Washington Park School Loft Renovation On Tap For Public Viewing
by Paul Kashmann

Washington Park East

Living in a school is not guaranteed to make you smarter, but if the one you’re living in is the recently renovated Washington Park Elementary School, S. Race St. at E. Mississippi Ave., you could feel quite wise, indeed, for choosing to make the Myrtle Hill Lofts at Washington Park Place your address of choice.

Developer Jonathan Miller will unveil the latest stage of his revitalization of the old Washington Park School campus with an open house, Sat. & Sun., Oct. 18-19, 1-4p.m.

Miller has preserved the 1928 portion of the familiar historic structure, creating 10 loft-style residences, ranging in size from 1,326 to 2,640 square feet. Four of the units are built as single-story flats, with the remainder occupying two stories. All the units feature patios or rooftop decks. The largest of the homes, priced at $1,206,000, includes a private garage (the others each get two spaces in a communal structure), a large deck off the main living space and a rooftop deck off the master bedroom.

Those attending the open house will also get a chance to look in on work to date within the custom home and brownstone portion of the project.

For information, call 720-570-0617 or visit www.denverhomebuilder.com.

Anniversary kudos go out to Suzy Swett and the folks at Heavenly Dog, 2224 E. Tennessee Ave., on the completion of six full years in business.

Heavenly Dog offers grooming services, obedience training, and self-pet washing facilities for those who want to bond with Fido, but would rather mess up someone else’s digs. Basic baths cost $15, or Suzy’s crew will set you up with The Works Wash – ear, eye, tooth and breath cleaner and paw conditioner. Those getting buried under loose hair at home should ask about The Furminator – which will let you do a thorough shed-out on your pooch and give your vacuum a break!

The seasons have changed once again, so this might be a good time for a canine cleanup. For info, visit www.heavenlydog.net or call 303-777-4665.

Old South Gaylord Street will soon be boasting yet another fine purveyor of food and drink, when Tavern Wash Park opens at 1066 S. Gaylord St., on Mon., Oct. 27.

The latest addition to the Tavern Hospitality Group menu of restaurants, Tavern Wash Park will join Tavern Uptown, Tavern Downtown, Tavern Lowry, Tavern Tech Center, Cowboy Lounge and The Soiled Dove Underground, also at Lowry.

While each location endeavors to mine the personality of the community it calls “home,” you can expect a menu that is moderately priced, focusing on traditional American favorites. The Tavern Wash Park will feature a selection of unique entrees, sandwiches and salads. Tavern favorites such as the Hawaiian Chop Salad and Kobe Sliders blend with authentic “back East” favorites like New England clam chowder, stromboli, pizza and classic Philly cheese steak sandwiches. Info: visit www.tavernhg.com.
    

University Park/University of Denver

The ever-expanding University of Denver-area restaurant row welcomed a new middle-eastern eatery last month, when Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill opened next door to Spicy Pickle, at 2045 S. University Blvd.

Alon Mor, a native of the Mediterranean region and a veteran of over 10 years experience in owning and running restaurants, joined with Ken Rosenthal, founder of St. Louis Bread Company/Panera Bread to create Garbanzo. The pair have created a menu of traditional Mediterranean favorites, focusing on affordable, healthful (trans-fat and preservative-free), high quality items that are made from scratch. Pita bread is made and baked on site throughout the day.

The approach will remind you of Chipotle Mexican Grill. Customers begin by choosing the “container” – pita, laffa (a thin disk of bread made from unleavened white flour), a plate, or a hummus bowl – then add fillings including Chicken or Beef Shwarma, Falarma (Falafel plus Shwarma), Hummus and Salads, or Falafel. Add rice, side salads, garbanzo chips and sauce and you’re on your way.

Main menu items are priced from $4.99-$6.19. If you’d prefer preparing things at home, consider Bulk-To-Go (32 oz. of Shwarma for $16.99) or ask Garbanzo to cater. Depending on your menu choice, you can feed 10 hungry folks for $74-$89.

Garbanzo is open 11a.m.-10p.m. daily. For information, visit www.EatGarbanzo.com or call 303-715-4444.

Just down the block at the southeast corner of E. Evans Ave. and S. University Blvd., developer David Elowe is moving forward with plans for a mixed-use retail, residential and office complex LUX at DU – which will replace the three apartment buildings and four homes he has purchased in the 2200 block of S. University Blvd.

Elowe’s project – located across the street from Daniels College of Business – will have a public hearing before Denver City Council on Mon., Oct. 20. The developer is seeking a change from the existing R3 zoning to RMU30, to accommodate the commercial uses. In negotiations with surrounding neighbors, Elowe has agreed to limit the height of the structure to 120 feet, to ensure parking be accessed from an alley entrance and concealed by the building, and to include residents’ concerns about design elements in the final considerations.

 

Colorado Boulevard

They say the first year in business is the most difficult, and if that’s true, it’s all easy street from here for Christy Vanesic Brant, owner of Lulu’s Furniture & Decor, 2553 S. Colorado Blvd., in the University Hills West shopping center. Lulu’s has defied the odds of this bizarre economic time by completing a full year in the retail sphere.

Bred into the furniture business, Brant saw the need for a store like Lulu’s on the S. Colorado Blvd. corridor and decided to give it a go. Through connections in the business, she was able to corral such difficult to find lines as Rowe Furniture, Robert Michael Sectionals, GrassRoots Imports and Riverside Furniture. She accents her furniture lines with home accessories from Sid Dickens Memory Blocks, Sugarboo Picture Frames, Jane’s Collection Lamps and Trunks, and others.

Brant wants her shop to become a greater part of the community than its retail presence. With that goal in mind, Lulu’s presents Third Thursdays art showings each month. This month’s featured artist is University Park resident Peggy Venable. On Oct. 16, 5-8p.m., stop by and check out all that Lulu’s has to offer.

For information, call 303-756-2222 or visit www.lulusfurniture.com.

 

West Washington Park

After years of planning, community meetings and wading through the City of Denver permitting infrastructure, Mark Bethel’s Arcadia Properties Inc. has begun construction of 19 single family homes at the corner of S. Pearl St. and E. Cedar Ave.

Known as Byers Place, the new development will be built on a 75,000-square- foot site that was formerly home to the Byers Junior High School baseball field.

Byers Place is Arcadia’s second project in the area. Washington Square, a grouping of seven townhomes built on the old Denver Waldorf School site at S. Clarkson St. and E. Florida Ave., was completed several years ago.

The 19 planned residences will include 13 two-story homes of some 2,000 square feet and 6 single-story homes of 1,100-1,200 square feet. All units will have “a high level of finish,” as well as finished basements adding to the listed size, and will be constructed as 20-foot-wide detached homes on lots 32-33 feet in width. Detached, two-car garages are also included in the “low 4s to high 6s” price range, according to Bethel. Front yards will be set up as a continuous lawn along the sidewalk, and maintained by Byers Place HOA. Back yards will be fenced and cared for by the homeowner.

“We wanted to build something more in line with the tradition of the neighborhood than the McMansions you see elsewhere,” said Bethel. “We want this to look like it’s always been here – like it belongs.”

The two-story residences will have two bedrooms on the second floor ( a third is optional) and one in the basement. The single-story units will have a master bedroom in the rear of the home and a second bedroom in the basement.

Arcadia is currently building five homes along S. Pennsylvania St., 4 two-stories and 1 single-story flat. The final plans call for four more units on S. Pennsylvania St., with 10 more along S. Pearl St. Move-in for the initial five is expected around year-end.

For info, visit www.ByersPlaceDenver.com.
    

Broadway

The redevelopment of the Broadway corridor, from Iowa Ave. to the south city limits, is still in the city’s plans, but the actual starting date appears to be shifting, according to several stakeholders we contacted.

The rebuilding of Denver’s most historic roadway, from Arizona Ave. to the Denver city limits at Yale Ave., “was supposed to get started in April,” according to Bob Crayne, president of the Antique Row Merchants Association. The first phase of the redevelopment, from Arizona Ave. to Iowa Ave. will directly impact Crayne, owner of the Antique Exchange at 1500 S. Broadway, and others along Antique Row. “Due to some problem with another project the city was doing with CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation), Broadway was pushed off to June and then to August. Finally, they decided that it would be best to wait until the snow melts in the spring, and get started then.”

The planned improvements are designed to make South Broadway more pedestrian friendly, to better control traffic through the corridor, and replace the outdated drainage system that should improve storm water drainage from the adjacent Platt Park neighborhood.

The Department of Public Works will address the project in several phases. The initial stage, from Arizona to Iowa, is “fully funded” according to Dist. 7 Councilman Chris Nevitt, and should proceed in early 2009 as scheduled.

“This project involves state and federal funding,” said Crayne. “With the economy the way it is, I’m a bit scared for the future of the project.”

For information, call Councilman Nevitt’s office at 720-865-8900.

Up the strip at the old Gates Rubber Company campus, work continues on site preparation as well as construction of Trammell Crow’s new rental apartment complex at Mississippi Ave. and S. Broadway. Unfortunately, the larger rebuilding of the historic site is largely on hold while our national economy tries to decide whether it will collapse completely or right itself before damage gets too widespread.

With lead developer Joseph Freed having pulled out of the Cherokee project west of Broadway, it is unlikely another builder will come forward in the near term willing to wager the type of dollars that will be needed to build out the remainder of the 50-acre site.
    

Santa Fe Arts District

There are many a hidden jewel in the Santa Fe Art District, centered around Santa Fe Dr., between 5th & 11th Ave. One we discovered recently is the Laughing Bean Cafe, just off the main drag at 901 W. 10th Ave.

Tim Marquez has put together a triple threat bistro serving up food, comedy and art in pretty much equal amounts. Laughing Bean serves a brief breakfast menu all day, featuring freshly made crepes, breakfast burritos and a breakfast egg “sammitch.”

A variety of sandwiches and salads appear for lunch and supper, with savory crepes again dominating the menu. Unique creations include: the Jive Turkey – smoked turkey, swiss cheese, salad greens, sweet onions and tomatoes – for $5.95; the Comedy Club – cheddar and Swiss cheeses, ham, bacon, turkey, salad greens, sweet onions and tomatoes – for $6.35; or Don’t Be A Pesto – ham or turkey, basil pesto, cream cheese, tomatoes and greens – $5.95; appear among the 17 featured crepe creations.

Comedy takes the spotlight every Saturday at 9:30p.m. when Gary Washington leads the Laughing Bean Comedy Troop through their paces. If the later starting time worries you, never fear, a late night latte from the Laughing Bean coffee bar is sure to get you through to the final punch line.

Finally, don’t forget to check out the current showings in the Bean’s ever-changing art gallery, focusing on the best of the local art scene.

Laughing Bean Cafe is open Mon.-Fri., 7:30a.m.-8p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 9a.m-3p.m.  The Cafe reopens for Sat. night comedy at 8p.m.

For information, visit www.laughing bean.com or call 303-820-BEAN (2326).

If you thought you just can’t find a good lei in Denver, we’re here to tell you you’re wrong. The Little Grass Shack opened its doors this summer in a cozy space at 910 Santa Fe Dr., offering a colorful selection of 40 different Hawaiian leis – priced at $23 and up – to add a bit of the exotic to your celebration, be it a wedding or otherwise.

Following up on the four-year success of her original Arvada location, owner Maile Inagaki offers such evocative offerings as the Double Bozu, Triple Crown, Firecracker, Kukunaokala w/ Kukui and Mock Orange, Heavy Aloha, Butterfly and many more. The Christina orchid lei – $50 – features craftsmanship of 1000 orchid petals.

The Little Grass Shack is open Tues.- Fri., 11a.m.-5p.m. and Sat., 11a.m.-4p.m. Visit www.spreadingaloha.com or call 720-974-4090 for information.

 

6th Avenue

When your kids are small, they depend on you to fulfill all their needs, from clothing to feeding to sheltering. When they hit their teenage years – while perhaps not fully ready – they want to make all decisions for themselves, and the thought of allowing you to tell them what to wear ... is so not going to happen.

But during the tween-years, between kid-dom and teen-dom, your guidance is still needed, and, usually, blessedly welcomed.

For those of you with young girls ages 8-14 at home, Isabeetweens, 1712 E. 6th Ave., a clothing store for the “budding fashionista” may be what you’ve been looking for. Owner Noel Condon Wylder is a mom herself, and knows “how challenging it can be to find an outfit your girl will wear and you want her to wear.”

Her boutique features an ever-changing selection of clothing, jewelry and accessories by such designers as Azul Swimwear, CR Kids, Flowers By Zoe, Haven Girl, Kaoss Recycled, Pirouette and many more, striving for a look that is “unique, fashion forward and ultra trendy.”

For information, call 303-393-0020 or visit www.isabeetweens.com.
           

Cherry Creek North

The stores of Cherry Creek North are generally oriented to folks with a good bit of disposable income at their command. One local retailer is reaching out to the community to make their products available to those who might otherwise go without.

The Store of Lingerie – SOL – at 248 Detroit St., is once again collecting “gently worn” bras throughout the month of October, for distribution to the women of The Gathering Place, Denver’s only drop-in center for women and children experiencing homelessness or poverty. SOL provides monthly bra fittings for Gathering Place clients. Each woman will receive several bras for their comfort and convenience. To date, SOL has given away more than 2,500 bras.

For information, call 303-394-1060 or visit www.SOLlingerie.com.

Cherry Creek will bid a sad goodbye to another longtime independent gallery, when Photographers’ Gallery, 2426 E. 3rd Ave., closes its doors after 13 years, at the end of this month.

Owners Keith Pitman and Jim Sidinger have hung the gallery’s final show – Farewell Images – which will include some of the most popular images by gallery associates, as well as new works not shown before.

Farewell Images will show through Oct. 30, the gallery’s last business day. A reception will be held Fri., Oct. 3, 6-9p.m.

Pitman and Sidinger attributed their closing to “the changing nature of Cherry Creek North. National-brand store development, increasing rents and paid parking have initiated a changed environment in which we cannot thrive. We’ve had a great run, however.”

For information, call 303-780-9317 or visit www.photogallerydenver.com.    

 

Platt Park/Old South Pearl Street

On the “What were they thinking?” front, our friends at T-Mobile have decided to drop their proposal to build a 50-foot cellular phone tower at 1518 S. Pearl St., in the heart of the Old S. Pearl St. retail district.

Loren John, Site Development Specialist, Reliant Land Services, Inc. said that “due to the immense neighborhood opposition” for the proposed facility, T-Mobile has opted to terminate their application.

If you have business news to share with Profile readers, call 303-778-8021 or email wpprofile@qwest.net!
    
    

Around The Town

With so much attention being paid to home security nowadays, Juan Gutierrez is surprised so many people fail to ensure that the largest portal to their home – the garage door – is sufficiently secured. One increasing common bit of thievery finds a burglar entering through the door of an attached garage, where the home resident has neglected to lock the entrance between the garage and house; a quick thief can nab purses, wallets, keys, etc., often left within easy reach, and be out through the open garage door, practically within a blink of the eye.

Gutierrez is president of B&C Elec-tronic Engineering, 1294 S. Bannock St. His company has developed and is marketing GarageAlert, a device that affixes to your garage door and lets you know, through a lighted indoor LED display with sound notification, if the door is opened or ajar.

Previously sold only through home-builders, the product is now being sold directly to homeowners as well. Prices run about $100-$150 (plus installation) depending on the number of alert locations you need installed in your home, and the number of garage doors being monitored.

For information, visit www.Garage Alert.com or call 303-777-3388.

Wellness First has been providing chiropractic and a variety of wellness services to the Denver community for the past couple of decades. Dr. Julie Seymour, D.C. recently relocated the business to new space at 40 W. Louisiana Ave., and last month announced a new name: The Human Joint!

In addition to chiropractic adjustments, Dr. Seymour and her staff also specialize in treatment of issues related to nutrition, lifestyle, and allergy elimination.

For details on how The Human Joint! might contribute to increasing your quality of life, call 303-744-6567 or visit www.thehumanjoint.com.

We were surprised and sorry to see that Neighborhood Flix – the newly opened cinema in the Lowenstein Theatre development at Colfax and Elizabeth St. – closed its doors last month.

The Flix combined a sit-down restaurant with a three-screen movie complex. Specially-designed trays allowed movie-goers to take a full meal into the theatres, two of which allowed viewers to relax on comfy couches instead of standard theatre chairs. Unfortunately, something critical must have been missing from the mix, as you can’t ask for much more from a location than to be sandwiched between Twist & Shout music and the Tattered Cover book store.

Owners Jimmie Lee Smith, his wife Michelle Dorant, and his sister Melodie Gaul attributed their demise after 10 short months of operation to a failure to obtain the type of first-run films their audience wanted, due to competition from larger local movie groups including Landmark Theatres (Esquire, Mayan and Chez Artiste) and Regal Cinemas (United Artists). Stay tuned for the next installment of the Neighborhood Flix location.