In my last entry, Eslinger Art Gallery 2025, I reflected on my vision for the future of my art, but I did not mention opening a physical space again. A few readers caught this and asked if I’d ever open an art gallery again. The short answer? Probably not—but not for the reasons you may think.
My experience with Shoenberg Farms, a historic former dairy farm in Westminster, Colorado, taught me valuable lessons about the complexities of owning commercial real estate. I once dreamed of owning my art gallery and not just renting the space. After a decade or renting it felt like I was burning large amounts of money to pay the mortgage for someone else. I only wanted to go back to running a gallery if I owned the space; however, I’ve realized that path isn’t for me. Nevertheless, my experience with Shoenberg Farms left a lasting impression. I feel that it was a chapter in my life that deserves to be told.
The Vision for Shoenberg Farms
Shoenberg Farms is a historic property with immense potential—a rare gem owned by the City of Westminster, Colorado. For years the city has been trying to revitalize this corner of the city. I saw it as an opportunity to restore a piece of local history while creating a vibrant community space for art and events.
In 2022, the City of Westminster awarded me a Letter of Intent (LOI) to purchase the property for $10. Not a typo one $10 bill. It followed a successful proposal through their Request for Qualifications (RFQ). It felt like the beginning of something extraordinary.
However, as I began the due diligence process, it became clear that the complexities of the project extended far beyond the physical restoration of the site.
CAM Management and Gene Little
One of the most challenging aspects of the project was understanding the Common Area Maintenance (CAM) management structure tied to the property. While the CAM was occasionally referred to as a Commercial HOA, it operates outside the laws that govern traditional homeowners associations. This lack of regulatory oversight raised significant questions about accountability and transparency.
The CAM was and is managed by Gene Little,
a man with a documented history of securities fraud. In 2008, Little was convicted on 35 counts of securities fraud and theft related to a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of millions of dollars. He was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1.9 million.
Little’s fraudulent activities were adjacent to Darin DeVoe,
a former Windsor-based businessman who was indicted in 2007 on 11 felony counts, including securities fraud and theft, for defrauding investors of over $2.6 million. DeVoe was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” in 2012 and remains a fugitive to this day.
Gene Little and Darin DeVoe were both involved in fraudulent financial schemes in Northern Colorado during the mid-2000s, operating within the same network of factoring companies. Little’s company, Managed Cash Flow, invested in Nationwide Cash Flow Specialists, operated by a key figure in the Blue Bear Funding LLC scheme. DeVoe, owner of Windsor-based Home Owners Solutions LLC and The DeVoe Group LLC, is believed to be one of the original architects of the Blue Bear scheme.
The Blue Bear Funding scheme was a fraudulent factoring operation. Factoring helps businesses get immediate cash by selling their unpaid invoices. It’s often used by small or growing companies that need steady cash flow to cover expenses like payroll or inventory, without waiting 30–90 days for customers to pay. It’s not a loan, so it doesn’t add debt, making it a practical solution for businesses facing short-term cash crunches. Trucking companies, manufacturers, wholesalers, construction contractors are among the types of small businesses that typically rely on factoring to cover their cash flow needs before clients pay.
Initially Blue Bear was legitimate, and it purchased accounts receivable at a discount and collected them at full value. However, it began acquiring bad debts and using new investor funds to pay clients, effectively becoming a Ponzi scheme. The collapse in 2005 caused over $20 million in losses for more than 400 individuals.
While both Little and DeVoe were connected to the Blue Bear network, their fraudulent activities were separate but intertwined within the same circle of associates.
I requested detailed records from the City of Westminster, including its payment history under Little’s management, but those documents were never provided. The lack of clear documentation made it impossible to fully understand the financial and operational landscape I would be stepping into.
The City’s Position
I made one final plea to the Westminster City Council before the expiration of the LOI. I turned over a packet of information about my issues with the property directly to the City Council but never heard back from any member. The meeting can be seen here.
In their final communication with me, the City of Westminster claimed they had addressed my concerns through meetings and discussions. They stated that there was no evidence of CAM mismanagement, that the property had a clear title, and that concerns about future issues were unfounded.
However, these assurances were verbal and unsupported by any documentation. The lack of concrete records—particularly regarding the CAM—made it impossible to assess the risks and responsibilities associated with the property. Ultimately, the city allowed the LOI to expire rather than provide the clarity I needed.
My Takeaways
Ultimately, I decided to stop asking questions. The structural challenges alone were significant, but without transparency or clear documentation about the CAM, the project became unmanageable. The restoration and rehabilitation financing offers I had lined up all walked away once they learned of the details of the CAM. The experience taught me several important lessons about balancing ambition with practicality:
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Transparency is Non-Negotiable: Even the most compelling visions need clear information to succeed.
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Trustworthy Collaborators are Key: A project of this scale requires strong partnerships, not verbal promises.
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Knowing What You Truly Want: Clarity is knowing where you want to focus your time, and energy. This sometimes gets lost in pursuit of a deal, commonly called “deal fever”.
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Commercial Real Estate is the Wild West: Buying a commercial property has little protections in comparison to buying a residential property.
Looking Ahead
Shoenberg Farms is a story I will always carry with me. There was so many more things that came up as I was considering Shoenberg Farms. Too many to go into in one article. I am sure I will write about some of the other things that I ran into overtime. There were so many people I met along the way. I learned Unreal Engine and Blender along the way in order to create a digital twin of the site. That certainly requires more explanation.
While this particular chapter didn’t end as I’d hoped, it has given me a clearer sense of what I value and how I want to move forward. I would rather partner with existing galleries, than deal with the headaches of owning a space as I grow older.
If you’ve faced challenges in your own projects, I’d love to hear your story. Together, we can learn from the complexities of pursuing meaningful work under challenging circumstances.
A Final Look Back
I love history; discovering people and places obscured in the sands of time in old dusty books. Unsung heroes of a bygone era. In 1911, Colorado was a land of sweeping plains and snow-capped peaks, where the air was crisp and dry—a place people sought for its promise of healing. By the early 1900s the gold rush was a distant memory and the state’s appeal to outsiders became the restorative weather. The sunlight stretched golden across the open fields, and the mountains stood as sentinels to the West, offering hope to those who came searching for a breath of fresh air. The expansion of Colorado during the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was driven largely by “health seekers.” It was here, amidst this rugged beauty, that Shoenberg Farms took its first steps toward serving the state as sanctuary food supplier. Louis Dudley Shoenberg (who later changed his last name to Beaumont) had lost his son Dudley to TB. Shoenberg was successful in his Colorado business ventures and used this success to give back to the community. The farm was donated by Shoenberg to supply milk and other supplies to the hospital caring for people suffering from the TB epidemic.
And at the center of it all, there was a bull. His name was Western Sir Colantha, recorded as 87956 in the Holstein-Friesian registry, born on August 21, 1911, to Sir Colantha Lass 45670 and Dutch-land Veeman Kuperus 120777. Brought to Shoenberg Farms by the Hall brothers, Western Sir Colantha wasn’t just a prized animal—he was the foundation of a herd that would provide life-sustaining milk to tuberculosis patients in Denver. This wasn’t a purchase made for profit or prestige; it was an act of purpose and compassion.
Western Sir Colantha was a quiet hero. He didn’t know his offspring would sustain the weak or that his descendants might one day form the backbone of dairy herds across the country. He simply did what he was born to do without asking for anything in return.
Through the Holstein Association USA registry, it’s possible to trace where Western Sir Colantha’s lineage lives on in today’s herds. Every descendant carries a spark of his quiet nobility, his steadfast dedication to life.
The story of Shoenberg Farms is a story of resilience and love—love for community, for healing, and for the animals who made it all possible. Western Sir Colantha’s legacy lives on in the hearts of those who understand that sometimes the greatest heroes quietly give without taking from others.