Denver business owner Tuan Le, affectionately known as Tony, says he hasn’t slept in days because he’s worried about the future of his business. He owns one of the shops in a strip of stores located at Federal Boulevard and Tennessee Avenue called the Asia Center.
The building’s owner recently submitted plans to the city to demolish the stores for a mixed-use development project, including affordable housing and retail.
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“Everybody asks me, ‘Tony, where are you moving now?’ I don’t know. I’m so sorry. I don’t know everybody,” said Le, who owns Tony Pho. “This is my American Dream.”
He shares a similar story of many other tenants in the Asia Center who came to America and worked tirelessly to build a life and a business. Now, those businesses are potentially in jeopardy.
“It’s personal to everyone here, the business owners, the workers, even the customers,” said Le. “It’s very personal.”
It’s personal for Katrina Nguyen, as well. She grew up coming to the Asia Center. Her aunt used to own the popular sandwich shop in the plaza, Ba Le Sandwich, and her parents owned a hair salon and liquor store across the street.
“Mom and pop shops are the backbone of this particular community,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen helped spread the word about the redevelopment plans and even started an online petition with over 9,000 verified signatures against the project. Protestors gathered at the edge of the plaza on Sunday to show their support for the local businesses because of the attention she helped garner.
“It takes years to build an apartment building, and there aren’t any guarantees that the rental rates that they have been grandfathered in will stay the same. And so what will happen with the businesses?”
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For the community, these buildings represent more than a place to shop or eat good food.
“It was started by immigrants, right? And I think that is the reason why it has such a high significance in the community,” said Nguyen.
In a letter to tenants obtained by CBS Colorado, the property’s ownership group, Asia Center Development, LLC, says this is “not an immediate project” and that there is no timeline for construction, adding that collaboration and community input will help shape what comes next.
But tenants and community members say they remain in the dark and were shocked to hear about the proposal online.
“The thing that I think is the worst of all of this is that a lot of the small businesses haven’t been brought along in this conversation, so they weren’t aware, is what I’ve been told,” said City Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez.
Alvidrez represents the area and frequents the Asia Center; she’s also been in contact with the building’s owner.
There is no complete win,” Alvidrez added.
And until there’s a decision, the business owners and community regulars at restaurants like Tony Pho are unsure what the future holds.
“Including all the workers too, not just the business owner,” said Le. They don’t know what the future holds, what they’re going to do for a living. So, it’s very sad.”
Alvidrez says the plan has been to time the project alongside looming BRT construction on Federal Boulevard that will inevitably affect these businesses. There’s a public meeting regarding the BRT expansion project on Wednesday; the building’s owner and community members are expected to attend.
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