Virgin Records has announced that all of its 6 megastore locations in the U.S. are to close, a decision that will affect the Denver Pavilions retail center in downtown Denver which separately is planned for a major renovation.
The lawsuit filed against Craig Nassi, the developer, as well as BCN Development, Swinerton Builders, Darlene Sandoval and Big Horn Plastering by the homeowners association for the Beauvallon condos at East 10th Avenue and Lincoln has been resolved, The suit, which alleges that damage has occurred to units in the property as a result of construction defects, had stifled sales of units in the building, since lenders were unwilling to loan on properties in which a lawsuit is occurring between the developer and the HOA.

Officials for Sunflower Farmers Markets have announced that the company plans to locate a store within the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver within a year. The decision follows efforts made by Transform Northwest Park Hill to gain the chain, which provides healthy organic foods at affordable prices.
The Cherry Cricket will expand again if they can get the necessary approvals.  After some 4 decades Norm Smith and Fast Frame next door will move around the corner to Clayton Street and the Cricket will take over the space adding some 46 seats including some outdoor seating.

The Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District has its plans for renovation of the streetscape in the District about 90% complete.  The plans will be presented at the Cherry Creek North Neighborhood Association meeting at the Daniels Fund, 1st Avenue/Monroe Street, 7:00 PM on Tuesday March 24th.   About 50% of the $18.5 million bond financing has been obtained and the rest is planned for later this year.  Construction will start this spring, interrupt for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival and the holidays, and complete in 2010.  The general arrangement on the centerpiece, Fillmore Plaza will be much the same as before, with significant upgrades including a gazebo in the middle.  The plaza will continue to be used for outdoor events such as the Arts Festival and movies.  The parking kiosks will be replaced with Smart Meters similar to those being tested in downtown Denver.  Some have already been installed.
 
Denver Council Member Jeanne Robb provides information about numerous public works projects.  The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District has contracted for rehabilitation work on various sections of the interceptor sewers along Cherry Creek starting near the Cherry Creek Mall & University and west along East 1st Avenue and Speer to Wewatta Street.  This project will begin in late-March and run into late summer.

Over the next three to five years, Xcel Energy will be replacing 100 linear miles of gas pipeline, a $350 million project, throughout the city - most of the existing pipe was installed in the early 1900s. Work is expected to start late in March on a portion impacting East 10th and 14th Avenues, and surrounding streets.

Beginning in mid-October 2008, Denver and Premier Paving began asphalt and concrete improvements on East 13th Avenue from York to Colorado funded by the November 2007 bond approved by Denver voters.  Concrete removal and curb and gutter replacement are complete and pavement will be removed and subgrade reconditioned through June when East 13th Avenue will be fully closed for a couple of day for the final layer of paving.

Part of a $50 million project, in the spring East 3rd Avenue from Steele to Colorado will be fully reconstructed from the dirt up plus new ramps on sidewalks with about 3 months of construction work anticipated

Denver, Aurora and Lakewood combine on Sunday, May 17, 2009 for the 4th Annual Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon. This event celebrates the revitalization of America's longest continuous street-Colfax Avenue.   The route in 2009 will follow the redesigned route that received rave reviews last year with both the full and half-marathons beginning and ending in Denver's City Park.  We suppose that next year it will be called the Denver Post Marathon.  More at www.coloradocolfaxmarathon.org.

The Aromar Apartments at 1309 Grant Street is scheduled to open its doors to formerly homeless single male and female adults this spring.  Mercy Housing Colorado, partnered with Denver's Road Home, acquired the historic hotel in July and is rehabilitating the property into 66 single-room occupancy apartments ranging in size from 254 to 395 square feet following the supportive housing model. 

 
The Denver Office of Economic Development (OED) recently received $25 million in funding to launch a Mortgage Credit Certificate Program to prevent foreclosures and spur the revitalization of neighborhoods impacted by foreclosure.  The program, to be launched in May, is funded through $15 million from Denver's Private Activity Bond capacity and $10 million from the State of Colorado PAB capacity provided through the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.  The certificate program will target homeowners with high-cost or sub-prime loans that are at risk of foreclosure.  Additionally, the program will benefit purchasers of foreclosed homes that will be acquired and rehabilitated by the City through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). OED expects to assist approximately 180 households through the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program.

The City of Denver and Enterprise Community Partners were recently named to receive $2.25 million in funding by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to support affordable housing rental preservation for Denver families near mass transit.  The funding invests into the City's soon to be established Denver Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Fund, which is targeting to preserve and create at least 1,200 units of affordable for sale and rental housing along Denver mass transit corridors over a ten-year period.  As the Denver metropolitan area undergoes what is considered to be the largest expansion in the nation of a transit system, this new MacArthur Foundation investment will help preserve and create affordable housing within one half mile of rail service and a quarter mile from frequent bus routes.  The MacArthur Foundation funding includes a $250,000 grant to the City and County of Denver and $2 million in low-interest loans to Enterprise Community Partners to capitalize the Denver TOD Fund.  The City is investing $2.5 million into the fund, with $2 million of these funds originating from the City's Xcel Energy franchise fee revenues designated to be used for energy efficiency projects for low-income households. The remaining $500,000 originates from the Denver Office of Economic Development Business Incentive Fund.