The Edge at Lowry, the infamous apartment complex used by President-elect Donald Trump to illustrate his claims about the advance of armed gangs in the U.S. during the presidential debate, will be shut down in February.
The decision came after members of Venezuelan-born gang Tren de Aragua were alleged to have kidnapped, bound and beat two people there in December. "Nobody at the premise is going to prevent individuals from committing crimes," said City Attorney Pete Schulte when explaining the initiative. He added that the people operating in the complex were an imminent threat to the public.
The most recent incident involved the mentioned migrants being kidnapped and tortured, bringing renewed attention to gang-related activity in the area. Police Chief Todd Chamberlain stopped short of confirming that the Venezuelan gang was behind the attack, but said the crime is "without a question, a gang incident" and that "Tren de Aragua" is suspected of being behind it. He added that it's "incredibly hard" to identify Tren de Aragua members because they lack "specific identifiers."
The attackers later moved the pair to another unit in the complex while ransacking their apartment. The victims were eventually released after convincing their captors they would not contact authorities. However, they sought help at a friend's house and reported the crime.
Authorities are working to relocate the occupants of the 60 units who will have to leave after the apartment shuts down. Other vacant apartments were being used illegally by gang members and squatters. Officials have found guns hidden in walls, as well as extended magazines and knives.
The incidents at the apartment gained national attention last August as security cameras showed images of people with rifles calmly going through the complex before attempting to enter a unit. It moved on to dominate the political conversation shortly after after Trump cited the scenes in the building as an example of migrant criminal violence in the country during the presidential debate.
"Venezuelan gang members have taken over parts of the city because these stupid people leading our country are allowing these criminals to come into our country," Trump added during an August rally. "We're going to get them the hell out of here."
The decision by city officials to close the complex is also attributed to a broader lack of management by the property's owners, CBZ Management. "They created an environment where the criminal element could move in and be unchecked," Schulte told ABC News in December.
Schulte added that while CBZ Management claimed that the gang had taken over the building, the city's investigation found that the property was essentially abandoned, creating an environment where criminal activity could spread unchecked.
During a court hearing on December 5, 2024, the owners of the property agreed that the buildings should be closed.
The closure of The Edge at Lowry is the latest action in a series of legal battles involving CBZ Management, which has faced scrutiny over several properties linked to crime and code violations, including 1568 Nome St., due to uninhabitable conditions, as reported by Colorado's Fox 31.
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