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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 - Business Plan News ArticlesBUSINESS PLAN NEWS ARTICLES ..,,.., -x ._..~..~ ~~ E the people Stocks & Finance Health weather Search The Web r-- :~~~ Web Directory Yellow Pages White Pages Mee[ Someone My PagE Gty Gwde Lottery Results Weather TV listings Movie listings Maps/Directions Travel Info Horoscope Greeting Cards ~ II~ Contact Us About Us How to Advertise Take Hill biz plan seriously Bush a totalitarian? ~ Coniact Us Archive Search: `<gear~tt : ~`'....,.. ., {?pjjdj{l~j~ Take Hill biz plan seriously The University Hill Business Plan released by Ross Consulting Group earlier this week and now being reviewed by the University Hill General Improvemen[ District board and the Hill Alliance ought to be the kind of document [hat gives all the players on the Hill - busi~esses, landlords, renters, students, city officials - pause to consider how truly at risk the district is and ample incentive to compromises in order [o revi[alize it. Somehow, we sense [hat won't quite be the effect of the dowment. At any rate, those who haven't seen [he dceument should - iPs as dispassioaate and pointed an overview of what ails the Hill as anyone could have hoped for, pointing out, for example: the Hill's lack of tenan[ diversity; [he high turnover of businesses; the high number of absentee landowners (who don't make needed capital improvements); poor pazking; restrictive zoning that creates a financial disincentive [o redevelop; too many take-out restaurants (see restrictive zoning above) and not enough general retail (creating a perception that only cheapy student-oriented establishments flourish on the Hill) and a tenant mix that is self-limiting and loath to take creative risks to develop business. Somebody say Amen. Now everybody get to work. Reports like this often have limited utility, unfortunately. Ciry leadets view them as environmental scans, but don't actually commit resources or time to really make their recommendations into realities. Small business people, who by their very nature are not fond of outside advice (or else they would be big business people) often lack the capital to do much beyond what they're doing, which in this case, is simply trying to stay open. Student Hill residents are transitory and immersed in college ]ife, while permanent Hill residents are obsessed with stopping the flow of alcohol anywhere near the Hill . ..g., . ... .. http://www.coloradodailv.com/articles/2004/ 10/Ol /oninion/oninionOl .txt 10/1 /20(14 ~,,.., ~..., ..u. , LETTERS: Get your old and ensuring those same students are as quiet as mice at all actresses right tiIDes. Absentee landlords are notoriously hard to track down and crack down upon. And on and on. And yet, something must be done. Surprisingly, there does exist a great deal of agreement about the need for the Hill to reflect greater diversity of establishmen[s, for better parking, for nice restaurants serving all the community and more retail. Not surprisingly differing factions have their own ideas about how to accomplish those goals. And some don't seem to understand their own demands prevent the Hill from moving forward. Take the University Hill Neighborhood Association for example. In an odd way, the Hill Neighbors, who recently presented to City Manager Frank Bruno a letter with eight recommendations for enforcing existing zoning and beverage licensing regulations (along with a couple of suggested rules of their own), are on the right track. If the city would enforce, with some foresight and foRitude, the codes and regula[ions that govem hill life - from the overcrowding of dwellings to building maintenance to liquor establishment approval guidelines - some semblance of order could be established and with it, new expectations for redevelopment. We don't agree with everything in the Neighbors' letter (such as a ridiculous proposal requiring establishments serving liquor to demonstrate that the neighborhood they're operating in can absorb the "influx of persons they hope and expect to draw from the area outside the neighborhood"), but the general principle of forcing the city to be mindful and deliberate in the way it enforces all kinds of regulations on the Hill is a good place to begin creating a safer, cleaner Hill that could become ripe for inves[ment. Atrevido is exactly the kind of restaurant the Neighbors should embrace and suppor[. The point should not be to ban all alcohol from the Hill, as the neighbors want, but to have the right kind of establishments on the Hili: a themed, stylish restaurant (with, presumably, higher priced food and drinks) isn't the same thing as a beer hall or a cheap cocktail joint. The Neighbors, in their zeal to stop alcohol, have never been able to see this distinc[ion. The Ross Consulting Group report is a call for the city, businesses and all Hill players to redouble their efforts to think outside the box and act with new urgency. The report identifies whaT the problems to development are and outlines the challenges for revitalizing the Hill quite well. . ..~,., ~ ., htM~//wwwcnl~r~dndailv.r.nml~rtirlec/2~~4/1(1/(11/nnini~n/~nini~n(11 txt ln/1/2(104 ~...... ~. aa) What it can't do is get people to start working rogether to inject innovation into the Hill, which for too long has been plagued by unimaginative cheap-eats joints, low concept retail and exploitive landlords interested only in profits and not in qualiry of life or the pulse of the community. It's time to end these pattems. The Hill's very lifeblood - wha['s left of it - depends on it. E-mail this story Back to Index Printer Friendly Version . ..b.. .. .. .. httn://www.c~lor~dodailv.com/articlec/2004/10/O1 /onini~n/oninionOl .txt 10/1/2004 Groups give feedback at Hill meeting Parl~ng, need for consensus among major concerns By Alida Wallace Camera Burirau Wrrttr Univetsity Hill neighbors, business owners and city offi- cials met Monday to discuss a S49,000 study that said the re~ tail district needs some major changes to be vital. About 40 people attended the public meeting at Grace Lutheran Church, 1001 13th St, where the topic at hand was the Ross Consulting Group's economic assessment of the Hill business area Tom Woolten, the group's managing director, said rede velopment needs to occur in order to catalyze positive changeforthe azea "It starts putting a sign out saying, 'We're open for busi- ness; " he said. '!he long-term plans could include centralized pazldng, more office and residential space, and zoning changes. Wootten said change can also occur on a smaller scale, with the renovaflon of a single busi- ness or alley. Some residents said the plazi s scope is too wide. Terry Rogers, who has lived in Boul- der for neazly 30 yeazs> said the $49,OOO~could have been better spent repairing curbs, filling potholes and removing graffiti. 'These things are so far down the road. They azen't that usefiil." Rogers said. '°ll~e needs for the Hill commercial district are so acute." Others said the'u underly- ing concem was parking. Resi- dent Steven Walsh said the 250,OOasquaze-foot azea could not handle the traffic if it drew patrons from far away. But Wootten said the Hill's history and unique climate is meant to attract people from outside of Boulder. 'The University Hill com- mercial district is a regional draw, because of the number of people who have been here Please see RESIDENTS on 3A FROM PAGE IA F~s~den~s, owners give input on Hill ~~~ ~ the Rose report gave her com- "I really think that another plete within the next couple of panY the ideas and hope that step to take is for all of us to weeks, said Molly Winter, as students," he said "You redeveloping Tulagi would come together and really de goulder's director of pazking may not want it to be a region- help start the I-t]] an its pro- cide what we want from the al draw, but rt doesn't change whatitis:" Karen Abram~Hazbour, a Partner in Dazedevil LI.C, said cess to rejuvenation. She said the Plarming Board's rejection of her group's proposall$urs- day showed that the need for consensus is at its peak, Hill," she said. ~~~5• The ciry is currenUy in the process of conducting a pazk- ing utilization study of the Hill, which is espected to be com- Contact Camera Business A'riterAlicia Wallace at (303) 473-1332 or wal[acea~d¢ilycamera, com. Study looks at ways to improve economic vitality of The Hill ~~ by Jill Jamiesori-Nicliols The group responsible [or maintaining Boulder's University Hill has started gath- ering feedback on a proposed business plan that calls for embracing multiple uses, pro- viding centralized parking and encouraging land assemblages to invigorate development. Completed by Ross Consulting Group, the draft plan is designed to guide discussions between the city, property own- ets and other University Hill stakeholders as they consider possible changes to improve The HiLI's vitality, including potential zoning modifications. The district spans a three-block area on the east side of Broadway from 14th Street to University Avenue. With developers across the country looking for opportuni- ties to create New Urbanist com- munifies with main street envi- ronments, "Here is a main street that exists, that's sandwiched between one of the best public universifies in the country and a really terrific residential and his- toric neighborhood;' said Tom Wootten of Ross Consulting Group. °It really has all of the potential lhat is needed to creale an enor- mously successful and vibrant mixed-use district" Ros,c Cansulting noted in its reyort that, while 1'he Hill has strong retail fundamentals, it experiences high turnover because of cheap rents, outdated buildings and the fact that it caters to start-up bttsinesses. Absentee landowners have grown accustomed to collecting rent without significant tenant and capital 'unprovements, Ross said, adding parking is severely lacking. In addiHon, current zon- ing creates a strong disincenHves for redevelopment. The consultant outlined a number of options fox alleviating the "development gridlock" and allowing The Hill "to evolve into a broader mmmunify center;' but said more study by a plan- ning/architecture fnm would need to be dane to detemune whether the various opfions should be considered. The draft business plan recom- mends: • Embracing multiple uses through redevelopment. Residenfial and business uses am more peripheral ro the wm- mercial district "and should be embraced more cenhally and in a mixed-use maiulet" • Introdu~ing public space to provide a dvic focal point. • Implementing part-time clo- sure of 13th Street, for example, after 6 p.m oc on weekends, to encourage pedestrian activities. • Providing centralized park- ing such as a"visible and acces- sible" parking shucture. However, Ross said centralized pazking needs to be integ~ated with a larger redevetopment effort. • Exploring creaHon of a his- toric district in the 13th Street rnre area. • InsHtuting microzones to reo- ognize and encourage the char- acters of different areas. For example, the area from College Avemie to Pennsylvania Street could be zoned for higher-densi- ty uses to accommodate build- ings with cesidenfial and office uses on the upper floors ancl ground-flwc retail. In its execufive summary, Ross said one of the options for achieving goals for The Hill might include looking at chang- ing or broadening zoning to allow for larger buildings, increased density and lazger Floor plates. • Instituting transferable development rights ro encour- age denser development in some areas while protecting historic structures. • Encouraging larger land assemblages to introduce new or different development mnmpts. `It's quite possible that, for various reasons, not all of those will be pursued;' said Wootten. For example, creating a historic distcict is something "that I know the pcoperty ownexs are fearful of and should not be taken lightly by anyone," he said, adding it deserves serious discussion nonetheless. The draft plan was presented at a recent pubHc meeting and is being distributed to various community groups. It aiso will be discussed with individual property owners to gain feed- back before being rnnsidered (or adoption by UI IGID. "I would say in general the feedback has been quite posi- tive;' said Wootten, adding there are reservaHons on the part of property owners that may have less to do with the plan than with the nalvre of The Hill itself. "I thiiik there s a fair amaunt of apprehension about drawing more people to The Hill;' he said, explaining traffic, parking and alcohol abuse all are issues. Yetpeo ple 6ave fond memories of the area, so, "There ends up being a very strong regional draw back to the aeea because of what it was and what it is." Ross has recommended a tand planner be retained to prioritize areas for small pazks or dvic spaces and determine the appro- priatenes5 of identified amas for higher density and higher build- ing heiQhts. It also recommends an arcfutect visualize impacts from higher-density develop- ment, and that a historic preser- vaHon expert advise the dty and property owners on the benefits and risks of a historic distrid. Other rernmmended out- mmes include engaging the dty planning and zoning deparh ment in discussions about poten- tial modifications and'uritiating a marketing plan for The Hill. Other News ^ A Lafayette-based nonprofit puxchased an industrial building in Lafayette that it will use as a repair shop for buses it uses in its ministry. International Family Missions paid $1.5 million for the approximately 24,000- square-foot building at 1901 S. 120th St in Lafayette. The build- ing sits on s~ acres, giving the organization ample room for parking. Improvements to the parking area and other upgrades are planned, said Coldwell Banker Commercial broker Jon Bopp. Dionysian Inc. sold the build- inb+, which was built in 1974. Bopp handled both sides oE the transacfion. ^ Stretecom, a marketing firm, signed a five-year lease for 10,000 sf of offica spam at 1354 Fot~est Park Circ;e in Lafayette_ The company plans to relocate from 30W Centec Green Drive in Boulder, said broker Becky Callan Gamble of Dean Callan & Co. The La[ayette building is owned by a lunited liability com- pany controlled by Don Unkefer. Callan Gamble represented the landlord with Hunter Barto, also of Dean Callan & Co. loe Heath of frederick Ross Co. represented the tenant. ^ Experian reaewed its lease for 10,000 sf at 370 Interlaken Crescent in Broomfield. The teim oE the lease with Primewest Development is three years. Eric Brynestad and Ken Gooden of The Staubach Co. represented the tenant The land- locd was represented by Trammell Crow Co. brokers Chris Phenicie and David Hart. ^TransFirst, a *rTnsacHonpro- cessing mmpany, completed its relocafion to 74,000 sf at 371 Centennial Parkway in i,ouis- ville. The company was subleasing approximately 32,000 sf Erom DoubleClick Inc. at Superior Pointe in Superior, and needing to expand, subleased the Eormer DoubleClick space in Louisvile_ "It was a very short time frame. We had a very com- pressed schedule;' said project manager Kevin Smith of Creative Projed Solutions, which specializes in corporate real estate expansions and :elo- cations. The telocation was mm- pleted within approximately 45 days. ^ Instant Imprints, a screen- printing business, leased 2,000 sf at 305 McCaslin Blvd. in Louisville, bringing the 10,000-sf building to hill occupancy The lease is for five years. Becky Callan Gamble and Hunter Barto of Dean Callan & Co. represenMd the landlord, PBP Enterprises LLLP. Mike_ Brown of Re/Max represented the tenant. ^ Amante, a mflee whole- saler, will open its first retail loca- tion at Uptown Broadway, a mired-use development under mnstmcrion at 4500 N. Broadway in Boulder. The mmpany signed a five- yeaz lease for 1,700 sf of space. The shop will offer mffee, espresso drinks, Italian sodas and other refreshments. Becky Callan Gamble of Dean Callan & Co., which is developing Uptown Broadway in partnership with Loftus Developments, handled the transaction.•