Denver business owners fear cultural loss as historic Asia Center redevelopment looms

[00:00:01]Another iconic spot in Denver may be turning into apartments. Earlier last week, developers submitted plans to turn the popular Asia Center shopping plaza off Federal Boulevard into affordable apartments and retail. Denver 7's Tyler Malito is diving into concerns about erasing the history and culture that's made this plaza a Denver destination.

[00:00:25]When the first Asian supermarket opened, then it allowed other people to come into the area and also build other businesses as well. For decades, the Asia Center on Federal Boulevard at Tennessee Avenue has been home to generations of culture and history.

[00:00:39]Katrina Win's family has owned businesses here, and shops like Kim Son Jewelers and Hong Kong Barbecue are not just stores to her. They're family.

[00:00:47]>> You call people aunts and uncles here, even if you're not directly related to them. But her home away from home may soon look completely different. This is the plan submitted last week for the center's future, a four-story building with retail on the bottom level and apartments dedicated to affordable housing on the next three. They're not against the change, because, you know, change is inevitable, but I think that they just want to be a part of the conversation. Which is why Win started a petition to preserve the cultural heritage here. Oh, thank you. Thank you so much for sharing, like genuinely bringing awareness to this.

[00:01:19]>> With more than 9,000 signatures so far, the support she says has meant the world.

[00:01:24]>> Sorry. It's been a really emotional, like Sorry, hi.

[00:01:30]It's been a very Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

[00:01:33]It's been a very emotional few days because I um I didn't expect the story to blow up the way that it did.

[00:01:41]>> Tony Le has worked in and owned pho restaurants along South Federal since the '90s, opening his current shop, Tony Pho, in 2016. We spoke to him with the help of a translator, Khanh Vu. Tony says moving here and having a successful business has been the American dream.

[00:01:59]There's a rich history, particularly of the Vietnamese culture here, that's been decades in the making, and he wants them to come and visit. He's afraid, and he knows that the other tenants here are afraid, too. A letter obtained by Denver 7 from the developer to tenants says this is not an immediate project, and there are no finalized plans. So, we reached out, and the developer's attorney sent a statement, which read in part, "The project is still in a very early exploration phase. We recognize that real people, businesses, and livelihoods are connected to the center." People who tell us they just want to know their history won't be erased.

[00:02:34]>> We're already underrepresented, um, in the community already. When you lose an essential part like this, it you do feel you do feel the loss. In Denver, Tyler Malito, Denver 7.