DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[TakeFive]

Quite the Character

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

The first phase of Hurley Place, two 12-story mixed-use towers in RiNo, will begin in 2022

Photo courtesy Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite.
"Accidental developer" Bernard Hurley speaks to a reporter inside his warehouse on Chestnut Place, a few blocks off Brighton Boulevard. Sept. 24, 2019.

Back in October of 2019 David Sachs interviewed Bernard and wrote a nice piece (also for Denverite) that is just a fun and fascinating read.

He’s the son of an FBI agent — “God bless his soul,” he says — who drew rigid lines. Hurley promptly colored outside of them.

“He was a pretty tough guy and pretty heavy-handed in his opinion of life and stuff like that,” Hurley said. “So I rebelled. And then that rebellion just got bigger and bigger and it was almost like I was trying to hurt my dad, but at the same time I was hurting myself worse than I was hurting anybody.”

He hurt his family too. Though they’re reunited now, his children were placed in the witness protection program to hide them from Hurley’s co-defendants.

Image courtesy of Menalto Development

Hurley’s development company, Menalto, along with the Chicago-based developer The John Buck Company are in the final stages of creating a site development plan, which will then move to the city for approval. They hope to begin construction in the first three months of 2022.

Since they've yet to start the City approval process there's still an arduous road ahead but it's nice to see they have a designated architect in Semple Brown.

[Robert.hampton]

I am fairly heartened to see Amacon is still slowly pulling permits for the twin towers on Block 176. Really will be a game changer to activate that part of upper downtown/A Square with another 800+ warm bodies that aren't leaving after work.


On a nearby note -- that depressing stretch of land barges on welton is going to get even more awful when the next land barge finishes off on the west side. Every time I drive by there (because aint nobody walking on those blocks) it makes me a little sad and I think the parking lots they replace might have had more character, and certainly more ground-level activation.

[TakeFive]

Hello Lincoln Park

200-unit apartment project proposed in Denver's Lincoln Park neighborhood
Jun 11, 2021 By James Rodriguez – Reporter, Denver Business Journal

A pair of developers have proposed a 200-unit apartment project on a roughly 1.5-acre parcel in Denver's Lincoln Park neighborhood, according to a concept plan filed with the city.

The proposed five-story apartment building would be built at 1530 W. 13th Ave., just south of Metropolitan State University of Denver's Regency Athletic Complex, near Colfax Avenue and Interstate 25. The majority of the building’s units (65%) would be one-bedrooms, with 27% two-bedrooms and the remaining 8% studios, according to the concept plan.

This project has a ways to go but it's a start.

Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. submitted the plan on behalf of Jeff Shanahan, of Shanahan Development, and Scott Pedersen, of Pedersen Development Co.

Shanahan Development is also the developer of La Tela affordable Condos which is largely finished.

1530 W 13th Ave outlined in yellow.


Source

-----------------------

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

On a nearby note -- that depressing stretch of land barges on welton is going to get even more awful when the next land barge finishes off on the west side. Every time I drive by there (because aint nobody walking on those blocks) it makes me a little sad and I think the parking lots they replace might have had more character, and certainly more ground-level activation.

Are you trying to get me to believe that the people who live in those building never go anywhere? They never walk to work or to a baseball game or out to eat or drink? Hmm, well at least it's nice to have all those warm bodies (assuming of course they're still warm).

I kid and while nicer architecture would have been much preferred, given the challenging retail market it is nice to have all the residents for helping keep those nodes of activity viable wherever they exist in downtown. And as I've suggested before I am impressed by the overall quality of construction, generally. At the least they've help to develop Arapahoe Square

With respect to Amacon/Block 176, word on the street is that speculation is 'starting' to come out of the cost of lumber and hopefully other commodities. It will likely take some time (six months ?) but Amacon's timing may be quite good.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

I saw this on the west side of the Evans school in Golden Triangle. Is Lennar getting ready to break ground on another one of their many GT projects?

[wong21fr]

Nonprofit CEO: Johnson & Wales purchase ‘an amazing opportunity’
BusinessDen

The next chapter of the former Denver campus of Johnson & Wales University has begun.
Denver-based nonprofit Urban Land Conservancy closed on the purchase of the 13-building, 25-acre campus at 7150 Montview Blvd. in South Park Hill on Tuesday.
ULC President and CEO Aaron Miripol told BusinessDen the organization — which has users lined up for every structure — paid approximately $62 million.
That transaction was the first of a three-part deal, which saw ULC immediately resell portions of the campus to Denver Public Schools and the Denver Housing Authority, while retaining ownership of the remainder.

So the site will provide for two schools, a business incubator/development center (the shared kitchen), six buildings of affordable housing with several hundred units, and development potential for future affordable housing.

How long before Greater Park Hill starts bitching at the prospect of affordable multi-unit housing being built in their little enclave?

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

How long before Greater Park Hill starts bitching at the prospect of affordable multi-unit housing being built in their little enclave?

Speaking of NIMBYs, I was on a run a few weeks ago, on 7th Ave somewhere south of Cheesman Park, and this group called Safe and Sound Denver tried to get me to sign their petition. Apparently they were appalled by city council’s decision to change the City’s zoning to basically allow people to have roommates, and they’re trying to repeal it or something.

Something really rubbed me the wrong way about their use of the word “safe.” What do you mean, “safe?” People that are too “poor” to afford a big ol giant house all for themselves are some kind of threat? They somehow make the neighborhood less “safe?”

I can’t remember what I said exactly but I told them off.

[Agent Orange]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

Speaking of NIMBYs, I was on a run a few weeks ago, on 7th Ave somewhere south of Cheesman Park, and this group called Safe and Sound Denver tried to get me to sign their petition. Apparently they were appalled by city council’s decision to change the City’s zoning to basically allow people to have roommates, and they’re trying to repeal it or something.

Something really rubbed me the wrong way about their use of the word “safe.” What do you mean, “safe?” People that are too “poor” to afford a big ol giant house all for themselves are some kind of threat? They somehow make the neighborhood less “safe?”

I can’t remember what I said exactly but I told them off.

Heard about this. Makes me livid. Honestly I've been hoping to get approached by one of those petitioners, or the ones trying to preserve the Park Hill golf course as a tumbleweed preserve for eternity. Or God forbid, if they're still out there, the Front Range growth cap people. I'd really like to try to test the logic of these proposals. Lately I've only run into the Greenpeace/anti-bullying petition people though.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Hello Lincoln Park[SIZE="3"]...With respect to Amacon/Block 176, word on the street is that speculation is 'starting' to come out of the cost of lumber and hopefully other commodities. It will likely take some time (six months ?) but Amacon's timing may be quite good.

Lumber had it's worst week ever last week, but it's still 40% above 2020 and still north of $1k/1k board ft. $500 would be reasonable given inflationary pressure. Not that this matters for Amacon though because they probably don't have one single stick in their design, except for maybe a sidewalk shelter.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by laniroj

except for maybe a sidewalk shelter.

Which I am sure the City will let them skip because, well, Denver...

[The Dirt]

I thought that the lack of sidewalk shelters for some of the new projects was due to plans being approved prior to the rule? Are exemptions actually possible with the new rules?

[rds70]

Rendering of the 14 story LMC building planned at the southeast corner of 10th and Bannock. 244 units, 4900 square feet of retail:


Courtesy: SAR

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Definitely prefer the other Lennar building on that block but at least it doesn't have the exposed parking podium like Civic Lofts

[TakeFive]

These are crazy, unique times we are a livin' in

Originally Posted by laniroj

Lumber had it's worst week ever last week, but it's still 40% above 2020 and still north of $1k/1k board ft. $500 would be reasonable given inflationary pressure. Not that this matters for Amacon though because they probably don't have one single stick in their design, except for maybe a sidewalk shelter.

Markets are still volatile no doubt. Bitcoin popped today after tanking end of last week. Used car prices are on fire; vehicle rental rates through the roof.

Jamie Dimon says JPMorgan is hoarding cash because ‘very good chance’ inflation is here to stay
MON, JUN 14 2021 By Hugh Son/CNBC

This is currently the Great Debate. Team Biden is 'considering' dropping the lumber tariffs on Canada. Then the next thing is to find the drivers to move lumber along with other products. There's still various bottlenecks with different parts of the supply chain.

Construction costs, residents needing more space and investors impacting metro Denver housing prices
June 11, 2021 By: Russell Haythorn - The Denver Channel/7Denver

Article nicely summarizes the various issues but one thing caught me by surprise.

Making matters even more complicated – a flood of investors eyeing metro Denver and the Front Range.

Abbey recently met with a couple of investor clients from northern California looking to buy dozens of homes here as investments. “And they are fine paying retail value, plus 10 to 15%,” Abbey said. “You overpay 20% on the house, the way the market is going right now, you’ve made that back up in four months. Nobody cares.”

What could possibly go wrong?

[gopokes21]

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

I am fairly heartened to see Amacon is still slowly pulling permits for the twin towers on Block 176. Really will be a game changer to activate that part of upper downtown/A Square with another 800+ warm bodies that aren't leaving after work.


On a nearby note -- that depressing stretch of land barges on welton is going to get even more awful when the next land barge finishes off on the west side. Every time I drive by there (because aint nobody walking on those blocks) it makes me a little sad and I think the parking lots they replace might have had more character, and certainly more ground-level activation.

I usually agree with you on most things, as you generally care about getting details right and not just giving out-of-state developers carte blanche.

That said, and while many details were forsaken on all the Welton Street groundscrapers, it has generated a TON of pedestrian activity. The whole block surrounding Woods Boss is a great positive example. Mercury Cafe (who is busier than ever) is also a great example. Welton Street is actually experiencing a quiet boom in retail, nightlife and dining. As long as some human scale refuge remains in the form of small brick warehouses, with their assortment of bars, restaurants, escape room, makerspace, etc - that area will be decently active and fun. I watched neighborhood activity for the duration of a few drinks on Sunday, from the top of the Lydian, and throughout Five Points there was literally more pedestrian traffic than vehicular traffic before the freak severe storm. It's a true "15-minute" neighborhood (a la Paris)..

Once they're gone and replaced with more identical REIT groundscrapers, you're right, the area will be back to desolate and devoid of meaningful humanoid interaction. Just like Le Corb envisioned... (barf)

[gopokes21]

Originally Posted by The Dirt

I thought that the lack of sidewalk shelters for some of the new projects was due to plans being approved prior to the rule? Are exemptions actually possible with the new rules?

I'm struggling to think of ANY sidewalk shelters away from 16th Street Mall...

I think uniform enforcement of whatever rules do exist is obviously an issue, but an even bigger issue are sidewalk closures months after exterior work on projects finishes. Contractors are keeping sidewalk closures in place all the way up until their owner needs the sidewalk for themselves.

I'm all for development 95% of the time but some of us actually live here in between the construction zones, and we need rules to make this livable, if we're going to be a city under construction (which is great, don't get me wrong!).

[rds70]

Here is another project rendering. This one is for the 17 story project and the southwest corner of 13th and Cherokee across the street from Eviva. 248 units and 5280 square feet of retail (think they did that on purpose?):


Courtesy Carvell Architects

[SirLucasTheGreat]

That's cool! I want to see all these GT projects break ground. It almost seems like we could have 3 to 5 break ground within 12 months

[coolmandan03]

I was totally caught off guard when this new crane popped up out my office window today. What's going on at either Sculpture Park or Auraria Campus?

[TakeFive]

No Render but at least it's alive and still kicking


Photo courtesy Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen

Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen back on Oct 8, 2019 announced:

Tyler Sibley, an executive with Texas-based Kairoi Residential, told BusinessDen last week that the company is under contract to purchase the Ramada by Wyndham Denver Downtown property at 1150 E. Colfax Ave., and hopes to close sometime next spring or summer.

The company would tear down the hotel. Kairoi wants to build a seven-story apartment building on the 1.97-acre site, with wood-frame construction on top of a concrete podium.

After a Pandemic Pause into 2021, now there's this: https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/...lfax-sold-kairoi-residential-denver.html

Kairoi Residential has closed on the purchase of a roughly two-acre property at the southeast corner of East Colfax Avenue and North Downing Street, where the San Antonio-based developer is planning to build a seven-story apartment project, according to property records.

The site is currently home to the Ramada by Wyndham Denver Downtown hotel, which lists its address as 1150 E. Colfax Ave. Kairoi paid $14.15 million for the property, records show.

What are they planning now?

Kairoi has submitted a formal site development plan to the city for a 334-unit apartment project, comprised of a mix of efficiency, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units. The company is also planning roughly 6,000 square feet of space for eating and drinking establishments on the ground floor along Colfax, according to the plans, which were amended in November 2020.

[Agent Orange]

I'm excited for all the GT density, but man I wish we had some height variety down there. Did the point tower zoning not work out as intended? This could be our South Lake Union area, but instead we have this boring tabletop/