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AroundStapleton:Udi's BreadCafé
3
Greeningup...
IN THE NEWSFEATURING
6
Dante's InfernoRevenue Service
9
InteriorRedesign goesGreen
15
DiningDetective:Pasquini's, GB Fish'n Chips, SpicyPickle
16
Burlesquecomes to TavernLowry
18
Protein!
In the six years that have passed sinceDenver’s master planning document,“Blueprint Denver,” became law, little hashappened to enforce some of the plan’sprime goals. The master plan identifiedneighborhoods as “areas of change” or“areas of stability.” But the City, witha very pro-redevelopment Hickenlooperadministration driving the agenda, hasdone little to protect areas designatedfor stability from widespread changes indensity and character, as scapeoffs havechanged the landscape. In many areas,duplexes and triplexes have replaced sin-gle family homes, and big scrapeoffs domi-nate the scale of Denver’s traditional hous-ing stocks. Design standards haven’t beenimplemented to protect neighborhoodcharacter, and new zoning hasn’t been cre-ated to maintain single-family areas. Jennifer Moulton, the now dead plan-ning director who crafted BlueprintDenver, described “areas of stability”thusly: “primarily residential neighbor-hoods and their associated commercialareas, the goal is to identify and maintainthe character of an area while accom-modating some new development andredevelopment.” Indeed, “existing stableneighborhoods should be reviewed forpossible character-preserving improve-ment and re-investment.” Stability doesn’tmean stagnation. But proposed develop-ments must be character enhancing, notcharacter changing.A test of the City’s willingness to pro-tect “areas of stability” will be beforecouncil this April, as a wide-area rezoningseeks to slow changes in two swaths of North Denver. The issue is likely a beaconfor the direction Denver is likely to begoing in protecting older neighborhoods.The rezoning, which woud change zon-ing in two areas of West Highlands andSloan’s Lake from R-2 to R-1, is hoped byproponents to stop scrape-offs of singlefamily homes which are being replaced byduplexes and triplexes. Opponents say there-zoning harms private property rights.Significantly, Councilman Rick Garciasuccessfully asked the Council’s BlueprintDenver committee to add language to theAfter a contentious rede-velopment proposal wasscuttled last year that wouldhave seen Lowry's historicHangar No. 2 radically trans-formed, a second plan is nowbeing proposed by develop-ment group IRG that will seeretail, self-storage, and officespace integrated into the cur-rent structure under anadaptive re-use model.The sale of the hangar hadbeen brokered by the LowryRedevelopment Authority(LRA) on behalf of the Wingsover the Rockies Museum, who believed that they need-ed the sale of the building inorder to take on new improve-ment projects and exhibits,and remove liabilities, bothnecessary to keep the muse-um solvent. Redevelopmentplans for the site werestopped, however, when vig-orous community oppositionrallied against the move, andDenver's LandmarkCommission refused to dropthe site's historical designa-tion and protection."It's dramatically differ-ent," says CouncilwomanMarcia Johnson, speaking of the new proposal. "Whenthey got sent back to thedrawing board, they reallytook it seriously. I think itshould be a great added ame-nity for the people livingthere - and I'm also happythat Wings feels it meets theirneeds for economic sustain-ability. And, it isn't going toimpact the parking situationdramatically."According to a ProjectSummary released by theBuchanan YonushewskiGroup, "It is the developer’sintent to create a mixed-usedevelopment within the han-gar as well as provide certainsite improvements. The sim-plicity of the new uses to becontained within the hangar will allow the majority of theexisting hangar structure toremain as is thereby preserv-ing its historic character within the community. Thesite will be rezoned to a PUD
2
Rezonings have citywideimplications
by Devon barclay
April-May 2008
published monthly
Stapleton, Lowry, Park Hill, and North Aurora
Issue 5 Vol 3
S
t a p l e t o n
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S t o w e r
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P . O . B o x 4 6 0 1 4 2 D e n v e r , C O 8 0 2 4 6
* * * T I M E S E N S I T I V E M A T E R I A L * * * P O S T M A S T E R P L E A S E D E L I V E R B Y A p r i l 2 9
P R S R T S T D U . S . P O S T A G E P A I D D E N V E R , C O P E R M I T N O . 3 5 3
Lowry's Hangar No. 2 faces new vision
9th andColorado nextbig Denverdraw?
Can solarlawnmowers savethe planet?
After years of controversy, this may be the future of Lowry's Hangar No. 2
Tower Ledger
HANGAR 2 PROPOSED SITE PLAN
SELFSTORAGE4STORIES260,000+/-GSFRETAILINEXISTINGBUILDING1STORY(25’)22,500+/-GSFOFFICE INEXISTINGBUILDING1STORY(15’)9,000+/-GSF
HANGAR 2 SECTION LOOKING WEST
continued on page 4continued on page 11Continued on Page 22
The swath of land betweenColorado Boulevard andClaremont streets, andbetween 9th and 11th Avenues- known to its neighbors sim-ply as 9th and Colorado - hasbeen a sort of island that peo-ple have largely drivenaround. All that may changein the coming years, withredevelopment plans now setfor the site.Comprising roughly 30acres, Shea Homes has been working with the ColoradoBoulevard HealthcareDistrict, local communitygroups, and city planners todevelop a concept for the site.In February, they released ageneral development planthat would see the locationtransformed into "a truemixed-use development,comprising commercial, resi-dential, and retail, integratedon almost every block,"
April-May 2008
ConTribuTing EdiTors
Devon Barclay, Angela SassevilleMark Mehringer, Helen Hand, Jeff LeClair,Sophia Throop, Danielle Corriveau
PhoTograPhy
Lisa Digan, Sophia Throop
ad saLEs
arT dirECTor
Sven Hanson
PubLishEr
Emporia Publishing, LLC.POB 12487Denver, CO 80211
advErTising & EdiToriaLinquiriEs:
Tower Ledger is published monthly by EmporiaPublishing, and printed by Longmont-Times Call.Copyright © 2007 by Emporia Publishing. All rightsreserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibit-ed. Postmaster: Send address changes to EmporiaPublishing,POB 12487 Denver, CO 80212. This publi-cation welcomes editorial submissions but assumes noresponsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicit-
sTaPLETon, Lowry, Park hiLL.hiLLToP, haLE, Mayfair,CrEsTMoor, MonTCLair, andnorTh aurora
Issue 4 • Volume 2 • April-May 2008
Around Stapleton: Udi's Bread Café
7357 E. 29th Ave.
Tower Ledger
Imagine our economy in three parts.The first is the foundation, upon whicheverything else rests. In the modernage, that foundation is energy- the vastenterprise by which resources are takenfrom the earth (and increasingly thesun and sky), refined, transported andused. The third, the apex, is the finan-cial sector— the creation of capital andcredit, and its exploitation. Everythingfeeds the apex, every credit card andcheck transaction, every major pur-chase (home, car, education) puts apercentage into the financial sector,however small. Finance is largely para-sitic, feeding off value and trade createdelsewhere. The middle ground betweenthe apex and foundation is our produc-tive economy, where labor and capitalcombine to create value and benefit.This metaphor is purely subjec-tive— there is no value judgement inputting banks at the top and oil drillersat the bottom and everyone else in themiddle. But it is helpful to understandhow these segments interact.Most Americans don’t recognize thisstructure and the cracks that threatenthe stability of the productive economy.Our leaders, when aware, won’t discussit. Interests, from corporate, to labor, toenvironmental, to bureaucratic, fear areal debate about our common needs.The media, generally too depthless, won’t dare to tell the story. Academia istoo fractured and secularized to graspthe long view round it.Regardless, the problems are real.Some measures of it are visited uponthe vast majority of American families.Real wages (adjusted for inflation) inthe United States are stagnant over thelast seven years, only 0.8% higher in January 2008 then March 2001.Inflation is said to be contained.But the reality? Energy prices leap everhigher daily. Health care costs inflateat double digit rates. Even food pricesthreaten the effective standard of liv-ing. The dollar is so weak that it maynot be the world’s reserve currencymuch longer, a possibility that couldliterally bankrupt the nation, leavingno buyers for the prodigious debt wecreate month in and month out.At its peak, the apex, the Americanfinancial sector is in miserable shape,despite extraordinary efforts by theFederal Reserve to maintain stability.Highly leveraged in every market byspeculation, from credit card debt tomunicipal bonds, we are seeing a gigan-tic house of cards crumble. Americanprosperity is an illusion of debt. Weborrow, and create money throughleverage, far in excess of the cumu-lative value of economic production(GDP). At every turn, from mortgages,to bonds, we put a fraction downand promise to pay later. A hedgefund, Carlyle Capital, related to theprivate equity fund the Carlyle Group,failed last month-- it was leveraged32 times to one. In plain language, ittook $1,000 in collateral and purchased$32,000 worth of mortgages-- goodold government insured mortgages, tothe tune of $27.1 billion. No bank orcredit union could ever have done this32-to-1 trick, but a variety of pseudo-banks have done the same, essentially
The Origins of EconomicDistress: Apex and Foundation
Inflation is said to becontained. But thereality? Energy pricesleap ever higher daily.Health care costsinflate at double digitrates. Even food pricesthreaten the effectivestandard of living. Thedollar is so weak that itmay not be the world’sreserve currencymuch longer,
Udi’s Bakery has been a familiarfixture in the Denver area for thelast three decades, growing from asandwich cart in the 70s to the city’sbiggest producer of locally-madeartisan bread and granola.What the average Denverite maynot know is that Udi’s now has arestaurant, where they prove thatthey can make more than just bread.A lot more.Please try the bread pudding($5.50), if you try nothing else overhere. Swimming with vanilla cream,topped with large chunks of toasted walnut, served at your table bub-bling-hot… this delectable dish is atonce a necessity on chilly mornings,and a respite from your nightmaresof too many bread puddings past:those cold, flavor-free cubes withtoo much sugar syrup, brandy, orboth. Forget them all. You will assoon as you have that first bite.The hummus ($4.50 small, $10large) is a delight, too: freshly made, just the right flavor balance, andcomplemented beautifully by themaltiness of the Rustico bread. Thesweet potato fries ($5) are ratherlike those I’ve tried anywhere else,but they’re pleasant and balanced with just the right amount of salt.The eggs Benedict ($9) has anorange twist to its Hollandaisesauce, and a couple of other twists: wafer-thin Black Forest ham insteadof Canadian bacon andb biscuitsinstead of English muffins. The bis-cuits were a little soggy—probablyan unavoidable hazard in eggsBenedict-- but the ham was anexcellent touch: not only more ten-der but less salty than its morefamiliar counterpart. The (appro-priately enough) “Stapleton” eggsandwich ($3.75) with egg, tomatoand Swiss cheese on grilled flat-bread, is the perfect meal for busypeople: simple, substantial, carb-and-protein balanced, and even easyto eat one-handed while walking ordriving. The French toast ($4.50small, $7.50 large), made with Udi’ssignature Challah bread, is the soft-est French toast I’ve ever eaten, andscores extra points with me by com-ing with real maple syrup. I wouldlike a bit more fruit topping on it,though.Udi’s Café has a more impressivearray of sandwiches than you’vefound in your local mom-and-pop
coffee shop, or your local Vitamin
Cottage. The California BLT ($8.25),one of their newer offerings, is rich with avocado and is generous withits thick, crisp bacon. The apple walnut chicken salad sandwich oncranberry walnut bread ($8), has aless creamy texture than its sister atParadise Bakery, which may be adrawback to some but a welcomefeeling of lightness to others. Thepanini made with Black Forest ham($8.25) uses cave-aged Gruyerecheese, which punches up the salti-ness but also gives the sandwich abit more personality than Swiss would.To top it off, Udi’s serves Dazbogcoffee, another local… and who wouldn’t smile at this partnership?An Israeli guy with his sandwichcart, two Russian guys with theircoffee shop. Keepin’ it local. Whichis what, in my mind, makes Udi’sCafé stand out against a Panera, aParadise or an Atlanta Bread. It’s allabout local.
—frances hardzinski
Continued on Page 8
They’re Your World
Rich Frampton,
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Financial Advisor
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April-May 2008
EXERCISE RESEARCHSTUDY!
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Quiet, efficient, and carbon-neutral, the lawnmowers used by thisColorado startup are charged throughout the workday by speciallymounted solar panels.
From lawn care to the DemocraticNational Convention, the zeitgeist isvery definitely a shade of green.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wasrecently in Denver, challenging del-egates to the national convention thissummer to offset their carbon impactof traveling to Denver. At the otherend of the spectrum, a lawn carecompany is working to reduce bothair pollution and energy use in a verylocal way.“The 2008 Democratic NationalConvention, like our great party, isabout the future--the future of ourcountry and the future of our planet,”said Speaker Pelosi. “That is why weare ensuring that this Convention willbe the greenest, most sustainable,most successful political Conventionin history - and the Green DelegateChallenge is a critical part of thateffort.”As part of the challenge, delega-tions with the highest percentage of members offsetting their carbon willbe recognized in their seating sectionon the floor of the Pepsi Center dur-ing the Convention. Each delegate,alternate and super delegate fromthat state will also receive a “green”prize. Progress will be tracked onDemConvention.com, with the win-ning state or states recognized on the website in August.Through the DNCC’s partner-ship with Native Energy, delegatesmay obtain their carbon offsets froma number of domestic community-based clean energy projects includingthe community-owned, utility-scaleWray School District Wind Turbinein Wray, Colo.; a Focus the NationWind Turbine on a family farm inRosedell Township, Minn.; a fourthgeneration family dairy farm meth-ane project in Rockwood, Pa.; andthe Des Plaines, Ill., Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project. During the comingmonths, the DNCC will add morecarbon offset projects to include addi-tional providers supporting domesticoffset projects.Closer to home is a company mak-ing lawn care greener. The companyseeks to make commonplace an alter-native to noise, pollution - even chem-ical applications. They’re seeking toget rid of obnoxiously loud motorsand the smell of burning gasoline,even closing the door on sprayingtoxic chemicals to control weeds andpests.Air pollution, noise pollution,chemical warfare…. ahhh… spring inCherry Creek. It is ironic the amountof pollution we emit caring for ourlittle piece of nature.The EPA estimates that 5-10%of all air pollution comes from lawnequipment.Each weekend, about 54 millionAmericans mow their lawns, using800 million gallons of gas per year andproducing tons of air pollutants.A University of Washington studyfound residues of common lawn insec-ticides in toddlers’ urine.Clean Air Lawn Care is a lawnmaintenance company that usesclean electric and biodiesel poweredequipment. The vehicles hauling thisequipment have mounted solar panels which charge the electric equipmentduring the workday. The equipmentis clean and quiet; the business iscarbon neutral. Now a national fran-chise, the business was started in 2006in Fort Collins, CO.In addition to mowing, this yearClean Air Lawn Care is able to offerservice that further protects ourfamilies and environment - organictreatment. There is now a completealternative to conventional lawn careprotecting our families, pets and theenvironment.You can reach Clean Air LawnCare at 888. 969.3669 and NativeEnergy at 800.924.6826.
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