DENVER | Main Development Thread #7 - Page 536

Passportphoto · #**10701** Posted **Jul 22, 2021, 5:20 PM**

Construction on 15-Story Jefferson Park Housing Complex Could Begin This Fall
July 15, 2021 By Eric Heinz, The Denver NorthStar
https://www.denvernorthstar.com/construc...k-housing-complex-could-begin-this-fall/

RyanD · #**10702** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 3:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Cool! Looks like they just got a bunch of their permits approved. Time to break ground!

I was by there yesterday. It looks like a "keep people out" fence vs a construction fence. They have two gates in the fence where they are still letting cars park.

SirLucasTheGreat · #**10703** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 3:40 PM**

Is it possible that Amacon is preparing for groundbreaking yet still letting people park until when they actually start? Given that they said they would break ground in August and that their permits are lined up, seems like the fencing has some significance

RyanD · #**10704** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Is it possible that Amacon is preparing for groundbreaking yet still letting people park until when they actually start? Given that they said they would break ground in August and that their permits are lined up, seems like the fencing has some significance

I'm as hopeful as anyone else that this will get underway but this is not a construction fence. It's a painted event / "pretty" fence. I trust that this will hopefully break ground looking at all the recent permits, I'm just skeptical right now seeing how major projects before got this far in the permit system and then died. Also, there was a Denver Police notice by the fence that they will be sweeping the area soon. Remember, there was a shooting around here about a week ago in the homeless camps.

The Dirt · #**10705** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 4:43 PM**

Yeah, El Jebel had similar fencing and it took them a few months before they started doing interior renovation. It's certainly a good sign of progress but no guarantee of anything.

Robert.hampton · #**10706** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Yeah, El Jebel had similar fencing and it took them a few months before they started doing interior renovation. It's certainly a good sign of progress but no guarantee of anything.

Does anyone know WTF they were doing interior renovations for? Certainly seemed strange they got moving on that so far ahead of the tower, and not clear what the commercial use will be. Maybe they just had to start spending that Chinese visa money?

bunt_q · #**10707** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 7:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanD

I'm as hopeful as anyone else that this will get underway but this is not a construction fence. It's a painted event / "pretty" fence.

I see no razor wire, broken glass, or cutting lasers. You sure this is a homeless fence? Because it won't work. Maybe this is the kinder, gentler, prettier version of a construction fence that is used by Canadian developers.

RyanD · #**10708** Posted **Jul 23, 2021, 9:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

I see no razor wire, broken glass, or cutting lasers. You sure this is a homeless fence? Because it won't work. Maybe this is the kinder, gentler, prettier version of a construction fence that is used by Canadian developers.

I'm all for the nice, friendly, good looking Canadian fences if we are getting twin condo towers out of it.

SirLucasTheGreat · #**10709** Posted **Jul 24, 2021, 4:01 PM**

Denver’s office real estate market: Vacancy at an 11-year high, construction an 8-year low
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/07/24/denver-office-real-estate-market-vacancy/amp/

Quote:

Over the second financial quarter of this year — from April through the end of June — the metro-wide vacancy rate rose to 18.8%. That doesn’t account for the still-increasing amount of sublease space hitting the market. There is now roughly 5 million square feet of technically “leased” space available to would-be second renters. That’s more than 4% of the total space that exists in the market today by CBRE’s count.

Despite the COVID-19-sparked losing streak that derailed a red-hot market there are reasons for building owners to be optimistic, in the company’s view, and it starts with a substantial uptick in new leasing.

DenvertoLA · #**10710** Posted **Jul 25, 2021, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Denver’s office real estate market: Vacancy at an 11-year high, construction an 8-year low
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/07/24/denver-office-real-estate-market-vacancy/amp/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imbGdfzckrI

Big Short 2.0 here we go!

mhays · #**10711** Posted **Jul 25, 2021, 6:19 PM**

It'll be interesting to watch the office market in the next five years. Companies are doing a lot of deep thinking about WFH, hybrid scenarios, wider spacing between desks, hoteling, and so on. Some of this is happening now, and some will happen through trial and error AND as current leases gradually end. I'm leaning toward pessimism for much new office construction except in the case of major corporate expansion. Good news for anyone who's into TIs and renovations though.

twister244 · #**10712** Posted **Jul 26, 2021, 2:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanD

I was by there yesterday. It looks like a "keep people out" fence vs a construction fence. They have two gates in the fence where they are still letting cars park.

I hate to burst all of your bubbles, but I have a feeling this project is either dead, or it's going to be completely re-written as something else (apartments maybe?).

Unless there's some magical sales site for the condo component, this thing seems dead to me. Go look at Amacon's site - http://amacon.com/portfolio/ - You can't even find anything listed there regarding this project.

Also, we've been hearing about this "moving forward" since I bought my condo back in 2018. This seems very similar to the WTC project in RiNo that was about to break ground "at any moment".

If it was really going to get off the ground, it would have happened by now, or we would have more to go off of.

laniroj · #**10713** Posted **Jul 26, 2021, 3:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr1138

...If form-based-code is really meant to focus on forms rather than uses, then I guess I would like to see retail allowed in more areas and not necessarily mandated. Then let the market decide. It would be great if either adaptive reuse or new, small-scale retail structures (with NO parking requirements) could accommodate more neighborhood-scale services in dense residential neighborhoods if there is a demand for it.

It would be great if our zoning and code allowed for this, but unfortunately, it does not so these kinds of efforts are left to specific spot zoning changes or variances, which people generally don't pursue due to the amount of time/risk associated with that approach - not to mention negotiating with RNO's on liquor license, outdoor patios, etc etc...which is almost like negotiating with a terrorist.

AlSmithee · #**10714** Posted **Jul 26, 2021, 4:44 PM**

History Colorado’s “Building Denver” tells the city’s story through its architecture, urban development

If you go
“Building Denver: Visions of the Capital City” continues through Aug. 31, 2022, at History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway. Info at 303-447-8679 or historycolorado.org.

Has anyone gone to see this?

bunt_q · #**10715** Posted **Jul 26, 2021, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by laniroj

...which is almost like negotiating with a terrorist.

Having negotiated with terrorists, they are often rational actors and can usually be bought off. Can you say the same for RNOs?

wong21fr · #**10716** Posted **Jul 26, 2021, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Having negotiated with terrorists, they are often rational actors and can usually be bought off. Can you say the same for RNOs?

Damn. That’s a harsh description of Kiewit.

The Dirt · #**10717** Posted **Jul 26, 2021, 5:12 PM**

laniroj · #**10718** Posted **Jul 27, 2021, 3:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Having negotiated with terrorists, they are often rational actors and can usually be bought off. Can you say the same for RNOs?

rational terrorists - there's a fun phrase. RNO's...I can't even...

The Dirt · #**10719** Posted **Jul 27, 2021, 4:02 PM**

What's maddening is that the city government simply seceded powers to RNOs because they were too scared to make tough calls and wanted the cover of "rigorous public input" on their side. Denver's city council is about the most cowardly institution in the state. It takes them 10 years of public input to paint some bike lanes or get rid of street parking. Still, when they want to do something, it takes them less than 2 months to jam getting rid of at-large seats without even the full council being aware of what is being done exactly.

Arapahoe · #**10720** Posted **Jul 27, 2021, 8:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by twister244

I hate to burst all of your bubbles, but I have a feeling this project is either dead, or it's going to be completely re-written as something else (apartments maybe?).

Unless there's some magical sales site for the condo component, this thing seems dead to me. Go look at Amacon's site - http://amacon.com/portfolio/ - You can't even find anything listed there regarding this project

Zoning permit for Block 176 (Amacon) was approved and issued on July 15th of this month.