DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by mhays

Ok, that makes sense. A PM at a major firm would typically earn six figures, and might just be a handful of years from their bachelors in construction management or civil engineering.

Site level superintendent and project manager positions with and without bachelor degrees are seeing annual bonuses in the $30k-$80k realm at this moment in time on top of salaries. I honestly think the uneducated (but skilled labor) people constructing the projects are now making more than the highly educated people designing the projects. Who knows if it will last and for how long, but that's a good change IMO if the industry is to attract more workers...

[SirLucasTheGreat]

It is crazy looking at the gallery of cranes in RiNo when driving near the I-25 and I-70 interchange. I wonder if there has ever been as many cranes in that neighborhood as there are now.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

It is crazy looking at the gallery of cranes in RiNo when driving near the I-25 and I-70 interchange. I wonder if there has ever been as many cranes in that neighborhood as there are now.

Wait for Golden Triangle to pop with the added potential zoning height. Super excited to see that happen.

[Denver]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

It is crazy looking at the gallery of cranes in RiNo when driving near the I-25 and I-70 interchange. I wonder if there has ever been as many cranes in that neighborhood as there are now.

RiNo just got a new tower crane last week at Flora at 35th and Chestnut.

[TakeFive]

Putting aside my Grinch

I found these renders on a 'blog' apparently set up by Margaret Jackson, a longtime Denver reporter of CRE news. Obviously, it's in her blood.

.....
Images Courtesy of Shears Adkins + Rockmore via Margaret Jackson on NewsBreak

The above was from back in August; I missed it. Denverite has an update.

Affordable housing geared toward unhoused youth is coming to RiNo’s Denargo Market
Dec 7, 2021 By Desiree Mathurin/Denverite

The 56-unit development will be located at 2700 Wewatta Way. It will provide affordable and supportive housing for young adults (18-25 years old) who are at risk of or already experiencing homelessness. It’ll be a five-story building with a mix of studios, one and two bedrooms.

The project is spearheaded by Rivet Development Partners, who helped oversee the construction of Racies Brewery, and TGTHR, a nonprofit working to end youth homelessness.

Perspective

A lot of folks are what I call 'drama' people. Imagine listening to hours of Talk Radio or cable Tee Vee and ofc today social media is all the rage.

With respect to juveniles, drama is a normal part of the maturation process. They say the brain continues to develop to age 25 and if young people can find some productive, constructive pathway (like a job) by their mid-twenty's, a lot of the drama subsides or at least it is balanced by the need to meet responsibilities.

I'm all for dealing with those youth struggling to find their place in life. All of us go through this but for many it's more traumatic and life disrupting.

Speaking of my Liberal Side

I made the time to read a nice piece by Esteban L. Hernandez/Denverite on Denver's STAR program from last August. This seems to be working well. It seems at the least to be a better allocation of resources.

The program has been lauded for its ability to keep people from ending up arrested or in jail. It launched in Denver last year amid nationwide protests against police violence and racism prompted by George Floyd’s murder. By all accounts, the program has been successful in limiting interactions between cops and people in crisis.

Back to my Grinch

I certainly agree with Denver District Attorney Beth McCann and her opposition to "low or no bond" for those who are arrested. This was one of the 'wrong' liberal crusades to come out of the George Floyd BLM.

I guarantee this will become a Big Political issue. It only takes a few horrific crimes resulting from no/low bond to create a Schnitt-storm among the masses. One example is the Buckhead movement to form their own jurisdiction, separate and apart from the City of Atlanta.

Wait and see.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Perspective

A lot of folks are what I call 'drama' people. Imagine listening to hours of Talk Radio or cable Tee Vee and ofc today social media is all the rage.

With respect to juveniles, drama is a normal part of the maturation process. They say the brain continues to develop to age 25 and if young people can find some productive, constructive pathway (like a job) by their mid-twenty's, a lot of the drama subsides or at least it is balanced by the need to meet responsibilities.

I'm all for dealing with those youth struggling to find their place in life. All of us go through this but for many it's more traumatic and life disrupting.

The project is aimed at a group that has a few more challenges than just teen drama and "what do I do with my lifte" angst. Transitional age youth are young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four who are in transition from state custody or foster care environments and are at-risk. So kids who have never had a stable environment and are getting thrown out to the world now that they are no longer wards of the state.

[TakeFive]

Have I ever mentioned that I enjoy mixed density; appropriate preservation too?

At least the renderings are rather cool. BTW, this was previously reported but this is a fun update.

By: Amanda Johnson, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP OZ Architecture | Principal

2401 Larimer St.







Transformation of a 1938 Building Brings the Farm to the Urban Table
November 23, 2021 - Mile High CRE

The renovation taking place at 2401 Larimer St. is not your average office or retail conversion. And the business going into the property is not your average tech startup. When it’s complete next year, this quirky 1938 building, often overlooked by passersby, will become a high-tech hydroponic farm that will sell freshly grown produce directly to consumers through an on-site market and restaurant concept called Farm & Market.

Noted:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

The project is aimed at a group that has a few more challenges than just teen drama and "what do I do with my lifte" angst. Transitional age youth are young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four who are in transition from state custody or foster care environments and are at-risk. So kids who have never had a stable environment and are getting thrown out to the world now that they are no longer wards of the state.

Thanks for the additional context.

No doubt the 'success rate' will be challenged by those with a more 'interesting' background. Still, it's worthwhile effort IMO.

[TakeFive]

You may be more familiar with this than I am

Originally Posted by wong21fr

The project is aimed at a group that has a few more challenges than just teen drama and "what do I do with my lifte" angst.

Xcel Energy wants to change how it powers millions of Colorado homes. How that happens depends on these hearings
December 8, 2021 By Miguel Otárola - CPR

Colorado regulators will kick off a series of hearings Wednesday that could determine how the state’s largest utility generates its energy in the coming decades — and how much it will contribute to global warming.

I recall Xcel having plans to shut down Comanche units 1 & 2.

Seems I read how the construction of Comanche 3 was a nightmare of flawed materials etc. I assume this is why they're willing to shut down their nearly new $1.3 billion coal burner waaay earlier than anticipated.

Xcel, which initiated the settlement discussions, has faced constant backlash for its management of Comanche’s newest coal-fired unit, Comanche 3. Despite nearly two cumulative years of unplanned shutdowns,

Ultimately, Xcel needs to keep a healthy capacity of natural gas so Colorado doesn't end up in the same pickle as Texas did.

So now 'liberals' have flip-flopped to supporting new nuclear power - or have they?

[Paulopolis]

-It looks like demolition at the Ramada at Colfax & Downing is underway. This is a Kairoi project.

-The parking lot for the small footprint, 5-story residential project at 33rd & Tejon is being ripped up. This is a Revesco, the company behind River Mile, project.

-It also looks like demolition at 4003 Walnut St. has started. According to Denver Development Services this is a speculative 5-story office project.

[Arapahoe]

Denver's ugliest development?



BusinessDen - A rendering shows the 94-unit condominium complex developers are planning for 2137 Glenarm Place, currently a parkling lot. To be named "Archie". WTF


UPDATE:

Here is the same development on the developers website, looks a bit nicer than the render in BusinessDen. (notice its located right behind one of the giant cruise ships lining Welton.)

[Robert.hampton]

Originally Posted by Arapahoe

Denver's ugliest development?



BusinessDen - A rendering shows the 94-unit condominium complex developers are planning for 2137 Glenarm Place, currently a parkling lot. To be named "Archie". WTF

Strange - the rendering on the developers website looks quite a bit different (and much more palatable

[Arapahoe]

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

Strange - the rendering on the developers website looks quite a bit different (and much more palatable

jinx you owe me a coke. clearly not the same project, thankfully!

[bunt_q]

I assume the first one is just massing. And actually, given the proximity to the landbarge, I think the massing is much smarter than the rendering from the developer's website. And better for Glenarm to have that building frontage, maybe. But I think you have to pull those units - front windows and back windows - as far off the alley as you possibly can, given the awfulness across the alley.

Also, the stilts and carports... very LA. Every planner's favorite. But probably makes sense here. Until the homeless move into those carports, at least. What's the current interpretation on Colorado's make-my-day law for defending oneself in a carport on an alley?

[Robert.hampton]

Uptown neighbors want temporary traffic circles removed after several cyclist crashes


Curious what people on here think of this seemingly awful shared street experiment. During the pandemic they had 'road closed to through traffic' barricades which were clunky, but were effective in eliminating through traffic and making the streets prioritized for pedestrians and bikes.

The second rendition of shared streets brought about roundabouts which have been a complete disaster that seemingly could only be designed by an inept and thoughtless bureaucracy. First, roundabouts don't work if you have stop signs. Drivers are utterly confused (for good reason) and I've seen a million near misses because of it. Second, the roundabouts diverts cars directly into the bike lanes. Was the thought of shared streets to force bicyclists to share their lane with cars? And finally it doesn't do much to eliminate or divert traffic -- it just seems to slow traffic down. You could achieve the same impact in a safer manner by just adding speed bumps into the traffic lane.

Shared streets was a great idea in concept, but holy awful execution by the city.

[Arapahoe]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Have I ever mentioned that I enjoy mixed density; appropriate preservation too?

At least the renderings are rather cool. BTW, this was previously reported but this is a fun update.

Transformation of a 1938 Building Brings the Farm to the Urban Table
November 23, 2021 - Mile High CRE

this is cool. It is currently an eyesore and this new use is close walking distance for me.
This, plus the Blake St festival area across from Coors Field, and potentially the new 8 story apt building on Blake & 20th will be quite impactful for the Ballpark neighborhood.

Also in the area, the XD2 seems much higher quality than XD1 as far as exterior finishes (hooray). I just don't see how they can fit 9 more stories underneath the exsiting tower crane. hmmmmm

[mhays]

Tower cranes can add segments for more height.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

On the shared street, I don't know why they thought round-a-abouts would be a good idea. Like you said, speed bumps would achieve the same goal more effectively. I think anything that slows down traffic and enhances cyclist comfort/safety would be great Personally, I would love to see a protected bike lane or an elevated bicycle track on 11th avenue from the Cherry Creek trail to Cheeseman park.

With 4003 Walnut, wasn't that project originally supposed to be around 16 stories, as part of the opportunity zoning incentives? Also, is Watershed going to happen? I heard some ad on CPR that was sponsored by that developer.

[The Dirt]

It's too bad that their fear of CdeBaca led them to abandon a rezoning to 8 stories. I would have preferred that over the Long Beach condos.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by The Dirt

It's too bad that their fear of CdeBaca led them to abandon a rezoning to 8 stories. I would have preferred that over the Long Beach condos.

Didn’t you hear that Candi just helped to get FIVE affordable houses built in GES? She’s really put a dent in the affordability of housing there.

[Arapahoe]

Originally Posted by The Dirt

It's too bad that their fear of CdeBaca led them to abandon a rezoning to 8 stories. I would have preferred that over the Long Beach condos.

she votes no on everything because she is a commie nut job. She couldn't possibly win again could she? Maybe redistricting will save my neighborhood.

This current height isn't bad considering there are just regular size homes across the street in the Clements district. Although perhaps 8 stories is still a nice transition down from the Radiant mega barge across the alley, especially if the tall part is setback from Glenarm like the current design.