DENVER | Main Development Thread #6

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by rds70

There is actually still a small parcel designated for a single family home at the corner of Little Raven and Bassett. You can see it "ghosted in" at the right of this rendering:

Isn't the single family home location owned by one of the founders of E/W Partners? As long as it's done properly for an urban context, such as the single family home in LoDo, I don't see a problem.

[mr1138]

"Single Family Home" is kind of a broad term anyway, and as wong21fr points out, it can be done in an urban context. Aren't most townhomes essentially single family homes in an urban arrangement? I've always found it interesting that "urban mansions" actually exist in many great cities. The Picasso museum in Paris is in an old converted urban mansion, and I seem to remember seeing structures like these in London and New York as well. Actually we have at least one already in Denver too in this building on Wazee street.

[Denver]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Express trains can also be done now and should be.

Can they do an express train without adding more track?

[EngiNerd]

And just like that, we now have renderings for all of the remaining DUS & CPV dirt lots, awesome! That didn't take long at all to fully build out that area.

Thanks for the updates RDS!

[Mulligan]

Originally Posted by Denver

Can they do an express train without adding more track?

Without a passing track (i.e. a third track), the answer is no.

[balugajames]

Originally Posted by Mulligan

Without a passing track (i.e. a third track), the answer is no.

If they had a safe way to allow for trains to switch (computer timed algorithm) between tracks at stations to pass boarding trains it could be possible. Just not sure what level of complexity that would require and how regulations work with that.. Its not like there are a hundred trains on that line, its pretty sparse.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Mulligan

Without a passing track (i.e. a third track), the answer is no.

How do other areas do it with two tracks? I find it difficult to believe modern powered signaling and switching system can't handle passing a train from one side of the tracks to the other. Maybe not a express train per se, but a limited instead.

[Cirrus]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

why does there need to be above ground parking at the lot that's right f&^*!ing across from the LRT station?

I don't disagree with the developer's decision to build parking there. I do wish underground penciled out in Denver more often, though.

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Because our trains are slow and don't actually go anywhere useful.

Eh, I'd say the bigger reason is lack of adequate retail options downtown. There are plenty of jobs accessible on foot or transit from there, so it's not that unreasonable to expect some people living there to commute without a car (especially given adequate TDM measures). But it is still asking a lot, probably too much, to think the average person will buy groceries or toilet paper in Denver without a car.

Originally Posted by Denver

are we really going to be pissed off that a developer is putting in more parking spaces than is needed?

Well hold on. There are plenty of downsides to building too much parking. It raises the cost of units, forces people who don't actually want cars to subsidize those who do, and incentives people to drive for trips that they don't need to, which adds significantly to traffic congestion. Whole books have been written on this subject, and they're very convincing.

So while I agree with the developer's decision to build parking for this building, let's not assume more parking is always better. It's not.

Originally Posted by Denver

Can they do an express train without adding more track?

Sorta, maybe. It is not true that you need a third track to do express trains. You can do it with only 2 tracks if you have enough crossovers between the 2 tracks. For example, if you only have 2 tracks, but there are crossover tracks before and after each station, then trains going in the off-peak direction can wait at stations while express trains going in the peak direction pass by on the off-peak track. It's operationally complicated and extremely rare, but it can theoretically be done, especially on very commute-oriented lines with heavy peak/off-peak splits.

[Denver]

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

And just like that, we now have renderings for all of the remaining DUS & CPV dirt lots, awesome! That didn't take long at all to fully build out that area.

Thanks for the updates RDS!

Not so fast! There still is one smaller dirt lot in CPV at 19th and Little Raven that still needs to e developed. Nothing has been announced yet for the lot at 19th and Wewatta next to King Soopers. Lastly, there is the Dirt Lot next to 19th and Chestnut. In other words, 19th St. still has a little ways to go.

[rds70]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

Looks nice, but why does there need to be above ground parking at the lot that's right f&^*!ing across from the LRT station? Shouldn't that be the one project downtown that has restrained parking, or are we all really that insecure and still need our cars for when we all move downtown? *cues rant from bunt*

The parking count for this building is actually pretty low. 541 spaces for 510 units, or 1.06 spaces per unit. This includes a small amount of parking for the retail.

[mr1138]

I had the same first gut reaction to the surface parking on that new project, but on closer inspection I think it actually makes sense. It doesn't look like there's actually much parking there, but rather it functions as a sort of "private alley," with loading-dock access and places for dumpsters and such, and it looks like the entrance to the structured parking garage. I think this works considering that there is no real space for an alley in the rear because of the bus entrance (unless it was built parallel to and above the garage access connecting to 18th, but I'm not sure that would be any better than what is proposed here).

It would have been nice if the "active pedestrian edge" went the entire length of the plaza up to where the bus entrance is, but that's a tiny nitpick. It actually engages with the plaza quite nicely.

[EngiNerd]

Originally Posted by Denver

Not so fast! There will is still one smaller dirt lot in CPV at 19th and Little Raven that still needs to e developed. Nothing has been announced yet for the lot at 19th and Wewatta next to King Soopers. Lastly, there is the Dirt Lot next to 19th and Chestnut. In other words, 19th St. still has a little ways to go.

Bummer, I jumped the gun!

[rds70]

Originally Posted by mr1138

I had the same first gut reaction to the surface parking on that new project, but on closer inspection I think it actually makes sense. It doesn't look like there's actually much parking there, but rather it functions as a sort of "private alley," with loading-dock access and places for dumpsters and such. Considering that there is no real space for an alley in the rear because of the bus entrance (unless it was built parallel to and above the garage access connecting to 18th, but I'm not sure that would be any better than what is proposed here).

It would have been nice if the "active pedestrian edge" went the entire length of the plaza up to where the bus entrance is, but that's a tiny nitpick. It actually engages with the plaza quite nicely.

There are only 3 surface parking spaces, the rest are drive lanes to access the parking decks, and (i would guess) for fire and emergency access to the back of the building since the RTD bus access is heading below grade adjacent to the site.

[navyweaxguy]

Could it just be that with all of the underground water that the developer feels it is cost prohibitive to build that many spaces underground.

[CPVLIVE]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

I don't disagree with the developer's decision to build parking there. I do wish underground penciled out in Denver more often, though.

Originally Posted by navyweaxguy

Could it just be that with all of the underground water that the developer feels it is cost prohibitive to build that many spaces underground.

It does have three levels of underground parking - so the majority is underground. Must not have penciled to go deeper.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by navyweaxguy

Could it just be that with all of the underground water that the developer feels it is cost prohibitive to build that many spaces underground.

They're building three levels of underground parking. That's pretty cost prohibitive right there.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by CPVLIVE

Anything ALEC puts out is extremely useful ... as toilet paper.

LOL, I wondered if anyone would... and no disagreement from me.

Perhaps you might prefer WalletHub's view on real things: "2015’s Best & Worst States to be a Taxpayer" by John S Kiernan
If you scroll all the way down you see composite "Detailed Findings."

[TakeFive]

Friday props for yet another official groundbreaking.

www.socialphy.com

"Construction begins..."
Apr 9, 2015 by Molly Armbrister, Denver Business Journal

Southern Land purchased a property at 2505 18th St. for $10 million in 2013 that was formerly home to Mile High United Way.

The project is under construction now and will eventually include 302 apartments in two different buildings, as well as 9,300 square feet of ground-level retail and underground parking for 332 cars. An additional 20 surface parking spaces will also be included in the development. Completion is expected in 2016.

[TakeFive]

Today is the most awesome day of the year in downtown Denver

Thanks to resqwater.com

GOOOoooo ROCKIES

[DenvertoLA]

1709 Chestnut Street vs The Coloradan

Which one will break ground first? Place your bets