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Southwest Mobile Storage - Best Mobile Storage & Office Containers In Commerce City, CO

Southwest Mobile Storage is a family-owned shipping container business founded in 1995. Our strength for more than 25 years comes from the specialized knowledge and passion of our people, along with serving over 24,000 commercial, construction and residential customers. Our facility and expertise in maintaining, manufacturing, and delivering corrugated steel containers is unrivaled in the industry.

While the rental side of our business is regional with branches throughout the Southwest, our container sales and modification operations are nationwide and becoming global. Commerce City, CO offers a wide selection of portable offices and mobile storage containers you can rent, buy or modify.

Our experts in container rental, sales and customization are committed to providing you the highest quality and best experience from service to delivery - our reputation depends on it.

Whether your need is for storage, office space, moving, multi-purpose or custom use, we've got your back. Here's how:

Storage Containers Commerce City, CO
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NO MATTER YOUR NEED, WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK.

STORE AT YOUR LOCATION

We bring your storage container to you for convenient, easy access at your home, business or jobsite. Plus, you'll get more choice in storage space and better security, for a fraction of the cost of a pod or add on building, saving money and energy.

STORE AT OUR LOCATION

Not enough room to keep a storage container at your business, home or construction site? No problem - we can store it for you. Plus, you get 70% more space and better security, for a fraction of the cost of public storage units.

CUSTOM STORAGE

Need a permanent storage solution for your business, residence or construction? We sell new and used shipping containers in many sizes with a variety of add-ons. Or customize a container to your specific storage needs with our certified fabrication experts.

LOCAL MOVE

Take your time packing with our moving containers. We'll deliver to your business or home and pick it up whenever you're ready to move. So, you don't have to stress about moving or making multiple trips in one day, like if you rented a moving truck.

LONG-DISTANCE MOVE

Our moving container solutions ensure the long-distance move of your home or business is highly efficient and affordable throughout the southwest. In fact, we usually cost 20%-40% less than full-service movers.

MOVING & STORAGE

We understand move-in and move-out dates might be different. We can store your moving container at our highly secure facilities until you're ready to move to your new home or business location, and you can conveniently access it at any time.

OFFICE USE

Whether you need a workspace, conference room, or other office requirement, our ground-mounted mobile offices meet any and all of your business needs. Plus, it's faster and easier than building additions.

BUSINESS USE

If you need your shipping container to serve multiple uses, such as office-storage combos, breakrooms and even utilities, we've got you covered. We'll modify a custom container to fit your business needs and bring your business to the next level

CUSTOM USE

We'll create a custom container to fit your unique needs anywhere in the US. With our container modification expertise, we make any idea a reality. From pop-up stores to multi-story structures, our unrivaled facilities and fabrication experts do it all.

You'll get your own dedicated storage and container expert to serve as your one point of contact for easy, convenient service you can trust.
With our wide selection of intermodal containers for sale and rent, you'll find exactly what you need, from size, to type and condition.
We maintain our rental fleet to the highest standard - our integrity depends on it.
Our certified, experienced Conex container modification experts have more than 500 years combined experience modifying ISO containers.
All of our containers come with high security dual-locking system for no additional charge, so you can rest assured your stored items stay safe and that you don't have to pay extra for it.
icon-scale
At our unrivaled 90,000 sq ft indoor fabrication facility, ensuring your custom shipping container is made exactly to your specifications.
With our level of service, quality and expertise, you won't find a better value anywhere else.
Our portable offices include lighting and electrical outlets, internet hookups, HVAC and were crafted by our in-house steel container fabrication experts for top-quality construction.

Premium Quality - High Security

With Southwest Mobile Storage, you get much more than a POD or typical Conex box. You also get high security, unparalleled service and unmatched container modification expertise and facilities. No other company offers that much.

Shipping containers and storage containers come in a range of sizes. The most common external lengths are 20ft and 40ft with a width of 8ft. ISO Containers are typically 8ft 6in tall, but high cube containers are 9ft 6in tall. We also have steel containers in a variety of sizes from 10ft long to 45ft long to rent or buy, and we can modify shipping containers into any size you want.

 Rent Storage Containers Commerce City, CO

SMS Mobile Storage Containers have these high quality features:

1/8" thick steel plate bottom side rails
High strength steel supporting cross members
1 1/8" thick hardwood floor with galvanized self-tapping screws
16-gauge corrugated steel walls
16-gauge roof
270-degree swing cargo door(s)
High security dual-locking system*
Spot-grinded, primed & repainted with a beige high-grade water reducible alkyd direct-to-metal enamel*
* Comes standard on all rental units

SMS portable workspace containers have these structural features:

High security window bars, lever & deadbolt set with lock box
Studs & R-19 Insulation covered with wood paneling
1 1/8" marine board floor is covered with a durable single part gray epoxy coating
Dual pane low-E horizontal sliding windows with screens and miniblinds
18 Gauge steel polystyrene core 3-hour fire rated personnel door
All of our workspaces are manufactured in-house and arrive new or restored to factory specifications
Exterior load center operating on 100 Amp single phase 230 Volt power
Light switch, receptacles and 4' light fixtures; all wiring is Romex 12/2
CAT-6 voice and data lines with electrical junction box
HVAC units ranging from 1 ton to 2 ton on rentals; ability to customize up to 10 tons of cooling

Having flexible storage containers options is important, but security is crucial to protect your peace of mind and your possessions.

At Southwest Mobile Storage, we don't believe in leaving things to chance. We want you to rest easy knowing your inventory, documents, tools, equipment and other items are safe 24/7. That is why we equip SMS high-security slide bolt locking systems and lockboxes on our entire fleet of rental freight containers.

EVERY ONE OF OUR MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR RENT IN Commerce City, CO, INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SAFETY MEASURES:

High-security slide-bolt locking system and extra-long lock box, giving you twice the security and peace of mind.
No holes to ensure your rental shipping container is wind and water-tight.
No rust for your safety.
14-gauge corrugated steel for strength and reinforcement.

Contact us to speak with a helpful, friendly representative to better understand our full range of capabilities. We are happy to answer any questions you have, go over pricing and set up a time and place to deliver your Conex box. Our quotes are 100% free and you are under no obligation to pay for your consultation.

COMMERCIAL STORAGE CONTAINERS TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY IN Commerce City, CO

When you own a business or manage one, it's crucial to have efficient, affordable ways to store inventory and supplies, whether it's to grow your business or adapt to changes in the market, like the many caused by the pandemic.

Renting storage containers to keep at your business eliminates the cost and hassles of sending your staff to offsite storage facilities. Steel containers with roll up doors make storing and retrieving items faster and easier. Auto repair shops and other businesses that need easy access throughout the workday to secure storage for tools, parts, equipment or supplies find renting shipping containers to be the best solution for their business storage needs. Southwest Mobile Storage has your back.

 Storage Containers For Rent Commerce City, CO

Renting portable offices gives your business more workspace, breakrooms, pop up stores, security booths and more, without the cost and red tape associated with constructing building additions. Plus, a steel storage container fits neatly into one parking space and provides much stronger security than Pods and way more convenience than self-storage units.

If you have a specific need, we can modify shipping containers to build whatever you need to grow your business. Whether it's a portable workspace to run your business, like a pop-up container bar, or a durable facility for scientific research, like a container laboratory, or even a container gym, our unrivaled fabrication facility and modification experts got you covered. Our full-time, in-house staff of certified welders, engineers, electricians, carpenters and painters have over 500 years combined experience modifying thousands of container projects for just about any business use you can imagine.

WHETHER YOUR BUSINESS IS COMMERCIAL, HEALTHCARE, GOVERNMENT OR EDUCATION, OR YOUR INTEREST IS TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY SHIPPING CONTAINERS, SMS HAS YOU COVERED:

One
Offsite storage alternatives cause a mess of hassles and headaches. Expanding office space and storage capacity at your location saves time, money and hassle of making multiple trips offsite.
We offer more choice in security, size and features in steel Conex boxes or ISO shipping containers than a public storage unit or Pod for less cost and far greater service.
We offer flexible, month-to-month rental agreements and prorate by the day after your first 28-day billing cycle.
With us, you get a dedicated account manager you can rely on, so you can focus on running your business than waste time with a different person every time you call that doesn't know or care as much.
While other companies may have some staff for modifying containers, most outsource the work, so you don't know who is actually doing the modifications or how much they're marking up the price.
 Mobile Storage Containers Commerce City, CO
When you modify a shipping container for your business, you won't have to worry about expensive, lengthy and complicated construction.
We have modified thousands of containers nationwide and internationally for more than 25 years for NASA, US Navy, GCP Applied Technologies, Helix and Sundt to name a few. And rent containers to Amazon, Walmart and many of other nationally recognized brands.
Our extensive staff makes it possible to custom build multiple projects simultaneously and our 90,000 sq ft indoor fabrication facility prevents contaminants from interfering with fabrication, which delivers better quality and precision.

HERE'S WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE US TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY A SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR YOUR HOME:

With an extensive in-house staff and 90,000 sq ft container modification facility, we're able to deliver consistently high quality and work on multiple projects simultaneously for a fast turnaround.

Other companies don't have the facility, staff or resources to modify shipping containers and will outsource the work to various shops who may not have the special experience or tools needed to modify the right way.

You can rest assured knowing your custom container is safe in our hands. Our certified weld and quality control inspectors ensure everything is structurally sound and built to your specifications through every step of the process.

Renting a moving container from us makes your move much less stressful because you won't have to rush to pack your whole house into a moving truck in one day. Instead, you can take your time packing over the course of a month.

Our ISO shipping containers are weatherproof and come with vault-like security, so you don't have to worry about theft or damage to your belongings.

You won't get that level of security from U-Haul or other moving truck companies.

Renting a storage container at your home keeps your belongings close and gives you convenient 24/7 access, so you're always able to retrieve the contents of your container when you need to.

We know move in and move out dates don't always line up. We can store your packed rental container at our secure facility until your new home is ready.

With our mobile storage containers for rent in Commerce City, CO, you can save up to 40% when compared to full-service long-distance movers, while gaining more flexibility in your schedule.

MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINERS & PORTABLE OFFICES TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY IN Commerce City, CO

We know your needs may change suddenly. With our extensive inventory and variety of sizes of portable offices and shipping containers to rent, buy or modify in Commerce City, CO, we provide fast service and the best value possible so it's easy for you to get whatever you need when you need it.

Renting storage containers and portable offices from us gives you more flexibility when it comes to your schedule and options. If you don't have enough space at your current location or simply would prefer offsite storage, you can keep your rental storage and office containers at your location or ours - whichever is most convenient for you. You also get more options to choose from when it comes to size and features, like portable offices with divided rooms for private meetings or office/storage combos for storage and office space in one container. All while costing a fraction of the price of a pod or self-storage facility.

You can also buy new or used freight containers from us and choose from a variety of add-ons, including lights, electricity, doors and windows. Or fully customize a shipping container to save time, money and energy by skipping the expensive, lengthy process of constructing building additions. We can modify a Conex box into whatever you can imagine for any use you need, from construction tool cribs to office buildings, monitoring stations, mobile communication towers and much more. The possibilities are endless.

HERE'S HOW WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK:

You'll never face hidden fees or surprises with us. We give you transparent billing up front at the best prices.

With us, you get a reliable, dedicated point of contact, who keeps you updated every step of the way. You can rest assured knowing you'll always get what you need, when you need it.

No other company has the breadth and depth of staff and experience that we do when it comes to modifying shipping containers. Our certified welders, engineers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and painters have more than 500 years of combined experience in fabricating custom steel containers.

We prorate your rent by the day after the first 28-day billing cycle, so you don't have to pay for a full month when you only have your mobile containers and offices for a few days.

While other companies may be able to do small container modifications, most don't have an in-house fabrication staff or 90,000 sq ft fabrication facility like we do. As a result, they outsource the work on your custom container, so you don't know who's actually building it.

Rest assured knowing your modified shipping container will be built to the highest quality standards. Our certified weld and quality control inspectors check every step of the fabrication process to ensure everything is structurally sound and built to your specifications.

HOW RENTING A STORAGE CONTAINER AND MOBILE OFFICE WORKS

Whether you're in need of a storage container for your commercial business, a portable office for your construction site, or a moving container for your home, our process is simple and straightforward.

Choose Your Container

Choose the mobile storage solution that works best for your needs. In this step, you will let us know the number of containers you need, their sizes and what types of doors to equip.

Choose Your Options

Let us know if you would like to add any of our rental options, like a folding table or shelving.

Choose Your Security

Choose from padlocks, puck locks and other enhanced security options. All of our storage containers come standard with dual-locking, vault-like security.

Choose Your Delivery Timeframe

You can expect standard delivery within 3-5 days of your order. If you need expedited delivery, we will do everything in our power to accommodate your needs.

Pick-Up Planning

Do you need to keep your shipping container at our location? Prefer to have our team deliver your packed container to a location of your choice? Let us know, and we'll be by your side to work out the logistics.

HOW RENTING A STORAGE CONTAINER AND MOBILE OFFICE WORKS

1

DETERMINE DESTINATION

Let our team know where we should deliver your mobile storage container for rent in Commerce City, CO. Be sure to let us know if there are any special conditions that might prevent our drivers from entering your chosen destination. Before you schedule your delivery, let us know which direction you would like the doors of your container to face.

2

SCHEDULE DATE & TIME

Our drivers can deliver your storage container Monday-Friday, between the hours of 6AM and 2PM local time. Our two-hour delivery window is the most precise in the industry. If you desire another delivery time outside of our standard delivery options, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. As a courtesy, our driver will call you at least 30 minutes before they arrive at your drop-off destination.

3

PREPARE FOR YOUR MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINER DELIVERY

Before we deliver your Conex box, prepare your delivery area by ensuring that there are no low overhangs, arches, wires, trees or any other obstacles that could interfere with your delivery. It's a good idea to mark the space where you would like your steel container placed.

4

DELIVERY & SETUP

When our driver arrives, they will back our truck into the space where you would like your shipping container placed. Once we arrive, we will ensure that your container is delivered safely and securely. If placed on asphalt or pavement, we will use wood dunnage pads to make sure your ground surface is protected and the container is level.

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MOBILE CONTAINERS TO Rent, Buy OR Modify IN Commerce City, CO?

Check out our FAQ page or reach out to our helpful customer service team today @

Latest News in Commerce City, CO

Unclear if Commerce City refinery will be impacted by Suncor layoffs

Canadian oil refinery company Suncor Energy is poised to eliminate 1,500 positions but in the nearly two weeks since the announcement, there are no indications if the company’s Commerce City location will be impacted.Suncor’s new chief executive officer, Rich Kruger, notified staff about impending cuts on June 1. In an email, he said the company needs to reduce staffing costs related to competitors, according...

Canadian oil refinery company Suncor Energy is poised to eliminate 1,500 positions but in the nearly two weeks since the announcement, there are no indications if the company’s Commerce City location will be impacted.

Suncor’s new chief executive officer, Rich Kruger, notified staff about impending cuts on June 1. In an email, he said the company needs to reduce staffing costs related to competitors, according to Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News. Kruger said the layoffs will impact both employees and contractors across the entire company, but did not offer specifics like locations that would be affected.

“Staffing reductions will occur at all levels of the organization and will be based on both performance and business need,” Kruger told staff in the email. “As we do this, we will eliminate work, critically looking at what we do, why we do it, how we do it and the value it adds.”

Kruger said the goal is to cut costs by $400 million by the end of the year.

Suncor Energy named Kruger as president and CEO in February. Kruger was previously CEO of Imperial Oil Ltd. from 2013 through 2019.

Suncor Director of Corporate Communications Sneh Seetal told the Commerce City Sentinel Express that the company is not providing any additional details at this time. She also said there is no timeline in place for any announcements on the topic.

“Suncor is always looking for opportunities to drive value and improve performance in our business,” Seetal said. “Cost reduction is one of those opportunities.”

As of June 12, there were also no formal filings indicating any Suncor layoffs in Colorado, according to state records.

The state requires that employers provide warning notices of mass layoffs under the Worker Readjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). Under WARN, employers must provide details 60 days in advance on how many employees will be laid off. The notices are meant to protect workers, their families and communities from the impacts of layoffs.

Suncor reported profits of $1.8 billion in the first quarter of 2023, a 34% decrease from last year’s $2.7 billion.

Suncor’s Commerce City refinery location produces around 98,000 barrels of gasoline, diesel fuel and paving-grade asphalt each day. The company’s website says it sells nearly 95% of its products within the state and employs over 500 regional residents.

The refinery has recently made headlines over the past few months. It was shut down for maintenance for around three months at the beginning of the year. It has also made the news for multiple issues, including a settlement over past emissions violations and criticisms from the community about communications about health concerns.

Industrial Outdoor Ventures Sells 11.9-Acre Industrial Service Facility in Commerce City, Colorado

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. — Industrial Outdoor Ventures (IOV) has completed the disposition of an 11.9-acre Industrial Service Facility (ISF), which is a property that is used to store, maintain or dispatch vehicles, equipment or bulk materials. The sale also included a flex building at 8780 E. 93rd Place in Commerce City. The buyer and price were not disclosed.Completed in September 2022, the 52,500-square-foot Class A maintenance and repair facility features 4,200 square feet of office space and can accommodate a single user or mul...

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. — Industrial Outdoor Ventures (IOV) has completed the disposition of an 11.9-acre Industrial Service Facility (ISF), which is a property that is used to store, maintain or dispatch vehicles, equipment or bulk materials. The sale also included a flex building at 8780 E. 93rd Place in Commerce City. The buyer and price were not disclosed.

Completed in September 2022, the 52,500-square-foot Class A maintenance and repair facility features 4,200 square feet of office space and can accommodate a single user or multiple tenants. The shop area features two wash bays and 18 drive-through service bays, as well as sealed concrete floors and trench drains. Additionally, the property includes a fully fenced and secured yard for parking and storage, LED lighting and extensive landscaping.

Mike Wafer, Mike Wafer Jr. and Mike Viehmann of Newmark represented IOV, while James McGill and Chris Schultz of JLL represented the buyer in the transaction.

MESA, ARIZ. — Phoenix Commercial Advisors has arranged the sale of Mesa Gateway, a three-building retail property at the southeast corner of Power and Ray roads in Mesa. The property traded for $11.8 million, or $371 per square foot.

Totaling 31,824 square feet, the three buildings were fully leased to a mix of national and local tenants, including Verizon, Comerica, Jimmy John’s Sandwiches, Fit Body Boot Camp and Boba CuTea.

Danny Gardiner and Chad Tiedeman of Phoenix Commercial Advisors represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction. The name of the buyer was not released.

WEST COVINA, CALIF. — Quest Capital Partners has sold Atrium on the 10, an office building located at 2934 E. Garvey Ave. South in West Covina. A Covina-based nonprofit owner/user acquired the property for $22.2 million.

In recent years, more than $3 million in capital has been invested in the 100,724-square-foot building. Updates include exterior cosmetic and common area enhancements, upgrades to furniture, installation of a living wall in the atrium, tenant improvements and updated building systems.

Sammy Cemo, Mark Shaffer, Anthony DeLorenzo, Gary Stache and Bryan Johnson of CBRE’s Capital Markets, Investment Properties team, along with Steven Saunders and Philip Woodford of CBRE represented the seller in the transaction.

TOLLESON, ARIZ. — Evergreen Devco has opened Park Tolleson, an apartment community located at 8727 W. McDowell Road in Tolleson. The project team includes BMA Architects and Scottsdale-based MT Builders as contractor.

The 258-unit property features six three-story residential buildings offering a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units with covered and uncovered surface parking spaces. Apartments feature wood-inspired plank flooring, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.

The community features a single-story clubhouse, resort-style pool, spa, resident great room with billiards and shuffleboard, and pet playground with a washroom.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Phoenix-based Creation has acquired 18 acres within Scottsdale Airpark for the development of Thunderbird Commerce Park, a $60 million industrial center.

Located at the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads, the project will feature a 243,360-square-foot Class A industrial building offering 51 truck doors, 32-foot clear heights, 3,000-amp power, four electric vehicle dual charging pedestals, 130-foot truck court depth and 322 car parking spaces. Construction is slated to begin later this year.

Creation sourced the land on an off-market basis and is currently processing entitlements through the City of Scottsdale. The project team includes LGE Design Build as general contractor and LGE Design Group as architect. Completion is scheduled for late 2024.

Report finds Suncor refinery in Commerce City produces more air pollution compared to similar refineries

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the Suncor refinery in Commerce City produces more air pollution than 11 similar refineries across the United States.

The analysis states the refinery may experience more air quality incidents due to inadequacies in preventative maintenance, testing and inspections of liquid level control systems and electrical equipment.

The EPA found that from 2016 to 2020, Suncor had the greatest number of tail gas incidents, which caused the release of excess sulfur dioxide. Suncor also had the second-greatest number of acid gas incidents, which released hydrogen sulfide gas.

Suncor was in the middle of the comparison group at the seventh-greatest number of hydrocarbon flaring incidents out of the 12 refineries.

The company has received criticism from nearby residents for years. Guadalupe Solis, director of the environmental justice program for the nonprofit Cultivando, says her group has been collecting data regarding these impacts for some time.

"Air pollution doesn't recognize county borders. It doesn't recognize city borders," Solis said. "And so if we continue to mess with this natural order of the environment, it's going to have an impact on us all."

The EPA says the report will help Suncor understand what other refineries are doing differently in order to make the necessary changes.

"It really helps identify some very specific targets and opportunities," said KC Becker, the EPA's regional administrator. "It's one step towards improving Suncor's compliance and its operational performance and reducing incidents leading to air emissions that can harm nearby neighbors. I know the community is really interested in seeing action. I think this is just going to be one thing that helps continue to drive down emissions."

To read the full report, click here.

Cutting outdoor water use in Commerce City stymied by “legacy” landscape code

COMMERCE CITY — Derek Rinehart wants to disrupt the cohesion in his neighborhood — and he wants to save hundreds of gallons of water doing it.But Rinehart’s desire to rip out the grass in front of his home, a ubiquitous feature lining the quiet streets in Commerce City’s Reunion neighborhood, and replace it with drought-tolerant vegetation is running up against a formidable obstacle: city regulations.Commerce City’s landscape standards say that the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street...

COMMERCE CITY — Derek Rinehart wants to disrupt the cohesion in his neighborhood — and he wants to save hundreds of gallons of water doing it.

But Rinehart’s desire to rip out the grass in front of his home, a ubiquitous feature lining the quiet streets in Commerce City’s Reunion neighborhood, and replace it with drought-tolerant vegetation is running up against a formidable obstacle: city regulations.

Commerce City’s landscape standards say that the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street, also known as the tree lawn, “shall consist of turf grass and automatic irrigation system.” That means Rinehart’s plan to plant Delosperma Table Mountain — a drought-resistant, purple-flowered ground cover — across 130 feet of tree lawn on two sides of his house is on hold.

“I see a lot of towns spending a lot of money on xeriscaping and we’re fighting it for some reason,” Rinehart said, referring to the practice of mixing low-water plants with elegantly situated rocks to create a landscape more aligned with Colorado’s semi-arid environment. “We’re stuck in the past.”

It’s a policy that the 37-year-old father of one sees as running counter to a trend that’s been sweeping across the Front Range, and in Colorado writ large, as a historic 20-plus-year drought tightens its stranglehold on the state’s myriad waterways and reservoirs.

In 2021, state lawmakers passed a bill preventing homeowner associations from restricting residents’ use of xeriscaping. And last year, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill to create a statewide turf replacement program, which pays property owners to replace lawns with more water-efficient landscaping or offers matching dollars for replacement programs already in place.

Meanwhile, two metro area cities — Aurora and Castle Rock — passed ordinances in 2022 to ban or restrict thirsty “cool-season turf” on the lots of any newly built homes.

“We can xeriscape our lawns and still have them look nice,” said Rinehart, who hails from a much greener part of the country, Illinois. “It’s time to be environmentally responsible.”

Commerce City Councilwoman Susan Noble said she’s eager to have that conversation and expects the city to take a look at its landscaping guidelines in the coming weeks.

“We do allow xeriscaping of front and backyards — it’s only the parking strip (tree lawn) that isn’t, in the interest of cohesion for neighborhoods,” she said.

That visual uniformity is important to many in the city, Noble said. The councilwoman is also concerned about eliminating the cooling effect of turf grass and creating “hot zones” in neighborhoods. But overall, she said it’s high time to talk about potential changes to Commerce City’s landscape code.

City spokesman Travis Huntington said those conversations are coming to the City Council “very soon.”

“Tree lawns are where matters become more complicated, since that property is part of the right-of-way, where property owners don’t typically replace those plant materials, and the concept of uniformity is a greater consideration,” he said.

Kevin Reidy, water conservation specialist with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, said many local governments on the Front Range still cling to “legacy codes,” like turf requirements.

“These legacy codes can take time to change but there is momentum across Colorado to change them to fit today’s climate and water supply situation,” Reidy said.

The 2023 Colorado Water Plan, he said, provides grant money to Western Resources Advocates to help two or three communities “create new landscape codes that would limit turf and implement 22nd-century climate-appropriate landscapes.”

Rinehart would like to see changes come as soon as possible. He got approval from the Reunion HOA to proceed last August but hasn’t been able to move past the city’s blockade. His outdoor water use would decline by 80%, he said, after swapping out the current sprinkler line with a drip irrigation system.

Using a breakdown of his water bill, Rinehart estimated that watering just the tree lawn adjoining his property used about 10,000 gallons a month on average last year.

“I’m trying to reduce my monthly bills and save water,” he said. “And if I do it, others might do it too.”

Colorado drive-in movie theater closing, owners say

The owners of the 88 Drive-In said they put the property up for sale about two years ago, and it's been under contract for about 18 months.COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A Commerce City drive-in movie theater is closing after a decades-long run, and the city council is considering a request to rezone the property to accommodate a warehouse.The family who owned the 88 Drive-In at 8780 Rosemary Street said they put the property up for sale about two y...

The owners of the 88 Drive-In said they put the property up for sale about two years ago, and it's been under contract for about 18 months.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A Commerce City drive-in movie theater is closing after a decades-long run, and the city council is considering a request to rezone the property to accommodate a warehouse.

The family who owned the 88 Drive-In at 8780 Rosemary Street said they put the property up for sale about two years ago, and it's been under contract for about 18 months.

The family released a statement outlining the history of the drive-in and saying:

While the family has made some of their best memories here, and has raised four generations on the property, we feel it is best to allow the family to retire.

While we understand we have raised our children and children’s children alongside you at this establishment where cherished memories are housed, we feel it is best to close the chapter on the 88 Drive-In. This is because we want your last memories of us to be happy. We would rather you think back on us lovingly while we have aged gracefully, and to allow us to reap the benefits of our 47 years of work. We were not approached by any buyers prior to putting the property up for sale.

Credit: 9NEWS

It's unclear when the drive-in's final shows will be.

"We do not know when our last night will be at this point, but we will be sure to post it when it is set," the owners wrote. "In the meantime, come on out and enjoy some movies under the stars and make some lasting memories."

The new owners of the property, First Industrial Realty Trust, have submitted a proposal to rezone it to "light-intensity industrial" in order to accommodate a 80,500-square-foot multi-tenant warehouse building.

The Commerce City Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of the zoning change at a May 18 meeting, the Denver Gazette reports.

"We’re super excited to be here and we really like this opportunity to build what we think is a quality product in your community,” First Industrial Realty Trust Regional Director John Strabel told those in the nearly-empty commission meeting room last month.

"We feel the land is at its highest and best use for the community in the re-development plan the buyer has created," the family wrote in their statement. "We have enjoyed serving Commerce City, and the entire Denver-Metro area."

The full City Council took up the issue at its meeting Monday evening, discussing it for about two hours before postponing further discussion and action until their July 17 meeting.

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Credit: 9NEWS

Credit: 9NEWS

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