DENVER | Main Development Thread #6

[TakeFive]

Construction defects bill? I dunno...

Couple of days ago the Governor took a cautiously optimistic view.

Gov. John Hickenlooper said he remains hopeful that legislative Democrats and Republicans can reach a compromise that will allow them to pass a construction-defects reform bill this year.

Then today there's this:

3. House Speaker Dickey Lee Hollinghorst, D-Gunbarrel Construction-defects reform supporters say if Senate Bill 177 gets to the House floor, they have the votes to pass it. But they also say that Hullinghorst has set up two committees — House Judiciary and House State, Veterans and Military Affairs — to kill the bill on a party line if it does not have the compromises she is seeking from the Senate. Rarely has the power of the House speaker been so evident on one issue as it is on this one.

First question would be if they can find common ground and pass a bill? Second question is whether in finding common ground would it be sufficient enough to do any good? Interesting question would be does Dickey Lee Hollinghorst see her role as protecting ordinary citizens or Democratic donating lawyers? It's a rhetorical question of course.

[DownhomeDenver]

Originally Posted by Curtis Park

2560 will be an 8 story mixed use. It will have set backs after the first three floors. Ground floor retail, I think some offices or a health club, then apartments on top. Starting construction at the same time will be the Rossonian project. They are demoing everything on that side of the block except for the Rossonian, then building 8 stories. Ground floor retail with a restaurant by Sage in the Rosonian. Two floors of a hotel by Sage, then offices on top. Each will have underground parking and they may share amenities between buildings. Craine Architecture is responsible for the design. Same developer is doing the 25th and Welton project and the town homes on 2400 Washington.

Thank you Curtis Park. I look forward to more redev on Welton!

[TakeFive]

What's the World Coming To? Is nothing sacred any more?

They've been in Denver since 1936; now they're packing up and moving to Nebraska.
Yes of course I've eaten Gold Star sausage. You can't have lived in Denver and not.

per yelp.com

Molly Armbrister of the DBJ has the clarification HERE.
"Gold Star Sausage sells RiNo manufacturing facility for top dollar"

Gold Star, which has been located in RiNo since 1936, will keep its headquarters in Denver, but will relocate its manufacturing operations.

"Our history is here and we love the Mile HIgh City," said Rick Rue, president of Gold Star Sausage. "However, we made the decision to relocate our food processing operation to Nebraska in order to expand and be closer to our suppliers."

The buyer intends to repurpose the asset so we'll have to keep our eyes peeled to see what that will mean.


And that's the way it is on a freaky Friday the 13th, dateline Denver, Co.

..........
compliments of composeyourselfmag.com

[Denver]

Anyone know which one of these renderings is the more up to date?


Source: http://www.jgjohnson.com/?page_id=2480


Source:http://denverurbanreview.com/2015/03/hiltongardeninndenver/

[navyweaxguy]

I hope the top one. That bottom one is awful in my opinion.

[Octavian]

Courtesy of DIA

[Fritzdude]

Great photos of the airport! I was there yesterday and checking it out and saw the nice progress!

I've spoken to some of the people working on it and they mentioned the long escalator that's planned for the site. Apparently it takes you from the bottom and up 5 or 6 floors. They mentioned that there is going to be an artistic element similar to what you might find in the O'hare airport between terminals, but much more involved. Said it was going to 'blow' people away...

Excited to see what will be there.

[Octavian]

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

Great photos of the airport! I was there yesterday and checking it out and saw the nice progress!

I've spoken to some of the people working on it and they mentioned the long escalator that's planned for the site. Apparently it takes you from the bottom and up 5 or 6 floors. They mentioned that there is going to be an artistic element similar to what you might find in the O'hare airport between terminals, but much more involved. Said it was going to 'blow' people away...

Excited to see what will be there.

You can see renderings for the art in this DBJ article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/galler...ojects-taking-shape-at.html%3Fpage%3Dall

[DUPio]

I'm no artist and will reserve total judgment until I've seen it in person, but as far as the outdoor beetle-tree project goes it appears sort of... Bland? Does it not? I mean two semi-circles of logs is supposed to "blow us away"? I hope my initial thoughts are proven wrong. I'd almost just prefer some live trees right there...

Rest of the project looking great though.

[Fritzdude]

Originally Posted by DUPio

I'm no artist and will reserve total judgment until I've seen it in person, but as far as the outdoor beetle-tree project goes it appears sort of... Bland? Does it not? I mean two semi-circles of logs is supposed to "blow us away"? I hope my initial thoughts are proven wrong. I'd almost just prefer some live trees right there...

Rest of the project looking great though.

In fairness, the person I was speaking with was referring to the escalator in particular...

Overall, the project is coming along nicely, even if a bit over budget. I love the symbiotic relationship between Union Station and DIA. Impressive to think about how critical these two hubs will be in fostering Denver's growth over the next 50 years.

[bobg]

Originally Posted by DUPio

I'm no artist and will reserve total judgment until I've seen it in person, but as far as the outdoor beetle-tree project goes it appears sort of... Bland? Does it not? I mean two semi-circles of logs is supposed to "blow us away"? I hope my initial thoughts are proven wrong. I'd almost just prefer some live trees right there...

Rest of the project looking great though.

The escalator Fritz was referring to is on slides 3 and 12 of the DBJ slideshow Octavian linked to. It's hard to conceptualize what it will look like from that rendering, but I found this description http://www.flydenver.com/about/art_culture/commissions

Paris-based light artist Yann Kersalé was selected for a $1 million commission to provide a lighting design for the train and Level 5 canopies, and a unique video-based art installation for the escalator connecting the Public Transit Center to the Level 5 plaza. His work is titled, “L’eau dans tous ses êtats” or “Water in all of its states.” Kersalé is an internationally-acclaimed artist who works with light as his primary medium, and he has worked on public and private projects all over the world with acclaimed architects such as Helmut Jahn and Jean Nouvel. Yann Kersalé’s lighting on the canopy is nearly complete and his video installation in the main escalator will begin in early 2015.

So it's going to be hard to see what he is going for with "Water in all of its states" until it's up since the rendering won't show the lighting and video aspects.

The beetle kill "Shadow Array" does seem kind of bland -although I can see how it would be aesthetically pleasing-, but given some of the art at DIA a few conservative pieces here and there are probably needed to balance everything.

[Octavian]

Originally Posted by bobg

The escalator Fritz was referring to is on slides 3 and 12 of the DBJ slideshow Octavian linked to. It's hard to conceptualize what it will look like from that rendering, but I found this description http://www.flydenver.com/about/art_culture/commissions

This PDF from the link you posted also has a crosssectional view of the project:

http://www.flydenver.com/sites/default/files/downloads/artHTCartistsSite%20map_Final_0.pdf

[TakeFive]

^^ I love the DIA photos/art stuff/hotel and train station updates. For me, airport talk is better than pillow talk.

This DIA addition/expansion more or less completes the original vision, does it not? While they weren't able to do the iconic hotel or bridge version it is still nice; it is well executed.

[seventwenty]

Defects update: DBJ

[TakeFive]

I found this list at the PBJ by Eric Jay Toll:

"Tourism Budget Per Visitor 2013"
Source: Arizona Office of Tourism from states' budgets

• Hawaii $9.96
• New Mexico $1.34
• Florida $0.74
• Utah $0.57
• Colorado $0.48
• Arizona $.035
• California $0.27

While interesting, I'm not sure the value of this comparison. With a solid tourism business base, Arizona's AOT wanted to argue for more funding, I assume. Unfortunately, austerity rules down here with visions of becoming another "no income tax" state eventually.

The Governor has led the parade in wanting to grow Colorado's tourism and the promotion budget has grown since coming out of the recession and as the economy has improved. The more valuable metric I'd think would be the actual growth in tourism and maybe how that compares to growth in other states.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Defects update: DBJ

Nice coverage by Ed Sealover. Two of the proposed changes in the Senate seem mere points of clarification and innocuous. The dollar "recording" surcharge proposal was dumb IMO; glad they killed it. It's like wanting to pat yourself on the back as if you care when it's so inconsequential it's silly.

Then there's this:

And Sen. Matt Jones, D-Louisville, gave an early preview of his argument on SB 177 by saying that he believes the state's laws are not causing affordability problems with homes in Colorado.

Honestly, when a politician's lips are moving you have to wonder if they even believe what they are saying half the time.

While I know 18 months can be a long time in politics I'd suggest the Dems read the tea leaves and check the prevailing winds before refusing to get a bill passed. Too easy of a campaign talking point for the Republicans IMO.

[comoneymaker]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

I found this list at the PBJ by Eric Jay Toll:

"Tourism Budget Per Visitor 2013"
Source: Arizona Office of Tourism from states' budgets

• Hawaii $9.96
• New Mexico $1.34
• Florida $0.74
• Utah $0.57
• Colorado $0.48
• Arizona $.035
• California $0.27

While interesting, I'm not sure the value of this comparison. With a solid tourism business base, Arizona's AOT wanted to argue for more funding, I assume. Unfortunately, austerity rules down here with visions of becoming another "no income tax" state eventually.

The Governor has led the parade in wanting to grow Colorado's tourism and the promotion budget has grown since coming out of the recession and as the economy has improved. The more valuable metric I'd think would be the actual growth in tourism and maybe how that compares to growth in other states.

I think legal pot does its own advertising.

[TakeFive]

Oh-My-God
This is such a huge disaster it's freaking hilarious at the same time.

"New cost estimate for VA hospital in Aurora: $1.73 billion"
Updated: Mar 17, 2015 by Molly Armbrister, Reporter- Denver Business Journal

The cost of the Denver VA Medical Center is now estimated at $1.73 billion, based on work done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, more than $1.1 billion above what was projected when the hospital broke ground in 2010.

Molly's article in the DBJ is a four-pager, LOL. I'll offer my own context from what I recall.

While the official original price tag was $600 million early on I read figures of $800 million or in excess of and later a nearly $1 billion project. Last I heard, more recently was closer to $1.2 billion but uncertainty around that figure.

I'll guess that after all the low-balling that now that the Army Corp of Engineers has taken over the project that they may be high-balling the price tag a bit. Might as well have to pull people down off the ceiling before trying to figure out how to solve this mess.

Rep. Mike Coffman, always good for a rant had this pointed, but humorous take:

"The VA couldn't lead starving troops to a chow hall when it comes to managing a construction project," Coffman said. "The VA's mismanagement of this project is beyond belief and brings into question the competence of their leadership at every level."

So what does contractor Keiwit-Turner think?

Kiewit-Turner has repeatedly said it is committed to finishing what it started and expressed confidence in the federal government to come up with necessary funds.

"The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers budget estimate for the Denver VA Hospital is a vital step in moving this important project forward for Colorado-area Veterans. We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure this project is completed. We are confident that VA and Congress will work together to secure the necessary funds needed to finish this important project," Kiewit-Turner said in a statement Tuesday.

I don't recall the details but I do recall that the VA Hospital project in Florida was also a clustermess. Not sure what they'll work out but I say:

"Build it and the Veterans will come."

[CPVLIVE]

I took a few quick photos Sunday -


The Hyatt House/Place









ENV Denver - or whatever they're calling it now

















And a couple from the weekend previous of the Art Hotel - getting close on this one

[BG918]

Thanks for the pic updates. I like the Art Hotel but wish they would've done the light blue glass in the middle instead of stucco. There will be a restaurant on the 4th floor of that triangular glass feature overlooking Broadway that should be a cool space.

Oh and EnV is now Joule. Much better name.