New business headed to Fort Collins' North College Marketplace

Construction heats up on North College Avenue: Two years after King Soopers opened on North College Avenue, activity is once again underway on new retailers.

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Pat Ferrier

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A new Discount Tire store, seen here Thursday, is under construction in the North College Marketplace in Fort Collins. / Dawn Madura/The Coloradoan

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Two years after King Soopers opened a sprawling store on North College Avenue, construction is in high gear for two new businesses at North College Marketplace in Fort Collins.

Pushing an ambitious time frame, Discount Tire hopes to open its doors in late October just north of Pobre Pancho’s Mexican restaurant and developers broke ground earlier this month on a 5,500-square-foot building that will house Perfect Teeth, a national chain of dentists, and a tenant to be named later.

It’s the first new activity at the marketplace since Great Clips opened in mid-2011. In addition to King Soopers, the marketplace houses Bullfrog Liquor — owned by Loveland Commercial LLC, which also owns the marketplace —— Serious Texas BBQ and Chase Bank.

Loveland Commercial’s Nathan Klein said the activity is a tribute to investments made by the city and the Urban Renewal Authority in the corridor that has typically been of little interest to national tenants.

The URA, which is also the City Council, kicked in $8 million in tax increment financing to help developers with road improvements and wetland mitigation.

“It makes a big difference when you drive up there and the streetscape is done and you see what the Engines Lab (CSU Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory) is doing,” Klein said. “It doesn’t feel as disconnected as it once did.”

Klein said Perfect Teeth shrugged off Loveland Commercial early in the project. “Once they saw the whole thing mature and saw the traffic at King Soopers they came back around,” he said. Loveland Commercial is also negotiating with another national tenant who said no “half a dozen times,” Klein said. “They finally said they wanted to revisit it and it has progressed to active negotiations.”

Neil McCaffrey, a member of the North College Citizen’s Advisory Group and North Fort Collins Business Association that have long pushed for redevelopment of North College Avenue, said the activity is good for everyone. “It’s getting to be a real shopping center and that’s nice. We’ve got more activity up here, we’ll soon have student housing (Aspen Grove) and that will bring in some retail money for the guys in the King Soopers and Albertsons shopping centers.”

Bank of Colorado Purchases Site for New Branch

Bank of Colorado is expanding its footprint in Loveland with the recent purchase of the property located at 1888 W. Eisenhower Blvd.  In a deal brokered by Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC; the bank purchased the property from Ivar and Donna Larson of Loveland for $550,000.  Bank of Colorado plans to demolish the existing structure on the property and construct a new branch on the property by the end of 2013.

"2 Northern Colorado banks planning new branches

Two banks headquartered in Northern Colorado have filed notices of intent with regulators to establish new branches. Bank of Colorado, based in Fort Collins, is planning to open a second Loveland branch at 1888 W. Eisenhower Blvd. The bank's acquisition of Greeley-based New West Bank is also pending. First FarmBank, headquartered in Greeley, is planning to open a branch in Yuma, at 501 E. Eighth Ave, according to a report from the state Division of Banking."

Northern Colorado Business Report (March 19, 2013)

Loveland Commercial Congratulates client Debbie Gutierrez on Grand Opening!

New Loveland day care facility gives dogs 'resort' experience

K-9 Island will open Monday in south Loveland

By Craig Young Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:   03/16/2013 09:52:27 AM MDT

Debbie Gutierrez, owner of K-9 Island, a day resort, hotel and spa for dogs, plays Wednesday with her pooches, Addie, left, and Sadie, right, at the dog day care in Loveland. ( Jenny Sparks )

Open House What: Open house introducing K-9 Island, a new dog day care and boarding facility in south Loveland.
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 16.
Featuring: Tours of the facility and refreshments. Visitors can bring their dogs.
Where: 211 Barberry Place, off Southwest 14th Street.
Information: Call 663-2776 or go to k9island.com

Debbie Gutierrez knows that some people treat their dogs as their children -- because she does -- and she's launching a new business just for them.
On Monday, Gutierrez will open K-9 Island, a "day resort, hotel and spa" for dogs at 211 Barberry Place.
"Our focus is on the dog's experience," she said, although much of her business's décor and marketing is aimed at the "pet parents."
So for the dogs that stay overnight, there are rooms with walls -- no metal cages. For the humans' benefit, each of those brightly painted "mutt hut" kennel rooms has a colorful sign with an island name, and the owners will get postcards that say, "While you were away, your dog vacationed in Tahiti," for example.
Room to Play, Rooms for Sleep
Dogs will have 8,500 square feet of indoor and 7,000 square feet of outdoor play areas where they can romp all day, except for a required nap in roomy "cabana" crates from noon to 2 p.m. "It gives them their own space they can relax in," Gutierrez said.
During their first day care visit, which is free, dogs will be assessed for temperament and separated into appropriate play areas. And, she said, "We don't take dogs that don't get along with other dogs."
Overnight guests get "room service" -- meals in their kennels at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and a treat on the pillow. At night, K-9 Island will play soothing music to help the pooches snooze.
Gutierrez said she is basing her facility's approach on extensive research, several internships at other dog day care and boarding businesses and her own experience as a longtime dog owner who used kennels extensively.
She worked 20 years as a registered nurse, the last 10 in a job that required her to travel out of town three, four or five days a week. When she left town, she would board her dog in local kennels, and she learned what worked best for her and her dog.
'This Is What I Really Wanted to Do'
When Gutierrez was laid off in the spring of 2010, she was completing a bachelor's degree in business management, she said. For a capstone project, she was required to develop a business plan for a fictitious company.
She chose to create a dog day care and boarding facility. As she put the plan down on paper, she thought, "You know, this could work."
"I was realizing this is what I really wanted to do," she said.
When K-9 Island opens Monday in the former Sunbelt Rentals location in south Loveland, Gutierrez will have four employees and will hire more as business picks up, she said.
Her facility has 33 "mutt huts" for overnight boarders, and some of those rooms can hold two dogs from the same family. She will charge $22 a day for day care and $34 a night for overnight boarders, which also get free day care.
K-9 Island will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and initially have drop-off and pickup times of 8-10 a.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Gutierrez has set an open house for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, call 663-2776 or go to k9island.com.
Craig Young can be reached at 635-3634 or cyoung@reporter-herald.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CraigYoungRH.

Another Loveland Commercial Property Sold!

A mixed-use property located at 840 N. Lincoln Avenue in Loveland, owned by Home State Bank, was sold on January 31, 2013 for $130,000.  Nick Galluzzo and Nathan Klein, both of Loveland Commercial, LLC, represented the Seller in the transaction.

Lease Signed in the 2534 Development

Creative Touch Interiors (CTI), a subsidiary of HD Supply, has signed a lease for 3,048 s.f. at 4880 Thompson Parkway in the 2534 development for a new showroom.  The showroom will serve as a regional service center for its Northern Colorado home-builder clients and will include flooring, cabinetry, kitchens, etc., and will be open by appointment only.  "The lease signing is great news relative to the improving home-building market and the increased presence of a national supplier of home-building materials in the region," said Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC who represented the Landlord in the transaction.  CTI opened the showroom in early 2013.

Discount Tire to Join North College Marketplace in Fort Collins

North College Marketplace in north Fort Collins will be getting the boost of another national tenant later this year when Discount Tire opens a new 7,500 s.f. store along College Avenue.  In a deal brokered by Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC and Mike Kendall of SullivanHayes, Discount Tire's parent company, Halle Properties, purchased the land in January 2013 and is currently pursuing final building permit approvals to build the store.

North College Marketplace is a King Soopers Marketplace anchored shopping center that opened in Summer 2011 and is currently home to Chase Bank, Bullfrog Wine & Spirits, Great Clips, and Serious Texas BBQ, among others.  "We are fielding calls on a daily basis from several national tenants who are actively looking for opportunities in Fort Collins and have specifically asked about opportunities in the development", said Nathan Klein of the project.  Also planned for completion in summer of 2013 is the next 5,000 s.f. multi-tenant retail building which will be constructed between Chase Bank on the north and Discount Tire on the south.  Leases are being negotiated on that building with other national tenants to be named later this year.  "The project momentum is fantastic since the start of the year; we are excited to further the construction and development of North College Marketplace and the North College corridor of Fort Collins."

Congratulations to Unity Hair Studio!

Loveland Commercial welcomes Unity Hair Studio to their new location!  Unity Hair Studio leased a 1,263 square foot, turn key salon space at 1417 N. Cleveland Avenue in Loveland the first week of February and are now open for business!  Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC, assisted both the landlord and the new tenant in executing the lease. 

Loveland Commercial Welcomes Spring44 Distilling

Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC represented the landlord in a new lease signed by Spring44 Distilling.  The new tenant leased a 3,000 square foot industrial space located at 404-408 W. 67th Street in the Longview Industrial Park, in January with plans to be utilizing the space by March.  Spring44 was represented by John Baker of Baker Western Group of Loveland.

Spring44, Northern Colorado's newest distillery, using spring water in vodka, gin

Spring44 to start production in Loveland in March

By David Young Fort Collins Coloradoan

Posted:   02/11/2012 10:47:55 PM MST

Updated:   02/11/2012 10:50:03 PM MST

LOVELAND -- A new Loveland distillery is looking to become the Samuel Adams of craft distilling by using Colorado Rocky Mountain spring water to make vodka and gin. Spring44, Northern Colorado's newest distillery, will start production locally in March and open a tasting room to the public in May.
Co-founder Jeff Lindauer, 50, said he is looking to make an impact in the $3.4 billion premium spirits market that is 98 percent import now.
"It occurred to me that there was an interesting white space to build a great American brand and that is what we intend to do. We have a world-class team on board," Lindauer said.
Part of that team includes Spring44 board member Tim Wolf, former CFO of Coors Brewing Co. Lindauer already has started outsourcing production of his vodka, honey vodka and gin to Oregon while he starts installation of the bottling line in the Loveland facility Tuesday.
The 7,000-square-foot Loveland distillery, at U.S. 287 and Carpenter Road, will have an annual production capacity of 250,000 cases and is projected to create about 250 jobs by 2014.
The heart of Spring44 lies in a spring in Buckhorn Canyon near Pennock Pass on 160 acres of land owned by Lindauer's family.
The remote piece of land surrounded by national forest is accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles, and Lindauer uses a modified Ford F-250 pickup called "Tinker Bell" to transport the spring water to the distillery.
Considering an 80 proof bottle spirit is 60 percent water, arguably one of the most important ingredients, Lindauer started exploring using his pure water in some sort of spirit and Spring44 was born.
"I think 98 percent is too much to cede to foreign (premium spirits) when we have access to the best raw goods," he said. "Colorado has a rich history of distilling. It's the best water on the planet Earth."
Lindauer said he did his homework on the industry, spending three years in development with a master distiller from Denver before hitting the market in June 2011.
Spring44 is touted as "ultra premium vodka" made with water from 9,044 feet up in the Colorado Rockies. Lindauer plans to expand with other spirits but declined to disclose what those might be.
"We got way out over our skis in terms of our ability to produce and had to outsource production at first," said Lindauer.
Spring44 is available in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Spring44 gin is an official sponsor of the New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden.
"We are proud that Spring44 has chosen the New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden for their first-ever sports marketing partnership," said Greg Economou, EVP of revenue performance, MSG Sports, in a prepared statement.
While Lindauer declined to disclose the cost of the new distillery, he said he has invested "millions" of dollars into Spring44 and has dedicated the past three years to the business.

Loveland Commercial Welcomes Cheeks

Loveland Commercial welcomes Cheeks International Academy of Beauty to their new Loveland location at 5010 Granite Street, a 6,600 s.f. commercial building off of N.Garfield Ave./US Highway 287 in north Loveland.  Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC represented the sellers in the $525,000 transaction.  Cheeks had their grand opening at the new location in January and classes began January 15, running throughout the year.  They have two locations in Northern Colorado and one in Cheyenne, WY.

5010 Granite Street, Loveland, CO

Loveland Commercial Congratulates Loveland Dance Academy

Loveland Commercial congratulates Loveland Dance Academy on the purchase of retail space located at 440 N. Lincoln Ave., in downtown Loveland for their new location.  Nathan Klein of Loveland Commercial, LLC assisted Loveland Dance Academy in finding the location that would benefit their growing business, with their grand opening to be in March 2013.

Arts-related businesses on the move in downtown Loveland  

Sale of Art of the Rockies building to Loveland Dance Academy in the works 

By Craig Young Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:   08/17/2012 11:44:21 AM MDT

Norm Toman, who has owned Art of the Rockies gallery and frame shop at 440 N. Lincoln Ave. since 1995, is in the process of selling his building. He plans to move to a smaller location across from the Rialto Theater Center on East Fourth Street. ( Craig Young )

LOVELAND -- A downtown Loveland building that has housed a visual arts business for decades soon will switch to a new art form.
Norm Toman, owner of Art of the Rockies at 440 N. Lincoln Ave., said if the sale of his building goes through in early October, a dance studio will move in and his art gallery and frame shop will move out.

Linda McSwain, co-owner of Loveland Dance Academy and Greeley's Conservatory of Dance Studio, said she plans to move the Dance Academy from its 126 W. Fourth St. location into the Lincoln Avenue building.
Loveland Dance Academy, which offers a broad range of dance classes and performance opportunities for people of all ages, has leased its current space on Fourth Street since 1998.
She said the school will move from about 3,500 square feet to more than 5,800, probably in January. "We're pretty pressed for the number of students we have," McSwain said.
"I think that says a lot about the people of Loveland and what they think about the performing arts," she said.  The larger location will allow the school to have bigger dance studios and to add a fourth studio. The main access for students will be on the east side of the building, off the city parking lot, McSwain said.

Two other businesses in the Lincoln Avenue building will move out along with Art of the Rockies when the sale closes.
Bead Bling Bead Co., which has occupied a corner of the building for about a year and a half, will move to a shop at West 15th Street and Van Buren Avenue, according to owner Donna Keirns.
She said she hopes business will pick up at the new location, 1966 W. 15th St., Suite 5B. "People don't like to come downtown," she said, adding that she had more customers when her shop was at an out-of-the way location on West Eighth Street and Van Buren.
At the new, larger shop, Keirns said she hopes to add a line of clothing.

Billie Colson's Independence Gallery, also in the 440 N. Lincoln building, will move with Toman's Art of the Rockies to a smaller space at 233 E. Fourth St.
The new location, formerly the studio and gallery of the late sculptor Blair Muhlestein, is considerably smaller than Art of the Rockies' longtime home.

"We've had a real luxury of space," Toman said. The new location will have 2,400 square feet, while his current building has 5,850.  With the move, he will get rid of some of the framing equipment he doesn't use anymore and have a sale on artwork that hasn't been selling.

While Independence Gallery sells original artwork of mostly local artists, Art of the Rockies features reproductions of nationally known artists, such as the late Thomas Kinkade.
He said Colson's gallery will carry some of Muhlestein's sculptures.
Toman and his wife, Pat, bought their business 17 years ago from Art Erickson, who had operated the Art Erickson Center at that location since 1986. He said they are looking forward to cutting back on the hours they work after getting established on Fourth Street.
Craig Young can be reached at 635-3634 or cyoung@reporter-herald.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CraigYoungRH.

Loveland Commercial's Nathan Klein, New Chamber Chairman and Business Awards are Given

Loveland Commercial is excited to support their own Nathan Klein as the new Chairman for Loveland Chamber of Commerce.  Nathan Klein is Partner and Broker Associate for Loveland Commercial, LLC, and specializes in assisting local businesses with their commercial real estate needs.  Nathan sees his participation as Chamber Chairman as a great opportunity to help support local businesses.

Business stars come out as Loveland Chamber goes Hollywood

Medical Center of the Rockies, Sandler Training earn business of the year honors at annual dinner

By Craig Young Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

John Geiman, left, and Don Overcash, principals at Top Line Growth, pose Friday, Jan. 18, in the lobby of their Loveland business, which is a franchise of Sandler Training. ( Steve Stoner )

Other Nominees Large Business of the Year: American Eagle Distributing; Aspen House Memory Care Assisted Living; Madwire Media.
Small Business of the Year: Fred's Used Websites; Grow Secure Insurance and Financial Services; Perfect Square.
Heart Award: Jean Cannon, Aspen House Memory Care Assisted Living; Jerry Helgeson, American Eagle Distributing; Maryjo Morgan, Fred's Used Websites.
Nonprofit of the Year: Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center; House of Neighborly Service; Realities for Children.
Young Professional of the Year: David Eads; Leah Johnson; Janie Rocek.

The Loveland Chamber of Commerce shined a spotlight on some of its stars Friday night at the organization's annual dinner.
The chamber honored local companies and businesspeople with awards and acknowledged the passing of the gavel from outgoing chairman Dave Clark to new chairman Nathan Klein.

Playing the event's Hollywood theme to the hilt, the chamber had starlets lead the award winners to the stage with theme music playing in the background. Searchlights swept over the ceiling and walls, and the winning table decoration by Perfect Square's John Metcalf featured Lego mockups of the Hollywood hillside sign and Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

George Hayes, CEO

Large business of the year honors went to Medical Center of the Rockies.
Last year, Loveland's other hospital, McKee Medical Center, won the award, which is determined by a vote of chamber members and a selection committee.
"It is a privilege to be in the same category as the others who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the community tonight," MCR president and CEO George Hayes said in a press release after the event. "We are honored and proud to call Loveland home."
The press release pointed out that the 166-bed hospital had a big year in 2012,      when it celebrated its fifth anniversary, launched its Air Link medical air transportation service, opened a new rehab unit and saw its parent company partner with the University of Colorado Hospital to form University of Colorado Health.

The small business of the year award, given to a company with 25 or fewer employees, went to Top Line Growth, the local franchise of Sandler Training.
John Geiman opened the Loveland office in January 2005, and Don Overcash joined him as partner in 2009.  The company provides sales and management training and ongoing reinforcement to companies as small as one-person startups and as large as water quality product maker

"Their success is our success," Geiman said in an interview.
Geiman said he and Overcash belong to six chambers of commerce in the area. "We really love chambers because they represent businesses."
Overcash said Sandler has about 250 offices in 25 countries and wins awards every year for being the best franchise in its category.

Deanna Sloat, Guaranty Bank

Deanna Sloat, a loan portfolio manager at Guaranty Bank, won the Heart Award, which honors a person who displays selflessness and compassion for the community.
Sloat's list of volunteer efforts includes helping the Hearts & Horses therapeutic riding program with its annual gala, serving on the Santa Cops board for Larimer County, working on Relay For Life and helping put on the Larimer County Sheriff's Posse junior rodeo. "They're all such worthy causes close to my heart," she said.    

Judy Chapman

The McKee Medical Center Foundation was named nonprofit of the year.
Foundation representative Judy Chapman accepted the award for the organization, which raises money for the hospital and its programs in the community.
"This is such a charitable community; to be recognized this way is such an honor," Chapman said.


Nicole Yost, founder and president of Loveland-based Fyn Public Relations, won young professional of the year honors.

Nicole Yost

The award goes to members of the chamber's young-professionals group, Stir Loveland. Yost said she has been involved with the chamber and with Stir

since September 2009, when she came to Loveland. She started her PR agency in October 2011.  She said being involved in Stir is important to her. "I truly believe that Loveland has an exceptional mix of young professionals who are truly making a difference today and preparing Loveland for an exciting future."

Also Friday night, Noreen Flood of Daily Money Solutions was named Ambassador of the Year, and Maryjo Morgan of Fred's Used Websites won Rookie Ambassador of the Year.

Plans For New 69-Unit Apartment Building Making Progress in Downtown Loveland

Urban Renewal Plan Expanded to Include 541 N. Lincoln:

The City Council gave preliminary approval to the expansion of the Block 41-Finley’s Addition Urban Renewal Plan to facilitate the construction of a $9.3 million, 69-unit market rate housing development in downtown Loveland by Brinkman Partners of Fort Collins. The approval was based on the Council’s agreement that the area meets a variety of blight criteria as defined in State statutes.

The Finley’s Addition Urban Renewal Plan and Plan Area will be modified to include the project site and additional properties, and to permit LURA to retain incremental tax revenue from sales taxes in addition to property taxes to assist with the financing of the project. By expanding the Finley’s Addition Plan Area, the combined tax increment from the Lincoln Place Urban renewal area and the Brinkman/North Catalyst project will fund the public improvements for the catalyst project, predevelopment costs, and repay the City for the purchase of 541 N. Lincoln.

Brinkman Partners has formed a single-purpose LLC (541 N. Lincoln, LLC) that will contract with the City and LURA to build the project. Five of the 69 units will be ground level “livework” units, which will allow the project to be considered mixed-use for planning and zoning purposes. 2nd reading on the ordinances is tentatively scheduled for January 15, 2013.