DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[Robert.hampton]

I guess I'm too late to the game but clearly the most fitting neighborhood name the residents of St*pleton deserve is a battle between:

West Montbello
North Aurora
North Colfax

[DenvertoLA]

7-story apartment building planned for full city block in Denver

"A San Antonio-based developer is proposing a seven-story apartment building at the northern edge of Denver's Golden Triangle neighborhood, according to a concept plan recently filed with the city.

Real estate firm Embrey Partners is currently under contract for the 2.8-acre parcel, according to Jacob Shalley, senior vice president of development at the company. The apartment building would occupy a full city block at the southwest corner of Colfax Avenue and Fox Street, with the exception of 606 W. Colfax Ave., which is home to a Bank of Denver branch.

The developer is currently planning five stories of apartments over two stories of parking, according to the concept plan. The plan also indicates that townhomes would surround the parking on the first and second levels along Galapago Street, 14th Avenue and Fox Street.

A concept plan is the first step in the city's development process, and the project could still change significantly before Embrey submits formal plans to the city. The plans show that Embrey is working with architecture firm Kephart.

The site is currently home to three single-story light manufacturing buildings, a two-story office building and a four-story office building, all of which were built before 1975, according to a listing for the property on LoopNet. Other improvements to the property include a small garage and another material storage building. The remainder of the property is comprised of surface parking.

The four-story office building at 650 W. Colfax Ave. currently houses the corporate offices of Rocky Mountain Orthodontics. RMO CEO Tony Zakhem previously told BusinessDen that the company owns all the parcels that make up the 2.8-acre assemblage.

Embrey is also the developer behind Luxe at Mile High, a luxury apartment complex at 3200 W. Colfax Ave., which it sold in January for $145 million.

Several other developers are currently planning thousands of apartment units in the Golden Triangle.

The city is also working on an update to the neighborhood's zoning and design standards, which could allow for taller buildings (albeit with other restrictions) and encourage more office and retail development to balance out the residential-heavy area."

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/...denver.html?iana=hpmvp_den_news_headline

After google earthing what is at this block right now, this would be a huge improvement. I just hope parking is underground since the floor count is so low.

[The Dirt]

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

7-story apartment building planned for full city block in Denver
I just hope parking is underground since the floor count is so low.

I think you missed this:

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

The developer is currently planning five stories of apartments over two stories of parking, according to the concept plan. The plan also indicates that townhomes would surround the parking on the first and second levels along Galapago Street, 14th Avenue and Fox Street.

Lame.

[DenvertoLA]

ahh yes I did. Vary lame.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

I think we should honor Mosley. But I don’t want to live in Mosley.

Central Park is about as non contentious as you can get. It’s a welcome change. Central Park Blvd runs right through the middle of the neighborhood and is how motorists enter from I-70. The A-line stop is already called “Central Park”. And to top it off, we have a massive park situated in the middle of the neighborhood named “Central Park”. This is a no brainer. People in City Park love their association with the park. So, eventually, will Central Park.

I suspect most of us who live in actual *central* Denver will continue to call it Stapleton. Because however distasteful Stapleton is, north isn’t south, blue isn’t green, up isn’t down, left isn’t right, wet isn’t dry, facts are facts, and Stapleton isn’t central to shit.

Also, you can view the sky from pretty much everywhere. Just sayin. Maybe it’s easier out there because there aren’t any trees, is that the thinking behind Skyview?

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Stapleton isn’t central to shit.

Yup! Their obsession to "Central" Park just pains me.

[Atlas]

I liked Mosley: cool backstory, local ties, aviation related, and unique.

The two finalists are beyond boring.

[tommyboy733]

I found RiNo Art Park has unceremoniously opened! At 35th & Arkins, it includes the adaptive reuse of an industrial shell (distance center right) with lots of cool features.


[IMG]IMG_20200730_102911512_HDR[/IMG]

Cause nearby, Rev360 is wrapping up and i think its turning out really good.

[IMG]IMG_20200730_103434007_HDR[/IMG]

Some light activity continues at the Current. Looks like utility work. No excavation yet.

[IMG]IMG_20200730_103226132 [/IMG]

[IMG]IMG_20200730_103303907[/IMG]

[twister244]

Wow, nice find on the RiNo park.... I totally forgot about that and didn't realize they were already finished with it. From the pic, looks pretty cool. Will have to check it out next time I am over there.

[TakeFive]

It's a Done Deal

Central Park will replace Stapleton as the northeast neighborhood’s name

-----------

Originally Posted by tommyboy733

I found RiNo Art Park has unceremoniously opened! At 35th & Arkins, it includes the adaptive reuse of an industrial shell (distance center right) with lots of cool features.

Cause nearby, Rev360 is wrapping up and i think its turning out really good.

Some light activity continues at the Current. Looks like utility work. No excavation yet.

Thanks for posting all these great 'neighborhood' photos. Fun fun.

[jbssfelix]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

I've got a crazy but good idea. There has to be a way to dedicate something to John Mosley.

From what I understand, the iconic Stapleton Air-Traffic-Control Tower was meticulously renovated. Why not create a City-owned non-profit to purchase the historic control tower and create a quasi-museum and restaurant (which could be leased out). Call it "Moser's Place"

Perhaps they could commission the Denver Botanic Gardens to create/maintain some of the exterior space - which could also promote the Botanic Gardens. The only hitch would be the necessary cost to add an elevator up to the tower which could be used as a bar or rentable meeting space. On the plus side $millions have already been spent on the existing renovation.

I think this is a wonderful idea, and I would be 100% behind this...especially since I'm not sure what in the world could successfully fill the unique space that used to be Punch Bowl Social.

[i4isoar]

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

It is just an architectural flourish that doubles as a way of screening the rooftop mechanical.

Originally Posted by jbssfelix

Guessing they're probably hiding mechanicals behind the glass facade. Aka like the Independent in Austin...but uh less fugly.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense. Though it is a pity none of our skyscrapers here have any rooftop observation decks, I could see that as a hugely profitable business venture (complete with rooftop bar) - in which case, a 25ft glass parapet would be the perfect safety barrier, so that drunk visitors can't simply climb over it.

And yeah, I agree, that parapet on The Independent looks terrible - and I'd even go so far as to say The Independent as a whole looks pretty terrible. I'll happily take another 1144 15th or 1999 Broadway over The Independent any day (though I actually quite like The Austonian, and if someone ever just copied-and-pasted that building into Denver, renamed it "The Denverite", etc., I think that would be a pretty respectable addition to the skyline).

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

I think we should honor Mosley. But I don’t want to live in Mosley.

Yep. Mosley as a person might be a hero and someone who's achievements are worth celebrating, but Mosley as a place just sounds terrible and uninspiring. I can picture it now: "where do you live?" "Mosley." "Mostly where?" "Mosley!" "Yes, mostly where?"

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

Central Park is about as non contentious as you can get. It’s a welcome change. Central Park Blvd runs right through the middle of the neighborhood and is how motorists enter from I-70. The A-line stop is already called “Central Park”. And to top it off, we have a massive park situated in the middle of the neighborhood named “Central Park”. This is a no brainer. People in City Park love their association with the park. So, eventually, will Central Park.

My personal conspiracy theory is that the voters chose something else, but the city fathers rigged the election to favor "Central Park" so that they didn't have to spend extra changing the street signs, the RTD maps, etc.

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Stapleton is a massive neighborhood. I'm surprised Northfield hasn't been split off already. Split in two, they would still be pretty large neighborhoods.

Now that you point it out, I think the best plan would have been to just split up Stapleton into 4 or 5 smaller neighborhoods, and then name those ones "Central Park", "Northfield", "Skyview", "Concource", "Mosley", "McClane", "North Aurora", etc. That way, everyone wins. Based on that map, it looks like Stapleton/Central Park is easily bigger than the CBD, DUS, Civic Center, Cap Hill, Auraria, etc. combined, so it could just as easily have been subdivided into an equivalent number of neighborhoods.

[CONative]

Mosley has already been honored with a public K-8 school named after him and his wife in Aurora.

BTW, Central Park is NOT a done deal yet. Step 1 has just been completed to determine the community vote. The SUN official vote is still to come at the end of the month and then the MCA and city has to do their part to adopt the name. There is still a possibility that people at the SUN meeting do not vote for what the community voted for -- which would just be scandalous and wrong after the whole process. Not a done deal if there are any unforeseen kinks.

Also, there are already 12 sub-neighborhoods within Stapleton/Central Park (Eastbridge, Central Park North, Central Park West, South End, North End, Willow Park East, 29th Ave, Westerly Creek, Bluff Lake, Beeler Park, Conservatory Green, Wicker Park) that are all about 2000-3000 residents on average. They have their own FB groups and such, and it also correlates with the 12 HOA/MCA delegate representative borders. Dividing the larger neighborhood organization (one north and one south) would be difficult and probably not worth the trouble with the HOA/MCA and all the governing/operating principles.

[TakeFive]

Props for Progress

I can still recall the kerfuffle (by some) over destroying this and that as apposed to a vision that improvements could actually mean better.

Tentative public reopening date set for City Park Golf Course
July 30, 2020 Lily O'Neill - BusinessDen

Lily's a new face to me; does anybody know how to pronounce "Lily"?

A reminder of what was done.

The course was closed in November 2017 for $45 million worth of improvements spurred by the need for water detention areas to help protect nearby neighborhoods from flooding. The project included a new layout for the 18-hole, par-71 course, a full driving range, a four-hole course for the First Tee of Denver youth program and a new clubhouse with event space.

The new 22,1555-square-foot clubhouse has a 10,840-square-foot basement for cart storage designed by Johnson Nathan Strohe. It features a west-facing patio and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the mountains and Denver skyline — “one of the best in the city,” Rethlake said.

How did it turn out?

Rethlake said. “We’ve done a great job of blending the old with the new, and some of the lifelong players of the golf course that have checked it out love it. I’m excited to give everyone the chance to play on it and get their feedback.”

Additionally, renovations involved opening a 102 inch pipe to create a stormwater detention area and a water quality channel that snakes through the golf course and adds water elements to at least four holes. “Before we only had one water feature,” Rethlake said.

Green space is good. Improvements to flood control is good. New trees is good. New water elements is good. What's not to like?

Has anybody been here?


Credit Lily O'Neill/BisinessDen

Did somebody previously mention Choice Market’s? This new one is at 2200 E. Colfax Ave. Interesting article and concept.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by CONative

Also, there are already 12 sub-neighborhoods within Stapleton/Central Park (Eastbridge, Central Park North, Central Park West, South End, North End, Willow Park East, 29th Ave, Westerly Creek, Bluff Lake, Beeler Park, Conservatory Green, Wicker Park) that are all about 2000-3000 residents on average. They have their own FB groups and such, and it also correlates with the 12 HOA/MCA delegate representative borders. Dividing the larger neighborhood organization (one north and one south) would be difficult and probably not worth the trouble with the HOA/MCA and all the governing/operating principles.

It's always a little cute when suburbanites pretend like they live in actual places with distinctive identities, not soulless bits of sprawl. I am sure Northridge and Westridge ("neighborhoods" of Highlands Ranch) are as distinctive as Central Park North and Central Park West are. Except at least they had a ridge.

Should've just handed this to the residents of Stapleton, would've greatly simplified the process: https://denverinfill.com/2006/09/guide-to-suburban-denver-subdivision.html

[rds70]

‘We’re in purgatory’: Carmen Court owners speak out ahead of Landmark hearing: https://businessden.com/2020/08/03/were-...ers-speak-out-ahead-of-landmark-hearing/


Proposed development:

[twister244]

If folks in the city are so keen on designating that condo building as historic, then there needs to be a dollar figure to reimburse those owners for the money they would have received from Hines in a sale. To step in an prevent the owners of the units in that building from collectively selling is beyond insane. Nothing wrong with making a building historic if there aren't innocent bystanders or unintended consequences. However, seeing as Hines's design looks fairly good here, I will plant my flag in the category of being opposed to the designation, unless there is proper compensation to the owners. This is coming from a fellow condo owner as well....

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by twister244

If folks in the city are so keen on designating that condo building as historic, then there needs to be a dollar figure to reimburse those owners for the money they would have received from Hines in a sale. To step in an prevent the owners of the units in that building from collectively selling is beyond insane. Nothing wrong with making a building historic if there aren't innocent bystanders or unintended consequences. However, seeing as Hines's design looks fairly good here, I will plant my flag in the category of being opposed to the designation, unless there is proper compensation to the owners. This is coming from a fellow condo owner as well....

Source


City inks deal with affordable housing developer for 84 homes in Baker
Aug 3, 2020 By David Sachs/Denverite

420 W. Cedar Ave.


Courtesy Department of Housing Stability via Denverite


Denver Architecture Foundation Launches Free Audio Tour of Downtown Denver
August 3, 2020 By Mile High CRE


Historic Sugar Building, courtesy of DAF via Mile High CRE

On Aug. 4, Denver Architecture Foundation (DAF) is releasing two significant audio tour journeys, free and accessible at denveraudiotours.org, featuring 24 locations historically significant to Denver and highlighting more than a century of the Mile High City’s architecture and cultural history. This project was paid for in part by the History Colorado State Historical Fund.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Does anyone know if the Front Range Growth Cap made the November ballot?

[The Dirt]

It did not, but it'll be back next time around.