DENVER — One of Denver’s busiest areas is about to get busier.

Construction at the “9+CO” development at East Ninth Avenue and Colorado Boulevard is nearing completion.

When it’s finished, the 26 acres that used to be a hospital campus will be about 1,000 apartments, restaurants, stores, a movie theater and more.

“There’s a little bit, in my view, of a restaurant and retail desert to this area to the community,” said Brenda Godfrey.

She has lived in the area for 20 years and is about to open Frank & Roze Coffee Company at the base of one of the apartment buildings.

“I’m going to check all of it out,” said Maryland Thompson, who lives just west of Colorado Boulevard. “I want to be the first in line to welcome and celebrate.”

But south of East Eighth Avenue, in the historic Hilltop neighborhood, some people aren’t celebrating. Instead, they’re concerned the extra traffic the development will generate will speed down their sleepy streets.

“I think they (the city of Denver) really haven’t come up with solutions to keep the neighborhood a neighborhood and solve the traffic issues,” said Jean Greenwood, who lives in Hilltop.

She and others addressed their concerns with the city at a meeting Wednesday night.

“The big thing about all of this, is that speed is a problem on residential side streets,” said Wendy Reoch.

The city is trying to deal with the traffic troubles.

It’s testing a traffic circle at East Seventh Avenue and Ash Street and is preventing a left turn from the 6th Avenue Parkway onto one side street.