2011 in Stapleton

Posted on December 12, 2011

It wasn’t just a cool summer … it was a pretty cool year too.

We launched the Global Coolness Home Tour, welcoming the 2011 HGTV Green Home and 11 new home collections to Stapleton’s Central Park neighborhoods. We also opened the Central Park Blvd. Interchange, brought down the old parking garage and picked up a new tradition: the Stapleton Kids’ Triathlon!

Here’s a recap of 12 really cool months in Stapleton:

January

• The Central Park Recreation Center opened during the first month of year, packing everything from aqua aerobics to cheer camp into its 50,000-foot building. The center also features two of Stapleton’s 12 public art pieces: Thought Balloons and Staplefield.

Click here for an activity schedule at the recreation center. 

February

• As if this place wasn’t cool enough, we launched the Big Book of Awesome, featuring everything about Stapleton – businesses to schools and parks to pools. Take a look!

March

• As the weather began to heat up, so did construction in Central Park West. The neighborhood is just west of Stapleton’s 80-acre Central Park and has been a big contributor to more than 360 new home sales in Stapleton this year!

Learn more about the new neighborhood … 

April

• The Stapleton parking garage is gone. The unused structure from the former airport was demolished to make room for new homes, while the neighboring control tower will be preserved as a landmark.

The tower was featured in a recent issue of The Denver Post: Read about it!

May

• The Global Coolness Home Tour kicked off in May, inviting visitors to tour Stapleton’s new home collection and the 2011 HGTV Green Home.

• The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge completed its new visitor center, which is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Learn more about the arsenal. 

June

• June marked the first full month of tours at the HGTV Green Home ( the network’s giveaway promotion ended later that month). Ticket sales from the tours generated more than $50,000 for  Urban Peak, a local charity that provides housing, medical care, education and other services to homeless youth.

July

• The Stapleton Community Garage Sale celebrated its sixth year, and the event was split into two days to accommodate its annual popularity. The next garage sale will be July 21-22: Learn more!

August

• Stapleton participated in  Denver’s 2011 Parade of Homes, kicked of the first Stapleton Kids’ Triathlon, and gave the Stapleton Beer Festival another round.

Read one account of the beer festival! 

September

• The Swigert-McAuliffe International Campus celebrated the first full month of school.

Swigert International School serves early childhood education through second grade, while  McAuliffe International School will open with sixth grade in 2012-2013.

Swigert will eventually include third through fifth grade, and McAuliffe will serve sixth through eighth. Both schools will add one grade every year.

• Construction began to pick up on two apartment complexes – The Astor and Eastbridge, which will bring more than 200 apartment units to Stapleton. Read about the new apartments.

• The Stapleton Kickball Tournament also celebrated its eighth year, while area musicians rocked The Green for the third annual Stapleton Rocks.

October

• Stapleton is also Business Ready: The Central Park Boulevard Interchange opened in October, creating new connections to commercial opportunities along the interchange as well as I-70, I-270 and The Shops at Northfield Stapleton.

Read more about the interchange! 

• New Town Builders completed its Zero Energy Home after beginning construction in July. The home produces energy, saving its owner from a monthly utility bill.

November

• Stapleton’s library construction is progressing, and area residents submitted suggestions for the building’s name. The Denver Public Library will talk about the suggestions Dec. 21.

• Stapleton’s Winter Welcome attracted more than 700 participants to bring in the season: See photos from the event.

• The 2012 Dogs of Stapleton Calendar debuted at the event. You can get your copy of the annual calendar from the Stapleton Master Community Association’s offices at 2823 Roslyn St. (one calendar per household).  See this year’s canine winners! 

December

• Stapleton at the Holidays: The community is celebrating the season with visits from Santa, hay rides at The Shops at Northfield Stapleton and other festivities. Keep reading …

Read more about 2011 in Stapleton: See other articles on our community and  business blogs!

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