THE VILLAGER NEWSPAPER APRIL 22, 2010

REAL ESTATEHOME & GARDEN

DEVELOPMENTdigs

DEVELOPMENT

HOME &GARDEN

REAL ESTATE

what’s inside

Denver metro real estate goes ‘green’

Perry & Co. Real Estate Professionals of Denver launched two cutting edge real estate technolo-

gies that not only help consumers get the information they want, but also help the environment. All without printed materials.

Property details such as price, bedrooms, baths and square foot-age can be instantly sent to a cell phone through a Quick Response (“QR”) Code, powered byScan-Life, and through the new text messaging service, powered by KWKLY.

Here’s how these new tech-nologies work: A potential buyer drives through a neighborhood looking at “For Sale” signs in front of houses. The buyer pulls over and walks up to the sign to get a paper fl yer – and may or may not fi nd one there. Now with the Perry & Co. Green technol-ogy initiatives, buyers can get all the information they want with

a simple photo of a QR EZCode or by texting the word “NOW” to 59559. Either method will provide the Buyer with instant property information on a cell phone. The QR EZCode from ScanLife works on cell phones with cameras and data plans and will show web pag-es and photos.

The text messaging service will work on any cell phone that allows you to send and receive text messages, and provides a re-sponse text with the information requested. In fact, the text messag-ing service will work on any list-ing in the MLS not just Perry & Co. listings. Consumers can text the word NOW to 59559 and type in any address they want informa-tion on and after typing in an ad-dress will receive the information they need.

“We wanted to provide two services that worked for the main types of cell phones that people use – this is about making the in-formation customers want more accessible immediately,” said Jon Larrance, vice president of Perry

& Co. Real Estate Professionals. No more printing expensive

paper fl yers that sit in a brochure box and need to be replenished; no need for the buyer to rush home and look up the property informa-tion from an address they jotted down on a loose piece of paper in their car. It truly is as simple as taking a photo of the Perry & Co QR EZCode or sending a text message from your cell phone. All the information you need comes to you while you are still sitting in front of the house you’re inter-ested in.

These new technologies not only give buyers instant informa-tion, but also assures sellers that their virtual “brochure boxes” will never be empty and the potential buyer can get all of the current list-ing information within seconds. These revolutionary technologies will change the way real estate professionals market homes, and how buyers and sellers choose their Realtor.

So next time you are buying a home, help out Mother Earth – take a photo or text and save a tree.

DIGS is a supplemental publication of The VillagerNewspaper. Produced twice a month, this new section will feature stories about home improvement and décor, lawn/garden care and landscaping.

DIGS will also focus on real estate – supplying real estate agents and brokers with a platform to highlight their properties, expertise and services. NEXT EDITION: MAY 6AD DEADLINE: APRIL 29

digsNew text message and picture technology has helped Perry & Co. agents and buyers with more effi cient method of providing information.Photos courtesy of Perry & Co.

earthDAYcolorado celebrates

earthDAYDAYanniversary

A picture (or text message) is worth a thousand wordsA picture (or text message)

By Rosemary Fetter

T his year, April 22 marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in the United States, an annual observance

that celebrates the cause of envi-ronmentalism and conservation of natural resources. The event originated in September 1969 at a Seattle conference, when Wis-consin U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson brought environmentalism into the national spotlight after a visit to the terrible Santa Barbara oil spill earlier that year. Nelson orga-nized a national event in an effort to popularize political support for strong environmental measures, mobilizing more than 20 million people, mostly students, who took to the streets in peaceful support.

The date April 22 held signifi -cance for organizers for various reasons. For one, it marks the birthday of J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska Territory pioneer who held the earliest Arbor Day cel-ebration in the 1850s by planting trees on the dry plains. Also, April 22 is the birthday of actor Eddie Albert, know for his early work in environmental causes. Some of the early organizers thought conservationist John Muir was born April 22, but it was actually

April 21. Whatever the signifi -cance, this grassroots celebration marked the offi cial birth of the environmental movement, mobi-lizing groups that had been fi ght-ing against pesticides, oil spills, air pollution, nuclear power plants and the extinction of wildlife into a common effort to recognize the fragility of our environment be-fore it’s too late.

By the year 2000, global warm-ing had become the issue, and ac-tivists used the Internet to band more than 5,000 environmental groups together to push for clean energy. Last year’s Earth Day was the most successful on record, with an estimated billion people around the world participating. Earth Day 2010 promises to be even bigger, with major events planned all over the globe. In Washington, D.C., organizers will be holding a Climate Rally at the National Mall, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., to demand that congress enacts climate and clean energy legisla-tion this year. The event includes speeches from environmental-ists Reverend Jesse Jackson, fi lm director James Cameron, Olym-pic gold medalist Billy Demont, along with live music from Sting and other national celebrities.

For complete information on Earth Day events, visit www.earthday.net. Below are some Denver-area Earth Day events.

Botanic Gardens Free Day

April 22, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Denver Botanic Gardens, 1005 York St., Denver. Free Day for Colorado residents! Visit www.botanicgardens.org.

Party for the Planet – Youth Summit

April 22, 9 am-1 pm, Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver. Ac-tivities free with admission. Learn about what students are doing to save the planet.

Bag ExchangeApril 22, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.,

Whole Foods Tamarac, 7400 E. Hampden Ave., Denver. Bring 10 plastic bags and the store will give you one free re-usable bag. Earth Day Happy Hour: 4 – 6 p.m.

‘Earth Day Fair’April 22, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.,

Civic Center Park, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver. A free city celebration. Visit www.denvergov.org/CivicCenter.

Celebration at Red Rocks

April 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morri-son. Displace, face painting, park cleanup. Visit www.windstarcoloradoconnection.org.

Bluff Lake Nature Center

April 24, 9 a.m., noon, Bluff Lake Nature Center, Havana Way, Denver. Bring electronics, baby gear, and more for free or low cost recycling.

Recycled art from or inspired by the Art Students League of Denver exhibit. Bluff Lake educa-tors and volunteers will work with families. www.bluffl akenaturecenter.org, 303-344-0031.

New bowling lanes coming, Pg. 3 Littleton business is booming, Pg. 6

Real estate sales go paperlesss, Pg.1 Housing sales pick up pace, Pg. 3

Weaving comfort for the homeless, Pg. 2 Landscape & garden trends for 2010, Pg. 4 Design a healthy living space, Pg. 5 Meet DesignerMichael Payne, Pg. 6

PAGE 2 • digs April 22, 2010

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Submitted by Chrysalis Eco Boutique

Considering sprucing up your personal style? When you’re out look-ing for a new ward-

robe, take a minute to consider the environmental impact of your new clothes when making that pur-chase. There are tons of designers working with sustainable materi-als, which means you won’t have to sacrifi ce style for a new eco-chic outfi t.

environmental benefi tsSustainable clothing involves

seeking out organic, natural and fair trade garments, as well as reusing and recycling when pos-sible. When choosing new gar-ments, reduce chemical exposure and promote social equality by favoring fair trade clothing made with organic cotton, bamboo, hemp or other natural fi bers.

Consider the environmental impact of growing fi ber crops used to produce fabric. Eco-friendly fi bers have smaller car-bon footprints compared to pro-ducing the same amount of con-ventional alternatives, and some are even a benefi t to the environ-ment. Some plants, such as hemp,

grow robustly without pesticides or herbicides, and also produce a signifi cant amount of oxygen and return a large percentage of nutri-ents to the soil.

healthy choicesWearing organically grown fi -

bers like cotton minimizes expo-sure to toxic pesticides and other products, which are applied to conventional fi bers while the crop is growing, and afterward as fi n-ishing treatments. An individual wearing jeans and a t-shirt made from conventionally produced cotton may be wearing over one pound of chemicals—a small per-centage of which may have the opportunity to absorb through the skin. Natural fi bers offer further advantages. For example, hemp fabrics block UV rays more effec-tively than other materials, even when the hemp is blended with another fi ber, and bamboo has naturally occurring antimicrobial properties, minimizing bacteria.

reducing toxinsManufacturing of cotton and

synthetic fi bers accounts for a huge amount of global chemical usage. Conventionally grown cot-ton uses 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and 10 percent of the world’s pesticides, making it a major polluter and source of environmental toxins worldwide.

Production of synthetic fi ber burns signifi cant amounts of oil, releasing toxic byproducts, and should be avoided for new gar-ment purchases. Look for gar-ments made using natural, organ-ically grown fi bers to avoid per-sonal exposure to these chemicals and drastically reduce the use of these pollutants.

ethical sourcingConventionally grown cotton

is frequently picked by hand, ex-posing workers to high levels of some of the most toxic chemi-cals used in agriculture. Work-ers in other nations who harvest any kind of plants grown for fi ber are often underpaid or required to work under dangerous condi-tions. Purchasing from a repu-table fair trade certifi ed business helps promote sustainable work-ing conditions and living wages.

do your homeworkIt’s important to identify and

avoid products from companies that engage in greenwashing. Some of these businesses heavily promote “green” products with dubious environmental and ethi-cal qualifi cations. Read labels, look for products containing a high percentage of organically grown fi ber, and favor companies committed to fair trade and sus-tainable practices.

Three Strands turns plastic bags into sleeping mats for homeless By Ashley Achee

T hree Strands is the brainchild of Sharon Krause, a seven-year member of Colorado Community Church in Cherry Hills Village. Krause was inspired by a story she heard about a church

in Chicago, Palatine Lutheran, involved in recycling grocery bags to make sleeping mats for individuals in communities who are less fortunate. The mats are made from plastic bags that have been cut into strips for crochet construction. It takes approximately 700 plastic bags and 35 volunteer hours to produce one sleeping mat.

Kent Denver School is launching a plastic bag-recycling project, with grades 9 through 12 compet-ing for the most bags collected. This is a partnering effort to contribute to Krause’s community project to help the homeless. The Three Strands Project is poised to become a nation-wide effort as well as the global community.

The sleeping mats are waterproof, lightweight, easy to carry and can be easily cleaned with water. This padding allows for a more comfortable sleeping rather than using the bare fl oor/ground or a blanket. There are between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags gener-ated worldwide each year, according to the Environ-mental Protection Agency.

The recycling of unwanted plastic bags is not only contributing to a better environment, but also help-ing to do good works in the community by helping the homeless. Three Strands is in close partnership with the local rescue mission, as well as other shelters and urban ministries that can effectively distribute the sleeping mats.

Krause has presented her project to Columbia Mid-dle School eighth graders, the Denver Christian High School and Smoky Hill High School. Several com-panies and organizations in the Denver area, such as

Staples, Transwestern, Habitat for Humanity, MOPS, Gateway High School, to mention a few, have all be-come contributors, as well.

Krause held her fi rst crochet class to construct the plastic bags with 130 students. Now, she has an aver-age of 30 – 40 for classes held at the church each week. Participants also work from home to crochet mats. To date, 58 mats have been completed and turned in for distribution.

Krause said, “I don’t see the need for these mats to ever end. If the need to help the homeless in the Denver area ever ceases, I am certain there will forever be a need in third world countries where individuals often sleep on dirt fl oors or worse.”

For more information or questions regarding the Three Strands Project, contact sharonkrause3425@msn.com.

Be stylish &eco-friendly by

purchasing sustainable materials in great looks.

Photos courtesy of Chrysalis

Sharon Krause shows off one of the “plas-tic sleeping mats” she made through her “Three Strands” program. Plastic bags are recycled, cut into strips and crocheted into a sleeping mat for the homeless.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Achee

Chrysalis Eco Boutique

Located at The Streets at SouthGlenn,

6851 S. Gaylord St., Suite 254

303-658-0056www.chrysalis-eco-chic.com

&be stylishbe green

digs April 22, 2010

&Sustainable, healthy clothing now in fashion

From plastic to comfort

FieldTurF ColoradoVanessa Luna4161 Mulligan Street, Longmont, CO 80504(303) 532-0101info@fieldturfcolorado.com

A great looking well manicured lawn of natural grass has become a luxury. Imagine a perfect lawn year-round without the constant upkeep. No water, no fertilizer, no mowing required no matter how many kids, pets or adults use it. Problem areas are just a memory, a thing of the past.

This is not a dream. The truth is that installing a synthetic turf lawn by FieldTurf is fast becoming one of the most popular home improvement projects in decades.

At FIELDTurf® Colorado we can help you create the yard of your dreams. Give us a call today to set up a free estimate and see for yourself what FIELDTurf® Colorado can do for you!

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Homes in Denver are sell-ing faster, and the aver-age sales price is con-tinuing to rise. Overall

Denver area market numbers in March showed upward trends in every category. The number of homes on the market (inven-tory) is up, an indication that

homeowners are feeling more comfortable with the state of the economy.

Homes are selling faster; the average marketing time is now less than 90 days for single-fam-ily detached homes, as well as condominiums and townhouses.

door shutting on low interest rates

But, as home sales and prices climb, so are interest rates. The Associated Press is reporting that rates across the country began to increase this month, and the fore-cast is for the trend to continue.

Experts say rates are up be-cause of the improving economy and the end of a government push to make mortgages cheaper.

homebuyer tax credit ending

Hundreds of homebuyers in Colorado are still rushing to beat the April 30 deadline for the Homebuyer Tax Credit. If they’re successful, we could see some big sales numbers in next month’s re-port.

This report is developed monthly and is based on informa-

tion from Metrolist Market Intelli-gence Report for the period stated above. To receive this report via e-mail or to request an interview, contact David@SimonsonTeam.com or call (303) 229-6026.

April 22, 2010 digs • PAGE 3

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By Joshua Cole

Centennial City Coun-cil approved, April 5, a development plan for a bowling alley to build

on the northwest corner of Arapa-hoe and Parker roads.

“Celebrity Lanes” – includ-ing the bowling alley, bocce ball courts, arcade and an outdoor bar/grill – is planned be part of a larger “Centennial Center” on the corner of the major intersection.

The bowling alley could create 100 full and part-time jobs, with $4 million annual sales. Construc-tion could be a $12 million project,

of which $4 million would go to noise, light and other buffers from the 11 homes of the Valley Acres Estates neighborhood adjacent to it, according to the developers.

The center could be open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and midnight the rest of the week. Al-cohol sales would stop at 10 p.m. on the patio, and the patio would close at 11 p.m. A wall and 100 feet of open space would separate the bowling alley from the neigh-borhood, according to an agree-ment between the Valley Acres homeowner’s association and the developer.

Council members Ron Phelps and Rebecca McClellan voted against accepting the development plan.

Bowling is the biggest participa-tory sport in the country, according to the developer.

Celebrity Lanes to be built in Centennial will include a bowling alley, bocce ball courts, arcade and an outdoor bar/grill.

Photo courtesy of Celebrity Lanes

See info box below for more information on this graph.

In this report… • The number of homes on the market (inventory) improves by over 6 percent and is just slightly below last year.

• Homes are selling faster as marketing time improves dramatically.

• Average sale price is up more than 7 percent from 2009.

• Condo and townhome prices have increased with shorter marketing time.

bowl2get ready

Celebrity Lanes to come to Parker/Arapahoe intersection

Homes are selling faster, average price continues to rise

MOVING ONHousing market is

Submitted by ALCC

W armer temperatures are a sure sign it is time to start plan-ning and planting.

Before you begin, be sure to re-view the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado’s top 10 landscape and garden trends for 2010. According to ALCC’s professional landscape contractor members, this year’s trends in-volve keeping things local – from the food you grow in your garden to the entertaining you do in your own backyard.

Eat locally – out of your own backyard.

The momentum for kitchen gardening that started in 2009 is even stronger as more plants and ways to grow them are available. It’s now pretty and practical to plant vegetables throughout your landscape as long as their needs for water and sun are compatible.

Outdoor rooms that cater to comfort

and practicality are in. Patios with food prep areas,

grills, fi re pits and restful spaces with plenty of shade and out-door ambiance will be the top

destination for family living and entertaining this season.

Greening-up your landscape.

Earth-friendly approaches to landscape design and main-tenance are stronger than ever. Homeowners want less area to water and maintain and are in-stalling sprinkler systems that op-erate only when water is needed. City-sponsored rebates are also rewarding them for their water conserving choices.

For annual color, opulent displays

are long gone. For trends in container garden-

ing, look for strategically placed annual fl owers for maximum pop. Also look for long-loved fl ower varieties in new combinations that are planted in non-traditional and attention-grabbing containers.

Water features are now for everyone.

Once a luxury, it is common practice for homeowners to re-quest water features in their gar-den design. Coveted for their practicality as much as their aes-thetic qualities, water features

buffer street traffi c, provide am-bience and can feature plants that only grow in water – like water lilies. With proper design and in-stallation, they are also a water-conserving element within the landscape.

Whether it’s your wardrobe or your

yard, fashion basics never go out of style.

Lush grass that is well main-tained through aeration, fertilizer and regular mowing is a timeless standard as are neatly pruned trees and shrubs. A colorful pal-ette of fl owers and foliage—like any good accessory—makes an eye-catching statement. Playing to these basics will keep your yard in style.

Light it up. Night lighting that high-

lights your house and landscape is one of the fastest-growing land-scape innovations. Not only does it look great, but also it increases home security. And new fl uores-cent and LED lighting options mean using less electricity. LEDs

even come in multiple colors, add-ing variety to your nightscape.

Save money by doing it right

the fi rst time. Homeowners who are watch-

ing dollars closely are wary of quick, cheap fi xes that are short lived. Find the right professional contractor for the job and use du-rable products that enhance prop-erty values, provide ease of main-tenance and save money over the long haul.

Landscapes are growing native with

lush, low-water plants. Based on appearances, you

might not guess that the vibrant plants now fi nding their way into Colorado landscapes are native and as water conserving as they are stunning. Even their names sound exotic, like red birds in a tree, red torch lily and partridge feather.

Gardening with a purpose.

Whether planting a kitchen

garden to harvest many variet-ies of herbs, creating a medita-tion garden or designing a yard to attract more wildlife or to be user-friendlier to the family dog, gardening with a purpose is here to stay.

PAGE 4 • digs April 22, 2010

Water features buffer street traffi c, provide ambience and can feature plants that only grow in water, such as water lilies.

Photo courtesy of Changing Landscapes, Inc.

Plant vegetables throughout your landscape as long as their needs for water and sun are compatible.

Photo courtesy of Neils Lunceford, Inc.

what’s hot &what’s not

TOP 10LANDSCAPE & GARDEN

TRENDS FOR 2010Patios with food prep areas, grills, fi re pits and restful spaces with plenty of shade and ambiance will be a top destination this season.

Photo courtesy Street Designs

With more than 700 members across the state, the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colo-rado is the premier professional organization for Colorado’s landscape contractors. ALCC has been at the forefront for more than 40 years helping the landscape industry address Colorado’s unique climate, and promoting responsible use of water and other natural resourc-es. ALCC member fi rms provide a range of landscape services including design, installation, maintenance, consultation and water management. To fi nd a qualifi ed landscape professional or subscribe to ALCC’s lawn and garden “tip of the week,” visit the Web site www.alcc.com.

get ’scaped

April 22, 2010 digs • PAGE 5

Submitted by Tilde Design Studio and Tilde Furniture

T here are many easy ways to create healthier, more sus-tainable homes. The easi-est way to do so is simply

choosing the right products. Know-ing what to look for is the key to better design and higher standards.

Everyone should educate them-selves on what is toxic and destruc-tive to the environment, and what is the direct impact on our personal health. The inside of your home is generally 10 times as toxic as the air outside. This is largely caused by the use of synthetic materials in carpet, fabrics, cabinetry; even in the paint. It’s in the finishes that are used by almost every fur-niture manufacturer in the world. The more plastic you have in your home, the more accumulative ef-fects are hazardous to you and your children. Petroleum use in mat-tresses and cushions is toxic.

There are many ways to rid the home of these influences and make it much healthier. Using natural materials goes a long way to stepping out of the “industrial improvements” of the 20th cen-tury. Respectfully, in the last 10 years, design has seen incredible advancements in products that are sophisticated, durable, user friend-ly, and plant and water based. These include floor and furniture finishes, paint and primers; even sealants and caulks. These products are most readily available on a re-tail level through natural product suppliers. Look beyond just Zero-VOC paint. The statement simply means that the product doesn’t add to the greenhouse effect. It may still contain toxic ingredients.

When it comes to ecology, and preserving our surroundings, think sustainability. Use renewable, re-cycled materials. Work with manu-facturers that are conscientious not only in what they’re creating, but also how the factories and offices are conserving materials and en-ergy.

A few things to look for• Antique or found objects for ar-

chitectural features and custom cabinets (these don’t have to be traditional in style)

• Zero VOC and non-toxic paint • Water-based stains with very low

VOC counts • Locally-crafted recycled glass

elements: Glass is low-impact, non-toxic and decomposes fair-ly rapidly

• Reclaimed or FSC-certified wood: FSC guarantees responsible for-estry and fair trade practices

• Concrete without admixtures, us-

ing mineral pigments when col-oring

• Recycled paper, recycled glass, concrete, terrazzo, wood, or nat-ural linoleum for countertops, in place of granite

• Wool carpet in place of synthetic products: The most eco-friendly flooring option is a hard surface with area rugs.

• LED accent lights• Natural latex foam, in place of

synthetics and petroleum-based products, for mattresses and upholstery. Many upholstery

manufacturers are now offering 20 percent soy-based cushions. Organic cotton mattresses: Or-

ganic because cotton crops account for 25 percent of pesticides used on farms.

You may not be inclined to choose only sustainable and low-energy products. But, every time you do, you’re creating a healthier, more sustainable home. What are emerging as “green trends” today, will be the standards of tomorrow. For more information, visit www.tilde-design.com.

The house in the pictures above was built a couple years ago in south Denver with all of the doors and the majority of the built-in cabinets, made of reclaimed wood and architectural antiquities. Even the garden gates and balcony are antique.

Photos courtesy of Tilde Design Studio and Tilde Furniture

Creating a healthier living environment — one room at a time

once olDnew

is

again

PAGE 6 • digs April 22, 2010

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digs DEvElopmEnt nEws in briEf

digs is a supplemental publication of The Villager

Newspaper. Produced twice a month, this new

section will feature stories about home improvement

and décor, lawn/garden care and landscaping. digs will also focus on

real estate – supplying real estate agents and

brokers with a platform to highlight their properties,

expertise and services. next edition: may 6

ad deadline: april 29

Join interior designer Michael Payne of HGTV’s “Designing for tor the Sexes”for lunchPhoto Submitted by Exciting Windows by Ventanas

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Local decorator invites you to ‘Lunch with Michael Payne’

S ue Moore of Exciting Win-dows by Ventanas, invites you to get online and have “Lunch with Michael,” a

free live exclusive Webcast trunk show hosted by the popular ce-lebrity interior designer, Michael Payne of HGTV’s Designing for the Sexes. It’s easy and conve-nient – all you need to do is pause for lunch at your home or offi ce, log onto your computer and see beautiful window fashions and decorating solutions for every room.

Sponsored by Exciting Win-dows, the national company for which Michael is spokesman and Moore is a member, this webcast called “Stunning Ideas Begin at Home” will be shown on May 5 at 1 p.m. and will feature a private tour of Michael’s Hollywood, Mediterranean-styled estate. It will focus on the window treat-ments, accessories and fi nishing details he used while renovating the 85-year-old villa. Addition-ally, he will offer many creative, affordable ideas for privacy, light control, energy effi ciency, sound absorption, safety and more with a portfolio of custom designs fea-turing draperies, shades, blinds and shutters – all created by

Exciting Windows! members from across the country.

Attendees of this Webcast will also have the opportunity to ask Michael decorating questions and upload photos of their rooms and windows through the Exciting Windows! Interactive IDEA Stu-dio Web site.

To reserve space, visit www.excitingwindows.com/lunchwith-michael. Can’t make it? Register anyway and Exciting Windows! will send you a link to the re-cording to view at your leisure. For more information or to learn about custom window treatments, contact Sue at ventanas@excitingwindows.com or call 303-761-3459.

Littleton business development in March

• A proposal has been received to develop Alta Aspen Grove (formerly River’s Edge at Aspen Grove) on the 17 acres just west of the Aspen Grove Shopping Center (7301 S. Santa Fe Drive). The project will consist of 280 multiple-family residential units in 17 two- and three-story build-

ings and have a community club-house and swimming pool.

• The PDO was approved for Prince Street Senior Residences (5504 S. Prince St.), a proposed age-restricted, independent-liv-ing facility containing 50 rental units. The 25,089 sq. ft. building will comprise three stories above grade and one below for parking.

• A proposal for a 3,600 square-foot, drive-through restaurant

with indoor/outdoor seating has been submitted by Sterling De-sign Associates, LLC. The Fred-dy’s Frozen Custard Drive Thru Restaurant will be located in Riv-erside Downs shopping center at 2660 W. Belleview Ave.

• The 76,633 sq. ft. Hampton Inn Suites, a six-story, 120-room hotel with walkout basement and swimming pool, has a projected completion in the fall. The Inn is under construction at County Line Road, just west of No No’s restaurant.— According to the city of Littleton

DEVELOPMENTNEWS IN BRIEF

Submitted by Designs by Sundown

Every living space of your home is a refl ec-tion one’s lifestyle, passions and individ-ual style. Does that refl ection extend into your outdoor living space? Flowers and

plants provide so many options to bring your out-door space to life. Let the talented seasonal color specialists at Designs By Sundown turn your pa-tio, porch or pool into a stylish outdoor oasis to be enjoyed any time of the year, day or night.

Design professionals are in touch with the lat-est trends in color, fl owers, pottery, garden art, fountains and furniture and know where to fi nd them for you. They can blend colors, shapes and textures that mirror the homeowner’s personality to create an entertainment spot – right outside the door. Visit www.designsbysundown.com.

April 22, 2010 digs • PAGE 7

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Volkswagen Golf TDI is economical, clean, quiet, powerful carBy David Adams

This recent review vehicle, a popular one, has power supplied by a somewhat un-familiar petroleum product,

clean diesel. The compression combustion engine is a 2.0 Liter, 4 Cylinder TDI, (turbo diesel di-rect-injected), producing 140 hp and 236 lbs-ft torque.

The Golf delivers a smooth ride, although some may feel it is a bit choppy and on the fi rm side. Cornering is reasonably fl at and thanks to the accurate and smooth electric-mechanical power Steer-ing, generates a nice sense of security and control. The front bucket seats cradle and support with overall comfort. However, for a short person, such as myself, the driver’s seat cushion may be too long as the front edge hit the back of my calf when working the clutch pedal. This, compounded by my inability to work what seemed like an assertive and long clutch travel, led to my frustra-tion in driving what is otherwise a smooth, crisp shifting transmis-sion.

Small turbo diesels, at idle, can be easily stalled. Turbo boost is key to make this engine per-form, and that normally happened when the engine was above about 1,250 rpm’s or under load. The TDI engine is great, as is the smooth shifting six-speed manual transmission, but I am not a fan of, nor would I recommend them in combination.

Once the Golf’s turbo is within the boost range, power delivery is robust. Hills bring out the best in the Golf’s 4-cylinder power

delivery, and the feel behind the wheel is as if the car has a much larger engine. The turbo really leans into the job at hand and pro-pels aggressively up inclines and during passing opportunities.

Having driven other Volkswa-gen models powered by the same 2.0 liter 140 hp TDI engine, but backed by the optional $1,100, 6-speed DSG Dual Clutch, Au-tomatic gearbox, the concern de-scribed above is not an issue. The DSG makes up for the lack of bottom end torque by seamlessly engaging the necessary gear to maintain robust acceleration, no more stalled engine, and without a fuel economy penalty. A Jetta TDI with DSG, reviewed some-time back while driving in Los Angles traffi c, was fantastic with great performance, dishing up spirited acceleration at the blink of an eye, and delivered an excep-tional 38.9 mpg. Back in Colo-rado, the Golf TDI accomplished 47.4 mpg on a drive to Estes Park and 72.8 mpg on the return, for an overall 60.1 mpg. I was soft shoe-ing it of course, but nonetheless, that is outstanding.

The interior is well arranged with controls where expected and they function beautifully. The up-per dash is covered in soft touch material, not always found on cars in this category. The Touch-screen Navigation System com-bines with the touch-screen AM/FM Sirius satellite radio, and is one of the easier units to operate with the display well positioned for tactile functionality, a nice system. Overall interior and exte-rior fi t and fi nish is up to its Euro-pean heritage.

Pricing starts at $21,990, and includes a “carefree maintenance program” covering all scheduled maintenance for three years. Warranty coverage is 3 years or 36,000, whichever comes fi rst.

The Golf TDI is economical, clean, quiet, powerful, fun to drive (with the DSG transmis-sion), and a car I can easily rec-ommend to friends and family. Visit www.vw.com and fi nd a lo-cal dealership to test drive one today.

coloradodrives@comcast.net

The 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI is powered by clean diesel and delivers a smooth ride

Photo by David Adams

inside & out

colorado DRIVESreviews of the cars that make driving exciting

Spruce up the garden

Submitted by Designs by SundownSubmitted by Designs by Sundown

ESubmitted by Designs by SundownSubmitted by Designs by Sundown

very living space of your home is a refl ec-

inside & out inside & out Spruce up the garden

inside & out Spruce up the garden

inside & out

Every living space of your home is a refl ec-tion one’s lifestyle, passions and individ-

Submitted by Designs by SundownSubmitted by Designs by Sundown

Every living space of your home is a refl ec-

inside & out inside & out Spruce up the garden

inside & out Spruce up the garden

inside & out Design professionals are in touch with the lat-

est trends in color, fl owers, pottery, garden art, fountains and furniture and know where to fi nd them for you. They can blend colors, shapes and textures that mirror the homeowner’s personality

inside & out Spruce up the garden

inside & out Spruce up the garden

inside & out Design professionals are in touch with the lat-

est trends in color, fl owers, pottery, garden art,

inside & out inside & out Design professionals are in touch with the lat-

inside & out inside & out

E

When you begin the spring overhaul of your garden or fl ower beds, don’t forget other fl owering spaces like plant-ers. Whether indoors or out, planters allow you versatile space that can be revamped throughout the season.

PAGE 8 • digs April 22, 2010

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Steve Geist, an Aurora plant pathologist for Swingle Lawn, Tree and Landscape Care, is training and fund-

raising to ride in the STIHL Tour des Trees, a weeklong, 500-mile cycling event through northern Il-linois this July. The Tour benefi ts the Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund, an in-ternational nonprofi t focused on education and research in arbori-culture and urban forestry. Arbori-culture is the science of caring for trees in the landscape.

“Tree care is the result of great research, and much of this research was funded by the TREE Fund,” said Geist. “This will be my 13th consecutive Tour raising nearly $80,000. The Tour is a great way that I can help raise money for the tree care industry.”

Riders raise a minimum of $3,500 to participate in the STIHL Tour des Trees, which helps to fund scientifi c research grants, ed-ucation programs and scholarships administered by the TREE Fund.

The 2010 Tour launches from Chicago’s Millennium Park on July 18 and heads westward to the Mississippi River, with stops in Zion, Rockford and Galena. Addi-tional destinations include Moline, Peoria and Princeton, before the Tour returns to the Chicago area for a “victory lap” and closing cer-emonies at the Morton Arboretum during the International Society of Arboriculture’s International Tree Climbing Championship on July 24. Along the way, Tour cyclists will plant or dedicate trees in the communities they visit, and par-ticipate in community education events focusing on proper tree care.

New for 2010 is a one-day

Swingle’s Steve Geist is currently training for the Tour des Trees this July to benefi t the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund.

Photo courtesy of Swingle

”Ride for Research” on Saturday, July 24, featuring two of Chicago-land’s most scenic and notewor-thy research facilities, Fermilab and the Morton Arboretum. More than 100 additional cyclists are expected to join the STIHL Tour des Trees riders for the 35-mile

“Ride for Research,” to help raise awareness of the TREE Fund and the importance of research to the sustainability of our urban forests.

“Riders like Geist have really stepped up to fund the research needed to preserve our urban for-ests,” said Janet Bornancin, exec-

utive director of the TREE Fund. “These research projects benefi t people, trees, and the environ-ment, and none of them would be possible without the support of the dedicated cyclists in the STIHL Tour des Trees.”

The 2010 sponsors of the event

include title sponsor STIHL Inc., educational programming spon-sor Davey Tree Expert Co., TREE Fund partners Asplundh Tree Ex-pert Co. and Bartlett Tree Expert Co., gold leaf sponsors Wright Tree Care, ITC Holdings, Lewis Tree Service and West Coast Ar-borists, and bronze leaf sponsors APS, Utility Lines Construction, NGK Spark Plugs and Tech Tree Experts. Corporate sponsorships offset the cost of food, housing and logistics along the Tour route so that funds raised by riders go directly toward research. The 2009 STIHL Tour des Trees raised nearly a half million dollars for the TREE Fund.

“During Tour week, I’m work-ing for the tree care industry. Funds raised during this event not only benefi t trees, but also work to increase the professionalism of commercial arboriculture,” said Geist. “The Tour family is a pas-sionate tree care family you won’t fi nd anywhere else.”

More information on register-ing to ride in the STIHL Tour des Trees, donating to the 2010 riders, and other opportunities for sup-porting the TREE Fund can be found at www.stihltourdestrees.org.

tourde treesLocal plant pathologist to participate in largest fundraiser for tree research

The TREE Fund’s mission is to identify and fund projects and programs that advance knowledge in the fi eld of arboriculture and urban forestry to benefi t people, trees, and the environment.

The TREE Fund has supported research that has led to important developments in:• Improving conditions for tree

growth in diffi cult sites• Implementing strategies to

manage diseases and pests that affect urban trees

• Understanding air pollution reduction and carbon sequestration by trees

• Quantifying the costs and benefi ts of urban trees

For more information, visit www.treefund.org.

TREE Fund