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.

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

Bustle on Block 9

A quick walk today around Belmar's Block 9 revealed lots of bustle. Eight homes are framed up and getting windows and siding. Four foundations are going in. At this rate, I would guess the entire KB Home development will be built out in just a few more months. 

Cityscape at Belmar to Open in 2015

Another large vacant parcel in Belmar is Lot 37 of Block 12. This land is directly to the northeast of Block 14, and will eventually be the site of Cityscape at Belmar, an affordable housing solution for seniors.

Belmar Block 12, Lot 37

Recently the developer, Metro West Housing Solutions, has put some information up on their website, describing the planned development as "dynamic and elegant senior living."  Their website goes on to say that the development will be a "new mixed-income senior community with affordable and market rate apartments," and that "the community is planned to open in 2015."

This is the first time I've seen a date attached to the development of Lot 37, so this is good news, although the 2015 date is pretty far off. However, it does appear that things are moving, as a bid has been put out for the project.