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September 19, 2014 VOLU M E 9 4 | I S S UE 30 | 7 5 ¢
EnglewoodHerald.net A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Tax credits may bring apartments Affordable units for seniors could go on Masonic site By Tom Munds
tmunds @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Androcles gently removes the thorn from the lion’s paw during the Sept. 11 Theater in the Park presentation. Weather made it necessary to move the production indoors to the Englewood Middle School Auditorium. Photos by Tom Munds
All paws applaud ‘Androcles’ show Walls echo with laughter, cheers of more than 400 youths By Tom Munds
tmunds@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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Judging from the facial expressions, particularly the smiles, it appeared students attending the Sept. 11 performance of “Androcles and the Lion” enjoyed the play. Students’ enthusiasm and excitement weren’t dampened by the fact that rainy weather forced the Theater in the Park event to move to the Englewood Middle School auditorium. Students from Englewood elementary schools and a couple private schools arrived by bus, filed in and took seats as assigned by the organizers. The hum of more than 400 young voices filled the air until it was time for the performance to begin. The noise level seemed to increase as the audience got anxious while waiting for the play to start. So, two or three times, teachers organized impromptu short activities that included standing up,
clapping hands and swinging arms over their heads. When it was show time, the children got quiet as Hillary Davis, children’s librarian, introduced the program and turned the microphone over to a member of the theater group who introduced the characters. As each performer came on stage to greet the audience, the narrator told a little about the character the individual was portraying. There was the slave Androcles and, of course, the lion. There also the Androcles’ evil mistress, the Roman soldier and the girl he wished to wed, who was being looked after by the evil mistress. The excitement rose when Paul Noel Florihal, who played the lion, was introduced and then told the members of the audience they could join him growling and roaring. Joseph McCrory’s face and reactions indicated he was really focused on the play. “I liked it a lot,” the Clayton fourth-grader said after the performance. “I liked the fact there was a lot of funny sarcasm used. I liked being able to take part and I growled really loudly with the lion.” Androcles continues on Page 23
ENGLEWOOD HERALD
(ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 176-680) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Englewood Herald is published weekly on Friday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT Littleton, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Clayton Elementary School fourth-graders Daniel Chandler, left, and Joseph McCrory try to give directions to the actors performing “Androcles and the Lion.” Chandler and McCrory were among about 400 students who attended the Sept. 11 performance.
Englewood City Council voted 4-3 in a Sept. 8 study session to give consensus approval to a developer’s request for tax credits for the project that would demolish the old Masonic Temple and replace it with a 179-unit affordable housing project for seniors. Councilmember Jill Wilson said this is the third affordable housing project proposed for the city, and because there are three affordable housing complexes for seniors in the area, she would oppose the request. Mayor Randy Penn didn’t agree. He said he felt it would be a great location for affordable housing for seniors because it is near shopping and medical facilities. He added that recent reports indicate Englewood doesn’t have enough affordable housing. Because it was a study session, no official vote could be taken. However, a consensus of the majority of council members would provide the OK to write a letter to the authority supporting the apartment project. The mayor polled each member of the council, asking for his or her support or opposition to the project. Penn, Mayor Pro Tem Linda Olson and Councilmembers Joe Jefferson and Bob McCaslin supported the project. Councilmembers Wilson, Rick Gillit and Steve Yates stated their opposition. The proposal came to the city council because the developer seeks affordable housing tax credits from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. As with any tax credit request, the authority asks for comments from the local government on the proposal. Alan White, community development director, said the proposed project would be built on the long-vacant location at 3500 S. Sherman St. He said this proposal seeks a different type of tax credits than the two other affordable housing projects applying for tax credits from the authority: the Foundry proposed on the General Iron site and the Broadway Lofts being proposed for the 3400 block of South Acoma Street. “This project is being proposed by a Seattle developer,” White said. “The Englewood Housing Authority has indicated its willingness to partner with the developer for this project.” He said the property has been vacant for more than 10 years. In that time, several proposals have been made but none has gone forward. The proposal is to tear down the old Masonic Temple to clear the 2.5 acre site. The artist renderings for the project show a modern-style apartment building on the location. The building would be four stories high and the proposal is that all parking would be in an underground lot on site. The 179 units in the project would be reserved for senior citizens making 60 percent of the area median income. The report on the project states 60 percent of median income for an individual is $30,180 a year and 60 percent of AMI for a two-person household is $34,480. The community development report to the council noted there are 746 rentassisted units among the 14,967 rental units in Englewood. Not all the affordable housing units are set aside for seniors.