Craig Nassi changed Denver's Golden Triangle, but not everything is sparkling

Nassi says that the two parties reached an "amicable" settlement. "We paid him part of the fees that were owed. We're all happy." Neither condo complex has been built.

In the summer of 2007, Nassi moved BCN's headquarters to Manhattan, where he says he is building and leasing out office space and planning a hotel project. But his website provides no details about his latest New York ventures, just photos and drawings of buildings in Greenwich Village, Chelsea and other neighborhoods.

Craig Nassi built three condo complexes in the Golden Triangle.

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Nassi says he moved on for a simple reason: There was more money to be made outside of Colorado. The appreciation of property values in Denver is slower than in other major cities, he says. He blames an abundance of land, overbuilding, and zoning regulations that allow for high-density buildings (such as the Beauvallon). "The market is very finicky and doesn't sustain high prices."

But Nassi says he's coming back — with plans for projects in Washington Park and the Vail Valley. He won't give any details, however, saying only that they will be a mix of residential and commercial buildings on land he already owns.

Denver councilmen Chris Nevitt and Charlie Brown, both of whom represent Washington Park, say they haven't heard of any new Nassi project. A planning official in Vail said she was not familiar with BCN Development.

If Nassi does return, developer David Zucker says he will have to deal with the "questionable" reputation he has created with many buyers, owners, neighbors and developers.

Even the best developers can get sued, says Zucker, who is known for projects such as the Zocalo and RiverClay condos. But Nassi is different, because the complaints aren't just about one or two problems.

"One gets the sense that there's something pervasive," Zucker says. "There seems to be a cloud that follows Craig, whether he is in Denver or Sacramento."

But Nassi seems confident that Denver will welcome him. In his view, neither the complaints about construction at the Beauvallon nor the stack of people who have sued him over monetary disputes tarnishes his accomplishments.

"We've had a pretty good run," he says. "Bottom line is, everything we've done, we've paid off. We've never had any foreclosures; we've never had any bankruptcies. We have a great track record, even in these terrible times."