287/Arapahoe development update, and showing their work!
Checking out Kensington
I attended the neighborhood meeting for the potential development at the SW corner of 287 and Arapahoe. There wasn’t anything new from Kensington the developers, ( I will forever think of Austin Powers when I hear this name, Mrs. Kensington behave!) beyond showing us the above bubble plan and a clear lack of knowledge by Edgar the presenter, about what number Highway 287 really is. (Insert eye roll here, I think he threw out three different numbers) The seats were mostly filled, Vicky Uhland counted around 40 people.
The meeting was filmed and Edgar told us city staff would be putting it on the city website. I checked with staff on Friday and they told me Kensington has been contacted and when the video is online they will let me know. So stay tuned because I will be sure to give you a heads-up. Maybe you will have something special to watch over the holidays. Lucky you!
ISSUES RAISED
Some issues raised as you might expect were: traffic, water, already difficult access to Arapahoe for people who live north in Stonehenge, the disrespect to the community because of the timing of the meeting, overcrowded schools, the height of the development, the importance of this area as a gateway and the mountain views.
HOW TO GIVE INPUT
Comment cards were available to provide input and will become part of the documentation if this development moves forward. I don’t know which city planner will handle it as Planning and Building Director Williams was the only city staffer in attendance. If you want to add your comments I suggest you email them to him, Steven.Williams@lafayetteco.gov, and ask that they become part of the public record for this project. You can call it Kensington, Lafayette Marketplace or the Tebo property.
SOME TIDBITS
Edgar said they have not submitted anything to the city yet.
When asked about the height of the buildings he said 2-3-4 stories.
Erie’s next mayor, Andrew Moore, their City Manager Malcolm Fleming, and an Erie council member (I don’t know who) were in attendance.
OK SO I AM SIDETRACKED HERE
Welcome to my brain. I had plans to write more about this project in general but that’s another post now because... I had one more item under tidbits, it was this:
“When asked about other developments Kensington has done in Colorado to give us an idea of their work, the answer was none. Nothing finished, some in the pipeline, look at our website.”
So I took a look at their website. It says they are “committed to excellence, creativity, and leadership” and “Transforming Properties, revitalizing communities.” This became more interesting as I perused their site and now here I am taking screenshots to share. I had not planned for this but welcome to my brain and good luck in there, it’s easy to get lost. Squirrel!
I checked them out when they first appeared on the scene and they were based in Illinois with an office in Denver. Now they show a midwest office in Illinois and a mountain west office in Denver.
HERE ARE SOME OF THEIR PROJECTS
12 Tidal Wave auto spas (yup, auto spas) in Wisconsin and Illinois some completed in 2022 and 2023, and some “anticipated completion” in 2024
A Chic-fil-A in Illinois completed in 2021
4 Aldi in Illinois, completed in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
a few “grocers” (no company name given)
a Lowes redevelopment
Lafayette Marketplace, the project for this property is shown, it’s called pre-development. It says leasing on the image ( insert another eye roll)
SCREENSHOTS OF SOME OF THEIR OTHER PROJECTS
Park Ave Center Illinois competed in 2019
Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Trex Bicycle Shop, Foss Swim School. In the brochure, the building called Dinx Social Club says “available (divisible)”
The Corners of Brookfield in Wisconsin completed in 2017
750,000 SF + 243 Luxury Residences
The Corners of Brookfield in Wisconsin completed in 2017 2nd image
750,000 SF + 243 Luxury Residences
Market Centre Illinois competed in 2021 194,000 SF
Sawmill Station Illinois completed in 2020, 310,000 SF + 297 Luxury Residences
Sawmill Station Illinois completed in 2020, 310,000 SF + 297 Luxury Residences
2nd image
Check out The Clove in Ilinois, there’s a video.
COLORADO PROJECTS
Avon, Vail Valley - mixed-use predevelopment
Denver- predevelopment- Link 56, 56th and Tower 150 acre mixed-use. +/- 2,000 proposed apartment and rental townhomes, 30 acres of commercial
Denver- predevelopment- Link 56, 56th and Tower 150 acre mixed-use. +/- 2,000 proposed apartment and rental townhomes, 30 acres of commercial 2nd image
I’m hitting my email length limit but there’s another Colorado project in Centennial, called Quebec Village, which is a redevelopment.
Want to offer more support? Awesome!
Vicky Uhland here. Thanks for the report, Karen. Something that struck me was the excellent comment from an attendee that the Kensington plan mentions a big box, and aren't big boxes antiquated? Edgar didn't really have a response to that.
As far as I know, Kensington doesn't manage properties; it just builds them. So if it builds a big box site that no one wants or that fails sooner rather later, that would be the city's tax revenue problem, not Kensington's.
Thank you as always for your clear information. I’m headed to Wisconsin and I’ll be in Brookfield and will make it a point to check out The Corners. It sounded familiar to me and I may have been there in the past.
I like Guy’s suggestion for traffic circles. How do we make that happen instead of more traffic signals?