What do a kosher kitchen, a French bulldog and a grandmother named Lila B. have in common?
They’re all part of the new Comedy Works in the Landmark development in Greenwood Village set to open in September.
The $8 million venue — the second for the popular club — goes far beyond comedy. The three-level, 21,000- square-foot venue will feature a martini bar called Lila B., a restaurant named after Lucy the bulldog and an event center that offers kosher catering.
“I saw an opportunity with this location,” said owner Wende Curtis.
The Landmark, developed by Everest Development Co., will have 13 restaurants, four clothing stores, a few boutiques, the Comedy Works and a Landmark movie theater. The development also includes two condo towers, with 172 units, and a European village with 200 homes.
“Our tagline is ‘A life well-lived,’ and a huge part of life is levity,” said Zack Davidson, president and chief executive of Everest Development Co.
Davidson wasn’t always such a cheerleader. He had to be convinced by Curtis that the club would fit into the development. Now, after nearly 35 visits to the downtown Comedy Works, he is a convert.
“Wende is very convincing,” said Davidson. “Wende will be an amazing traffic generator.”
The downtown Comedy Works attracts 2,000 to 3,000 people to Larimer Square every weekend. At the Landmark location, Curtis hopes to keep some of those hungry patrons at her restaurant and attract more to the event center.
A talk between Curtis and her doctor led to the kosher kitchen. He said many Jewish people live near her new location but that there is nary a place for an event besides the temple.
“I did research and hired rabbis to confer on a separate kitchen,” she said.
Still, the move has had its challenges. Several estimated opening dates have come and gone, the original third-floor tenant pulled out, and thousands of dollars’ worth of parties were canceled because of delays.
Curtis started at Comedy Works nearly three decades ago as a waitress and bought it six years ago. Last year, she went without five paychecks, drained her accounts and borrowed $250,000 from friends and family for the new project.
“Who cares if I’m mortgaged to the hilt? I have a good set of problems,” Curtis said. “We just need to open and get money flowing in the right direction.”
Elizabeth Aguilera: 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com
Amenities planned for the new Comedy Works Greenwood Village:
•The first level is home to Lila B., a martini bar named for owner Wende Curtis’ grandmother. It seats around 40 people and has a 1,300- square-foot outdoor patio.
•The main showroom seats as many as 500 and also has a mezzanine level, where Curtis plans to offer seating to those under 21 during select shows. The center is fully wired to host events. Curtis envisions hosting corporate events, trainings and other seminars during the week.
•Lucy, a restaurant named for Curtis’ French bulldog on the mezzanine level, boasts a two-sided fireplace, indoor and outdoor seating and private rooms for parties. The restaurant is run by chef Micah Perfit of New York.
•The third floor is the Curtis Ballroom, with a capacity of 300. It offers a patio, a kosher kitchen and a view clear to downtown Denver.
