Lakewood, Morrison VIPs gather for tour

Rooney Valley soon will not be just an expanse of undeveloped land. In fact, Solterra, a master-planned community, is well under way.

Jeffco County Commissioners, Morrison and Lakewood business owners and other invited VIPs gathered at The Retreat - the new clubhouse in Solterra -- for a bus tour to see the progress of the Rooney Valley development on April 23. Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy was the master of ceromonies for the event.

Murphy said the plan for the valley "symbolizes cooperation" between Lakewood, Morrison and Jefferson County. Murphy told the tour group the plan started to come together in the mid-1990s and was reviewed by a joint committee.

Solterra -- planned by the land development company Carma -- will include single-family homes, patio homes, townhomes and luxury apartments. There will be approximately 1,400 residences when completed. Homes are currently being sold in Phase 1, which start at the mid $500,000s to more than $2 million.

The clubhouse is almost complete and will open in May 2008. Developers say The Retreat will provide a gourmet kitchen, pool, spa, great room and fitness area to residents.

Murphy said he also believes the plan will provide economic sustainability and increase quality of life in Lakewood.

The plan includes 5,000 acres of open space land, including a dog park; 30 acres for offices and another 30 acres for retail/entertainment businesses.

Part of the plan has been creating an interchange off of C-470 onto Alameda Parkway. Jeffco County Commissioner Kevin McCasky called the $22 million interchange a "necessity."

"It will be functional by the end of June and completed for the Parade of Homes by the end of July," McCasky told the tour. "It is on time and on budget."

Doug McBee, a chief with West Metro Fire, spoke to the group and said the interchange also will help with safety and make it easier to reach residents in the Rooney Valley and Morrison.

"Our closest fire station is two miles away," McBee said.

McBee said what they needed more than anything was easy access to Rooney Valley and water, and the interchange will help provide both. Water will be provided to the Rooney Valley through a 13-mile-long pipeline.

Lakewood Police Chief Kevin Paletta was also on hand to discuss the impacts the development will have on the Lakewood Police Department.

"We are looking forward to providing services in the Rooney Valley." Paletta said.

Paletta said the department already is working with construction crews in Solterra to make sure their equipment stays safe and nothing is stolen.

"We work with the community to identify and solve problems," Paletta said.

Even after residences have increased and the retail and commercial sites are built up, Paletta thinks only one or two more police officers will need to be hired.

The Town of Morrison is also happy to see the interchange and the development of the Rooney Valley. Jerry Smith, Special Projects Coordinator with the town, thinks the development of the Rooney Valley will help put Morrison on the map and provide more of a tax base for the town.

"Our future lies in our heritage and tourism," said Smith. "We want to preserve and enhance our downtown."

The tour bus made stops at Dinosaur Ridge and Bandimere Speedway.

Joe Tempel, executive director of the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge and John Bandimere, president of Bandimere Speedway, agreed the C-470/Alameda interchange will make access to their Morrison landmarks easier.

"People sometimes don't know where to go when they leave the speedway," Bandimere told the tour group. "Now with the interchange, they will know where to go."

Besides the development of the Rooney Valley, changes are also on the horizon for the Federal Center. St. Anthony Hospital also will be built near the center.

Lisa Wild, senior project manager for the Federal Center spoke to the tour group about the changes.

"We want to keep the tenants here," said Wild. "We are adding 2 million square feet of space."

Wild said residential units will also be built on the land around the Federal Center and 1/3 will be preserved as open space.

Bob Wallace, with administrator outreach services at St. Anthony West Hospital, said construction on the hospital will start in June and the first phase would open in 24 months. It will be completed by the end of 2011.

"The hospital will have 270 beds and have 630,000 square feet," Wallace said. "It is being built on 30 acres of land with 20 more acres for expansion. Hospitals usually don't have that."

For more information on Solterra, go to www.mysolterra.com.