Voice
Lone Tree 8-29-2013
Lone Tree
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 33
August 29, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlonetreenews.com
Study of RidgeGate’s east side planned Analysis to eye impacts, costs, benefits of future development By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com In anticipation of construction still estimated to be three to five years away, developers and city officials plan an infrastructure study for RidgeGate’s east side. The City of Lone Tree and the Rampart Range Metro District plan will split the estimated $80,000 cost of the east side impact study. It’s the first step toward the eventual development of the four-square-mile area east of Interstate 25 and south of Lincoln Avenue. The east side is twice as large as the west side, which rapidly is nearing buildout. “We think we might be out of land in three to five years,” said RidgeGate development manager Darryl Jones. “That’s why we’re starting to look at very preliminary concepts of what the implications of some new infrastructure would be over there.” The study should be complete by sum-
mer 2014. It will project expenditures, revenues, and net fiscal impact by property type, Lone Tree’s business development coordinator Torie Brazitis told the city council during its Aug. 20 meeting. Though RidgeGate has a master plan for the east side, Jones said initial development isn’t imminent. Plans for the east side include a dense urban center just south of Lincoln and two light rail stations — one in the urban center and the other at RidgeGate Parkway and I-25. If RidgeGate develops as planned, about 40,000 people will live there someday. The east side has seen a flurry of highprofile activity recently, with the opening of Cabela’s, construction of the Charles Schwab corporate campus, expansion of Sky Ridge Medical Center, and several housing developments. Development on the west side is about five years ahead of RidgeGate’s original estimates. Despite those current projects, development in RidgeGate is not on a fast track. “Many master-planned communities undo their vision by building too quickly,
RidgeGate’s west side, which includes the expanding Sky Ridge Medical Center, likely will be built out in three to five years. The east side, across Interstate 25, is to be the subject of an infrastructure study. Photo by Jane Reuter and changing their ‘mix’ to whatever product they can sell right away,” according to the RidgeGate website. “RidgeGate owns its land free and clear, so there is no rush to
build out. You’ll see RidgeGate evolve and grow carefully over the next 20-plus years, with a long-term commitment to walkability, livability, access, amenities and scale.”
Roadwork Wings, wheels fight cancer takes hiatus Park Meadows Drive project to resume in mid-September By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
More than 100 classic cars and 35 vintage aircraft helped raise awareness — and financial support — for the Morgan Adams Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving survival rates of children diagnosed with cancer. The annual Concours d’Elegance, held Aug. 24 in Centennial, attracted hundreds of patrons for an evening of fun and fundraising. One of the largest collections of rare vehicles and historically significant aircraft came to Centennial Airport on Aug. 24 for the Morgan Adams Foundation Concours d’Elegance, a yearly auction and fundraiser for children with cancer. More than 100 cars, 35 aircraft and a handful of rare motorcycles served as the centerpiece. The group funds pediatric cancer research and therapies. The foundation is named for the daughter of founders Steve Adams and Joan Slaughter. The 6-year-old girl died of brain cancer in 1998.
Photos by DeboRah GRiGsby
It took Acres Green resident June Ripka 15 minutes to travel less than a half-mile on Park Meadows Drive Aug. 25, a delay that finally forced her to turn around and take an alternate route, almost making her late for her Sunday shift at Kohl’s. Hundreds of Lone Tree area residents and shoppers, navigating the street narrowed and congested by construction, have similar stories. The good news is that crews reopened all four lanes between Quebec Street and Acres Green Drive on Aug. 26. The bad news: They’ll be back. “The street will be fully open and fully functional for a couple of weeks,” said Lone Tree public works director John Cotten. “It’s a little bit of a reliever for a short period of time. Then we’ll come back about the middle of September and (the contractor) will be tearing up the north-side lanes. So it’ll look much like it did before, only reversed.” The entire Park Meadows Drive project is planned for completion in late October. The work includes replacing failed concrete and installing a landscaped median. The four-lane street, flanked by popular businesses like Sam’s Club and Kohl’s, is heavily used by area residents, commuters and shoppers. Reduced to two lanes, it’s been transformed for much of the last month into a slow-moving vehicular snarl. Cotten, whose staff has been working closely with Park Meadows Drive businesses to ensure customer access, is well aware of the delays and inconveniences it’s caused. “We’re getting a lot of calls,” he said. “But honestly, most people are saying we understand why you’re doing it, it’s just a pain in the neck. “There really was no other way of doing it. Hopefully, it will be a lot better when we get done.” The $1.4 million project is jointly financed by Lone Tree and the Park Meadows Metropolitan District.
Visitors throng to the TAC Air hangar at Centennial Airport for the 2013 Morgan Adams Foundation Concours d’Elegance. Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.