🚨 Dozens arrested in major Tren de Aragua raid

🕊️ Denver Legend Dana Crawford Dies

Iconic local preservationist Dana Crawford died last Thursday at the age of 93. Denverites have her to thank for landmarks like Larimer Square, The Oxford Hotel, and Union Station as we know them today. She spent decades as an advocate for historic preservation and a consultant for revitalization efforts across Colorado. [CO Sun]

🚔 Dozens Arrested In Major Tren de Aragua Raid

As rumors of ICE raids proliferate across the metro area, Drug Enforcement Administration and immigration officers raided a "makeshift nightclub" inside a vacant warehouse in Adams County early Sunday morning, arresting nearly 50 people. Law enforcement were reportedly tipped off when suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua posted invites to the party on social media. [CO Sun]

🏠 The Case for Co-Living

As the metro area struggles with high housing costs, Denverites are looking for new ways to address affordability. A single-family mansion in Capitol Hill was recently purchased by a group that plans to turn the home into a collaborative living space for 22 people. One local realtor explains how this type of living is about more than just affordability — it also means changing the way we think about housing. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🏠 Denver Doubles Down on Homelessness Plan

City officials announced they’re planning to move 2,000 people into permanent housing this year, double the original goal set under Mayor Mike Johnston’s ambitious “All In Mile High” initiative to combat homelessness. The new figure will require a reallocation of $10 million from a temporary shelter lease, though some City Council members are skeptical. [Denver Post 🔒]

• Related: Why Denver still lags behind other cities on homelessness. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

Strip malls are a ubiquitous sight along nearly every commercial corridor in the city. But the Far East Center — a two-story collection of shops that sits on the southwest corner of Federal Boulevard and Alameda Avenue in Westwood — is so much more than just a strip mall. Behind its notable grand entrance and year-round celebratory decor lies the story of the Luong family’s journey to the Mile High City. As Lunar New Year approaches, we dig into the fascinating history of this shopping complex, which will be hosting its 34th annual holiday celebration Feb. 1-2.

How It All Started

Mimi Luong’s family was one of many that fled North Vietnam and eventually landed in Denver after the fall of Saigon in 1975. Once in the Mile High City, Luong’s father and uncles began making trips back and forth to California to buy familiar ingredients for family recipes from home. Along with other refugees who had come from places like China, Thailand, and Japan, the Luong family was part of the burgeoning Denver community planting roots along South Federal Boulevard for what would eventually become known as the city’s “Little Saigon.”

Following a couple of successful business endeavors across the city — including a grocery store and the city’s first Asian video store — the Luongs opened the Far East Center in 1988. The name “Far East” was a nod to the Asian diaspora represented in the community and is reflected in the shopping plaza’s grand entrance, modeled after the Japanese Torii-style architecture, along with distinct burnt orange-tiled roofs, Chinese guardian lion sculptures, paper lanterns, and signage in English, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

Some of the first tenants of the Center included a grocery store run by the Luong family, Nghia Luong’s tax service, and Truong An Gifts, started by Mimi’s parents and co-owned by her today. Over the years, many restaurants, nail and hair salons, and other neighborhood necessities have found a home at the Far East Center, which is a thriving community hub today.

The Far East Center in 2025

Today, the bustling marketplace is home to a grocery store, multiple bakeries (including Vinh Xuong Bakery, known for its cult-followed French bread), and several restaurants (Saigon Bowl, Pho Huong, and Viet’s), plus jewelers, accountants, Tea Hee Tea Shop (coming soon!), and of course, Truong An Gifts. Check out a full list of the Center’s current businesses here. And while it has remained an epicenter of commerce year-round for more than 35 years, the Far East Center has also consistently acted as gathering place for community celebrations — from its staple Lunar New Year festivities to its Mid Autumn Festival, Saigon-Azteca Night Market, community cooking and painting classes, and more.

Honor Through Historic Designation

In 2024, the Far East Center was added to Colorado’s Register of Historic Properties for its "significant cultural resources worthy of preservation." History Colorado also attributes the shopping plaza’s significance to its role in the economic success of the Asian community, its representation of the Vietnamese community’s migration to Denver, and its architectural presence. The Center is a beacon for the “Little Saigon” area of the city, which has recently been documented through the Little Saigon Memory Project, a collaboration between History Colorado’s Museum of Memory Initiative and Colorado Asian Pacific United. A documentary sharing these collected stories and history about this vibrant Mile High community is set to be released sometime this year. Stay tuned!

Special thanks to The Denver Post, Denverite, Rocky Mountain PBS, and History Colorado for their reporting and additional resources on this topic.