DENVER | Main Development Thread #6 - Page 119

RyanD · #**2361** Posted **Jan 13, 2015, 4:13 AM**

Here's a Monday photo for all you wonderful people!

BG918 · #**2362** Posted **Jan 13, 2015, 6:09 AM**

Awesome. That's pretty close to the view the Platform will have from its high east-facing apartments, and from its pool deck on the 14th floor.

The Kimpton hotel/office site really stands out in this shot. They were supposed to start back in June and nothing has happened. If I remember correctly they have to go down 2 levels for their parking garage. Any news on the holdup?

seventwenty · #**2363** Posted **Jan 13, 2015, 10:14 PM**

Westword has a rundown on Welton

Quote:

1) 2300 Welton
Century Real Estate is transforming the southwestern tip of the corridor into 268,422 square feet of multi-family, affordable housing for those earning 60 percent or less of the average medium income for the area. The team anticipates breaking ground on 223 units at the end of the month, and the plans include 207 parking spaces.

2) 2422-2460 Welton
Palisade Partners recently started construction on a five-story, mixed-use, market=rate apartment building with one and two bedroom apartments, fourteen three-story townhomes and 3,000 square feet of retail space.

3) 2501 Welton
The current plan, as proposed by the McWhinney Group (one of the Union Station partners), is a mixed-use, 29,818-square-foot renovation of one of the original Deep Rock buildings into retail and office space.

4) 2650 Welton
The historic Rossonian Hotel, and the remainder of the block will be redeveloped into a hotel, two restaurants, a jazz venue and, possibly, condo units, according to the Five Points Business District.

5) 2714 Welton
Cousins-King's historic Arcade Building was recently renovated, and the main floor now houses Rosenberg's Bagels and Delicatessen. The upper floor is expected to provide up to four residential units.

6) 2736 Welton
Five Points Plaza, a two-story commercial retail space, was sold to Five Points Plaza LLC, and the developers plan to convert the place into restaurants and Spangalang, a brewpub headed by the Great Divide's former brewmaster, Taylor Rees, opening later this spring.

7) 2741 Welton
Randall's at Pierre's has been dishing up Cajun and Creole cuisine since relocating from Downing Street to a historic, two-story building on Welton.

8) 2801 Welton
Star Mesa Properties aims to renovate this landmark two-story building, formerly Otha Rice's Tap Room & Oven, adding first=floor dining and shopping with office space and lofts overhead. The firm has already gotten the go-ahead from the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, and is seeking approval for tax increment financing today.

9) 2821-2843 Welton
Markel Homes is tackling a five-story, mixed-used project that includes retail, ground-level parking and four floors of market-rate apartments.

10) 2844 Welton
For 52 years this building held the Dunbar Barbershop. Developer Ayre WP LLC, renovated the space into a 4,690-square-foot restaurant, Dunbar Kitchen & Tap House, which opened three weeks ago and displays the old barbershop window in its the hallway.

11) 2942-2944 Welton
This site, a Welton Street Challenge grant recipient, is being developed into nuROOT Innovative Office Space, designed for emerging businesses. The project features 4,710 square feet of office space, along with an eating and drinking establishment.

12) 2950 Welton
Saint Bernard Properties is taking the lead on a proposed three-story building, incorporating 1,500 square feet of commercial retail onto the ground floor, and four boutique residential apartments above.

wong21fr · #**2364** Posted **Jan 13, 2015, 10:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanD

Here's a Monday photo for all you wonderful people!

No, you're the wonderful person. We're just the cranky dudes who like to bitch.

Awesome picture.

Denver Dweller · #**2365** Posted **Jan 13, 2015, 10:30 PM**

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/r...mA+ElKTwGoSbqOBYu5F/O7W7Amf&t=1421188025

TakeFive · #**2366** Posted **Jan 13, 2015, 10:30 PM**

Tale of two countries?

Former Cold Stone Creamery CEO and newly ordained Governor of the State of Arizona has Big Plans for Arizona's moribund economy. Bob Christie at azfamily.com has the story:

Quote:

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Arizona Legislature is putting a bill creating a new high school civics test on the fast track, answering a call from Gov. Doug Ducey to make it the very first law he signs as the state's chief executive.

Meanwhile freshly inaugurated Governor Hickenlooper's first initiative is covered by Ed Sealover at the DBJ.

Quote:

Gov. John Hickenlooper launched a $3 million initiative Thursday to connect businesses and business groups to Coloradans who have been unemployed for more than six months and offer state assistance in training them for their new jobs.

Each state's proposal is totally reflective of their Governor and the overall "climate" of their states. Each feel-good initiative is rather inconsequential. I certainly have nothing against Civics. Given that Colorado has over $900 million more to play with if Hickenlooper's $3 million program has any success I'd deem it worthwhile. At the least it's practical as it might benefit not only those who are unemployed but also lessen other burdens on the state and cities.

Love this shot of Denver:

courtesy blog.altaharveststation.com

BG918 · #**2367** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 2:56 AM**

Found out today that the Kimpton project at 16th & Wewatta had issues with its easement between their garage and the adjacent Platform. That's why it has been delayed.

DownhomeDenver · #**2368** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 3:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

Found out today that the Kimpton project at 16th & Wewatta had issues with its easement between their garage and the adjacent Platform. That's why it has been delayed.

Thanks for the info bud!

DownhomeDenver · #**2369** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 3:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Westword has a rundown on Welton

After all these years, I can only hope that the Rossonian plan goes through and we finally get this place back up and running.

bunt_q · #**2370** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 4:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Each state's proposal is totally reflective of their Governor and the overall "climate" of their states. Each feel-good initiative is rather inconsequential. I certainly have nothing against Civics.

When I hear of a mandatory civics test in Arizona I assume it is focused on teaching two God given truths (Christian God, mind you, none of that Allah stuff). (1) America is the best, and (2) white > brown people. That's my take on Arizona, at least.

bunt_q · #**2371** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 4:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

Found out today that the Kimpton project at 16th & Wewatta had issues with its easement between their garage and the adjacent Platform. That's why it has been delayed.

What could be wrong with an easement that would delay a whole project? And an easement for what, any idea?

denconyny · #**2372** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 5:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by denconyny

JOHN FOX HAS GOT TO GO!

...............................

WOW! He is gone..... the power of the www. eh?

==============================

Next, does anyone know what is happening with the 12-story project at 19th and Grant. It got submitted as 2014D00012 early last year.... appeared on the Denver Projects Status Report up until about last September or so.... and now just seemed to have vanished off the list? Looking up this project at the Den.gov sites don't seem to tell much......

LAM · #**2373** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 5:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denver Dweller

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/r...mA+ElKTwGoSbqOBYu5F/O7W7Amf&t=1421188025

Looks like a nice project. As I recall, they tried to get RTD to move the rail station closer to their property at the last minute.

[IMG]http://media.bizj.us/view/img/4815141/screen-shot-2015-01-13-at-14449-pm*600xx971-647-15-0.png[/IMG]
Image from DBJ article

EDIT: Is it just me, or is the image link function not working?

Denver · #**2374** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 6:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

What could be wrong with an easement that would delay a whole project? And an easement for what, any idea?

The only place an easement would make sense is the access road to the Antero parking garage (and that would only make sense if the parking garage for the Kimpton project would be on the side facing the Antero building). I can't image what sort of easement would be needed for the platform itself.

Denver · #**2375** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 6:22 AM**

Nm. Already posted

TakeFive · #**2376** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 6:22 AM**

LAM... It's just you. (I kid)

Seems most media use a different url code which has a png instead of a jpg. png's won't fly. I checked on Google images for a jpg and found this one:

courtesy of insiderealestatenews.com

TakeFive · #**2377** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 7:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

When I hear of a mandatory civics test in Arizona I assume it is focused on teaching two God given truths (Christian God, mind you, none of that Allah stuff). (1) America is the best, and (2) white > brown people. That's my take on Arizona, at least.

Your read on Arizona is correct but in this case it's not that bad. From the article linked above:

Quote:

The bill requires students to correctly answer 60 of 100 questions on the civics portion of the test that is required to become a U.S. citizen. The test would be taken directly from the U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Services, so little cost is expected.

The white > brown was a few years ago with what was SB1062. It was not long after Phoenix had finished their new convention center and hotel. It wasn't the few cancellations as much as the fact that the phones quit ringing at the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Larger conventions book 3-5 years or more ahead. They'll never really know the price they paid. I can tell you that over the last few years their convention hotel has not generated enough revenue to cover the bond payments falling about $62 million short. They've used a sports fund that was for the Suns arena to make up the shortfall.

It was last year that they passed a religious (Christian) bill allowing for discrimination against certain people, in this case Gays because they don't have Federal protection. Prior to the Governor signing, most every business group, especially tech companies, any visitor organization, the NFL, MLB all came out publicly against it. How many states have so disgusted the National Football League and Major League Baseball that they would pass formal declarations of protest? It provided great fodder for all the comedy shows. The Governor wisely declined to sign off on it.
EDIT: Just to clarify it wasn't religious organizations but rather businesses which might be owned by people claiming this or that religious belief. It was promoted as a bill protecting "religious freedom." I think Forrest said it best.

Consider though all that free negative publicity. When businesses are looking at different places to expand or relocate the last thing you need is to give them easy reasons to check you off their list of options. It's partly why I emphasize why it's important to Stay in the Game.

BG918 · #**2378** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 3:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

What could be wrong with an easement that would delay a whole project? And an easement for what, any idea?

Their garage connects to the Platform garage below grade. The ramp for the Kimpton/office building will actually be off the same drive as the ramp to the Antero building. As I understand they were able to work something out but had to redesign the garage.

Curtis Park · #**2379** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 3:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownhomeDenver

After all these years, I can only hope that the Rossonian plan goes through and we finally get this place back up and running.

I have it on very good authority that Deep Rock is closing up. They are able to transfer their water rights (I know nothing about that). Also, the fire department has been citing them for multiple violations which they decided not to fix, saying it would cost too much money. A potential buyer for at least a few of their properties is already line up.

BTW, the new restaurant, Dunbar, is very good with a fantastic selection of mostly local beers.

Denver · #**2380** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

Their garage connects to the Platform garage below grade. The ramp for the Kimpton/office building will actually be off the same drive as the ramp to the Antero building. As I understand they were able to work something out but had to redesign the garage.

I thought you were referring to the actual train platform. I forgot the apartment was named the Platform as well. Were you able to get a tentative start date?