DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[coolmandan03]

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

...[/URL]

Checkout this extension on Firefox

https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-firefox

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by coolmandan03

Checkout this extension on Firefox

https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-firefox

I assume (but don't know) that this has to be used with firefox browser just as the one I had posted was specifically written for Chrome?

[Interzen]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

I assume (but don't know) that this has to be used with firefox browser just as the one I had posted was specifically written for Chrome?

Try this: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by Agent Orange

Personally, I do think building homes for people is far more important than aesthetics. I don’t believe design overlays or review boards are the answer either; they’ll add more costs, delays, and will end up meaning less housing built overall. That’s great for the already wealthy who want to live in a museum city and can afford to, but that’s not a city I want to live in. I’d rather live in a dense, walkable city where the middle and working classes can afford to live in a complete neighborhood.

The reality is that aesthetics matter, and developers coming into a cool historic neighborhood and taking a dump on it with poorly conceived/designed/built turds fans the flames of NIMBYism and makes it hard to win the argument for greater density and for making more urban housing available to more people.




People wanting into an area can complain all they want about restrictions on growth and/or on density, but it's current residents - particular property owners who are much more likely to vote, give money to politicians, and be active in politics who will have sway with public officials. Because of some of some of the abortions built in the The Tennyson corridor, avoiding that elsewhere has become somewhat of rallying cry and likely has grown support for NIMBYism policies.

[DenvertoLA]

got it working thanks

[FunctionForm]

I agree. If someone told me they were going to build that on my corner, I'd say over my dead body. But, I think the City needs to bear some culpability for outcomes like this. Why would we allow that kind of street frontage with absolutely no set back or landscaping requirement? If there was required space, let's just randomly say 4 feet, for landscaping in addition to the sidewalk, the buffer might actually make it a desirable corner.

I see some of these renderings for proposals downtown and just laugh at the tree lined streets depicted.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Which Denver neighborhood do you guys believe is currently the most desirable to live in and which one are you most excited to see develop?

[DenvertoLA]

In my opinion I think Union Station has a few more years of being the new shiny object and will hold desirability. Then I predict the attention will shift to Arapahoe Square because of its vicinity to big place making developments (Milk Market, Mcgregor Square, Market Station, and all of Union Station.)

We already see a clumping of large residential proposals in Arapahoe Square. I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or more proposals in that same area pop up in the coming year.

Change my mind though

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Which Denver neighborhood do you guys believe is currently the most desirable to live in and which one are you most excited to see develop?

Core: Arapahoe Square

North: RiNo, North Wynkoop, Stock Show

South: Golden Triangle

West-ish: The first few River Mile developments

East: Sherman Street re-zone projects, connecting Uptown to Downtown is a huge priority in that area, imo.

There are a lot of neighborhoods that are seeing growth that keeps getting better from a design and density standpoint. Those projects is AS on Lawrence and Arapahoe will really start kicking things off there, at least I hope so.

I'd rather see it everywhere versus just gangbusters on one neighborhood like DUS. Having a solid connection from Downtown to Uptown, Golden Triangle, AS, and RiNo would be amazing.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

I'm certainly excited to see all of the car storage in Arapahoe Square give way to more sensible uses.

I think that all of the northwest part of the downtown/downtown-adjacent area is currently the best developed part of Denver (LoDo, Union Station, Confluence Park, Platte Street, LoHi). These areas are all highly active with a mix of uses, recreation, and transit connectivity.

I'm interested to see how much truly develops at the Gates District and Santa Fe yards part of town. If all of that comes to fruition (Gates District, Santa Fe Yards, Santa Fe Residential, East Vanderbilt Park), that could become a nice midtown with the river, the park, Broadway Station, and hopefully some decent retail.

As far as mixed-use areas are concerned, I think Cherry Creek has really improved in it's walkability although I wish there were better transit options. Although outside of the core, I'm still pretty excited for 9th and Colorado. They will have pretty decent residential density along with some good restaurants, a park, and a movie theater.

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

As far as mixed-use areas are concerned, I think Cherry Creek has really improved in it's walkability although I wish there were better transit options.

My 'Cherry on Top' gondola idea will fix that.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Originally Posted by RyanD

My 'Cherry on Top' gondola idea will fix that.

I'd be interested in that. I'm also curious how well a BRT might function on that corridor if it followed all the way down through Glendale, Aurora, Cherry Creek State Park, and Parker. It seems pretty high density the whole way through.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by FunctionForm

I agree. If someone told me they were going to build that on my corner, I'd say over my dead body. But, I think the City needs to bear some culpability for outcomes like this. Why would we allow that kind of street frontage with absolutely no set back or landscaping requirement? If there was required space, let's just randomly say 4 feet, for landscaping in addition to the sidewalk, the buffer might actually make it a desirable corner.

I see some of these renderings for proposals downtown and just laugh at the tree lined streets depicted.

I blame the city most of all for that project. The other project on the west side of Tennyson had the 4 foot setback and is far more inviting, but was built before the zoning code overhaul. This one was a major dud as far as setbacks go which drives the landscaping as well. Off to look at the zoning rules to see what happened regarding lot lines and setbacks.

The meters are less of egregious design flaw IMO that can be addressed by such 🞵🞵🞵🞵 things as a mural.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

Good news about 1420 Wynkoop!

https://denverinfill.com/blog/2020/01/1420-wynkoop-is-back-and-moving-forward.html

Interesting information in BusinessDen for why this was delayed so long.

https://businessden.com/2020/02/06/eight-story-unico-project-delayed-by-hoa-lawsuit-moving-forward/

Kane said this week that the project was delayed in part due to a Rule 106 challenge.

Court records show that Edbrooke Lofts Condominium Association and West End Lofts Condominium Association, along with the Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association, filed a lawsuit asking a court to overturn the design review commission’s 2016 approval, with conditions, of the project’s mass, form and context.

The associations argued in their lawsuit the project would “create a short dead-end alley that is unsafe to residents and others nearby … and is contrary to good urban design.” A district court judge ruled against the associations, but they appealed. The litigation wrapped up last summer.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by CherryCreek

The reality is that aesthetics matter, and developers coming into a cool historic neighborhood and taking a dump on it with poorly conceived/designed/built turds fans the flames of NIMBYism and makes it hard to win the argument for greater density and for making more urban housing available to more people.


People wanting into an area can complain all they want about restrictions on growth and/or on density, but it's current residents - particular property owners who are much more likely to vote, give money to politicians, and be active in politics who will have sway with public officials. Because of some of some of the abortions built in the The Tennyson corridor, avoiding that elsewhere has become somewhat of rallying cry and likely has grown support for NIMBYism policies.

Excellent comment.

FunctionForm makes a good observation also. That corner is cold and has zero pedestrian appeal.

The City spent a lot of money redoing the street and the street deserves better.

Originally Posted by Interzen

Try this: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome

[TakeFive]

Hello Milo




Images courtesy Gables Residential via RentCafe

According to the DBJ this project was recently completed.

The 319-unit Milo Apartments is now open and features a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments across two buildings. It's the second apartment building to open at 9+CO after 275 units at Theo opened in 2018.

This is a Gables project which has also built apartments in Cherry Creek.

[TakeFive]

Sheridan Station TOD

According to the Trailbreak Partners website.

Project Description

A continuation of West Line Village, Trailbreak Partners acquired an additional two acres of land, adjacent to the east. Currently under development, West Line Village Apartments will be a 280-unit class “A” apartment community that continues to provide a diverse array of housing options just west of downtown Denver, next to the Sheridan Station light rail station.

West Line Village Apartments




Images courtesy Trailbreak Partners

I can't recall who but somebody among us, either lives at the West Line Village Townhomes or in that direction?



WEST LINE VILLAGE

STARTING AT $429K

West Line Village is an energetic, transit-oriented community of Lakewood townhomes. Anchored between the Rockies and the city, where downtown Denver is just five stops away, it’s a modern haven that has something to offer urban dwellers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. At West Line Village, you can relax and recharge, entertain, and explore all that Colorado has to offer.

Images courtesy of West Line Village

[TakeFive]

What is affordable housing anyway?

It literally depends on who you ask. There's 'designated' affordable housing and then there's more affordable market-rate housing which could have different price points and demographic appeal. Creating more affordable housing is a topic I'm always interested in.

The Fast Track to more affordable housing

By the end of the year downtown will have six rail corridors plus the B Line. All these corridors beckon for TOD of some type and density and all will contribute closer-in living opportunities of varying affordability.

Medium to high density shovel-ready TOD

1) Elitch Gardens Station 2) 38th and Blake Station 3) Central Park Station 4) 10th & Osage and Alameda Stations 5) Broadway/I-25 Station 6) Auraria West Station (yes, student housing is important) and 7) Belleview Station

There's a number of stations where significant TOD is still in planning or starting to percolate. They would include: 8) Federal-Decatur Station 9) 41st and Fox Station 10) National Western Station

Low to medium density including urban-suburban TOD

1) University Station 2) Colorado Station 3) Evans Station 4) Knox, Perry and Sheridan Stations 5) Pecos Junction Station 6) Westminster Station

When I rode the B Line it was a quick trip up to Westminster Station. While there may be some logistical issues that is one nice station. The Denver Urban Land Conservancy recently assembled 5.5 acres for a mixed-use development. My assumption is that as the 'land developer' ULC hopes to sell sites for various uses including market rate apartments and thereby generate 'profit' to enable them to build specific 'designated' affordable units.

The West Line Village @ Sheridan Station post above demonstrates how more affordable options of various densities and types can be built nearby to rail stations.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

There are a substantial number of hotel developments in the pipeline. BusinessDen compiled an interesting list of 10 major projects expected to break ground this year

1). 28-story Convention Center Marriott expected to break ground in Q2

2). 13-story Fairfield Inn and Townplace Suites expected to break ground in Q2

3). WTC hotel expected to break ground in Q2

4). 18-story Stonebridge Hotel DTC expected to break ground in Q1

5). 20-story Kimpton Hotel DTC expected to break ground in Q2

6). 5-story Sonder Hotel LoHi expected to break ground in Q4

7). 5-story Gaylord Hotel (City Park West) expected to break ground in Q2

8). Arapahoe Square hostel

9). 5-story Hotel Perenne (LoHi) expected to break ground in Q2

10). 5-story Cabarita House hostel in Five Points expected to break ground in the first half of 2020

Other hotel projects with a less certain time table include the Block 162 hotel, 14-story hotel at 270 14th Street, 8-story hotel at 1655 Blake Street, 12-story hotel at 3660 Brighton Boulevard, 12-story hotel at 370 S. Garfield, and a hotel at 2099 Chestnut

https://businessden.com/2020/01/06/10-ma...ected-to-break-ground-in-denver-in-2020/

[Cirrus]

I certainly agree that good urbanism requires good urban design. Without it, we're just repeating the mistakes of the Urban Renewal / Brutalism era, sowing the seeds of future NIMBYism in the same way that run amok historic preservation sows the seeds of future YIMBYism. And yes, I worry that this is lost on much of the YIMBY movement.

We've talked about urban design a thousand times, but maybe not for a few years. We get hung up on (expensive) materials, but what we really need is ground floor variation. The facade should change to look like a different building at least every 50 feet, and adjacent facades shouldn't be exactly identical (similar is fine). I think we'd have a better result if we strictly applied that one rule, and forgot about most others.