DENVER | Main Development Thread #7 - Page 600

Ich · #**11981** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 4:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arapahoe

Its looking likely we will have 7 towers under construction in the same close vicinity surrounding Arapahoe Square within two years.

Completion of XD2 - 250 ft
Tower 1 Amacon - 400 ft
Tower 2 Amacon - 350 ft
1900 Lawrence - 400 ft
Kenect Denver - 250 ft
Tower 1 Golub/Rockefeller -400 ft
Tower 2 Golub/Rockefeller -400 ft

Unlike other 'proposed' buildings, these projects have serious money already invested, land purchased, demolitions done or commencing, not to mention active project files with the city of Denver. Obviously no guarantee, but things are definitely pointing in the right direction.

There is also the Evolve Towers in the "proposed" status in this same area. I'm still skeptical about this one, but it would add another two towers (250ft each) bringing the total to NINE towers with overlapping construction timelines and a HUGE cluster of seven to twelve tower cranes at peak.

Nice! Is X3 still happening?

SirLucasTheGreat · #**11982** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 5:40 AM**

A Square is going to very different in a few years, especially with the 5280 trail. The Evolve Towers are legit though, right? Isn't the confidence level in that project has happening pretty high?

Arapahoe · #**11983** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

A Square is going to very different in a few years, especially with the 5280 trail. The Evolve Towers are legit though, right? Isn't the confidence level in that project has happening pretty high?

Yeah, just no construction permitting activity yet. Considering they said that they plan to break ground soon, they don't seem to be moving quickly. This is a developer with no track record of delivering a single project and probably meager financial means unlike the big players from Vancouver, Chicago and New York developing the other properties in the towers list.

It could happen though, they claimed to be getting major interest from investors, their development plans are 100% city approved, they bought the property, the city seems enthused about the "attainable" price point, and of course they cleaned up the encampments and designated that surrounding area as a frequent clean-up zone. All of these are positive indicators.

One other interesting aspect to eVolve towers is that it will be the first construction project in Colorado to use "top-down" construction, whereby the core is erected and then floors are fabricated and raised to highest open level and they work their way down. That would be very interesting to see.

Arapahoe · #**11984** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 2:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ich

Nice! Is X3 still happening?

XD3 is in concept phase. Maybe it gets going when XD2 is getting closer to completion in 2023. (XD2 got underway just after they were wrapping up the original XDenver project)

TakeFive · #**11985** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 5:37 PM**

If nobody is around to witness all these towers being built, then did it really happen?

Just Asking

mhays · #**11986** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 7:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arapahoe

One other interesting aspect to eVolve towers is that it will be the first construction project in Colorado to use "top-down" construction, whereby the core is erected and then floors are fabricated and raised to highest open level and they work their way down. That would be very interesting to see.

That sounds very different from what's normally called "top down construction." This involves building the below-grade parts from the top down, which you can do while the above-grade part is built normally. Youtube 1. Youtube 2.

Paulopolis · #**11987** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 7:28 PM**

There’s another tower crane going up in RiNo. Looks like it’s near 39th & Brighton.

Arapahoe · #**11988** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

That sounds very different from what's normally called "top down construction." This involves building the below-grade parts from the top down, which you can do while the above-grade part is built normally. Youtube 1. Youtube 2.

Evolve Towers is designed employing a novel technology from TGE Construction and it is different from the top-down excavation construction that you reference.

It reduces construction costs by having most of the fabrication, including plumbing and electrical, done on the ground and then whole floors are hoisted up the core one by one. It also eliminates the need for tower cranes.

Here is a video that illustrates the process.

• Video Link

Arapahoe · #**11989** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 8:06 PM**

cool interior render of a unit in Evolve Towers showing the Denver skyline out the window.

I really do hope this gets built and at least partially becomes for-sale condos at a more affordable price point.

mhays · #**11990** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 10:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arapahoe

Evolve Towers is designed employing a novel technology from TGE Construction and it is different from the top-down excavation construction that you reference.

It reduces construction costs by having most of the fabrication, including plumbing and electrical, done on the ground and then whole floors are hoisted up the core one by one. It also eliminates the need for tower cranes.

Here is a video that illustrates the process.

• Video Link

Cool! It'll be interesting to see it in action.

I tend to be skeptical when a longtime approach makes huge claims but doesn't see mass adoption. But even if they're not true, you still get the project in the end.

A bunch of prefab concepts have been tried, or are being tried, and none have really taken off yet. They tend to run into financing issues (needing to front-load a lot of the construction expense; being generally unproven), supply chain issues (getting locked into single-source deals; needing to finalize designs and building permits way earlier), building code issues (like needing to send city inspectors to factories vs. just onsite), shipping damage with large assemblies, difficulty fitting sections together in the field, and various QC issues. We're all holding out hope.

The Dirt · #**11991** Posted **Dec 18, 2021, 1:00 AM**

This forum really feels like Denver FUGLY-esque cesspool of angst and laziness where personal attacks go completely unmoderated. I feel like after 14 years on this forum (plus several more as a lurker), I've learned a lot about development, urban planning, and how cities function in general. Lately, it's felt especially unproductive, however, and that just makes me sad. Oh well, time to move on.

i4isoar · #**11992** Posted **Dec 18, 2021, 1:01 AM**

Me reading the updates on 1900 Lawrence, Block 176, Kenect, eVolve, etc.:

Me reading the posts regarding the homeless issue, drugs, police, etc.:

All I really care about is the skyscrapers, but it does make me sad to see how heated people can be towards each other when discussing non-skyscraper things.

Whereveryougo · #**11993** Posted **Dec 18, 2021, 8:40 PM**

Tower crane up today for 3000 Huron. Maybe T3 will be next

TakeFive · #**11994** Posted **Dec 18, 2021, 9:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whereveryougo

Tower crane up today for 3000 Huron. Maybe T3 will be next

For a minute there I almost lost my head. I plum forgot about T3 and thought maybe you were speaking about Two Tabor, the decades long dormant project.

With respect to T3, I'd guess: Any Day Now.

Speaking of Two Tabor does anyone think there's "still a chance?"

bunt_q · #**11995** Posted **Dec 18, 2021, 9:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Speaking of Two Tabor does anyone think there's "still a chance?"

When the concrete foundations of that never built tower are exacavated by lizard archeologists 1,000,000 years from now, my answer will still be “no.”

SirLucasTheGreat · #**11996** Posted **Dec 19, 2021, 2:56 AM**

T3 is pretty far into excavation. If you set up at the 38th and Blake station, you are surrounded in a forest of cranes.

SirLucasTheGreat · #**11997** Posted **Dec 20, 2021, 6:41 PM**

Geller gets $27M for site of planned downtown Denver office tower

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/20/ge...of-planned-downtown-denver-office-tower/

wong21fr · #**11998** Posted **Dec 20, 2021, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Geller gets $27M for site of planned downtown Denver office tower

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/20/ge...of-planned-downtown-denver-office-tower/

Geller beat the S&P on this investment just on the property alone without factoring any income stream from the parking operations. Man's on the way to getting enough capital for a nice signature project downtown.

In other news, Great Divide will maintain a presence in RiNo (sounds like the taphouse, event space, and a small portion of the warehouse) following the sale of their property to McWhinney:

Great Divide Brewing will stay in RiNo

RyanD · #**11999** Posted **Dec 20, 2021, 11:22 PM**

I have received numerous complaints about the homeless / civic issues that we have been discussing in the "Development" thread. I created a new thread to continue these discussions. Please use the below thread from here on out for these topics and keep only development here. As always, follow forum rules and stay civil please.

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249410

While this is a heated topic, I think it's very important to discuss because these issues are severely affecting the well-being of our city. I have felt the impacts first hand and it's really disheartening.

Sorry for not getting to this sooner, I was moving and that occupied pretty much all of December up to today.

gopokes21 · #**12000** Posted **Dec 20, 2021, 11:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

When the concrete foundations of that never built tower are exacavated by lizard archeologists 1,000,000 years from now, my answer will still be “no.”

Archeology aside, I just think Tabor 2 will require taking easier sites offline. That's starting to happen up and down 19th and 20th, which will bring CRE focus back down to 17th and 18th.