DENVER | Main Development Thread #7 - Page 186

DenverInfill · #**3701** Posted **Sep 28, 2018, 5:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighSt.

Tell me if I'm off-base with this, but I feel like the other major reason Upper Downtown has been slower to see major moves is the sheer size and theoretically unlimited height build-able on some of those parcels. Instead of Sugar Square-size infill, developers are being tasked with finding the financing to do entire blocks. Landowners are always going to want big money for parcels someone could really put a 50+ story building on, and between the cost of the land and the buildings that would go on it, developers probably haven't been ready to take those risks.

The height limits in LoDo (theoretically) create a limiting pressure on how much landowners can ask. I'm imagining a theoretical crossover point where the escalating land costs in LoDo finally make a lot in Upper Downtown look attractive.

Yes, I think that is an issue too.

DenvertoLA · #**3702** Posted **Sep 28, 2018, 10:40 PM**

Not sure if this has been shared on here, but here is a cool interactive map by the City that shows all the projects in development or working their way through the review process.

https://www.denvergov.org/maps/map/sitedevelopmentplans

pablosan · #**3703** Posted **Sep 28, 2018, 11:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

Not sure if this has been shared on here, but here is a cool interactive map by the City that shows all the projects in development or working their way through the review process.

https://www.denvergov.org/maps/map/sitedevelopmentplans

This map is niiiiiice!!!!

Robert.hampton · #**3704** Posted **Sep 29, 2018, 5:47 PM**

Looks like Steam on the Platte is going with (some pretty sweet!) condos for the undecided parcel. Nice!

Sam Hill · #**3705** Posted **Sep 29, 2018, 6:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

Looks like Steam on the Platte is going with (some pretty sweet!) condos for the undecided parcel. Nice!

Link?

Meliorem · #**3706** Posted **Sep 29, 2018, 7:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

Link?

http://sararch.com/projects/in-progress/condos-on-the-platte/

Fritzdude · #**3707** Posted **Sep 30, 2018, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meliorem

http://sararch.com/projects/in-progress/condos-on-the-platte/

Nice sketch. I wonder why they can’t at least include the highway in the back ground since that will put it in context. Soon, there will be a lot of activity in the area, along with Meow Wolf going in under the viaduct. Add in the changes expected along the Green mile, and this will soon be an interesting stroll up the river.

Robert.hampton · #**3708** Posted **Oct 1, 2018, 2:03 PM**

More complete and utter crap coming to Welton. What a seriously wasted opportunity.

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/...venue-apartments-five-points-denver.html

wong21fr · #**3709** Posted **Oct 1, 2018, 2:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

More complete and utter crap coming to Welton. What a seriously wasted opportunity.

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/...venue-apartments-five-points-denver.html

Meh. It's a quarter block development that maxes out the zoning w/o going to a point tower. No exposed parking podium and some setbacks. This block of Welton is actually reminding me of the area around Central Park West around 90th to 100th St's in NYC. There's plenty of other lots in Arapahoe Square area where bold, inspiring, and expensive architecture can go. The first four project have been snoozers, but Kenect Denver has promise. There's enough rooms in Arapahoe Square for another 30 or so projects- if 1/3 of them are decent, I'll take it.

Don't care about the lack of retail as well. Park Ave isn't a retail corridor and a few hundred more residents will help out with the retail node that sprouting up at 22nd and Welton.

CherryCreek · #**3710** Posted **Oct 1, 2018, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

More complete and utter crap coming to Welton. What a seriously wasted opportunity.

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/...venue-apartments-five-points-denver.html

This will be affordable housing, circa 2030, just like some of the ugly 1950s and 60s stuff in Capitol Hill is today.

My gripe is more that all of these look pretty much the same. Container ships in the dock (and this isn't as bad as some of the others).

enjo13 · #**3711** Posted **Oct 1, 2018, 7:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighSt.

The height limits in LoDo (theoretically) create a limiting pressure on how much landowners can ask. I'm imagining a theoretical crossover point where the escalating land costs in LoDo finally make a lot in Upper Downtown look attractive.

I think this is spot-on. I've been banging the drum for universal heights limits in Denver (or at least maybe everywhere but about 4 blocks in the CBD). Height limits are a great way to spur development because it removes a major variable from the process. It also encourages more overall development. The square footage the city requires to function is finite. I'd rather see three buildings providing 300k square feet than one providing a million.

It's something that has worked in a bunch of cities (Vancouver BC, Washington DC, etc..). As you've pointed out it's worked in Denver already. I think we should take it city-wide.

BG918 · #**3712** Posted **Oct 1, 2018, 8:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enjo13

I think this is spot-on. I've been banging the drum for universal heights limits in Denver (or at least maybe everywhere but about 4 blocks in the CBD). Height limits are a great way to spur development because it removes a major variable from the process. It also encourages more overall development. The square footage the city requires to function is finite. I'd rather see three buildings providing 300k square feet than one providing a million.

It's something that has worked in a bunch of cities (Vancouver BC, Washington DC, etc..). As you've pointed out it's worked in Denver already. I think we should take it city-wide.

It has definitely worked in Lodo and the Golden Triangle, and now RiNo. Also we would still likely have empty lots if we didn't have a height limit at Union Station. Speaking of which.. https://crej.com/news/look-at-last-union-station-development-site/

Robert.hampton · #**3713** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 3:55 AM**

https://businessden.com/2018/10/01/famil...ezoning-buys-another-uptown-parking-lot/

I generally wouldn't take it as a good sign when Denver's parking lot barons are selling their parking lots to fellow parking lot barons.

Apparently a couple blocks down on 17th and Washington, the owner of the parking lot across from the Avenue Grill is looking to rezone his lot to allow for mixed use. The parking lot along with the avenue grill building have been on the market for a while.

DenvertoLA · #**3714** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 4:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

It has definitely worked in Lodo and the Golden Triangle, and now RiNo. Also we would still likely have empty lots if we didn't have a height limit at Union Station. Speaking of which.. https://crej.com/news/look-at-last-union-station-development-site/

To go in the other direction. I would say that since this is the last piece of land in Union Station and the demand is high, the city should allow for a height maximum of 300-250 ft if the developer contributes some of the extra profits to a park/affordable housing project/ public art project / etc

This way the land is at its most productive and some public good gets some funding.

Cirrus · #**3715** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enjo13

Height limits are a great way to spur development because it removes a major variable from the process. It also encourages more overall development. The square footage the city requires to function is finite. I'd rather see three buildings providing 300k square feet than one providing a million.

It's something that has worked in a bunch of cities (Vancouver BC, Washington DC, etc..).

I largely agree, except you need to build in a system to automatically increase the height limit when certain conditions are met. Say, when there are no more empty lots larger than X square feet. You can't leave it to politicians to enact that change when the time comes; they never will.

TakeFive · #**3716** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 6:42 PM**

Let's hear it for "The Deciders" - that's my group.

I see where Walker Stapleton starts out with a 5-point lead over Jared Polis for Governor but when it comes to The Deciders he trails Polis 46 percent to 28 percent according to Denverite. Whoa!

In Denver it's believed enough signatures have been gathered for a vote to allow inmates to take over the asylum. Meanwhile on social media it's spreading fast that "We may be moving to Denver." Apparently even the desert dwellers are considering braving the cold should it come to pass that "Inmates Rule."

The Dirt · #**3717** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 6:50 PM**

What???

SnyderBock · #**3718** Posted **Oct 2, 2018, 9:26 PM**

Polis has far more support than Stapleton. I have talked with dozens of people who plan to vote for Polis and have yet to meet a single individual who plans to vote for Stapleton. It should be a solid victory for Polis. There really isn't anything to like about Stapleton.

DUPio · #**3719** Posted **Oct 3, 2018, 12:08 AM**

What about the northern corner of 19th and Chestnut that doesn't appear to be part of the article? Is that not going to be developed?

TakeFive · #**3720** Posted **Oct 3, 2018, 2:48 AM**

Photo credit: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2018/10/02/emily-griffith-school-redevelopment.html

Quote:

The historic Emily Griffith school's downtown campus, known as the Emily Griffith Opportunity School, will soon become a mixed-use property with hotel and retail space developed by Stonebridge Companies.

Denver City Council unanimously approved a redevelopment plan for the parcel at 1250 Welton St. Monday night.