Movie theaters won’t be ready for Twenty Ninth Street opening

BOULDER – Although Century Theatres was the first tenant to sign a letter of intent at Twenty Ninth Street, it may be the last tenant to move into its digs.

As construction moves at a rapid clip, and some tenants – including Home Depot, Massage Envy and U.S. Bank – have taken up residence at the new central Boulder retail district, the 16-plex movie theater won’t be ready for the grand opening this fall.

Century Theatres spokesman Tony Maniscalco said groundbreaking will begin “very soon,” but could not provide the exact date. “Apparently there were some approvals or review things that took longer than anybody expected,” Maniscalco said.

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All tenants are aware of the delay, said Tracey Gotsis, vice president of marketing for Twenty Ninth Street developer Westcor. Westcor has been communicating the issue to retailers and restaurants since late spring, she said, because of co-tenancy requirements in their leases.

But Gotsis said the theater delay shouldn’t be a problem because 85 percent of the so-called “central neighborhood,” where most of the apparel stores and restaurants are located, is leased. “We have critical mass,” Gotsis said. “We need a lot of things to be successful. The theater is just one ingredient.”

The city of Boulder’s Business Liaison Liz Hanson said the ball is entirely in the theater’s court.

“The permit is ready to pick up,” Hanson said.

Hanson was with the city’s Planning Department during the planning, design and approval phases involved in turning Boulder’s failing regional mall, Crossroads, into a 64-acre lifestyle shopping neighborhood. She is now responsible for improving communication between Boulder businesses and the city government.

According to Hanson, Century is finalizing negotiations with its builder, but Maniscalco did not confirm this.
Hanson said there was a certain amount of “back and forth” between Century and the city over exterior lighting and height limits, but that “the timing is up to Century.”

City Manager Frank Bruno said some of the difference between Century and the rest of Twenty Ninth Street tenants is that it has a ground lease with a separate approval process. “We deliver the pad,” Bruno said, and the theater is responsible for construction.

Antonio Laudisio isn’t worried about opening his new restaurant without the theater. Laudisio is closing Laudisio Restaurante Italiano, his 20-year-old North Boulder Italian restaurant, in order to launch his new venture, L, at Twenty Ninth Street.

“My feeling is that what we’re doing is apart from the movie theater,” Laudisio said. “It gives us a softer opening so we can get our ducks in a row.”

Twenty Ninth Street tenants

Retail – Acorn, Ann Taylor Loft, Apple, Bath & Body Works, Clarks England, Coldwater Creek, Foley’s (soon to be Macy’s), Francesca’s Collection, Home Depot, J. Jill, Lucky Brand, Lucy, Montbell, Muttropolis, Puma, Sigrid Olsen, Staples, The Territory Ahead, Victoria’s Secret, Vino 29, White House/Black Market, Wild Oats, Z Gallerie.

Restaurants – California Pizza Kitchen, Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks, L, Panera Bread, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Ruby’s Diner, Rumbi Island Grill.

Services – Century Theatres, Massage Envy, U.S. Bank.

Offices – Wild Oats.