DENVER | Main Development Thread #6 - Page 399

Dogpatch · #**7961** Posted **Apr 20, 2016, 4:46 AM**

^That's a solid TOD. Hope it comes to fruition.

bunt_q · #**7962** Posted **Apr 20, 2016, 1:10 PM**

That's not TOD. It's a dense, nice suburban development that happens to be close to transit. Transit adjacent development, at best. But it's not oriented in any way toward the transit.

Dogpatch · #**7963** Posted **Apr 20, 2016, 3:06 PM**

lol. ok thanks for the correction. it's nice and dense in a part of town that is not and it's near a light rail stop. I still hope it comes to fruition.

corey · #**7964** Posted **Apr 20, 2016, 6:56 PM**

It's great if they build an Alexan at 18th and Market. I loathe the half block parking lot across the street even more though. The back side of the parking podium of that one building on Blake hurts my eyes every time I see it. I honestly don't think I'd want to lease an apartment on that block unless I was in my twenties. The blocks of Market and Blake between 19th and 20th get very rowdy on weekends, etc.

EngiNerd · #**7965** Posted **Apr 20, 2016, 7:51 PM**

Photo from the 18th St. pedestrian bridge I took yesterday of Pivot and 1709 Chestnut construction progress (my phone's camera isn't that great, sorry in advance).

Cirrus · #**7966** Posted **Apr 20, 2016, 10:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

lol. ok

Well, it legitimately makes a big difference. It's the difference between having transit be the default way to get there versus transit being something only a few token people will use. It matters.

Matt · #**7967** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 1:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

One Orchard

This can't be for Denver. This is DEFINITELY NOT Denver. Can someone tell me what sunbelt city is actually getting this?

Matt · #**7968** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 1:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

That's not TOD. It's a dense, nice suburban development that happens to be close to transit. Transit adjacent development, at best. But it's not oriented in any way toward the transit.

Who cares? If those buildings are actually meant to be built in Denver, I'd rip out our entire mass transit system in order to get them. Absolutely STUNNING!!!!

EngiNerd · #**7969** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 2:51 AM**

That overhead view is absolutely the DTC, NW corner of I-25 and Orchard, on a lot with an existing one story building right next to the DoubleTree. Those renderings look pretty advanced for just being a pie in the sky proposal.

denconyny · #**7970** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 3:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

That overhead view is absolutely the DTC, NW corner of I-25 and Orchard, on a lot with an existing one story building right next to the DoubleTree. Those renderings look pretty advanced for just being a pie in the sky proposal.

Yea, then 5 buildings become 3 (then being built over 20 years) and the heights get chopped down (somewhere around 8 stories if we're lucky)..... and we know that this is Denver......

I would like to see this original plan here built though to believe it!

Matt · #**7971** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 3:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by denconyny

Yea, then 5 buildings become 3 (then being built over 20 years) and the heights get chopped down (somewhere around 8 stories if we're lucky)..... and we know that this is Denver......

I would like to see this original plan here built though to believe it!

You forgot to mention the glass being replaced by beige and red stucco...

lumos · #**7972** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 8:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

Photo from the 18th St. pedestrian bridge I took yesterday of Pivot and 1709 Chestnut construction progress (my phone's camera isn't that great, sorry in advance).

Unless we are careful we are going to cause a worldwide shortage of brown.

I guess Denver never heard of the advice "Don't wear brown in town".

denconyny · #**7973** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 11:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

That overhead view is absolutely the DTC, NW corner of I-25 and Orchard, on a lot with an existing one story building right next to the DoubleTree. Those renderings look pretty advanced for just being a pie in the sky proposal.

Btw.... if so.... isn't I-25 and Orchard part of Greenwood Village, and not Denver?

EngiNerd · #**7974** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 2:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by denconyny

Btw.... if so.... isn't I-25 and Orchard part of Greenwood Village, and not Denver?

Hey, I didn't post it in the Denver thread, I just commented on it.

wong21fr · #**7975** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 3:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

You forgot to mention the glass being replaced by beige and red stucco...

Oh, this overoptimistic piece of shit is ripe for value engineering. I mean, when's the last time that something was built in the Tech Center that wasn't a ~15 story precast?

On an interesting note. There's not even a continuous sidewalk from this development to the Orchard Station. Transit adjacent indeed.

DownhomeDenver · #**7976** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

On an interesting note. There's not even a continuous sidewalk from this development to the Orchard Station. Transit adjacent indeed.

It's a 5 minute walk for christ's sake. If you're not happy with the 15 feet of missing sidewalk, walk through the parking lot or cross the street. Then you can cross back to enter the new through street, since the traffic circle will be removed and extended to Orchard. Furthermore, with this development, I'm sure the missing sidewalk would be remedied.

So, I guess what you're all saying is that if I took the East Line (I refuse to call it the Colorado University whatever line) to Union Station and then walked 5 minutes to the Davita HQ--that would be considered transit adjacent?

Honestly, I hope this doesn't happen since it takes away from downtown and Denver. Screw you Greenwood Village!

The Dirt · #**7977** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 4:12 PM**

My biggest problem is that the parking is wrapped around the outside of the project. I'd rather see these buildings sitting right next to the sidewalk instead of 50 feet away. That alone precludes it from being a TOD.

Denver Dweller · #**7978** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 4:28 PM**

http://www.businessden.com/2016/04/21/ro...m_term=0_e8b1506f0c-b04e50e68a-147998669

Cirrus · #**7979** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 4:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

Who cares? If those buildings are actually meant to be built in Denver, I'd rip out our entire mass transit system in order to get them. Absolutely STUNNING!!!!

You'd trade it all for four mid-height buildings in a suburban office park? Nothing else matters because you like how the facade looks from a distance?

Matt, in all your years on the forum, this post is the single best summary of... let's say of our "disagreements" over city-building.

TakeFive · #**7980** Posted **Apr 21, 2016, 5:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

lol. ok thanks for the correction. it's nice and dense in a part of town that is not and it's near a light rail stop. I still hope it comes to fruition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Well, it legitimately makes a big difference. It's the difference between having transit be the default way to get there versus transit being something only a few token people will use. It matters.

I do enjoy being the contrarian.

Couple of things.

We've discussed before how these DTC stations are next to an insanely noisy, busy freeway. Whether the trains should have meandered through the business parks would have been both great and terrible but it's an argument that has been long settled. How urban, walkable, pleasant can such a siting even be?

Second, while transit hopefully is of increasing importance I'd imagine that investors see a lot of their people coming more from the east and west as opposed to the north-south direction of the LRT. Even if it's not an ideal, conventional transit station design it can still serve just fine as a transit access stop to the site.

Lastly, especially in this area there's tremendous, eventual potential for redevelopment that would include lots of residential density. But that's a matter for time and Greenwood Village zoning to figure out.