Recap from DPS/SUN Education Expo Nov 3
Speaking for Denver Public Schools (DPS), Choice and Enrollment Manager Roberta Walker summarized choice for 2017: choice will open Jan. 5 and close Jan. 31. Walker stated “At this point we still have a shared zone in Stapleton because growth is rapid and age distribution is disproportionate (6 elementary schools).” As there has been pressure from some families in DPS to implement boundaries, this seems to indicate that DPS has the phasing out of boundaries in a future plan for the Stapleton region, which currently has an open boundary. This is the first public meeting at which DPS has used language indicating that Stapleton’s open boundary is because of capacity issues rather than to provide flexibility for families to choose between schools based on preferences for curriculum and philosophy.

The choice process is available for all school-age children. All students grades K-12 are guaranteed a seat in the shared boundary in Stapleton. Parents of children going into ECE3, ECE-K, sixth or ninth, or anyone seeking to change schools should participate in the choice process. In 2016, 100 percent of middle school students got their first choice. All Stapleton students are guaranteed a seat in Northfield High School (as well as Park Hill families east of Monaco).

Addressing capacity and need in Stapleton: in 2007, there were 187 kindergarteners; over 500 in 2016. Stapleton’s newest elementary school, Inspire Elementary, will initially open sharing space with Northfield HS and then move into a building in Section 10 on 56th near Dallas; groundbreaking for this building will occur spring 2017. This school will eventually have five classrooms per grade. DPS has not yet decided whether the second school built in section 10, planned to open in approximately 2022, will be a middle or elementary school. Middle school-age children have expanded capacity at McAuliffe (360 seats per grade), in addition to 60 per grade at Bill Roberts, and DSST and Denver Discovery 150 per grade.

Recap from Nov. 15 SUN Block Captain/Outreach Meeting and Board Meeting
Denver Police Update
Lt. Ian Culverhouse, Denver Police Department (DPD), stated DPD has seen a spike in theft from motor vehicles, with may recent instances involving locked vehicles where valuables were left in plain sight. Please secure valuables out of site or preferably not in a vehicle.

Northfield Blvd and CPB—New Retail/Commercial by Drake Development
Jon Hauser from Drake, developer of Northfield Commons, stated a May/June opening is planned for a new restaurant on his most recent four-acre project at the corner of Northfield Blvd. and Central Park Blvd. Confirmed tenants include Schwab, Freddie’s Burgers and Custard, both freestanding, as well as 18,000 feet of shops including Costa Vida Mexican, Mod Pizza, Jimmy Johns, Anytime Fitness, a nail salon, a waxing salon, and ready-fit-go (healthy meal replacement). One vacancy remains on the west end facing the gazebo and will likely be a restaurant. In response to questions, Hauser stated Intersection, a breakfast/coffee restaurant next to 5 Guys Burgers and Torchy’s Tacos, will open this year. Another project north or west might contain more from this builder team. Just south of the car wash will be a swim school, unrelated to this project. Just north of the CPB/Northfield corner project will be the fire station. Land adjacent to Macy’s on the south side is being developed by a different group.

Eastbridge—King Soopers Plans to Open June 2017
Joel Starbuck, for King Soopers in Eastridge, described delays for the project (now planned to open in June 2017) are not site-specific. It is because Kroger wants to conserve cash. This store is one of four projects delayed until later in 2017 per Kroger’s request. The store will still be a King Soopers (not another product from the Kroger family). While similar in size to the Quebec store, this site will have higher ceilings, skylights, more organics and natural products. King Soopers will fulfill exterior contracts (parking lot, curb) and then resume interior design and fixtures in early 2017.

Eastbridge—King Soopers Gas Station
The gas station will start construction in December and likely open with the store. In response to a question, Starbuck stated King Soopers is considering a store north of I-70 and finds several sites interesting.

Eastbridge—Constellation Ice Cream
Constellation Ice Cream in Eastbridge is named for The Constellation, an airplane designed in the 1940s made by Lockheed Martin, an iconic symbol of aviation. A portion of this building’s construction will be an exact replica (some parts are salvaged, but some are made) of a large airplane wing with propellers. Portions of this wing will extend at 22 feet in the air, 10 feet over the right-of-way (sidewalk area, not road) on the southern side of the town center. In addition to meeting the community, part of the reason for meeting with the community was to gather input regarding the wing tip over the right-of-way. In response to the full-room consensus during the block captain meeting of this project, the SUN board voted to write a letter of support for the Constellation wing spanning the right-of-way.

Eastbridge—Evergreen Development Update
Shops in Eastbridge are in the process of finishing shells, with some retail opening January, others Feb.-April. Los Chingones should open late March/early April. Evergreen reported that rezoning of the parcel on the north side of MLK passed, and they will be closing on this land with Forest City in December. A dentist and a salon have been confirmed as tenants.

29th Ave. Town Center—New Apartments at The Mint Available Spring 2017
SUN Outreach Committee Co-chair Gloria DuBois read updates from Tom Gleason of Forest City stating apartments at The Mint would be available spring 2017 for $1,360–$3,000 a month.

Noise from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
SUN sent a letter to Commerce City saying efforts should be taken to balance the venue needs and prevent extreme disturbances in the surrounding community early 2017, before any further concerts take place.

Disturbances and complaints related to noise at DSGP have been reported throughout the Stapleton and Park Hill communities—with many impacted homes located south of I-70, 2 to 4 miles from the venue. Complaints have included: loud, clearly audible music from miles away, shaking windows, glasses rattling in cabinets, homes shaking, children awakened, earplugs and noise machines ineffective, unable to hear TV, concerts lasting after 11pm.

SUN supports actions being considered to mitigate the issue including: take decibel readings at the sound booth, not the property line; lower the maximum decibels allowed; lower the speakers and angle them downward; use physical sound barriers at the southern end of the venue; impose fines for running later than the cutoff time; staff a tip line during each event; keep parking off neighborhood streets.

Future SUN Meeting
SUN meetings, typically held the third Tuesday, 6:30-8:45pm, are cancelled for December.

In January 2017, SUN’s monthly meeting will be Tuesday Jan. 17. SUN would like to provide the community an opportunity to hear about and provide input on the central corridor in Stapleton during the outreach meeting. This discussion will cover: The Central Park Bridge (funding and projected timeline), current plans for transit-oriented development (TOD) around the Central Park Station, plans to make the area along Central Park Blvd. pedestrian-ready in advance or in tandem with these projects, and the timeline for Punchbowl/plans for the area around it.