New Lowe's will anchor once-blighted Alameda Square mall

by Kathryn Richert
DenverPost.com

Residents in southwest Denver are excited that the Alameda Square shopping center redevelopment is finally taking shape after 20 years in the making, beginning with Lowe's Home Improvement opening March 5.

Lowe's, which is hiring up to 120 people, will be the anchor at the formally blighted center east of South Federal Boulevard on West Alameda Avenue. The first phase of construction that began last spring is 90 percent complete, said Sverre Jensen, area director with Brighton Corp., the development firm overseeing the project.

"The neighborhood is getting a vibrant center and a bunch of new jobs," he said.

The final phase is redoing the outdated 50-year-old facade of the strip mall on the east side of Alameda Square. It's not clear when work will begin, Jensen said.

There are roughly 11 vacancies at the center. Brighton is in lease negotiations for the mall space on the east side and is discussing selling the building, Jensen said.

The construction "has cleaned it up, so people are more interested to lease, I believe, but still a little hesitant with the economy," said Randy McCreary, senior superintendent with Brighton.

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