Denver Water has told a host of property owners near its headquarters that it “intends” to buy their lot, a move that suggests the agency could shift operations there if it strikes a deal to sell land to the Denver Broncos.
This spring, Denver Water sent a “notice of intent to acquire” to owners of 23 individual parcels in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, the public water utility confirmed to BusinessDen. The properties collectively span nearly 14 acres, according to property records.
The Denver Post first reported on the notices, which were approved by Denver Water’s board during meetings in April and May.
And some owners receiving the notice aren’t fans of the process.
“People need to know that Denver Water tried to pull a fast one,” said Dennis Miller, who owns Dakota Drilling and its property at 1380 Umatilla St.
Denver Water sent notices to properties generally along Umatilla Street between 12th and 14th avenues, where industrial buildings butt up against Interstate 25. The properties are just to the northwest of Denver Water’s headquarters and operations complex at 1600 W. 12th Ave.
Denver Water headquarters loom over 1280 Umatilla St., a vacant lot where apartments are planned. Denver Water has said it “intends” to acquire the lot, along with a host of nearby properties. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
Denver Water declined to make an executive available for an interview. Spokesman Travis Thompson said in an email the agency “is just exploring some voluntary acquisitions of properties near our Operations Complex to meet future operational needs.”
But while the notices sent to property owners talk of a “market-based acquisition,” they don’t portray a deal as voluntary. The letters include a proposed purchase price, and a draft purchase agreement ready for a signature, while also giving owners a deadline if they wish to get an independent appraisal.
“The City and County of Denver, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners … intends to acquire a fee simple interest in this property for ongoing and future operation, maintenance and repair of its water works system and facilities,” the notices state. “The Board is obligated to pay you a fair market value for this interest.”
Included in the letters are two pages of state statutes related to eminent domain, which specify that notices of intent must be sent as soon as a “condemning authority” decides it wants a property.
“We sent notices of intent out of an abundance of caution, to advise property owners of the law and that we were offering reimbursement if they wanted to get an independent appraisal to inform any voluntary negotiations,” Thompson told BusinessDen.
Miller, of Dakota Drilling, said he found the notice “bullying.”
He said affected property owners received notices in two waves, with the southern properties getting notices first. He was part of the second wave, he said, with his notice arriving the Friday before Memorial Day.
“My immediate thought was they’re doing something with the Broncos,” Miller said.
Dakota Drilling operates at 1380 Umatilla St. in Denver. (Hayden Kim/BusinessDen)
Denver Water already owns 35 acres in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. But its land sits south of its sleek new headquarters, adjacent to the shuttered Burnham Yard railyard. That state-owned property has for months been considered a possible site for a new stadium for the city’s NFL team.
Weeks after Miller received the notice, in mid-June, BusinessDen broke the news that the Broncos had already bought at least $145 million in property surrounding Burnham Yard. Days later, BusinessDen reported that Broncos executives have been talking with Denver Water about its land regularly for more than a year, with top city officials and land brokers sometime in tow.
The natural conclusion? The Broncos have zeroed in on Burnham Yard for a new stadium, and they want at least some of Denver Water’s land.
Miller figures Denver Water’s negotiations with the Broncos have taken a while because the agency is trying to maximize the price for its land. He also thinks Denver Water had hoped to close on its purchase of parcels like his before owners knew the real reason.
“They were trying to force people or bully people into selling cheap before the news broke,” Miller said.
Miller believes Denver Water wants to keep its headquarters building, while shifting operations currently south of the office to the properties it hopes to acquire to the northwest.
“There are no set plans, as we are only evaluating potential options for the future,” said Thompson, the Denver Water spokesman
Among the properties now in the crosshairs of Denver Water is 1280 Umatilla St. and 1820 W. 13th Ave., vacant lots where developer Brad Eide of Elevate Cos. has been planning to build apartments.
There’s also 1245 Umatilla St., a large warehouse owned by executives with Silver Stem Cannabis.
And at 1935 W. 12th Ave., there’s a boarded-up brick building where faded signage for WinterWomen.com points to a past tenant. Alfredo Reyes received his notice in the first wave.
The notice was jarring, given that Reyes had already lined up millions in state and federal funding to turn the property into a “cultural innovation center” dubbed Las Bodegas (Spanish for “warehouses”). Reyes is the executive director of the Latino Cultural Arts Center of Colorado.
The Latino Cultural Arts Center intends to turn the building at 1935 W. 12th Ave. into a “cultural innovation center.” (Hayden Kim/BusinessDen)
Reyes told BusinessDen he responded, saying he had no interest in selling — and that Denver Water sent a follow-up letter withdrawing the original notice.
“We declined and they withdrew,” he said.
Reyes said construction will begin this summer and should be wrapped up in a year. Denver Water would not confirm to BusinessDen that it withdrew the notice of intent for 1935 W. 12th Ave.
“Since we’re actively exploring possible acquisitions, we’re unable to speak to any details regarding those discussions,” Thompson said.
Back at Dakota Drilling, a quarter-mile away, Miller said he got in touch with an attorney and let Denver Water’s broker at CBRE know his proposed price was too low. Otherwise, he said, he’s not doing anything right now.
Moving his company’s operations would be a hassle, said Miller, who bought Dakota Drilling in 2020. His site is as central to the entire metro area as it gets, cutting down on commute time to jobs, and it has giant garage doors, accommodating his specialized drilling equipment.
“I have a business with 30 trucks,” he said. “I can’t relocate that cheaply.”
But if the price is right — “If they turn around and offer double what they started, I would not be offended” — Miller said he could live with being displaced by Denver Water, even if the real driver behind the change is the Denver Broncos.
“Everything’s for sale. I’m not emotional about the location.”
Read more: Broncos buying around possible Denver stadium site
Read more: Broncos, Denver Water talking about agency’s land near possible stadium site
Read more: Broncos must build income-restricted housing after $7M deal by Burnham Yard
MAP: In this interactive map, properties in blue are those that were sent a “Notice of Intent to Acquire” by Denver Water. The large property in yellow is owned by Denver Water. The large property in green is Burnham Yard. Boundaries are approximate.
Denver Water has told a host of property owners near its headquarters that it “intends” to buy their lot, a move that suggests the agency could shift operations there if it strikes a deal to sell land to the Denver Broncos.
This spring, Denver Water sent a “notice of intent to acquire” to owners of 23 individual parcels in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, the public water utility confirmed to BusinessDen. The properties collectively span nearly 14 acres, according to property records.
The Denver Post first reported on the notices, which were approved by Denver Water’s board during meetings in April and May.
And some owners receiving the notice aren’t fans of the process.
“People need to know that Denver Water tried to pull a fast one,” said Dennis Miller, who owns Dakota Drilling and its property at 1380 Umatilla St.
Denver Water sent notices to properties generally along Umatilla Street between 12th and 14th avenues, where industrial buildings butt up against Interstate 25. The properties are just to the northwest of Denver Water’s headquarters and operations complex at 1600 W. 12th Ave.
Denver Water headquarters loom over 1280 Umatilla St., a vacant lot where apartments are planned. Denver Water has said it “intends” to acquire the lot, along with a host of nearby properties. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
Denver Water declined to make an executive available for an interview. Spokesman Travis Thompson said in an email the agency “is just exploring some voluntary acquisitions of properties near our Operations Complex to meet future operational needs.”
But while the notices sent to property owners talk of a “market-based acquisition,” they don’t portray a deal as voluntary. The letters include a proposed purchase price, and a draft purchase agreement ready for a signature, while also giving owners a deadline if they wish to get an independent appraisal.
“The City and County of Denver, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners … intends to acquire a fee simple interest in this property for ongoing and future operation, maintenance and repair of its water works system and facilities,” the notices state. “The Board is obligated to pay you a fair market value for this interest.”
Included in the letters are two pages of state statutes related to eminent domain, which specify that notices of intent must be sent as soon as a “condemning authority” decides it wants a property.
“We sent notices of intent out of an abundance of caution, to advise property owners of the law and that we were offering reimbursement if they wanted to get an independent appraisal to inform any voluntary negotiations,” Thompson told BusinessDen.
Miller, of Dakota Drilling, said he found the notice “bullying.”
He said affected property owners received notices in two waves, with the southern properties getting notices first. He was part of the second wave, he said, with his notice arriving the Friday before Memorial Day.
“My immediate thought was they’re doing something with the Broncos,” Miller said.
Dakota Drilling operates at 1380 Umatilla St. in Denver. (Hayden Kim/BusinessDen)
Denver Water already owns 35 acres in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. But its land sits south of its sleek new headquarters, adjacent to the shuttered Burnham Yard railyard. That state-owned property has for months been considered a possible site for a new stadium for the city’s NFL team.
Weeks after Miller received the notice, in mid-June, BusinessDen broke the news that the Broncos had already bought at least $145 million in property surrounding Burnham Yard. Days later, BusinessDen reported that Broncos executives have been talking with Denver Water about its land regularly for more than a year, with top city officials and land brokers sometime in tow.
The natural conclusion? The Broncos have zeroed in on Burnham Yard for a new stadium, and they want at least some of Denver Water’s land.
Miller figures Denver Water’s negotiations with the Broncos have taken a while because the agency is trying to maximize the price for its land. He also thinks Denver Water had hoped to close on its purchase of parcels like his before owners knew the real reason.
“They were trying to force people or bully people into selling cheap before the news broke,” Miller said.
Miller believes Denver Water wants to keep its headquarters building, while shifting operations currently south of the office to the properties it hopes to acquire to the northwest.
“There are no set plans, as we are only evaluating potential options for the future,” said Thompson, the Denver Water spokesman
Among the properties now in the crosshairs of Denver Water is 1280 Umatilla St. and 1820 W. 13th Ave., vacant lots where developer Brad Eide of Elevate Cos. has been planning to build apartments.
There’s also 1245 Umatilla St., a large warehouse owned by executives with Silver Stem Cannabis.
And at 1935 W. 12th Ave., there’s a boarded-up brick building where faded signage for WinterWomen.com points to a past tenant. Alfredo Reyes received his notice in the first wave.
The notice was jarring, given that Reyes had already lined up millions in state and federal funding to turn the property into a “cultural innovation center” dubbed Las Bodegas (Spanish for “warehouses”). Reyes is the executive director of the Latino Cultural Arts Center of Colorado.
The Latino Cultural Arts Center intends to turn the building at 1935 W. 12th Ave. into a “cultural innovation center.” (Hayden Kim/BusinessDen)
Reyes told BusinessDen he responded, saying he had no interest in selling — and that Denver Water sent a follow-up letter withdrawing the original notice.
“We declined and they withdrew,” he said.
Reyes said construction will begin this summer and should be wrapped up in a year. Denver Water would not confirm to BusinessDen that it withdrew the notice of intent for 1935 W. 12th Ave.
“Since we’re actively exploring possible acquisitions, we’re unable to speak to any details regarding those discussions,” Thompson said.
Back at Dakota Drilling, a quarter-mile away, Miller said he got in touch with an attorney and let Denver Water’s broker at CBRE know his proposed price was too low. Otherwise, he said, he’s not doing anything right now.
Moving his company’s operations would be a hassle, said Miller, who bought Dakota Drilling in 2020. His site is as central to the entire metro area as it gets, cutting down on commute time to jobs, and it has giant garage doors, accommodating his specialized drilling equipment.
“I have a business with 30 trucks,” he said. “I can’t relocate that cheaply.”
But if the price is right — “If they turn around and offer double what they started, I would not be offended” — Miller said he could live with being displaced by Denver Water, even if the real driver behind the change is the Denver Broncos.
“Everything’s for sale. I’m not emotional about the location.”
Read more: Broncos buying around possible Denver stadium site
Read more: Broncos, Denver Water talking about agency’s land near possible stadium site
Read more: Broncos must build income-restricted housing after $7M deal by Burnham Yard
MAP: In this interactive map, properties in blue are those that were sent a “Notice of Intent to Acquire” by Denver Water. The large property in yellow is owned by Denver Water. The large property in green is Burnham Yard. Boundaries are approximate.