Greenways at Stapleton, a 108-unit apartment complex for people age 55+, opened Dec. 4 after several months of construction delays. Located along Martin Luther King Blvd. across from the tower, Greenways is drawing residents from out-of-state as well as nearby neighborhoods.

Eileen and Arnold Young enjoy the views to the north and east from their new apartment. The Youngs were the first residents to move in at the Greenways.

“I get at least one inquiry a week from someone wanting to move to Stapleton to be close to their kids and grandkids,” said developer Charlie Johnson of WC Johnson, LLC.
Units range from 560 to 1,200 square feet and rent for $850 to $1,800 per month. One- and two-bedroom units are available. Amenities include full kitchens, in-unit washers and dryers, an exercise facility and a café. Twenty-five apartments are rented so far and new applications are coming in every week, according to Jerry Wilmer, the community manager. Greenways is the first market-rate, age-restricted complex in Stapleton.

Jerry Wilmer demonstrates some of the equipment in the building’s exercise facility.

Arnold Young, 80, and wife, Eileen Young, 81, were the first residents of Greenways, moving in the first week of December. They moved from Lawrenceville, N.J., to be near their middle daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters, ages 8 and 11, in Stapleton. “We had thought we’d buy a condo but the idea of maintaining it was unappealing,” said Arnold Young, a retired ophthalmologist. “Also everything we looked at was far away from the family. Here we’re just three blocks away.”
Young said they appreciate the proximity of shopping and restaurants, as well as the trails for bikes. “I was an avid cyclist in New Jersey and I look forward to getting out when the weather warms up. This is a friendly place for bicycles.”
The complex, slated to open in the summer of 2014, faced months of construction delays. “I thought we’d have it built by last June,” said John Thode of Horizon, builders of the complex. “Delays were caused by Denver’s busy construction market. It just wasn’t possible to get the labor needed to meet our original target date.”
Wilmer said the delay caused a few people to drop their pre-leases and move elsewhere. “A few people had sold their houses and had to move right away. But for the most part, we retained just about everybody.”

Community Manager Jerry Wilmer stands in the community room at the Greenways at Stapleton, a complex for people 55 and older.

When the construction was nearing completion, builders and managers held an informational meeting for prospective residents to ask questions and see a slideshow of the floor plans and finished areas.
J.P. Young of Park Hill was gathering information about Greenways for his 90-year-old mother-in-law in Colorado Springs. “We’d like her to move closer so this is the perfect opportunity,” he said. “She’s been in her home for 30 years, so it’s a bit hard for her. But Stapleton is attractive and this is a good transition.”
Thode answered questions about accessibility features, security and fire safety.
He said three units in the building are fully handicap accessible, with roll-in showers, lower countertops, grab bars installed at the toilets and other features.
“All 108 units in the building have to meet Fair Housing standards for accessibility,” Thode continued. “The requirements cause all units to have larger bathrooms, wider doorways and larger kitchens than in the past. Most of their guidelines address access to bathroom facilities and kitchen appliances. Also 100 percent of building common areas must be accessible.”
Security systems include key fob access, one public entrance with a buzz-in, and remote-only garage doors. Sprinkler heads and smoke detectors are installed throughout.
A woman expressed concern about fitting the possessions from her 3,000-square-foot house into her new 1,060-square-foot apartment. “I’m a knitter with cabinets full of yarn,” she said. Presenters advised her to rent underground storage available as an option (an additional $55–$65 per month).
Wilmer said he plans to offer group activities based on residents’ interests. “We’ll offer classes in cooking and writing, whatever they want. We’ll have discussion groups on various topics and a book club. We’ll have outings and bus tours to places like Coors Brewery and the like. We want our residents to keep active, keep their minds active and interested. Many are already quite physically active, including skiers, bicyclists and joggers.”
David Davis moved into Greenways from Detroit, Mich., to be near his grandchildren. “My son and daughter-in-law have lived in Stapleton for about four years and have two children, the youngest 2 months old,” he said. “It’s about 12 minutes from the new apartment to their house by bike, so it’s very convenient. I like Stapleton because it’s so walkable and bikeable.”
A memory care/assisted living facility under separate ownership is planned for construction across the street. Groundbreaking for that facility is planned for this summer.
Greenways is located at 8133 E. 29th Place. For more information, visit www.greenways-stapleton.com or call 303.388.1670.