If you had to point to one person most influential in Cherry Creek North’s recent changes, you would probably pick out Matt Joblon, 36-year-old CEO of Denver-based real estate developer BMC Investments.

BMC is responsible for Cherry Creek North’s newest high-end luxury condos and boutique hotels, Halcyon Hotel and Moxy Hotel, and behind the placement of top upscale restaurants — Quality Italian and Japanese restaurant Matsuhisa to the neighborhood. His firm is also responsible for bringing SoulCycle and the first beer garden to Cherry Creek North.

Undeniably, this has infused the area with a fun vibe and a progressive feel. I like nothing more than to walk from my office to meet friends at hip Departure for a happy hour or enjoy a first class dinner QI (Quality Italian). Let’s admit, Cherry Creek had been screaming for change for decades.

But there’s also a flipside — as these tony developments rise, so do rents, which puts pressure on local, independent businesses and threatens the local, homegrown character that locals love.

5280 featured Joblon, BMC and their work in Cherry Creek North in a recent article, which has become the talk of the town. It touches on themes all of those who live or work in Cherry Creek North feel in our bones.

As writer Spencer Campbell notes in the article:

The neighborhood association has its own concerns, chief among them the evolving character of the district. Vogel says his group doesn’t want to bar development, and he points to the 2014 zoning changes as proof. But it’s clear at the January meeting that residents are passionate about protecting the indie stores that have long lined their streets. When the co-owner of Show of Hands, a small gift shop and gallery, stands up to blame rising rents for retailers’ troubles, the audience lets loose its largest applause of the night. 

The tension between developers and small business owners, and between newer residents excited by the activity and established homeowners wanting their quieter Cherry Creek, is palpable. I sense it everyday from my seller clients and my buyers hunting for their Cherry Creek North dream home.

This is an ongoing story. Stay tuned for my insights from the front row. Or if you have any questions, please reach out, kharris@livsothebysrealty.com or 720.877.1538 — I’d love to share what I know about Cherry Creek.