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December 19, 2013
50 cents Adams County, Colorado | Volume 50, Issue 19 A publication of
northglenn-thorntonsentinel.com
A moment of Zen Arvada’s Zenzinger sworn in to state Senate By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com Mary Hodge will always be grateful for what Rachel Zenzinger did for her almost three years ago, during the most difficult time of the Brighton state senator’s life. Hodge’s son, who was her Senate aide, died at the start of the 2011 legislative session. Zenzinger stepped in and helped the grieving Hodge stay on track with her work. Now, on the heels of winning a recent Senate District 19 vacancy committee vote, Zenzinger joins Hodge as a Democratic colleague in the Senate. Zenzinger was sworn in during a Dec.
13 ceremony, following which Hodge conveyed a great deal of pride in her friend. “Rachel is special to me,” said Hodge. “She caught me up and was able to keep me current when my son died. She did this, and she deserves it.” Zenzinger, a former Arvada councilwoman, takes over the seat that was vacated following last month’s resignation of Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Westminster. Hudak was facing the threat of a recall election at the time of her resignation. Zenzinger, who once served as Hudak’s campaign manager, won a vacancy committee vote to replace Hudak earlier in the week over former state Rep. Sara Gagliardi. “This is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me,” Zenzinger said after she was sworn in by Colorado Supreme Court Zen continues on Page 12
State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, poses with members of her family and Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Bender after her swearing-in ceremony inside Senate chambers on Dec. 13. Photo by Vic Vela
WAL-MART BREAKS GROUND Garland Center redeveloping into neighborhood grocery By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com Northglenn has had the Garland Center on its radar for redevelopment for nearly 10 years. As the city’s oldest retail center, built more than 50 years ago, it was the hardest to develop because of multiply property owners, aging infrastructure and a 95 percent vacancy rate, said Debbie Tuttle, the city’s economic development manager. The city’s and the Northglenn Urban Renewal Authority’s patience paid off Friday when officials broke ground on a new WalMart Neighborhood Market. The Market will transform and revitalize the entire area, Mayor Joyce Downing said. “It will also help fulfill the needs of our residents that have been requesting a new grocery store for years,” she said. “This project will bring new jobs and shopping opportunities to our community, and increase tax revenues which support city services for our residents.” The store is expected to open in the fall and may employ up to 65 associates. The 40,000-square-foot market will offer a full grocery department, including organic and natural selections, and a pharmacy. The store will feature prepared
food options, fresh-baked breads, a self-serve deli and a bakery. “In addition to providing customers with a convenient location for affordable groceries, the store will help boost the city’s economic growth and vitality,” Joshua Phair, Wal-Mart public affairs director said. The site was vacant agricultural through the 1950s until 1962 when a 15,000-square-foot Safeway and a 10,000-square-foot Duckwall’s variety store opened, according to Tuttle. “Over the last five decades businesses have come and gone as Northglenn grew from a planned community of 1,000 homes into a municipality of 35,000 residents,” she said. “Tenants included various retail stores, dry cleaning and laundry facilities, food and liquor stores and restaurants. Tugs Bar and Grill became a bit of a Northglenn landmark over the years.” NURA Chair Rosie Garner said the project represents how urban renewal tools can be used to assist in redevelopment and revitalization of communities. “I think it’s wonderful that NURA, the city and Wal-Mart were able to come together to make this project happen,” she said. “This is a perfect marriage in terms of what Wal-Mart was looking for in a location and what the city was looking for in redeveloping the Garland Center.”
Rendering of the new Walmart Neighborhood Market that is being built where the former Garland Center used to be. Courtesy photo
‘It will also help fulfill the needs of our residents that have been requesting a new grocery store for years.’ Mayor Joyce Downing
POSTAL ADDRESS
The city of Northglenn has been working to redevelop the Garland Center, the oldest retail center in the city, for nearly 10 years. Officials broke ground on Friday for the new Walmart Neighborhood Market. Courtesy photo
NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL
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