Access is not located on the former Valmont Auto Parts site. There had been some other large chain stores wanting to locate in that area---but Boulder is anti-chain stores. Sure, they would pay more money, "if" the store could get the zoning permission. They couldn't---happens all the time across the US. The zoning was for a junkyard (industrial, I believe)---and there were cleanup issues because of the past use. I don't recall any connection between Access and the Helgoth's regarding land.

I don't think the city had to resort to condemnation---they cut the deal before they had to pursue that. And, like the newspaper article points out, zoning being what it is in Boulder, people could no longer work on cars in their yards, so the junkyard business was not as lucrative as it was in the past.

Access did expand on Pearl Street.......but I don't see the connection to the Helgoth's.