Mary and Jimmy Hendrick reflect the conflicting emotions northwest Denver residents have about the new housing development under construction at the former Elitch Gardens amusement park.
They look out their front window and have opposite opinions of what they see.
Where the Mr. Twister roller coaster once carried screaming riders now stand six single-family homes, part of the first phase of redevelopment on the 27-acre site.
The Hendricks’ new neighbors are expected to start moving in any day now.
“I think it’s great,” Jimmy Hendrick says. “The value of our home is going to go up.”
But his wife can’t help but frown.
“The homes went up too quickly, too cheaply and too close together,” she said. “They could have done a much better job.”
The development is based on the “new urbanism” concept. Single-family homes sit on small lots, but are close to parks and open space. They have front porches and garages on the alleys. There are no cul-de-sacs, and small businesses are within walking distance.
Other aspects of the development will include co-housing, where several families live in their own homes but share maintenance equipment, such as lawn mowers, and can sometimes eat together and babysit each other’s children.
There also will be some housing with businesses on the first level.
“This will allow a small-business owner to live and work at the same place,” said Sage Strever, spokeswoman for the developer. “Instead of two lease payments, they can have one.”
In addition, the development hopes to attract a day-care center and may have a new school.
“The concept is to create a community where most things people need are within reach,” Strever said. “We want to get away from people having to get in their cars and drive somewhere dozens of times a day.”
Plans for the new development, called Highlands Garden Village, include 60 single-family homes, 70 townhomes, 160 apartments and roughly 90,000 square feet of office and retail space.
The developer, Perry/Affordable Housing, led by Chuck Perry and Jonathan Rose, spent years negotiating with neighbors before construction began this year. And now plans for the site that were hashed out on paper have started to turn into reality.
Some residents are thrilled that the mounds of dirt are being transformed into a new neighborhood. Elitch’s was the cornerstone of the neighborhood for 108 years before it moved to Downtown Denver in 1994.
“I’m very happy to see the new homes going up,” said nearby resident Jason Eakins. “The homes are replacing an eyesore, and at the same time the value of my home should increase.”
Others are unhappy about the density of the project.
“Why cram them so close together that they look like crackerbox condos?” asked 40-year resident John Holzman. “I think the developer just got too greedy.”
Elitch’s home prices range from the low $200,000s for three-bedroom homes to $369,000 for homes with attached one-bedroom carriage houses, which can be rented or used for a family member.
The affordable housing will be dispersed in the townhomes and senior housing area, where rents will below market value.
“It’s really hard to visualize what the whole project will look like once it’s done,” Strever said. “Some people don’t like the smaller yards, but a lot of people are buying, so it’s just a matter of taste.”
Rich Avila, construction assistant supervisor, said at least five people a day stop by the site and ask him about the homes. There’s a waiting list of more than 300 people interested in the development.
“I know there are still a lot of people upset that Elitch’s relocated,” Avila said. “But when they look at this place in five years, they’ll be impressed with what they see.”
While residents disagree on whether they like the new housing, they are pleased that the developer is preserving some historical buildings, trees and other vegetation at the site.
The carousel building will stay at the northwest corner of the property and will be surrounded by a new park. The carousel itself was moved to the new Elitch’s.
“We hope to maybe get a farmer’s market to come to the carousel building and also have live bands,” Strever said.
Much of the landscaping also will be preserved. Several trees, including those in an orchard planted by Mary Elitch, will be relocated within the development, and tulip bulbs that have been in the amusement park for generations will be preserved.
