NICK & CHASE HAULED THEIR GROCERIES THE EASY WAY from King Soopers, 9th & Corona, last month. Do they switch to snowboards when appropriate (& going downhill towards home)? At least they don’t have to worry about dead batteries... either for their boards or their youthful selves. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

Sagebrush Capitol withdraws from contract for 1840 Grant & 1835 Logan

By Rory Seeber

In a surprise move, the prospective developer of the property occupied by the former Cathedral High School building at 1840 Grant and that facility’s one-time gymnasium/auditorium at 1835 Logan has withdrawn from a contract to purchase the structures.
    The Catholic Archdiocese of Denver was prepared to sell the properties to Sagebrush Capital, which in turn wanted to demolish the buildings to make way for a high-end, mid-rise apartment complex.

Board agrees with ruling that neighborhood ‘over-institutionalized’ near 740 Clarkson

By Rory Seeber

The Board of Adjustment for Zoning Appeals (BOA) has upheld the zoning administrator’s denial of a permit for Open Door Ministries (ODM) to operate a group transitional housing and residential counseling program at 740 Clarkson.
    The ruling came after a 2 1/2-hour hearing held Dec. 13 at the Webb Building, 201 W. Colfax.
    After a judge had ruled that ODM couldn’t operate its full treatment program under the “Rooming & Boarding House” permit that had been previously granted for 740 Clarkson, ODM had applied for the residential care use permit. When that was denied, ODM appealed to the BOA for an administrative review of the denial.

Concerns include parking & traffic, transition to residential neighborhood, building size, lighting & landscaping

By Rory Seeber

The Sunflower Farmers Market proposed for the former Rosen-Novak and John Elway car dealerships property on the north side of Colfax between Monroe & Garfield took a step closer to reality Dec. 7 when the Denver Planning Board unanimously approved the requested re-zoning of the property.
    Sunflower has a contract with Rosen Properties for a lease on the property (15 years with four, five-year options) that is contingent on the successful re-zoning of three parcels currently occupied by houses on the north side of the block. A zone change is proposed from the current U-TU-B, a residential zone that allows two units in a variety of forms per lot, to U-MS-2X, an “Urban Main Street” district that allows two-story structures and special provisions.