Yay!

[Click image to enlarge]

Red area is the location they are talking about. I'm stoked because that will be on my way home.

Grocery eyed for urban project

Downtown is finally getting a grocery store.

'The Nichols Partnership is planning a $130 million project that will be anchored by a 55,000-square-foot grocery store - perhaps King Soopers' new, upscale Fresh Fare concept. The development, which could be as large as 420,000 square feet, also will include residential space and possibly an extended-stay hotel and small offices. It is expected to be completed by early 2010.

"The primary use is the long- elusive grocery store and supplemental retail that goes with that - the bank, the dry cleaner, the burrito store and the coffee shop," said Randy Nichols, president of the Denver development firm.

Nichols purchased the 3.2-acre site between 19th and 20th and Chestnut and Wewatta streets from Trillium Corp.

King Soopers' Fresh Fare stores have a larger selection of organic, gourmet and prepared- food items than other grocery stores. Fresh Fare stores also offer expanded selections in meat, seafood, cheese and produce; fresh sushi; gift baskets; and on-site chefs to help with planning menus. Stores in some markets also have on-site wine stewards.

Structured parking and limited-surface parking will be incorporated into the development.

"King Soopers is progressive enough to know that they'll have to have structured parking," Nichols said.

Its location on the 20th Street artery will be easily accessible to residents on the north side of downtown, in the Ballpark neighborhood and in the Central Platte Valley.

"I think it kind of completes the last piece of the puzzle for all of downtown in terms of it being a truly residential neighborhood," said Chris Frampton of East West Partners, developer of Riverfront Park in the valley. "There's still a lot to come, but a real neighborhood has a real grocery store."

East West commissioned a feasibility study in 2001 that projected enough people would be living in the valley and the immediate area within six years to justify a grocery store, Frampton said. People started moving into Riverfront Park five years ago.

More than 6,000 housing units have recently been completed or are in the planning stages in downtown Denver. The downtown population has tripled in the past 20 years to about 9,000.

"Those close to downtown knew it was only a matter of time before the vitality and vibrancy would attract additional retail, particularly a grocery store," said Tami Door, president and chief executive of the Downtown Denver Partnership Inc.

"The growth in residential development will serve any grocery store that decides to locate downtown," Door said. "We look forward to it coming to fruition."'