in for red sauce and chicken parmesan. Not unless it goes beyond the 'really good' category and enters that of 'Platonic ideal.'

My worry is that if the good citizens of Lakewood are unwilling to try anything more cutting edge than spaghetti and meatballs, then I'm not sure how Brodo is going to compete with the chains. After all, Mark Tarbell tried much the same thing with the late Mark and Isabella's, and that didn't work out so well.

Of course, I'm no expert on the Lakewood palate. If I were, maybe I wouldn't be so shocked whenever I go by our local Red Lobster and Olive Garden locations and see how many cars are in the parking lots. I mean, really. Sheesh.

The concept at Brodo seems to be one of familiar favorites-- made from scratch and with quality ingredients-- served in an inviting and modern space. Will it be enough? I guess we'll see...

Update:

Voland1935 stresses the involvement of Rachel Shaheen's husband, Brett Shaheen, in Brodo. Brett has an excellent reputation-- Westword, for example, refers to his cooking as "stunning."

It might also be worth taking a look at the Yelp reviews for The Wooden Table. The trend seems to be  excellent food held back only by a 'meh' atmosphere (it's in a strip mall, and the decor is decidedly low-budget). Brodo's Belmar location should solve this problem.

T-Street Roadhouse: Redefining Fine Dining in Lakewood

The T-Street Roadhouse in Belmar is just about ready to open, and a peak inside reveals a modern vibe that's stylish and hip in a way I've never seen before in Lakewood.

With marble topped tables, Chesterfield sofas in saddle tan leather, and a long bar illuminated by Isamu Noguchi-inspired pendants, the T-Street Roadhouse would be right at home in Denver's LoHi, RiNo, or Cherry Creek.

I'll come right out and say it: if the food's as good as the decor, T-Street is going to be Belmar and downtown Lakewood's first "it" restaurant.

This isn't to say that I don't enjoy the decor in Belmar's current crop of restaurants, but T-Street is clearly going for a more designed, more contemporary look. The only space in Belmar that's as nice, in my view, is the elegant dining room at Little India, which the owners inherited in large part from the now-defunct Mark & Isabella's.

Of course, if nice decor was all that mattered, Mark & Isabella's would still be around. Service matters, as does value, and of course there's the little matter of the food.

So, will the food at T-Street be any good? We'll find out soon enough, but the owners have a good track record, and they're clearly trying to raise the bar on what qualifies as fine dining in Lakewood.

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.

In Photos: Cityscape at Belmar

7 Eleven at Pierce and Alameda

Construction is well underway on the new convenience store and gas station at S. Pierce and Alameda, and it will be a 7 Eleven, as I previously reported.

This will be only the second fueling station in downtown Lakewood (the other is at 5th and Wadsworth, across from the new Sprouts Market), and I think it'll be a welcome addition to the area. And while I'm sorry to see Alameda Burrito go, the old gas station on this site was an eyesore.

I'm particularly pleased with the footprint of the new building. Instead of sitting back from Alameda, the new building fronts the corner in a very visible manner. 

Large setbacks (as existed with the old gas station on this corner) are a characteristic or suburban or even rural street design. They're bad design in an urban setting, as they waste space and discourage pedestrian traffic by channeling people into an unsafe corridor between street and parking lot. 

The new building's position right on the corner will make S. Pierce feel safer for pedestrians to cross by giving the corner physical definition. This same definition will add to the streetscape, weaving the corner better into the more urban design fabric across the street in Belmar. At the same time, its height is much lower than anything in Belmar, serving as a transition into the lower density neighborhoods to the east and north.

So yes, it's only a gas station, but the design and location of it shows the behind the scenes zoning work that has been going on here in Lakewood to make the Alameda and Wadsworth area into a true urban space.

Townhome Construction Set to Start: Bocce Courts Relocating to Belmar Square

A fence is up around the parking lot and bocce courts at the corner of S. Saulsbury and W. Alaska Drive, which suggests that construction will be beginning shortly on the next set of David Weekley townhomes in downtown Lakewood. Sales have been lively, and I've noticed that pricing, which started last year at $380K, has now jumped to almost $450K!

Belmar has previously said they wanted to keep the bocce courts, and a notice on the fencing promises relocation to Belmar Square, the large, grassy park at the south end of Teller Street. Construction of the new courts, the sign notes, will begin in August and be completed for this year's Festival Italiano.

Sprouts Coming to Downtown Lakewood

It looks like the rumor is true: A Sprouts Farmers Market is going in at the Fairfield Commons strip mall at 98 S. Wadsworth Blvd.

The 27,000 square foot grocer will join TJ Maxx, Planet Fitness, Starbucks and Chile's in the aging shopping center.

I'm super excited to have a Sprouts in the neighborhood, but I definitely have mixed feelings about the location.

In my view, Fairfield Commons is an eyesore, with a dated, cheap-looking facade and too many empty storefronts. Even the parking lot is cut up by oddly positioned berms, leftovers from previous parking configurations. It's a car-centric development, but it's difficult to get in and out of by automobile, especially with the constant traffic flow from the Starbucks' drive through.

Nevertheless, Sprouts' reputation for cheap produce will undoubtedly bring people in, myself included. I would just like to see a little bit higher quality construction materials and some bike racks. Is that too much to ask?

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.

Coming Soon: Smallcakes Bakery

Smallcakes, a bakery specializing in cupcakes, has signage up in Lakewood Commons, right across from the Belmar Library, and will presumably be opening soon.

Update: A bit of googling turns up lots of info on Smallcakes. It's a national franchise, with two locations here in Colorado (one in Lonetree, and now the downtown Lakewood location). Their menu can be perused here.