Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel 120612

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Northglenn Thornton

Sentinel

December 6, 2012

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A Colorado Community Media Publication

ournorthglennnews.com, ourthorntonnews.com

Adams County, Colorado • Volume 49, Issue 17

ICY SMOOTH

City of Thornton employee Nathan Trujillo smooths out a 4,000-square-foot ice rink, which will be open for visitors during 10th annual Winterfest. The event runs from Friday through Sunday at 108th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Photo by Andy Carpenean

Famed Brittany Hill site to reopen Golden-based event company Crystal Rose acquires 12-year lease By Darin Moriki

dmoriki@ourcoloradonews.com Jay Byerly knew he had found a diamond in the rough when he first walked through the doors of Brittany Hill about five years ago. Certain parts of the landmark hilltop restaurant at 9350 Grant St. in Thornton had fallen into disrepair following its closure in 2007. But Byerly, the owner of Golden-based event-planning company Crystal Rose, knew there was something still left in the place. “I can’t think of any other venue in the Denver metro area that has a 360-degree view of the city lights,” Byerly said as he walked through the main ballroom of the sprawling 17,241-square-foot restaurant. “The sunsets, in particular, are absolutely amazing.” After several years of eyeing the property, Byerly and his company are attempting to bring the property back to its former

Golden-based Crystal Rose franchise is sprucing up the former Brittany Hill in Thornton. The owners plan to have the place available by the beginning of 2013 for weddings and receptions. Photo by Andy Carpenean prominence as an event venue known for its brunches. Anaheim, Calif.-based Specialty Restaurants Corporation acquired the property for $2 million after the restaurant’s closure, according to Adams County assessment records. Byerly said Crystal Rose’s 12-year lease with the company officially began Nov. 15. He said he has kept an eye on the prop-

erty for several years, but said his company had no specific intentions to expand its reach to a sixth Front Range location. He said Brittany Hill presents an opportunity for Crystal Rose to host larger events, accommodating up to 600 people. He noted that other company venues in Golden, Denver, Highlands Ranch and Colorado Springs could only host up to 400 people. “We want to make sure that our cus-

tomers have the best experience possible when they have a party, celebration or wedding,” Byerly said. “Brittany Hill will offer the very best from start to finish.” This is not the first time a vendor has tried to resurrect the restaurant. The first attempt was made three years ago by Aurora couple JoeAnn and John Falco, who began negotiations with Specialty Restaurants Corporation to lease the property and reopen the restaurant as the Brittany Hill Event Center. Following several years of litigation and costly renovations to the property, Specialty Restaurants Corporation regained control of the property earlier this year. Byerly said he plans to follow through with his promise to reopen, adding that Crystal Rose’s 25-year history of planning events ranging from bar mitzvahs to weddings gives the company an upper hand. He said there are still a number of repairs to be done on the restaurant’s interior rooms, but Crystal Rose is now accepting event reservations on its website for dates beginning the first week of January 2013. He said Crystal Rose is also aiming to officially reopen Brittany Hill for brunch beginning at the same time.

Fitness center could replace Karl’s Farm Dairy Proposed city ordinance sets stage for development at landmark site By Darin Moriki dmoriki@ourcoloradonews.com A fitness center may soon be a tenant at the Northglenn site that housed the former Karl’s Farm Dairy Country Store. City Council paved the way for future development on the land-

mark 2.170-acre site, 1741 E. 120th Ave., after unanimously approving first reading of an ordinance Nov. 26 to amend the property’s current commercial zoning uses. The second reading of the ordinance will be during council’s Monday, Dec. 10, meeting at 7 p.m. City Council chambers, 11701 Community Center Drive.

City Planning and Development Director Brook Svoboda said the zoning changes are needed to attract more prospective tenants to the site by increasing the types of acceptable uses for the site. He said the current plannedunit-development standards were approved in 2000, prior to the construction of the dairy store.

POSTAL ADDRESS

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Since the dairy store’s closure in June, Svoboda said, the narrow set of permitted property uses has made it difficult for the city to attract prospective businesses. Permitted uses include farmanimal display and the sale of dairy products, groceries and dry goods, cigarettes, propane and kerosene, and ice cream. Although no solid plans are currently in place, planning documents outline a proposal from Overland Park, Kan.-based TITLE Boxing Club to lease the 6,000-square-foot site as a fitness center, including a 256-squarefoot boxing ring and 1,288 square feet of punching-bag-stand space. The fitness company has estimated the proposed facility will accommodate 54 exercisers and six employees at any given time. Daneen Rucki, the former

Karl’s Farm Dairy Country Store vice president, said two fitness clubs have approached the family so far and expressed an interest in leasing the property. “We are very anxious to get this space leased out,” Rucki said during a Nov. 20 Planning Commission meeting. “What we thought would be a fairly straightforward process in getting a new tenant in here has become more and more complicated. I think we have been a great neighbor for Northglenn, and I think this is a good move.” The proposed zoning amendments would also allow the use of one church on the site at any given time. This move would allow Calvary Community Baptist Church to continue leasing a building on the west side of the property without having to renew its specialuse permit each year.


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