DENVER | Main Development Thread #6 - Page 369

wong21fr · #**7361** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 7:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enjo13

If we could get Sports Authority to do ANYTHING about the ugliest parking garage on earth, that stretch of Broadway would be in relatively decent shape.

You might just get your wish:

Sports Authority to close Sports Castle, 2 other metro Denver stores

Perhaps the Sports Castle will be torn down for another 6-8 story luxury apartment building. Or, hopefully, the owner of the Sports Castle, Gart Properties, will successfully repurpose the building and find a retailer willing to give it a go.

trubador · #**7362** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 8:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

You might just get your wish:

Sports Authority to close Sports Castle, 2 other metro Denver stores

Perhaps the Sports Castle will be torn down for another 6-8 story luxury apartment building. Or, hopefully, the owner of the Sports Castle, Gart Properties, will successfully repurpose the building and find a retailer willing to give it a go.

what is the story with the Sports Castle on Broadway? It looks like a pretty cool old building and has some architectural detail and elements that we just don't see anymore. What is the history behind the building?

edit: from the comments of the dp article

Originally constructed as a salesroom for a Chrysler automobile dealership, the building was converted to a sporting goods store in the 1970s.

DenverInfill · #**7363** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 9:32 PM**

I think there's no chance the sports castle will be torn down.

enjo13 · #**7364** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

I think there's no chance the sports castle will be torn down.

Why not? It's an extremely challenging building to redevelop given the strange interior layout. I can't imagine it would qualify for historical designation. It's kind of a terrible building really.

The Dirt · #**7365** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 10:50 PM**

b/c it's historical a.f.

Fritzdude · #**7366** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 11:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interzen

WORLD TRADE CENTER DENVER SELECTS SITE AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR NEW GLOBAL CAMPUS

To be located at 38th and Blake. Sorry for the large image, I don't know how to re-size in the link.

That's a pretty interesting development, but I thought there was already a different kind of health services tech campus slated to built near 38th and Blake...?

That TOD is going to be pretty crowded up there.

bunt_q · #**7367** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 11:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enjo13

Why not? It's an extremely challenging building to redevelop given the strange interior layout. I can't imagine it would qualify for historical designation. It's kind of a terrible building really.

I think it's a shoo in to be landmarked. The fact that vanilla single family homes even come close should tell you that our criteria are (a) pretty arbitrary and (b) not that hard to meet.

enjo13 · #**7368** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 12:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

I think it's a shoo in to be landmarked. The fact that vanilla single family homes even come close should tell you that our criteria are (a) pretty arbitrary and (b) not that hard to meet.

I was under the impression that age had much more to do with it than anything else, and it's just not that old of a building relatively speaking.

BG918 · #**7369** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 12:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

That's a pretty interesting development, but I thought there was already a different kind of health services tech campus slated to built near 38th and Blake...?

That TOD is going to be pretty crowded up there.

I believe there are 3 different developments around the 38th & Blake station:
1 - World Trade Center south of 38th and north of Downing adjacent to the station?
2 - Catalyst health-tech campus on Blake between 35th and 36th http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/real_deals/2015/10/catalyst-health-tech.html
3 - HUB mixed-use development with office and hotel on Blake between 36th and Downing http://www.businessden.com/2015/10/01/with-mixed-use-plans-developer-buys-rino-lot-for-9-6m/

So that whole area between Blake and Walnut from 35th to 38th is slated for mostly offices, possibly two hotels and retail. The rest of the area on both sides of the tracks is ripe for residential development.

transistor · #**7370** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 1:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enjo13

Denver in 3 years

This is really cool!

corey · #**7371** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 1:28 AM**

Is there any recent news about the relocation of the Greyhound station? If it's no longer downtown then it would almost have to be located near a train stop. I think near 6th Ave and I-25 makes the most sense now. It's pretty obvious it won't be near the 38th and Blake station, which I remember was being looked at. Greyhound could sell their downtown block and pretty much pay for the entire new bus station. They sure are being slow about it if they're going to move.

ddvmke · #**7372** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 2:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

I believe there are 3 different developments around the 38th & Blake station:
1 - World Trade Center south of 38th and north of Downing adjacent to the station?
2 - Catalyst health-tech campus on Blake between 35th and 36th http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/real_deals/2015/10/catalyst-health-tech.html
3 - HUB mixed-use development with office and hotel on Blake between 36th and Downing http://www.businessden.com/2015/10/01/with-mixed-use-plans-developer-buys-rino-lot-for-9-6m/

So that whole area between Blake and Walnut from 35th to 38th is slated for mostly offices, possibly two hotels and retail. The rest of the area on both sides of the tracks is ripe for residential development.

I believe the health technology building Catalyst is on Brighton and not Blake, whereas the WTC Denver development is north of 38th and adjacent to the rail station. Backyard on Blake is also going up in that area (31st I think?) and should be fostering some more start ups, albeit of a more tangible kind, making it a bit of a hub up there.

awholeparade · #**7373** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 3:07 AM**

You're right, Catalyst is 35th and Brighton.

CherryCreek · #**7374** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 3:38 PM**

It would be interesting to see if there were a viable redevelopment plan for the Sportscastle on Broadway.

Maybe a mega brew pub(s) with food hall? All of that stuff has mostly been in RiNo and LoHi so something in Cap Hill/Downtown could go over well (especially with the parking lot).

The interior is a challenge though.

Alternatively, maybe you keep the whole funky front and integrate it into a new complex that includes housing/retail.

RyanD · #**7375** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 3:41 PM**

Got two more for you today:

Joule is complete!

Eviva is starting to rise.

wong21fr · #**7376** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 4:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CherryCreek

It would be interesting to see if there were a viable redevelopment plan for the Sportscastle on Broadway.

Maybe a mega brew pub(s) with food hall? All of that stuff has mostly been in RiNo and LoHi so something in Cap Hill/Downtown could go over well (especially with the parking lot).

The interior is a challenge though.

Alternatively, maybe you keep the whole funky front and integrate it into a new complex that includes housing/retail.

Gart Properties, of the Gart Family, i.e. Gart Sports, lineage, owns the Sportscastle. I can't imagine that they want to destroy a building that has been in their family for over 45 years. They have an excellent land position there and, asides from the Sportscastle, there's nothing else worth saving for the other structures on the block.

If REI can set up shop in an old power plant, than Gart Properties can figure out how to repurpose a 90-year old automobile dealership that's been a sports retailer for nearly half a century.

Cirrus · #**7377** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 4:25 PM**

What's so challenging about the sports castle interior? Not that I doubt you guys, just that I don't think I've ever been in there.

bunt_q · #**7378** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 4:25 PM**

REI got a heck of a lot of public money to make that repurposing happen. Would we be willing to spend urban renewal funds for the sports castle?

wong21fr · #**7379** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

REI got a heck of a lot of public money to make that repurposing happen. Would we be willing to spend urban renewal funds for the sports castle?

Dress it up in some bullshit narrative about serving as a catalyst to "reactivate" the Broadway corridor, throw in some living streets crap, get the bike nazis and the hipsters on board, and the urban renewal funds will flow.

jhwk · #**7380** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

What's so challenging about the sports castle interior? Not that I doubt you guys, just that I don't think I've ever been in there.

The building in the back has different floor heights than the "castle" part in the front which is actually fairly small. There are some odd, large concrete (?) ramps between the floors. There is also currently some retail space in the parking garage building next door, also with different floor heights if I remember correctly. I don't think it would be as big of a problem if the parking garage and the attached building in the back are torn down.