DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[BG918]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Regarding Golden Triangle, I think the neighborhood could highly benefit from a protected bike lane on Bannock or Delaware. I'm not sure that there is quite enough room but that would frankly be the fastest way to commute in and out of the CBD. Plus, Bannock is becoming a very dense residential corridor with recently completed projects such as Parq on Speer and the three or four other comparably-sized projects in the pipeline.

I used to live in GT and biked into downtown on the Cherry Creek trail. Judging by all the bike commuters I used to see in the mornings and evenings lots of others did too.

I agree though Bannock would benefit from a protected bike lane. The existing lanes get lots of use.

[DenvertoLA]

I wish GT would do something to get some diversity in their buildings rooftops. Is there any thing the city can do to motivate developments that don't have flat roofs like allowing for bonus height for a crown?

Or is this that all just an extra expense that developers don't want to pay out on?

[ejwill04]

I'm confused as to where the Marriott is going. The renderings clearly show it on the same block as the Spire. However the address I've seen listed is 727 14th St, one block over. Anyone know what gives?
https://businessden.com/2019/10/18/new-r...sed-hotel-across-from-convention-center/

[ejwill04]

Duplicate

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

I wish GT would do something to get some diversity in their buildings rooftops. Is there any thing the city can do to motivate developments that don't have flat roofs like allowing for bonus height for a crown?

Or is this that all just an extra expense that developers don't want to pay out on?

You'd be hard pressed to find many residential buildings with crowned rooflines anywhere in the world. Only the fanciest of the fancy.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

It's always easy to find a spot down there despite the towers everywhere. Why? So strange.

Because those are all new buildings that were built with parking. Which, shockingly, reduces the pressure on on-street spaces.

Blasphemy, I know.

Okay, exorcism complete. Back to the progressive urbanist party line. IF YOU DO NOT BUILD NEW PARKING THE CARS WILL DISAPPEAR AND PEOPLE WILL USE ALTERNATIVE MODES. NO NEW PARKING!

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

You'd be hard pressed to find many residential buildings with crowned rooflines anywhere in the world. Only the fanciest of the fancy.

If I correctly recall, Four Seasons was supposed to have had somewhat of a crown before it got value engineered. Anyone still have an old rendering of the pre-VE concept? But for the tanking housing market at the time, Four Seasons might have snuck a crown in...

[SirLucasTheGreat]

I'll take more housing inventory over inspired architecture. However, I do feel that future generations will not look back at this period with much awe over the architectural achievements, aside from a few projects. Most of the projects are heavily value engineered. With Golden Triangle, I would love to see some more of that Gothic/Baroque-styled (whatever you call it) architecture like you see in buildings such as the Beauvallon.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

With Golden Triangle, I would love to see some more of that Gothic/Baroque-styled (whatever you call it) architecture like you see in buildings such as the Beauvallon.

Really??? More Nassi-tecture? Said nobody ever!

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Really??? More Nassi-tecture? Said nobody ever!

I like his projects but I just recently returned from my honeymoon in Italy so maybe my interest in that European-style is temporarily elevated. I'll take the Belvedere over Civic Lofts every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[DenvertoLA]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

You'd be hard pressed to find many residential buildings with crowned rooflines anywhere in the world. Only the fanciest of the fancy.

Yes, but the city can counter this by allowing for bonus height if the developers invested in a crown/additional set backs ect.

In that survey, I didn't see any initiative to promote better design. Pretty disappointing.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

Yes, but the city can counter this by allowing for bonus height if the developers invested in a crown/additional set backs ect.

In that survey, I didn't see any initiative to promote better design. Pretty disappointing.

I don’t necessarily think a crown on a residential building is what we need to have better design around here. And if we are going to give density bonuses, frankly, getting affordable housing for them is more important.

[corey]

I find it interesting that the majority of the skyscrapers in Sacramento have crowns. Their skyline isn’t nearly as large as Denver’s and none of the buildings are very tall, like 30 stories maximum. None of the Sacramento buildings seem to be particularly high budget. Maybe some of them are state government buildings and there is a requirement that they have some kind of interesting top?

[CastleScott]

^ That’s very true although however with work just getting underway on the downtown Sacramento rail yards project that could bring a big change. Kinda interesting Sacramento’s downtown reminds me a bit of what Denver’s downtown was like back in the 70s when I was in high school. Sacto’s tallest is Wells Fargo at 30 stories and 434 ft with a postmodern design-there was a recent plan for a 35 floor 557 ft office project but it got stalled (Hines looks to be taking this one over).

[corey]

The rail yards project in Sacramento does look very exciting. I haven’t followed it very much. Are the awesome large brick railroad maintenance buildings a part of the project? I’ve always admired them from I-5 thinking they would be amazing redeveloped for public use.

[CastleScott]

Hi Corey, yes those huge historic Southern Pacific railroad brick maintenance buildings are to be rehabilitated into a mixed use of shops, offices and some possible residential in the near future which is very exciting indeed. The new major league soccer stadium is supposed to be built just to the north of those beautiful buildings-makes me think that Sacramento sent consultants to Denver to check out LoDo and the areas around Coors Field, Union Station and Pepsi Center. Btw wife and me live just north of downtown Sacramento in Natomas.

[BG918]

Originally Posted by ejwill04

I'm confused as to where the Marriott is going. The renderings clearly show it on the same block as the Spire. However the address I've seen listed is 727 14th St, one block over. Anyone know what gives?
https://businessden.com/2019/10/18/new-r...sed-hotel-across-from-convention-center/

It’s at the corner of 14th & Stout

[corey]

Hi CastleScott! Over the years I’ve lived in Folsom, Eldorado Hills, and Lincoln so I’m very familiar with Sacramento. The new Warriors arena downtown is such a terrific transformational project. The Rail Yards project will be amazing for the north side of downtown. Along with Old Sacramento along the river, downtown Sacramento with have a lot of appealing and historic areas to experience. At this point, I actually prefer Sacramento over the Bay Area, even if I had the money to buy a decent place over there. All of the artists and musicians have been priced out of the Bay Area and Sacramento has been obviously attracting creative people. I lived in San Francisco in the late 1980’s and early 90’s and it was great! It was a unique place and there were still genuine traces of the 1960’s Beatnik and Hippy counterculture. But in the mid to late 90’s I saw it change very rapidly into being just another large city, and definitely not worth the expense to live there.

[CastleScott]

Hi Corey! I bet it was awesome to live in San Francisco during those years as you mentioned-as a baseball fan I’ll always remember the 1989 quake series between the Giants and the A’s. San Francisco is soooo cool but so expensive! The housing here in Sacto has gone up drastically as folks from the Bay Area move here-we moved here in April 2015 after selling our condo in Castle Rock and at the time housing was quite a bit less than metro Denver but almost the same now. We’ve always lived in Natomas since moving here (job transfer by my employer the Federal Govt brought us here).
Oh btw they’re also going to save the old water tower at the rail yards as well-there was a big piece about the rail yards in the local news yesterday as Sacramento is almost to land the major league soccer franchise (that’s supposed to be announced Monday). We go to the Bay to Berkely almost every 8 weeks as my Parkinson doctor is there-they were too booked up in Sacto so Berkeley was it.
We just visited metro Denver 2 weeks ago and yes it was way different from what I remembered it (short 8 day visit). Next time we come back we’ll exchange info and meet up!

[Valley Highway]

Am I missing something? The Warriors arena in Sacramento? I believe they are moving to San Francisco. Having said that, I sure do like it when this group stays on topic and focuses on Denver development so I apologize for the diversion.