Southeast regional report.

• Author: Fulford, Martha
• Position: Special Advertising Section - Metro Denver corridor development

The expansion of Interstate 25, its accompanying new light-rail, two new hospitals in the area and the revitalization of Centennial Airport give new life to the Southeast metro Denver corridor.

"The southeast region has a greater employment base than Downtown, plus it has more diverse communities and higher quality of life," says Brian Vogt, president of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce.

For those living in the southeast, the area boasts public schools ranked among the top nationally.

For shoppers, Park Meadows Mall and the Outlets at Castle Rock offer a full range of retail options. The area also has 20 golf Digest's top 100 courses, and Castle Pines Golf Club, which hosts the PGA International.

Stephen Miller, vice president of economic development and chief economist for the Southeast Business Partneship, says the strenghts of the area have always been the insurance, financial services and telecommunications industries.

"Telecommunications has struggled but it will come back," Miller said.

During a recession the Southeast Business Partnership works to help existing business expand and to attract new business to the area. The southeast region has the best-educated workforce in the metro area. "We continue to focus on companies that need a highly educated workforce," Miller says.

The Southeast Business Partnership's most recent success was attracting EchoStar to the former Merrill Lynch office buildings in Meridian International Business Center in Englewood. Miller says a certain amount of vacant office space can help the area attract business, pointing out that EchoStar wanted a ready-made campus.

AROUND AND AHEAD

The T-REX project is slated to be completely finished by 2006, it will include two new light rail lines extending from Lincoln Avenue in Douglas County to Broadway and from Interstate 225 to Parker Road.

"With the T-REX project in full swing, construction has not caused anywhere near the hassle predicted," says Nancy Sharpe, a Greenwood Village City Council member and mayoral candidate.

"I think there was a lot of concern initially. What I have heard from people commuting into the ares is that it really has not materialized. It hasn't been the problem that people thought it was going to be. Now looking forward with the light rail operational in three years, this is really going to be a selling point for the area," Sharpe said.

Miller says that with HOV lanes the drive on Interstate 25 is no worse than before T-REX...