2012 Issue 1 - Bonnie Brae

Volume 2012, Issue 1
Safety first
We Did It Together!
Enhanced Safety at Cherry
Creek Drive & Steele.
By Jeff Hart
With your help, we now have a much
safer pedestrian and bike crossing across
South Cherry Creek Drive at Steele St.
Maybe like you, I have crossed myself
(and I’m not even Catholic!) every time I
walked or biked down Steele Street on
my way to the Cherry Creek Mall area.
Working along with your neighbor and
mine, Steve Weiner, we began a quest in
the summer of 2010 to improve the
safety of the pedestrian and bike crossing
over South Cherry Creek Drive at Steele
Street.
We soon found out that some of our
neighbors to the north of Knight School
had been trying to do the same thing for
many years. Steve and I took petitions to
the Bonnie Brae picnic in September
2010 and many of you signed on to our
collective quest. Over the next year, we
brought together our neighbors from the
Stokes, Hyde Park, and Cherry Creek
Tower to develop a strategy to get the
City to act on our request. We then held
a series of meetings among ourselves and
later with Councilman Charlie Brown
and the City’s Public Works Dept.
Finally, last September, the city completed the project, over a year after we
began our quest. We can all now see the
tangible results of our success with the
redesigned intersection at Steele and
South Cherry Creek Drive, including
new curb and gutter, and a new “refuge
island” in the middle of Cherry Creek
Drive.
I must say that the fix is even more
effective than I ever thought possible.
Steve and I hope you think so too.
We are still working with the city to
also put a new painted crosswalk across
Alameda at Steele to further enhance
safety as we all walk and bike North to
enjoy the many amenities of the Cherry
Creek mall area.
We’ll keep you posted on that too.
Letter from the
President
Happy New Year! Even though I
don’t make specific resolutions, I see
the New Year as a fresh start and a
time to reassess priorities. As always,
family is at the top of my list and
probably at the top of yours too. My
family has been blessed with good
health although I personally am
looking forward to a healed elbow so I
can get back to all of the outdoor
activities I enjoy (and have missed) so
much. I wish good health to all of you
in the coming year.
Believe it or not, work is high on my
list. It may be high on yours too if you
are doing what you love – and I hope
you are (or lucky enough to be
enjoying retirement).
Travelling has to be somewhere
towards the top of the priority list too.
I know many of you love to travel and
have visited some interesting places. I
hope this year provides you all with
exciting travel opportunities.
I would also like to remind everyone
to please clear snow from sidewalks in
front of your home as required by the
City and as a courtesy to your
neighbors that use them. We have had
some injuries as a result of un-cleared
walks.
Please be kind to your
neighbors and keep this a wonderful
neighborhood to live, walk and enjoy
safely.
Lynn
The BBNA board currently has an
open position for Secretary and would
appreciate a neighbor volunteering to
help out. If you are interested please
contact Lynn Crist at 303-887-0630.
Bonnie Brae Neighborhood
Association
Board of Directors & Steering
Committee:
UPCOMING
EVENTS
President
Lynn Crist
303-887-0630
[email protected]
Bonnie Brae Board
Meetings
Vice-President
Evan Anderson
If you would like to participate in any
of our quarterly Board meetings to
voice your concerns or share great
ideas for our neighborhood, please join
us. The board meets quarterly on the
third Wednesday.
Treasurer
Barbara Drews
303-733-1995
Secretary
Vacant
Newsletter Editor
Mike Slattery
303-722-6856
[email protected]
Technology Director
Renee Arrington
Zoning & Variances
Kirk Van Buskirk
303-753-1485
Past President
Mary Broere
February 15th
May 16th
Aug 15th
November 14th
LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD
NEIGHBORS…
to serve on the Board of Directors for the
BBNA. The Board meets four times a year,
publishes this newsletter and puts on the
annual picnic. If you would like to help,
please contact our current president Lynn
Crist.
BONNIE BRAE
WINE CLUB
Annual Picnic and Neighborhood
Meeting Sep 9
To confirm location and time of
these meetings, please contact Lynn
Crist.
IMPORTANT
CONTACTS
Bonnie Brae Neighborhood Association
bonniebraeneighborhood.org
City of Denver ..................................................311
www.denvergov.org
BBNA logo designed by
Victoria Eubanks Design
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED
EMERGENCY................................................911
Fire Dept (district 3)................... (303) 698-4921
Meets on the Third Saturday of every
month, in a different hosts' home. For more
information, or to get on the list, call Nancy
Eggert at 303-321-3155, or email —
[email protected].
Crime Stoppers Hotline ................ (720) 913-7867
Curb & Gutter Hotline.................. (720) 913-4574
To report any problems with the curbs and gutters
within the Denver corporate limits
Dead Animal Pickup..................... (720) 865-6900
Denver Water................................ (303) 628-6000
www.denverwater.org
Noise Control................................ (720) 865-5452
Call for violation of noise ordinance, including
construction noise
Neighborhood Inspection Services
Complaint Line ............................. (720) 865-3200
Police ............................................ (720) 913-2000
Newsletter Submittals:
We encourage you to participate in
supplying items of interest to the
community for this publication. You must
have material for inclusion in the next
edition of the newsletter, to our editor by
May 5, 2012.
Please submit all material to:
Michael Slattery
988 Bonnie Brae Blvd
Denver, CO 80209
[email protected]
Ask Bonnie & Brae:
[email protected]
Recycling ...................................... (720) 865-6805
Councilman Charlie Brown.......... (720) 337-6666
http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?
alias=www.denvergov.org/CouncilDistrict6
RTD / Bus & Light Rail ............... (303) 299-6000
Animal Control............................. (303) 698-0076
Cats and Dogs must be vaccinated and licensed.
Call to report barking or vicious dogs, dog at large.
No snakes, poisonous reptiles, pit bulls, or livestock. Leash laws enforced.
Snow Removal.............................. (720) 865-6855
Better Business Bureau ................ (303) 758-2100
Street Sweeping ............................ (720) 865-6855
Cable TV Complaints................... (720) 913-8888
City Attorney ................................ (720) 865-8600
Trash Pickup ................................. (720) 865-6900
To find information on scheduled pick-ups or largeitem pickup
Clerk & Recorder ......................... (720) 865-8400
Zoning Permits ............................. (720) 865-3200
2
Speeding Enforcement.................. (720) 865-6905
Street Maintenance ....................... (720) 865-6855
To report potholes, damaged streets or alleys,
inoperable traffic signals, etc.
NancySanford
For a few tense hours in late December, at our local drug store
at Mississippi and Colorado, two confused protestors attempted
to “Occupy Walgreens.” Discussions quickly clarified the
situation and the two individuals moved to a more appropriate
location downtown.
AN INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO
Denver: 303-584-0614
Vail: 970-476-7773
[email protected]
www.nancysanford.com
From "The Wit and Wisdom of
Winston Churchill"
by James C. Humes
You’re in good hands.
James R. Krieg
Agency Owner
Chairman’s Inner Circle
Allstate Insurance Company
179 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246-1042
Office: (303) 871-8700
Fax:
(303) 722-2490
[email protected]
www.allstateagencies.com/jameskrieg
Late in his life, Sir Winston took a cruise on
an Italian ship. A journalist from a New
York newspaper approached the former
prime minister to ask him why he chose to
travel on an Italian line when the Queen
Elizabeth under the British flag was available.
Churchill gave the question his consideration and then gravely replied. "There are
three things I like about Italian ships. First,
their cuisine, which is unsurpassed. Second,
their service, which is quite superb. And
then—in time of emergency—there is none
of this nonsense about women and children
first."
740 S. University Blvd.
303.777.2262 Fax 303.777.7335
3
Alley Art
latest additions
Alley Art
It Makes A Difference
Myself and two girlfriends met for
breakfast this morning at IHOP on
Colorado Blvd. and then started our
journey of the Bonnie Brae Alley Art.
What a wonderful time we had finding all 18 beautiful art pieces and admiring the detail that went into all. I
just wish I could have gotten a better
look at the house that had the four seasons inside their yard. They looked
beautiful.
By Wendy Lesko
On Wednesday, residents of Morning
Star Assisted Living, Memory Care and
Memory Care Plus took the Alley Art
tour for their scenic outing. Their wheel
chair accessible van with big windows
wove it's way through the snowy alleys.
Letters to the BBAAC
"Bonnie Brae Beach"
Evonne Dunn
They had a ball! You should have
seen the smiles and heard the laughter.
"Look - it's a whale!"
I found your article in last years
newspaper and kept the information.
Imagine how surprised I was to see that
seven more art pieces had been added.
It took us 2 1/2 hours but we were also
admiring the homes.
Thanks to everyone for their beautiful art and for allowing us to wander
your alleys in search of treasures.
"How adorable. That's the cutest." Dog's Rule
When viewing Magoo, I asked if anyone could tell me what kind of car - A
little old lady well into her eighty's
shouted: "It's a Ford!"
Sincerely,
Deborah Halberstadt
I'm not sure anyone really knew/
remembered who Mick Jager and the
Rolling Stones were, but they had
plenty of comments about "that BIG
tongue."
"Oh my, what if Zebras had Stars and
Stripes?"
"Incredible."
An abundance of oh's and ah's could
be heard.
"Look at the beautiful bird!"
Each and every piece was appreciated. The mosaics provided a moment
of joy for everyone on the bus. For
those residents, moments like the ones
they experienced the other day are limited.
A big thank you to all. Applaud yourselves.
"860 South"
Dee Dafoe
If you have not visited all of the art
recently, pick up your alley art map at
www.bonniebraealleyart.com.
Have an idea that you would like to do
for your alley? Contact Wendy Lesko at
[email protected].
728 S. UNIVERSITY  DENVER  CO
Campus Lounge
701 S. University Boulevard
Denver, Colorado 80209
Ph: 303-722-9696
Fax: 303-733-5046
t
top ten of Bes
Voted in the
in
d Bars 2006
Neighborhoo
arch
Best of Cityse
4
Unusual Card, Gifts & Stationary
Printed Invitations
Laser Compatible Paper
Crane, Wm. Arthur, others
Shirley Smith
(303) 744-1642
The BBNA board currently has an
open position for Secretary and would
appreciate a neighbor volunteering to
help out. If you are interested please
contact Lynn Crist at 303-887-0630.
What Does
Investment Landscape
Look Like in 2012?
As an investor, you know that 2011
was a somewhat “choppy” year, with
the financial markets going through
many ups and downs. So what can you
expect in 2012?
As baseball Hall of Famer Yogi
Berra is quoted as saying: “It’s hard to
make predictions — especially about
the future.” And these words are certainly applicable for anyone who
would like an accurate forecast of the
investment climate.
Yet we do know of some factors that
may affect your portfolio in the months
ahead. Here are a few of them:
 Strong
business fundamentals —
This past year, all the noise about the
debt ceiling debate, the size of the
U.S. deficit and the European financial situation tended to drown out
some fairly good news: U.S. businesses’ balance sheets were strong
for the most part, borrowing costs
remained low, and corporate profits
were good — and corporate profitability remains a key driver of stock
prices. Heading into 2012, these
fundamentals continue to look positive, which may bode well for investors.
 Europe’s
debt crisis — Greece’s
economic problems made a lot of
news in 2011, but they weren’t the end
of the story in Europe, as major financial difficulties also face Italy, Spain,
Portugal and Ireland. It’s by no means
clear how these problems will be resolved, so don’t be surprised to see
them lead to intermittent, if short-lived,
shocks to the markets.
 Election-year
patterns — As you’re
well aware, we’re voting for president
in 2012. But you might be surprised to
learn that the S&P 500 index has
shown negative returns in only three of
the last 21 presidential election years.
Coincidence? No one can say for sure
— and at this point, no one can say if
this pattern of positive returns will
continue during this election year. Still,
it’s an interesting phenomenonSo there
you have it: the good, the bad and the
quirky. Take them all together, and
you still may not be able to foresee
what will happen with the markets this
year, but you’ll have a lot to think
about.
But instead of trying to predict what
will happen in 2012,
you may be better off
following these triedand-true investment
strategies:
 Diversify
your holdings. By spreading
your money among a
wide range of investments, you can reduce the effects of
volatility on your
portfolio. Keep in
mind, though, that
diversification, by
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BONNIE BRAE
CONOCO & ALIGNMENT
Managed by Same Family Since 1942
Gene Wilson
Rob Wilson
724 So. University Blvd
Denver, Colorado
303-744-0811
Quality auto repair at reasonable prices
5
itself, can’t guarantee profits or protect against loss.
 Don’t
ignore your risk tolerance. If
you worry excessively about market
fluctuations, you may have too much
risk in your portfolio, which means
you may need to make some
changes.
 Always
look at the “big picture.”
Financial markets will always fluctuate. But if you can keep your focus
on your long-term objectives, and
make decisions accordingly, you can
avoid overreacting to short-term
events.
Like other years, 2012 will bring
with it periods of both turbulence and
smooth sailing. But by making the right
investment moves, you can still chart a
course that can allow you to move ever
closer to your future goals.
This article was written by Edward
Jones for use by Todd Young, your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Take the Denver Energy
Challenge: Reduce Your
Energy Costs by 15%!
Oh say (beer) can you see.
Want to stay warm and reduce energy costs? Take the "Denver Energy
Challenge" and find out how you can
cut energy waste, save money, and increase the comfort of your home. Call
720-865-5520,
An Energy Advisor will contact you
to provide free advice and guidance
about programs and services. Bonus:
Very soon, the "Denver Energy Challenge" will offer rebates on eligible
energy upgrades. These rebates will
only be for "Denver Energy Challenge"
participants, so sign up today!
BBNA
DUES
Please send your BBNA Membership
Fee of $10 for the calendar year 2012
to:
Barb Drews
BBNA Treasurer
714 South Elizabeth Street
Neighbor Lew Cady recently laid out his
beer can collection for two other collectors
to peruse and do a bit of swapping/
purchasing.
This editor had the opportunity to witness the event and try and count the number of cans in attendance. Best estimate?
Somewhere in the area of 3,200. And all
empty. Bummer.
One can that was not for sale or trade
was his Pikes Peak Malt Liquor can from the Walter
Brewing Company.
The Walter Brewing Company was founded in Pueblo
in 1898.
After it closed in 1975,
collectors of beer cans and
other breweriana swarmed
over the carcass of the defunct brewery in search of
goodies.
Denver’s Lonnie Smith, a
printer by trade, made the
biggest haul of them all.
When he saw a ladder on the
second floor of the bottling
house, he climbed up and shined his flashlight into a dark area where—way back in
the crawl space—he discovered a cache of
Pikes Peak Malt Liquor cans strewn
around in the insulation.
After a lot of crawling around up there,
Lonnie gathered up 24 of the little beauties.
Lonnie: “When and how and why they
got there is anybody’s guess.”
6
Pikes Peak Malt Liquor was never a
major product of Walter Brewing
(Walter’s Beer was).
In fact, only one other Pikes Peak
Malt Liquor can in pristine condition
has ever been found which makes
these cans highly desirable.
As Lonnie says, “Combine its beauty
with its rarity and it is a valuable can.”
It’s certainly one of the rarest of all
Colorado beer cans.
Meanwhile, about the
same time, Lew Cady was
in Bonnie Brae, putting the
finishing touches on his
book about beer can collecting with the clever
title, Beer Can Collecting.
Cady is particularly
fond of Colorado beer and
beer collectibles and he
was in desperate need of a
Pike Peak Malt Liquor
can.
What to do? .
How to get one?
Cady had an idea. He dedicated Beer Can Collecting to Lonnie
Smith, thanking him in print for the
can which he was yet to receive.
It worked. Lonnie generously gave
one of his treasured Pike Peak Malt
Liquor cans to Lew and Lew’s gratitude grows as the years go by and the
can grows in value.
These days, the can is said to be
worth between $2000 and $3500 to
collectors.
$22,929,454.00
Represents the dollar volume of real
estate sold in Bonnie Brae during
2011!
Happy New Year everyone! I trust
your holidays were filled with joy, family
and friends. I am hopeful everyone is
entering 2012 with renewed enthusiasm
and the expectation of good things to
come in the year ahead.
Statistics for the Denver real estate
market in 2011 are always interesting.
According to MLS statistics, our
neighborhood faired well with 37 homes
sold and closed for the year.
TOTALS FOR
ALL PROPERTIES SOLD
Average days on the market
120
Average price sold
$619,715
Average price per square foot
(above ground)
$320
Average price per square foot finished
(this includes finished basement space)
$203
closing in January, after 109 days on
the market. Both of these homes were
Kentwood Company listings. In fact
Kentwood Brokers were involved in
nearly 1/3 of the sales in Bonnie Brae
during 2011.
Homes in Bonnie Brae sold on average at 94.9% of final listed price.
The oldest home sold was built in
1924 and the newest built in 2007.
As of this writing, we have LOW
inventory, 5 active homes with asking
prices of $410,000 to $935,000. These
homes have been on the market an average of 134 days, asking an average of
$396 per square foot above ground and
$291 PSF total finished.
There are 3 homes currently under
contract ranging in price between
$369,000 and $999,000. These homes
have been on the market an average of
94 days with a price per square foot
average of $311 and $197 total finished.
Is 2012 your year to make changes in
your real estate holdings? There is
proven strength in investing in our
neighborhood. If you are new to the area
or renting, Bonnie Brae is a wonderful
place to put down roots. Investment
properties are proving to be well worth
the risk, with strong demand for rentals
and rental income at the highest levels in
quite some time. Did you know you
could purchase and manage rental
property utilizing your IRA? Perhaps it
is time to sell your home and purchase
your dream home or down size. Low
inventory in Bonnie Brae continues to
push demand; prices are softer on higher
priced/move up properties and outlying
neighborhoods. I welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs and answer
questions. Best wishes in 2012!
Susan DiLiberti is a broker associate with
the Kentwood Company of Cherry Creek.
She and her husband Mike Martin and
daughter Lauren have lived on the 900 block
of Columbine Street since 1999.
There is an abundance of information
regarding real estate, the risks and the
rewards, the positive and negative. I
prefer to listen to the positive news
about the housing market.
The lowest priced home sold was
$279,000, a Tudor style bungalow with
1166 square feet above ground, selling in
1 day and closing in July.
Jerry Howard, president and CEO of
the National Association of Home
Builders, believes the vast majority of
markets are ready for a rebound, except
for the nation’s hardest-hit areas.
Susan M. DiLiberti
The most expensive home sold was
$1,200,000. A newer build, Mediterranean style with 3846 square feet above
ground. This home sold in a short sale,
The Denver Business Journal reports
– Moderate growth in 2012 – according
to the National Association for Business Economics.
44 Cook St., 9th Floor
Denver, CO 80206
Phone: 303.331.1400
Fax: 303.393.1400
Bigger Pockets – a real estate blog,
reports 2012 as an extraordinary time
for rental income with Denver market
rental rates expected to increase 6.6%.
Direct: 303.336.0332
The number of Americans who
signed contracts to buy
homes in November rose
more than seven percent to
the highest level in 1-1/2
years, according to the Na- S E V E
tional Association of RealA N A M E
tors
Please refer to our web
site “Denverrealestate.com”
for up to date market information on the entire metro
area.
7
Broker Associate
Cell: 303.946.4530
[email protected]
N
30 S O U T H
R I C A N
B A R
A N D
G R I L L
730 S. University Blvd. Denver, CO 80209
(303) 744-1888 Tel
(303) 744-8753 Fax
Dear Bonnie and Brae,
I'm upset. How come Centennial got
IKEA and Bonnie Brae didn't?
Centennial is just a city-come-lately.
Bonnie Brae has been around for many
decades.
It just isn't fair.
A resident in need of
Scandinavian furnishings.
And meatballs.
Bonnie replies:
Have you been to IKEA? Complaining that Bonnie Brae doesn’t have an
IKEA is like being upset that you don’t
have a pair of scissors stuck in your
eye. I will concede the point on the
meatballs...those are pretty tasty, but an
IKEA is somewhat like a huge ugly
blue building in your neighborhood.
No, it is exactly like a huge ugly blue
building in your neighborhood. I bet it
glows in the dark.
Brae replies:
Perhaps Centennial got it because
they are paying the price for something
they did bad in a past life.
Jean Day Maschinot
of Cherry Creek , Inc.
Babysitting
This listing provides names and contact information of BB residents interested in providing babysitting services.
Dave Craven
Broker Associate
Office: (303) 320-1556
Direct: (303) 331-4513
Fax: (303) 320-1249
Monique Hansen
303-963-6049
Laura Genty
303-408-3589
[email protected]
Daniela Masur
303-744-8745
[email protected]
Maggie Anderman
303-887-5501 (c)
303-744-3168 (h).
[email protected]
Red Cross Babysitting Course
If you would like to be included please send your
contact information to [email protected].
2005 South Holly Street
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 691-9484
www.addisonauto.com/bbn
“Your one-stop auto shop since 1982!”
8
2326 E. Exposition Ave.
Denver, CO 80209
(303) 722-8855
[email protected]