With plans to build a $175 million entertainment district, the city of Glendale has been in the midst of a redevelopment plan and domain fight. In the process, the city has bought out many of the pre-existing businesses in the area.
One small business, however, refuses to budge.
According to the Denver Business Journal, the city of Glendale has offered to buy the local Kholghy family’s business, Authentic Persian and Oriental Rugs, for $11 million. Yet they’re not biting.
Determined not to give up their storefront, which has presided on South Colorado Boulevard for the past 25 years, owner Nasrin Kholghy firmly rejected the offer.
Persian and oriental rugs are typically made with silk and wool, and have a rich cultural history.
In a separate interview with CBS Denver this past May, Nasrin told reporters how the Persian and oriental rug business had put in a request to the city years ago with intentions to expand the space. Their requests were never approved.
Instead, the city of Glendale responded one year ago with a different plan proposal: to move Nasrin’s business to the outskirts of town, to which she responded, “Over my dead body. Absolutely not.”
Soon after, the Kholghy family filed a lawsuit, and attended a court hearing with the city to discuss the use of eminent domain.
This means that regardless of the Kholghy’s desires, eminent domain would give the city of Glendale the right to seize private property for their own personal development.
Ultimately, the city of Glendale decided that they would not use eminent domain, and proceeded to offer the Kholghys $11 million for their space.
Whether or not the Kholghys acquiesce, the city of Glendale has plants to move forward as soon as the ordeal is over.
“We were prepared and excited to proceed either way,” Mayor Mike Dunafon told Denver Business Journal. “But now that the path forward is clear, things will really kick into high gear.”
