Marc Bayes Realtor

08/12/2026

Cheesman Park has a new cafe in a very familiar spot.

The Carriage House is now open at 1290 N Williams St., which used to be Secret Garden Bar & Cafe.

They’re open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads, wine, beer, and light fare. Their site also lists happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. daily.

This is the kind of thing people underestimate. A good neighborhood cafe is not just coffee. It becomes the place you stop after a walk, meet someone before dinner, or use as your excuse to actually spend time in the neighborhood.

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08/11/2026

Santa Fe Drive’s $29 million rebuild is underway, but this project actually started 7 years ago.

In 2019, Denver tested lane changes and expanded pedestrian space along Santa Fe. What’s happening now is essentially the permanent version of that experiment, rebuilding the corridor from roughly 6th to 13th.

The funding comes through Denver’s 2025 Ballot Issue 2A. Voters authorized $441 million in transportation debt, with a maximum repayment cost of $906 million. About $29 million is going to Santa Fe.

The measure created no new tax rate, although the bonds are repaid through property taxes.

Before rebuilding the street above ground, Denver Water is replacing 2,800+ feet of a 136-year-old water main beneath Santa Fe. Basically, fix the century-old infrastructure first so you’re not tearing apart a brand-new street later.

Then come wider sidewalks, improved crossings, lighting, trees, landscaping, stormwater improvements, public spaces and new public art.

Utility work is expected into early 2027, with the full streetscape currently targeted for completion by the end of 2028.

Businesses are expected to remain open, and First Friday events will continue.

This is a lot more than making Santa Fe look prettier. Denver is rebuilding the corridor from the pipes underneath it to the public space above it.

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DenverNeighborhoods

08/10/2026

One of the biggest reasons I love Arvada has almost nothing to do with Arvada itself.

It’s what you can get to from here.

A lot of us have comfort shows for a reason. When your brain is loud or anxiety is running high, watching something you already know can feel easy. You know the characters. You know what’s coming. You don’t have to think very hard.

I think nature can give you a different version of that reset.

St. Mary’s Glacier is roughly an hour from Arvada. One minute you’re dealing with traffic, screens and noise. The next you’re walking through pine trees toward an alpine lake, hearing water instead of the city, breathing mountain air and actually moving your body.

You can hike up to St. Mary’s Lake and the glacier, sit by the water, bring a fishing rod if you’re licensed, or just wander around and let the day slow down.

I’m not saying a hike fixes anxiety. I’m saying we probably underestimate how much an afternoon outside can change the way a day feels.

That’s what I love about Arvada.

Denver is right there when you want it. The foothills are right there when you don’t.

Sometimes you don’t need a vacation. You need an afternoon that feels like one.

Save this for the next day you need a reset.

Marc Bayes
Colorado Realtor - Arvada Based
📱 303-619-3052

08/09/2026

Larimer Square may finally be filling one of its most noticeable empty restaurant spaces.

Frank Bonanno is bringing Rōmyō, pronounced “Romeo,” to 1401 Larimer St., taking over the former Ted’s Montana Grill space across from Tamayo.

The official Rōmyō site says “Rome meets Tokyo in Larimer Square” and lists the restaurant as arriving soon. Westword reported that the restaurant was eyeing an August opening.

The concept grew out of Bonanno’s Italian-Japanese Itameshi pop-ups, with preview dishes including fresh porcini fusilli lunghi pasta with uni garlic emulsion and miso roasted salmon on polenta.

The local angle here is not just the food. It is a long-vacant Larimer Square space getting a serious operator again, which matters for downtown foot traffic, restaurant energy, and the feel of one of Denver’s best-known blocks.



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08/08/2026

08/08/2026

Silver Vines Winery has started its Olde Town countdown.

After 15 years in Olde Town Arvada, Silver Vines Winery says its Arvada location will close at the end of 2026.

The winery is at 7509 Grandview Ave., right in the middle of the pedestrian-friendly Olde Town area, and it has been one of those familiar local spots people associate with a casual glass of wine, live events, and nights out with friends.

The important part: it is not closed yet.

There is still time this year to stop in, bring someone with you, and give a long-running Olde Town business a proper sendoff before the end of 2026.

Silver Vines’ Boulder tasting room had its final pour on Saturday, July 25, 2026.

When the Arvada location closes at the end of 2026, it'll be an end of an era.

SupportLocalArvada

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08/07/2026

A Michelin-recognized pasta and natural wine bar is coming to RiNo.

Soda Club is slated to open in August 2026 inside The Ramble Hotel at 1260 25th Street, taking over the former Super Mega Bien space.

The original Soda Club opened in New York City’s East Village in 2021 and has been recognized multiple times with a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The Denver location is tied to restaurateur Ravi DeRossi, a Colorado native and founder/owner of Death & Co, along with partner and wine director Drew Brady.

What to expect: fresh pasta, Roman-style pinsa, a 200-plus bottle natural wine list, grappa-focused cocktails, and planned monthly pasta-making classes.

The space is expected to seat 70 inside and 30 on the patio, with dinner nightly and late hours listed through midnight during the week and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Exact opening day hasn't been announced, the restaurant is currently hiring all staff, with an expected opening in September.

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RiNo

08/05/2026

Olde Town is stacking two events into one Saturday night.

Olde Town Whiskey Fest is happening Saturday, August 8 from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m. during Second Saturdays in Olde Town Arvada.

Ticket holders check in at 57th & Olde Wadsworth, then get a tasting glass and 14 half-ounce pour tickets for a sip-and-stroll setup through the festival area.

Second Saturdays is also happening that evening with live music, artisan vendors, food trucks, adult drinks, and a kids zone, so this is one of those nights where Olde Town will probably feel extra full.

Tickets are listed at $45 in advance or $55 at the event if available. Visit Arvada also notes that ticket purchases support the Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District and Excalibur Outreach.

ArvadaLife

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08/05/2026

🏡 Whether you’re buying your first home or your fifth, there is an easy way and a hard way to do it.

The hard way is opening Zillow, finding a house you love, picturing your life there, and only then figuring out whether the payment works.

Looking at homes is fun because you are not just looking at bedrooms and bathrooms. You are imagining your future.

But the financing needs to come first.

Know the monthly payment that feels comfortable, not just the highest number a lender says you can qualify for.

The more you have ready before you start, the easier the process gets. Keep your tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, and any business documents in one file so you can compare lenders without scrambling every time someone asks for something.

Then get clear on location.

The Denver metro gives you a lot of neighborhoods, cities, housing types, and price points to choose from. The right location should check more than one box, not just put you close to the job, park, restaurant, or routine that matters most today.

Jobs change, commutes change, and routines change. You want a location that still works if your life looks different 3 years from now.

Before you start touring, write down your non-negotiables and separate them from the things that would simply be nice to have.

That list will change once you start walking through homes.

That is normal.

You still need a starting point.

👉 DM me “GUIDE” and I will send you my buyer’s guide to help you take the first steps toward buying a home in Denver.

Marc Bayes
Denver Realtor | Arvada-based
📱 303-619-3052