FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2001	CONTACTS: Tom Gleason (303) 382-1800 or Andrew Hudson (720)865-9016
Mayor Webb, Forest City Announce Stapleton Parks Plan
1,100 New Acres Of Parks at Stapleton Will Increase Denver Parks System by One-Third Nationally-Lauded System to Gain New Recreation Areas & Urban Refuge for Wildlife DENVER -- Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, Stapleton master developer Forest City, City of Denver officials and parks advocates today joined together to unveil detailed plans for 1,100 acres of new City parks and open space at the Stapleton redevelopment site. Not only will the Stapleton redevelopment combat urban sprawl by reusing 7.5 square miles within the city limits, it will actually increase the acreage of Denver Parks by 30 percent. In the tradition of great cities the world over, this new park land will offer community gathering places, while also establishing a rare urban refuge for native wildlife. "Denver has a rich legacy of parks and open spaces that is recognized throughout the world," said Mayor Webb. During Mayor Webb's tenure, he has increased the amount of City park acreage by 2,350 acres, a 55% increase. This represents parks that have already been developed during his tenure or parks and open space that are currently under development. "Parks and recreational opportunities greatly enhance the livability of a City and its neighborhoods," the Mayor continued. "Parks provide peaceful refuge from the daily hustle and bustle, they are a gathering place for families, friends and communities and in many ways they are extensions of our own back yards. "The Stapleton parks plan is a critical component of this redevelopment project that reflects the importance our City puts on parks and open space." Earlier this year, Denver received acclaim in a first-ever study of America's city park systems conducted by the Trust for Public Land and published by the Urban Land Institute. Forest City is contributing $44 million to help fund development of this new open space at Stapleton. At the announcement, John Lehigh, Chief Operating Officer of Forest City Stapleton, Inc. presented a check to the Mayor for the first payment of $4 million.. The master plan for Stapleton open space and parks was developed jointly by the City of Denver, community members, master developer Forest City and a team of environmental design consultants led by EDAW. Plans for creating this green refuge in the heart of the city call for: * An 80-acre urban park in the heart of the redevelopment * An urban forest and prairie mounds * A nature center, including a wetlands wildlife habitat * Creeks, rivers and fountains * Picnic areas * A major regional recreation center, including an aquatic center * Walking and biking trails that complete Denver's greenway loop * A sledding hill * Sports fields * A golf course * Indoor and outdoor tennis courts * An on-site plant nursery "We want to do more than just put up buildings. We want to create true, walkable urban neighborhoods. That means designing homes with front porches, streets with sidewalks and plenty of places for people to come together and form a community -- like these parks," explained Mr. Lehigh. Currently, Stapleton is home to Fred Thomas Park, a section of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway and the 123-acre Bluff Lake Nature Center. Wildlife including deer, eagles, foxes and owls can be found at this urban refuge. Stapleton open space will be developed in phases over the next 15 years, with existing park space being further developed and upgraded. "It's so exciting to be able to share this final plan after all of the community meetings, knowing that Stapleton's neighbors here in the Northeast Denver community played such a big role in deciding how this land should be used," said Alice Kelly, Chair of the Parks Advisory Group of the Stapleton Development Corporation's Citizens Advisory Board. Located on the site of what was once the world's fifth-busiest airport, Stapleton is the nation's largest urban redevelopment. Designed as a series of walkable urban neighborhoods, it will eventually house 30,000 residents and approximately 30,000 workers. The first residents are expected to move into new homes in late 2002. Forest City Enterprises, Inc. is a national real estate development and management company, which has headed up hundreds of retail, commercial and hospitality projects across the nation. In the last 20 years, the company has placed a growing emphasis on urban redevelopment projects. EDAW is an award-winning environmental design and development architectural firm with offices around the world.