October 11, 2012 08:10 PM UTC

No Wal-Mart at 9th and Colorado After All

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• by: Colorado Pols

If there’s any takeaway from the controversy surrounding the proposed Wal-Mart development at 9th and Colorado, it’s that democracy works. Weeks of sustained and organized opposition from Congress Park residents, after all, has led the developer to pull the plug on the project.

From Fox31:

After several heated meetings where residents near E. 9th Ave. and Colorado Blvd were very vocal about their displeasure with a proposed Walmart in the area, Tuesday was a different story.

Cheers filled a room at Palmer Elementary School where residents gathered for a meeting in which Mayor Hancock confirmed the store withdrew from consideration for the site.

Walmart released this statement:

“While Walmart will not be part of the planned redevelopment of the former University of Colorado Health Sciences campus, we will continue to evaluate other opportunities to serve Denver area customers and expand access to affordable groceries.

With Wal-Mart’s withdrawal, the issue then shifts to an inquiry in what will instead be developed in its place. The developer still pledges to transform the space into a mixed-use shopping center, but given the difficulties one big-box retailer encountered, it’s unclear whether any other national chain would be willing to subject itself to the same community scrutiny.

Which raises yet another question. If any major chain development raises this level of acrimony, is there any incentive to occupy the space at all? Wal-Mart may stir a special breed of ill-will, but there needs to be some sort of anchor store — most likely a national chain — on the expansive site in order to make development worthwhile.

If Wal-Mart isn’t acceptable, what is? Is a derelict hospital better than a store whose values are at odd with the neighborhood?

The answer for now, at least, is yes.