Cherry Creek residents turned out in force last night to protest developers’ plans to close Fillmore Plaza and allow a private street to run through it.

Their message was loud and clear: Don’t let two well-heeled developers on either side of the plaza dictate what happens to the only public open space in the Cherry Creek North shopping district. A street “is going to bring in the big box stores and the franchises and destroy the charm of the neighborhood and the sense of community,” said Barbara Vago, who moved to the area about two years ago.

The developers pushing for the change are Donald Sturm, Christian P. Anschutz and David Steed.

Sturm, who hired different firms to design a private street months ago, owns two blocks in Cherry Creek North, including the building that houses the Tattered Cover.

Cherry Creek is already too crowded with cars. The Plaza is the lone oasis in a sea of congestion. Personally, I think there are too many hotel/luxury condo developments in the area already. I don’t think it’s asking for too much to keep one small block for us little people.