If the Colorado Department of Transportation’s proposal to install a concrete median in the turn lane along East Hampden Avenue goes through, New York Deli News owner Tory Belsky said that businesses on either side of the busy street may as well post going-out-of- business signs.
Belsky, who has owned the New York Deli News for 21 years with her husband, Al, has gathered signatures from businesses and six neighborhood associations, along with support from Denver City Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann and state Rep. Joe Miklosi, opposing CDOT’s plan.
Belsky’s resolve was ignited after she received a letter from CDOT in January.
“I was absolutely horrified and shocked,” she said. “It was like getting a draft letter. It felt like the letter said, ‘Greetings, during the first part of the summer, we are going to come and put a solid median in front of your business, and you’re closing down.’ “
The letter explained that CDOT had received federal hazard-elimination funds that would be used to build a concrete median on Hampden — roughly from South Oneida Way east to South Havana Street — that would force passenger and commercial vehicles to turn into retail areas solely at street lights and eliminate turn-lane traffic accidents.
For Belsky and other merchants, that means cars and delivery trucks traveling east from Interstate 25 and turning north into driveways, and vehicles traveling west and turning south into properties, would have to pass the businesses to make a turn at a light and double back.
Councilwoman Lehmann asked for a meeting among neighborhood groups, business owners, Denver Department of Public Works and CDOT so all sides could discuss the median and alternatives for improving safety.
CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said agency representatives have regrouped to come up with some modifications to the original plan.
“We’re listening,” said Stegman, who added that CDOT previously met with the city of Aurora regarding the section of Havana that’s also targeted for safety- improvement funds. After that meeting, CDOT made modifications to its original plan. “Nothing’s set in stone.”
Target tales.
Tamarac Square owner Developers Diversified Realty of Ohio held the first public meeting recently where DDR laid out its plan to level the shuttered East Hampden shopping center and replace it with a Target store.
“There was a lot of crankiness,” said Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann, describing the general mood of neighbors who attended the presentation. “They want the old Tamarac back, but this is the 21st century, and retail has changed. Nobody in Tamarac could make it there.”
If the big-box retailer agrees to build a store on that site, demolition of the old mall will begin this summer, with a fall 2012 opening of the new Target, which would employ roughly 200 part-time and full-time workers, add to Denver’s sales- tax revenue, and pump thousands of dollars back to nonprofits in the community.
But members of neighborhood associations are divided over their preferred reuse of that property. Some say they would like to see a Streets of Southglenn- like open-air shopping area with small stores and restaurants. Others say they welcome a Target to the area.
Many voiced concerns over the potential increase of vehicle traffic in and out of their neighborhoods.
Dan Mahoney, homeowners association president of the Hampden South Neighborhood Association, sent a newsletter to members recapping the meeting.
“We won’t be getting back the boutique stores we loved, but Target does have a good track record of being a good neighbor,” he wrote. “It’s certainly better than a public storage facility, used car lot or an empty old mall.”
EAVESDROPPING
A woman holding a hot dog at a Rockies game:
“I almost wore white tonight. That’s just asking for mustard.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Hear her on “Caplis & Silverman” between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
