With the 26th Ave. Park finally on the right track and Stanley Marketplace coming along nicely, Forest City turned its head to its next biggest challenge: Aurora. “We have been dealing with issues regarding Aurora for quite some time,” said Forest City President Phil Dargossi. “Most of those issues related specifically to through traffic and crime. But now, we just want to do our best so not only is Stapleton pristine, but so the borders are pristine as well.”
The new initiative means that Forest City will be purchasing roughly 100 acres from Aurora and its residents to create a top of the line, Jack Nicklaus golf course in Aurora. “We already have a lot of the plans,” said Dargossi. “It is going to be a beautiful course suitable for Stapleton. The contracts with Aurora are all but signed, and in the agreement, the acres on the golf course will become part of Stapleton, and the Denver 80238 ZIP code. This will help in so many ways, one of which will be the immediate renaming of Aurora Park.” Dargossi said that most of the Aurora residents residing on the border of Stapleton have been eager to sell their homes. “We are offering fair market value plus 20%,” said Dargossi. “We feel that offer is more than generous, and it seems the homeowners and business owners agree.” The course will back right into the Stanley Marketplace and go from 25th Ave. all the way to Montview. “Basically, it is going to wipe out everything east of 25th to Montview, and everything in between Jamaica and Clinton,” said Dargossi. “It is going to be quite a project and something Stapletonians will really be proud of.”
Most residents were excited to hear the news. “It’s something I feel like Stapleton has been missing for a while,” said resident Bryan Levay. “Of course, there is Green Valley Ranch, which is a great course and close by, but it is not the 80238 ZIP code. It’s really going to help this community.” Adam Kozlowski agrees. “Talk about cache,” said Kozlowski. “I mean a Nicklaus golf course here in Stapleton. That can’t hurt our already ridiculously high home prices.” Resident Brian Harris feels the symmetry is perfect. “We already have the golf carts. Why not have the golf course? This is going to be perfect.”
The estimated start time for the project is in November of 2016, with a potential opening in 2018. “This isn’t something you can half-ass,” said Dargossi. “We want to make sure it is done right, to the community standards.” More important to Stapleton residents than the golf course, is the complete destruction of that portion of Aurora.
]]>