A storied piece of ground at the northeast corner of Interstate 25 and East Hampden Avenue has been bought by Greenwood Village-based developer David Friedman.
D.H. Friedman Properties will build a retail project featuring a restaurant with a rooftop patio, a bank and 20,000 square feet of shopping space divided into three free-standing buildings.
The developer will break ground on the property this fall, with an anticipated completion date of next spring.
The high-profile site was formerly owned by the Geiser family, which had the first full-service Marriott Hotel west of the Mississippi River in 1974. That building was converted to a Four Points by Sheraton in 2004 and razed last year by the Geisers.
Friedman has sold the north side of the property to an apartment developer, who will put 350 units on the site.
“I think it’s rare that you can find an infill site like that that’s available,” Friedman said. “With the traffic, visibility and the proximity to Cherry Creek and the Tech Center, it’s a great site.”
Friedman said the restaurant with the rooftop patio will be leased by an operator who is not yet in the metro area.
“The views are unbelievable, he said. “The rooftop patio will be spectacular.”
The rest of the 4.15 acres will be occupied by other restaurants, florists, stockbrokers, travel agents or insurance offices.
“We will submit plans to the city next week, and we should be in development in the fall,” Friedman said.
Foodie fodder.
Ghost Plate & Tap, the new restaurant inside the old Rocky Mountain Diner space at 800 18th St., started haunting Denver at 11 a.m. Friday.
The eatery — featuring dishes from other Wynkoop and Breckenridge breweries’ restaurants, including The Cherry Cricket and Gaetano’s, will open at 11 a.m. daily for lunch, happy hour and dinner.
• Elway’s Cherry Creek may own Wednesday nights in the summer with its series of patio concerts, but The Four Seasons Denver is giving partyers another night to go out on the town — with Level 3 Thursday Night.
Level 3, with its poolside bar, is open to the public from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursdays. The menu includes specialty cocktails, chilled and grilled eats, and frozen infused push pops.
• The Palm in the Tabor Center celebrates the chain’s 85th anniversary with new menu items and throwback uniforms.
New dishes include carpaccio of beef tenderloin, an antipasti platter, braised veal and sage ravioli, an 18-ounce Delmonico steak, and a bag of warm homemade doughnuts.
Soccer style.
President Barack Obama has invited the Major League Soccer champs Colorado Rapids to the White House for a special reception Monday.
Obama also extended an invitation to other Denver notables to mix and mingle during the event. They include state Sen. Irene Aguilar, state Rep. Dan Pabon, state Rep. Crisanta Duran, Latino Communications chief executive Zee Ferrufino, KBNO radio general manager Michael Ferrufino and Lucero Realty owner Gene Lucero.
The seen.
Chris “The Birdman” Andersen was dining with friends at Shanahan’s Thursday night, and, at another table, the restaurant’s namesake, former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, and wife Peggy were dining with pals.
Eavesdropping
on a woman at Piatti in Cherry Creek. “My husbands didn’t live long enough to cheat on me.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Hear her on “Caplis & Silverman” between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
