LITTLETON 12/20/12
December 20, 2012
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 123, Issue 48
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlittletonnews.com
Project’s height raising concern Planned five-story apartment building wouldn’t fit, some say By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com
Hundreds of thousands of lights decorate Hudson Gardens’ thirty-acre site for “A Hudson Christmas.” Photos by Courtney Kuhlen
Four-year-old Lola checks out a Christmas tree made entirely out of lights and ornaments during “A Hudson Christmas.”
Members of The Choralary sing carols Dec. 15 at Hudson Gardens.
Starry nights, twinkling lights Holidays shine at Hudson Gardens By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe@ourcoloradonews.com Bring mittens, hat and scarf. It won’t be a “one-horse open sleigh,” but there is the option of a ride in a horse-drawn carriage through part of Hudson Gardens’ brightly lit 30 acres for “A Hudson Christmas.” The remainder of the property can be visited on foot as one looks up at the special
IF YOU GO Hudson Gardens is located at 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. It is a half-mile south of Bowles Ave. and three miles north of C-470, on the west side of Santa Fe Drive, across from Arapahoe Community College’s south entrance, where there is a traffic light. Plenty of free parking. Tickets cost $9/adults, $7/members, $6/children ages 4-12, under 3 free. They may be purchased in advance at tickethorse.com or at the door. “Aurora Borealis” effect in the tall cottonwoods, or straight ahead to lighted shrubbery and smaller trees. And then, there are dazzling fountains, which offer a different effect as they play with the lights.
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How did they do that? Hudson Gardens’ executive director Rich Meredith said that Swingle Tree and Landscape Co., which maintains many area properties through the warm months, considers holiday lighting a large portion of its business. They illuminate Denver Botanic Gardens and its Chatfield branch, as well as the town of Parker, he said — and now Hudson Gardens and Event Center. The display will be open nightly from 5:30-8:30 p.m. through Jan. 1, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, with the last tickets sold at 8 p.m. If one walks the entire path, it’s about a half-mile, or one can head toward the barn in the northwest corner and find a horse and wagon for $6 per person to traverse part of the grounds. Paths are firm enough for strollers and wheelchairs. On some evenings, choral groups will perform on a stage in front of the Hudson Residence, Meredith said, but scheduling is a work in progress. Call for information, 303-797-8565 x 324. Hot cocoa and wassail will be available at a couple of locations.
To say people who live in the Sterne Park neighborhood are perturbed would be putting it extremely mildly. About 50 of them gathered at Bemis Library Dec. 13 to hear about a five-story apartment building proposed to replace the old sheriff’s building at Littleton Boulevard and Bemis Street, across the street from the Littleton Municipal Courthouse. They lobbed questions and criticisms at Andy Clay of Alliance Residential Co., whose patience seemed to wear thin as the two-hour meeting progressed. Although traffic, height, safety, views, stranger danger and stress on infrastructure were all discussed, the gist of the argument was succinctly put by Fran Pierson: “This is Capitol Hill, this is not Littleton.” Clay said adjustments could be made to the architecture as the plan progresses toward final approval by city council, but stopped short of saying it could be smaller. A rezoning request is calling for 325 rental units, a parking garage, swimming pool and a new traffic light at Bemis and Littleton Boulevard. Two-bedroom apartments are planned to rent for $1,800 a month. Not everyone hated the architecture, but nobody liked the size. “It looks architecturally attractive,” said Lori Schulz. “However, it doesn’t fit our community.” Jean Gallagher meant “fit” in a more literal sense. “Why would you put the biggest building like that in the smallest part of Littleton?” she wondered. Clay pointed out that the current owner could, under present zoning, build something much taller with both retail and residential units. His planned building won’t be taller than the courthouse across the street. Neighbors are worried it will bring 600 or more additional cars to the area, already burdened by light-rail riders parking on side streets. Many, they fear, will cut through the neighborhood to the south to rather than wait at a stoplight to go north. “You can’t fit two full-size vehicles on Bemis now without scraping mirrors,” said Susan Burgstiner. Some residents urged Clay to save the original portion of the current building, noting it’s on the city’s List of Merit. Such designation means it’s considered worthy of preservation but doesn’t require approval for any alterations. Clay said if the $60 million project is approved, work will begin in August or September 2013 and take about 22 months to complete. Because it’s a rezoning, the plan will face public hearings in front of both the planning board and city council. Those have not been scheduled. A group of residents concerned about the project has started to organize. For information, call Burgstiner at 303-7979507.