The city of Glendale is soliciting a second round of proposals from developers to build a river walk to complement its municipal rugby stadium.
For more than a decade, the city has planned for an entertainment district with a man-made channel and river boats.
For the past year-and-a-half, city officials have worked with landowners to develop strategies for the project, said Mike Gross, project representative for the Glendale Riverwalk.
Plans initially called for 1.5 million square feet of development, with 700,000 square feet of office space. But city officials scrapped plans for offices after meeting in March with developers, who cited a sluggish office market.
City officials also relied on an economic feasibility study.
“We think there’s enough office in Glendale to support what we’re trying to accomplish.” Gross said.
Gross said five owners are working to develop the site. He said the city owns more than 40 percent of the property, which is bounded by South Colorado Boulevard, East Virginia Avenue, South Cherry Street and Cherry Creek Drive South.
The city’s plans call for more than 900,000 square feet of development on a 42-acre site, preserving 20 acres of open space. The project would include a theater, two hotels, an outdoor amphitheater and more than 400,000 square feet of retail space.
City officials added about 100,000 square feet of retail space, as well as the amphitheater, after eliminating offices.
Gross said the amphitheater would fill “a niche in the local market for a 3,000 to 4,000 capacity outdoor venue.”
City officials also planned to apply for funding under the state Regional Tourism Act. The deadline was Thursday.
“The city’s Infinity Park project is already bringing in thousands of tourists a year that would have a reason to extend their stays in the state of Colorado,” Gross said.
He said the rugby stadium was considered the first phase of the city’s entertainment district, and the river walk would be the second.
To prepare the site, the city spent $10 million to decommission a wastewater treatment plant and join a sanitation district. The city also spent nearly $3 million to improve nearby Cherry Creek Drive South.
Gross said the navigable channel would be built north of the creek, with businesses on both sides. He said boats could be used as water taxis or simply to enjoy the view.
“My feeling is this is great for everyone,” said Saeed Kholghy, who is a part-owner of some of the land and a rug store on Colorado Boulevard. “This area was a happening place years ago. We are right in the middle of everything.”
