We have come upon more people experiencing homelessness in the Havana District lately. Many people have come to Colorado for one reason or another and have found themselves homeless, out of funds, and really wanting to just go home. Aurora has recently taken some major steps in attempting to help people experiencing homelessness. Aurora’s Flexible
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Construction is moving right along at the new affordable housing development, Village at Westerly Creek, on S. Ironton St between Exposition Ave and Kentucky Ave. Building foundations are in the ground and the walls are going up. Read the Denver Post article.
Aurora Warms the Night (AWTN) provides motel vouchers for people experiencing homelessness during cold weather. AWTN is currently housing 200+ people in three area motels since Wednesday, December 19, as part of their cold weather activation plan. The cold weather is not going to let up soon and these people need food. AWTN is afraid they will run
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Drop off your Christmas tree anytime from Dec. 26, 2017 to Jan. 9, 2018 for recycling at the following locations: Del Mar Park, East Sixth Avenue and Peoria Street (west parking lot) Olympic Park, 15501 E. Yale Ave. (east of Chambers Road) Saddle Rock Golf Course, 21705 E. Arapahoe Road Read more details!
Two cartloads of a homeless person’s belongings were the first things people driving northbound on Havana saw after crossing the Denver/Aurora Border at Dartmouth on Friday, October 20, sitting in front of the “Aurora–An All American City” sign. The Havana BID staff is out daily watching for people on the street who might need a little assistance
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The Holidays are upon us again and it is time to get educated about counterfeit bills so you don’t get burned and end up with fake, worthless bills. Did you know that there is an estimated $147 million in fake bills circulating in the country today? The Federal Government has made some changes to bills
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English Teacup has found a new location at 2271 S Peoria (NW corner of Iliff and Peoria), an end unit next door to a frozen yogurt shop. The English Teacup’s lease was not renewed at the 1930 S Havana location, requiring them to relocate. With the retail vacancy rate in the Havana District currently only 2.5%,
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In preparation for our annual stakeholders’ meeting, we do a retail vacancy report every October. This year, retail vacancy is sitting at an all time low at 2.5%. The Kimco Village on the Park property was not included in the report again this year since it is pending demolition and the spaces are not being
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COLORADO RAPIDS YOUTH SOCCER PROUDLY ANNOUNCES THE GRAND OPENING OF THEIR NEW INDOOR SOCCER FACILITY “THE EDDY” AT 1ST AND HAVANA THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 Join us as we officially open The Eddy this Sunday, October 15th! Festivities will begin at 1pm and will continue through 4pm. Have your kids bring their cleats and
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Guest Article from Finn Ruehrdanz, Manager of the Colorado Rapids Indoor Facility. (Pictured: The black rubber cushioning beads are being worked into the turf at the new indoor facility.) Rapids Youth Soccer is excited to offer brand new indoor leagues and training programs for soccer players of all ages starting in mid-November. Whether you crave
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The Fairways at Lowry apartment complex located at 9913 E 1st Avenue, just north of the Commonground Golf Course sold recently for $47.5 million. This complex features updated apartments, a major pool renovation, expanded fitness center, and a newly renovated clubhouse. Fairways is close to the Fan Fare redevelopment site in Havana North. In August
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The Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Indoor Facility is scheduled to open in late September at 1st & Havana. What is “Futsal?” Here is the explanation according to the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer website: Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced small-sided soccer game that is widely played across the world. The nature of the game places a
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Read about all of the events and happenings On Havana Street in the September Newsletter. Sept 2017 E Newsletter
It’s International Week here in Aurora! The International Business Community came together at lunch to discuss economic and trade opportunities between El Salvador and Aurora. As you know, the El Salvador Consulate opened 3 months ago in the 1450 S Havana Office Tower. Congressman Mike Coffman spoke to the group. Pictured below are (in red)
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The buildings are beginning to come out of the ground at the new affordable housing development, Village at Westerly Creek. Village at Westerly Creek is located just north of Kentucky Ave along Ironton St. Phase III calls for eight residential buildings and one maintenance building. The site is 5.4 acres. New townhomes and stacked flats
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9News Coverage of the Tyler Family Subaru Story: http://www.9news.com/life/heartwarming/community-rallies-after-car-is-stolen-from-family-with-sick-kid/459566523 It was quite the remarkable transformation of the Tyler Family’s Subaru! We did not get a picture of the trashed out vehicle in the impound lot last Friday, but, honestly, it was hard to tell that it is the same vehicle. The new wheels and tires from
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On Monday, July 24, Aurora City Council unanimously approved the rezoning of the Fan Fare site to mixed use and approved a key component of the financing package, the 3rd & Havana Metro District, for the new mixed-use development on that site to be called “Argenta.” Argenta will likely include for-sale townhomes, market-rate apartments, retail,
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Thank you Aurora Police, Shortline Subaru, The Used Tire Store, M&M Towing and Western Centers for helping The Tyler Family out in their time of need. The Tyler Family was staying at Springhill Suites on Colfax while their 11 year old daughter was receiving chemotherapy for leukemia when their car was stolen from the parking lot at
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Darryl Ryan, the GM of Havana Auto Parts, retired on July 21 after 25 years with the company. Darryl served as a Director of the Havana Business Improvement District since 2011. Darryl’s assistance with major events was a huge asset to the Havana District. Darryl assisted with Cruzin’ Havana, the Citywide Dumpster Day at Havana
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On Monday, July 18, Aurora’s new Homeless Day Resource Center (DRC) opened in the former gym on the Anschutz Campus. The DRC is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and offers a variety of services for people in need. Here is the link to the article in Westword about the DRC.
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We have cancelled the July 20 board meeting since several of our board members took vacation at the same time, so we will not have a quorum to conduct business. Our next BID board meeting is August 17, 8:30 a.m. at Denny’s at Havana & Florida. This meeting is open to the public.
The Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club has leased 41,000 sf of the building at 1st and Havana, just north of CommonGround Golf Course and just down the street from the Lowry Sports Park. They are transforming the building into an indoor soccer facility to include 4 indoor fields, a weight training and injury prevention/recovery program,
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Another wonderful and “hot” event On Havana Street. The Tunisia Band Concert on Tuesday, May 27, 2017 at The Gardens on Havana was incredible! The huge crowd feasted on sub sandwiches from 6 different On Havana Street restaurants and then enjoyed hits from Earth, Wind & Fire, Motown greats, and more current pop artists. A
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Urban Peak to Honor Amy Meyer Smith as 2017 Urban Legend Meyer Smith recognized for her contributions to homeless youth Denver, Colorado, May 15, 2017 – Urban Peak’s “Urban Nights Denver” will celebrate its fifth year at Mile High Station on August 5th, and once again present Denver’s largest, outdoor urban fashion show under the
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The Havana Street “Deadheaders” gathered in the rose garden last Saturday for the annual community rose garden clean up. Some of the roses are blooming already and the garden is looking good, despite the recent snows. Thank you Gloria Shea, Patricia Aseraf, Maria Baker John & Gayle Jetchick, Brenda Susmento, Vince Chowdhury, Karen Parks McClinon,
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It’s official, the lease has been signed, and construction started the week of April 25, 2017, according to the property manager of 111 N Havana, Chuck Plevniak. The Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer organizaton has leased 40,000 SF in the west side of the building at 111 N Havana (NW corner of 1st & Havana north of
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Andrea Amonick from the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority has shared an April 2017 update on the Fan Fare redevelopment process: “After conducting a second public process to identify potential developers for the Fan Fare site, the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority (AURA) entered into a Pre-Development Agreement with Dillon Place Development Group in late January to allow
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News to us! Curbside called to inform us that Aurora did not renew the contract for free document shredding in June and October. But Curbside does do free “drop off” document shredding for Seniors Over 65, First Responders, and Military Personnel year round on Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their facility
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Devon Horan, property manager for Havana Tower and Havana BID board member, called the morning of April 27, with great excitement, to report that the lease has been signed and move in takes place on April 28. The El Salvador consulate will occupy the first floor at Havana Tower, 1450 S Havana Street. Devon and his staffers were busy
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Whisper’s owner, Terri Forehand, hopes to have the restaurant / bar open in its new location at 1555 S. Havana (directly west of Denny’s) the first part of November. The sign should be going up on the building any day now, and the new kitchen equipment still needs to be installed, but won’t take very
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The Havana District is known as the Banking District of Aurora, CO. There are currently 10 banks on the Street, and rumor has it that a bank #11 may be moving into the former Blockbuster location in Market Square at Mississippi & Havana. The Blockbuster store on Havana closed 2-3 years ago after Blockbuster made the
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The developer chosen by the Fan Fare redevelopment steering committee, The D/K Team, has been working with the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority on doing their due diligence and getting the pieces in place before any agreements for a project can be signed. You probably saw traffic counter cables strung across four locations on Havana Street adjacent to the Fan
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The Aurora Housing Authority will break ground this spring on the third and final phase of their Village at Westerly Creek affordable housing development located on the NE corner of South Ironton and Kentucky Ave (behind Havana Machine and Tynan’s). This final phase will include 74 affordable rental units: 50 family units consisting of 24 two-bedroom units, 22 three-bedroom units and
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Ward III Council Member Marsh Berzins and Havana BID Executive Director Gayle Jetchick met with Aurora Urban Renewal staff on January 27 to get an update on Fan Fare/Havana North. AURA staff reported that the developer chosen by the steering committee last summer, Dillon Place/Kiewit, has been in for a preapplication meeting with the city’s
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Thank you High Hollows Condos Board and Aurora Police! Last summer we experienced an uptick in crime in the area around Havana/Ironton and Exposition. We called a Business Watch meeting at the Expo Park Recreation Center on Exposition and invited neighbors, business owners, city staff and Aurora Police to that meeting to attempt to figure
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Sally Beauty will be coming to The Gardens on Havana in 2017. Sally Beauty has stores in 13 countries and employs over 27,000 people. Sally Beauty offers more than 10,000 hair, skin and nail products. Once Sally Beauty opens, we will have two of the largest beauty products retailers in the world located at The
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On January 25, 2017,the Aurora Planning Commission approved the site plan for Phase III of Village at Westerly Creek. This is the Aurora Housing Authority project to replace the former Buckingham Gardens at Ironton and Kentucky, to the east of Havana Machine. Phases I and II have been completed and currently house low income seniors
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At a city council policy committee on January 24 we heard an update about the Homeless Day Resource Center located in the former Aurora Police gym on the Anschutz campus. In past years, the gym had been heated with steam heat from the steam plant at Fitz, which is no longer possible. Xcel Energy was able to convert
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Business owners and community members now have another option to get help for the homeless. If you see a person who is homeless and needs assistance call Access Aurora, 303.739.7000 or Comitis Crisis Shelter, 303.341.9160. The new Homeless Street Outreach Team (HOT Team) consists of two counselors and a Transit Van approved by Aurora City
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Entercom Communications just announced the two winners of the 2016 Greenie Awards from their [1THING] Sustainability Initiative–We Won! Our April 2016 Earth Day Electronic Recycling event called “SOUND” and the Prom Rack Initiative event in Austin, Texas, were the Greenie Awards winners for 2016! Each year at the national level, Entercom encourages their local markets
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We are sharing this article again this month because after our first 6-8 inch snow storm in December there were 31 commercial properties that did not remove snow from their walks along Havana even 48 hours after the snow stopped falling. Most were contacted by Havana BID’s Executive Director, Gayle Jetchick, with a reminder. The excuses heard
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STREET OUTREACH: HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM (HOT) Help for the homeless in our community is just a call away! If you see a person who is homeless and needs assistance call Access Aurora at 303-739-7000 or Comitis Crisis Center 303-341-9160 Thank you Aurora City Council for allocating city marijuana sales tax revenues to pay for this homeless
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On December 6, 2016 , Mayor Steve Hogan flipped the switch to “light the lights” at the City of Aurora’s annual Holiday Celebration. This is the 5th year for this event. Five years ago, Havana BID Executive Director, Gayle Jetchick, was on a small committee made up of city staff and residents who envisioned a special event
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Where: At local small businesses in the Havana District This is a special celebration of our hard-working local small business owners. These small shops have grown and have been profitable for years and years. Did you know that 77 million Americans are employed by small businesses? They promote a sense of community. Remember, for every
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Do you need a unique stocking stuffer or a special gift for the office gift exchange? Check out the inventory at The English Teacup, 1930 S Havana, Unit 5. They just received a big shipment from England including imported favorites like Cadbury chocolate, Thornton’s chocolate Santas and Reindeer, lovely Holiday-themed tins of chocolates and cookies,
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The Aurora Police Association is seeking cash donations for their annual Shop with a Cop program. Some businesses in the Havana District are participating already, but the APA is still in need of cash donations. The event takes place on Dec 19 at a local WalMart where each child selected for the program will get to
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Left Turn Arrow at Idaho Place & Havana: To go “live” on November 19, 2015! In 2014, Aurora City Council allocated funds to pay for a left turn arrow traffic signal on Havana at Idaho Place. Idaho Place is the road between Wells Fargo Bank and Starbucks at The Gardens on Havana. The left turn
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New Leadership Matt Rauzi, owner of Colorado’s Pro Gym, was elected President of the Havana Business Improvement District at the December 18 board meeting. Matt has been on the board for several years and served as board treasurer. Matt replaces Scott Goldammer as president. Scott works for Miller Realty and was the property manager at
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Havana Street Redevelopment Here is the link to the article in the Aurora Sentinel that ran on December 4, 2014. http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/street-creds-havana-renewal-project-lauding-successes/