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Originally Posted by mr1138
This is an interesting point - thanks!
You mention in your blog post that "active ground floor uses" don't necessarily need to be retail. From my observation, it seems like this is often exactly what we get in Denver - new apartment buildings that have leasing offices or fitness studio/community room spaces with big transparent windows along the sidewalk. I feel like this is a reasonably good use of this space and is architecturally flexible enough that these spaces could later be repurposed as either sidewalk-facing office space or retail if demand in the neighborhood changes (just as long as the main entrance to the residential units isn't THROUGH the leasing office). I haven't reviewed the new GT requirements yet - are they trying to change this definition of "active use" to require retail?
And isn't there a difference between a retail "district" that draws from a large area, like a restaurant district or shopping district (that internet shopping can take demand away from), vs. neighborhood-scale retail? It seems like a problem in Denver is that empty storefronts concentrate in some areas, while neighborhoods largely zoned "TU" or "MU" often lack basic retail options like corner markets, barber shops, etc. that are essential to making it possible to run basic errands on foot. Often the only retail in these areas are existing nodes that predate modern zoning and house maybe a single bar, restaurant, or a liquor store, and leave nowhere else where other neighborhood-scale retail can go.
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It sounds like Denver does this better than Seattle in some ways. Multifamily buildings usually need "active" fronts rather than "transparent" ones, or they're in areas with deeper setbacks. At least yours won't have empty storefronts and higher residential rents.
Those ground-level conversions can be tough. Are they at true street level for a new ADA entry? Is there room for a bathroom without using the residential hallway? I suspect that these issues plus use by upstairs tenants will keep them in fitness use etc, unless originally built as retail. They're also probably permitted as residential amenities rather than commercial, with a bunch of different land use and building code rules.
Agreed on the types of retail needs. What I'd like to avoid is too many places trying to be destination retail...like every avenue in my neighborhood (north part of Belltown). That results in a scattering of stores with no place being really good.
My Capitol Hill example (ours, not yours) is a few core retail streets but then occasional street corners with corner groceries, coffee, and maybe a restaurant in other places. It works well.
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