Colorado Real Estate Journal - November 19, 2014
While the Sunnyside community resides in the shadows of its trendy neighbors, Highland and LoHi, commercial real estate development is warming up in this traditional single-family neighborhood located minutes from its glamorous cousins. The Sunnyside neighborhood is located in the 80211 ZIP code, along with Highland and parts of the Berkeley, Sloan Lake and Jefferson Park neighborhoods just northwest of downtown Denver. The community runs from 38th Street to Interstate 70 and Inca Street to Federal Boulevard. Zoned mostly for two-story buildings, Your Castle Real Estate sets average home prices at just under $300,000 for a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom home. With substantially more restaurants, retail locations and other businesses packed into the Lower Highland area, compared with businesses in Sunnyside, this up-and-coming area is underserved and ripe for development. Three new commercial properties ready for tenants are part of a joint venture of the Pottle Family and Generator Development. The Pottle Family and Paul Tamburello purchased 4051 and 4058 Tejon in December 2013 and Cobbler’s Corner at 2450 West 44th in December 2012. At 30 percent leased between the three properties, including tenants in negotiation, the three buildings have leasable space that is ideal for restaurants, small retail or business services or small businesses. Cobbler’s Corner housed Tom and Catherine Pottle’s Alcott Shoe Shop from 1929 to 1961, hence the Pottle Family’s tie to the property. Units range from 670 to 3035 sf with a total of 14,713 leasable sf available. Dedicated to honoring that same small business and neighborhood-centric history, the developers of Cobbler’s Corner are committed to finding family oriented, independently owned businesses to serve the growing community of Sunnyside. T-41 includes 4051, 4058 and 4059 Tejon, consisting of three historic buildings with a total of 12,768 sf. Ranging from 155 to 2,100 sf, the development has larger units at ground level for restaurant and retail tenants and versatile office space on upper floors. Other developers taking advantage of this growing and yet affordable neighborhood include Forty 30 Lofts, a six-unit, 10,000- sf townhome development by Rodolfo Canon and Your Castle Real Estate. Osage Place is a 13-unit townhome project at 4300 Osage, from the low $400,000s. Larimer Group recently developed Sunnyside Burger Bar, which opened this September and also owns Ernie’s Bar & Pizza. Other new businesses that have opened in Sunnyside within the last three years include Common Grounds, Sunnyside Natural Market, Sunny’s restaurant, Paxia Mexican restaurant, Lou's Foodbar, Marley Coffee, Huckleberry Roasters and Diebolt Brewing. Soon to be connected to downtown by commuter rail, the 41st Avenue Station at 41st and Fox is estimated to be open by 2016. Technically located in Globeville, at the edge of Sunnyside and Highland, the Sunnyside neighborhood will be connected by a new pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks to improve pedestrian connections between neighborhoods. Located on the Gold Line, this station will link the northwest suburbs and Old Town Arvada to downtown. As the first transit stop outside of downtown, the station area is expected to see significant growth and development because of its new connectivity to downtown and neighborhoods west of it. To accommodate expanded traffic, the plan currently includes a 500 space park-n-Ride that with potential expansion to 1,000 spaces to accommodate expected ridership growth. Additional shopping, entertainment and business services is planned for the district totaling upward of 150,000 sf.