260-Unit Apartment Complex May Fill White Fence Farm Site

LAKEWOOD, CO – Lakewood's former White Fence farm property will be developed into Novel White Fence Farm, a 260-unit apartment complex with pool, fitness center, possibly keeping the 40-year-old restaurant's iconic barn as a centerpiece of the complex, developers told neighbors in Lakewood earlier this month.

As reported in the Lakewood Sentinel, community members were cool to the Feb. 4 presentation by Benjamin Collins, senior managing director for Charlotte, North Carolina-based Crescent Communities. Resident James West asked the crowd to “raise your hand if you think this is a good idea,” and not a single person raised their hand, the Sentinel reported.

The multi-acre property at 6263 E. Jewell Avenue was a piece of farmland when the restaurant began in 1973, but since then it has been surrounded by neighborhoods. Neighbors complained that they believed a high-density multi-unit complex would bring increased traffic, KDVR reported.

"We know White Fence Farm has been a long-time institution for Lakewood, and it was our goal to preserve some of the character of this site," Collins told the Lakewood Sentinel. “We are not maximizing the site. Our goal is to create something that the community can be proud of, even if they have opposition to it today.”

The long-time Lakewood family eatery which was once called "a carnival of schlock" developed the Cracker Barrel aesthetic before the Cracker Barrel chain existed. The concept, including restaurant, petting zoo, gift shop and everything else, was purchased in 2014 from founder Charlie Wilson by Denver restaurateurs Tom Piercy and Craig Caldwell. But the new owners couldn't make the concept work with a 100-plus crew of employees, and announced they were shutting White Fence Farm down. A final auction of all the complex's items –including animatronic chickens that sold for more than $4,000 and the big plastic chicken on the roof– took place last month. All that remains is the iconic barn and some other scraps.

Here are Crescent Communities details of the proposed apartment complex:

• Apartments will rent for between $1,400-$2,500.
• Pool and fitness center will be on site
• Plans will allot 1.1 parking spaces per bedroom.
• Construction will take between 18-24 months.

To see some of Crescent Construction's other multi-unit residential buildings in Nashville, Charlotte, Florida, Houson and Atlanta, check out their website.

READ MORE in the Lakewood Sentinel

Related: White Fence Farm Liquidation Auction Winds Down

Related: White Fence Farm In Lakewood To Close After 45 Years

Image via Crescent Communities Apartments

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