Save Belmar Park (SBP) expands challenges to Kairoi’s planned behemoth build at park’s boundary

By Barbara Millman

During two upcoming Lakewood City Council meetings Save Belmar Park supporters will continue to testify against multibillion dollar developer Kairoi Residential that has planned and pushed through with the full cooperation of the City of Lakewood a gigantic 412 unit, 5 story luxury apartment building sharing the eastern boundary of the city’s treasured  Belmar Park.

Gigantic: It has a footprint of two football fields, is 5 stories high, most with 83 apartments on each floor.

Secretive: The Lakewood City Council only notified a small neighborhood HOA, Belmar Commons, about the planned development a year ago.

The two month pause declared by Karoi to meet with the community concludes December 20. Kairoi has not responded to SBP’s inquiry about a meeting date.  Bits and pieces have come through to SBP only after Kairoi talked to City officials.  

Smoke and mirrors?

The latest “bit” is that Kairoi, in collaboration with the City, last week defined the terms of the community meeting they had pledged to hold.  They will limit attendance to a very few residents of Belmar Commons where the primary, legitimate concern is safety on S. Yarrow Street.  This will not reflect the many different reasons for concern expressed by park users SBP has talked to regarding the mammoth Kairoi building.

Kairoi has hired attorney Carolynne White of the prestigious and powerful Brownstein firm to represent them.  Records show she contributed to the campaign of outgoing Lakewood mayor Adam Paul.   The Brownstein firm has been hired by Lakewood on numerous occasions. 
SBP has used the expertise of its core group to double down on Kairoi, which is a multibillion dollar company based in San Antonio with offices in Denver and elsewhere in the U.S.  The grassroots group includes a therapist, lawyer, teacher, city planner, sociologist, media relations specialist, wildlife conservationist and former geologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Belmar Park is unique.  An unofficial bird and wildlife sanctuary, it is home to 200 plus species of birds as well as turtles, beaver, fish, foxes, and more.  It has miles of walking and bicycle trails and open range horseback riding.  Many hundreds of park goers have expressed concern over the impact of the building on the park’s environment, including the removal of 69 mature trees, which will further contribute to climate change and also the destruction of already diminishing habitat for birds at a time when a third of the bird population has already been lost.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service notes, “The best way to avoid habitat impacts is to avoid placing development and energy projects in or near important bird habitat.”

To stay informed or become involved, write [email protected].

To donate for legal and associated fees to help protect the park, go to:  

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-belmar-park/donate