DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[EngiNerd]

Because we're all building nerds here, I thought you all might enjoy a video of the roof crane being built on top of the new Colorado Convention Center expansion. The company I work for is a part of the engineering for this.

• Video Link

[Curtis Park]

Edens building in RiNo
Details behind the paywall

Thomas Gounley at BusinessDen

https://businessden.com/2022/02/08/edens...lock-after-striking-deal-with-nonprofit/

"Edens has proposed multiple five-to-seven story buildings on the block formed by Larimer and Lawrence streets, and 26th and 27th avenues, according to documents submitted to the city.

The bulk of that block is owned by the Volunteers of America Colorado. But Edens is under contract to buy the real estate from the nonprofit, with the exception of the corner office building that serves as VOA’s headquarters."

I've been to a few of Edens' presentations and have chatted with Tom Kiler about the plans. This is going to be a major improvement for the neighborhood. They are really doing a lot of work to make it a great destination and pedestrian-friendly. The Curtis Park RNO is supporting it as is the Rino RNO. Of course, there are a few people upset about the traffic, and how everything is changing.
I guess they need approval since zoning isn't quite what they need and they plan to do a PUD. Not sure what that is but I hear it's a good thing.
The neighbors that are complaining don't understand that if Edens doesn't get approval, they will just build a big box like Ava Rino that does not offer anything like they are planning. Or they will sell it to someone who will.

[CharlesCO]

They're expanding the convention center? That's news to me! That building still seems brand new in my head. I still remember the old one well.

They didn't involve Fentress, did they?

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

They didn't involve Fentress, did they?

I think Hensel Phelps is doing a design/build for it. Not sure if they subbed the design work out or went in house.

[EngiNerd]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

They're expanding the convention center? That's news to me! That building still seems brand new in my head. I still remember the old one well.

They didn't involve Fentress, did they?

Here's some more info.

The expansion of the Colorado Convention Center includes a new 80,000 square foot column free multipurpose room and outdoor rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the city skyline and mountains. The project will be the largest ballroom in Colorado and expand one of the largest buildings in Denver. On the ground floor, there will be lobby renovations and seamless integration with the existing building, while offering attendees safe and easy access to an additional 150,000 square feet of meeting space, 600,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 5,000 seat Bellco Theatre. The improvements will serve the needs of modern day convention-goers and differentiate the facility from others, ensuring it remains an attractive and global competitor. When complete, the expansion will generate an additional $85 million in annual economic impact. The project is anticipated to be completed in late 2023, while ensuring it can continue to operate during construction.

https://denverconvention.com/about-us/center-expansion

The original was completed in 2004, the new work is to allow it to remain competitive with other cities.

HP is the design builder, TVS Design (out of Atlanta) and Iron Horse Architects are the architectural team, Martin/Martin is the structural engineer.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

Because we're all building nerds here, I thought you all might enjoy a video of the roof crane being built on top of the new Colorado Convention Center expansion. The company I work for is a part of the engineering for this.

• Video Link

Did you all hire RyanD on the drone coverage?!?! Cool shots, thanks for sharing.

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by laniroj

Did you all hire RyanD on the drone coverage?!?! Cool shots, thanks for sharing.

Not me!

[jhwk]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

They're expanding the convention center? That's news to me! That building still seems brand new in my head. I still remember the old one well.

They didn't involve Fentress, did they?

Fentress did a basis of design document: https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/de...160004-2019-0501-CCCX-Design-Revised.pdf

And was on the team that lost the job after the bid rigging scandal:
https://www.constructiondive.com/news/de...233m-convention-center-expansion/552103/

And was then excluded from the new process even though they were cleared of wrongdoing in the scandal.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by jhwk

And was then excluded from the new process even though they were cleared of wrongdoing in the scandal.

A settlement is not the same thing as being cleared of wrongdoing. Given how (arguably) bad the settlement was for Mortenson, I'd say it's the exact opposite, actually. They're just lucky that the three year ban on bidding City contracts happens to coincide with a three year period when the City seems uninterested in doing much of anything (despite having more money than God).

[jhwk]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

A settlement is not the same thing as being cleared of wrongdoing. Given how (arguably) bad the settlement was for Mortenson, I'd say it's the exact opposite, actually. They're just lucky that the three year ban on bidding City contracts happens to coincide with a three year period when the City seems uninterested in doing much of anything (despite having more money than God).

Mortenson & Tramerell Crow settled criminal charges with an admission of guilt - but per the article Fentress, their architect, was not suspected of involvement in the bid rigging but was banned from the future process anyway.

[Arapahoe]

Howl at the Moon to be taking over a building at Larimer and 21st. Currently a graffiti covered eye-sore for the neighborhood.




From BusinessDen:

"begin renovations on the building, which include restoring the historical facade, raising the main floor to accommodate the basement and adding a third story and expansive outdoor terrace.."

It also says they want to open this fall. Nice add for Ballpark/A Square area. Expecting this area to really grow into an entertainment district.

[RyanD]

Have a lot of new renderings of 1900 Lawrence posted over at DI today:




https://denverinfill.com/2022/02/1900-lawrence-is-set-to-break-ground.html


Looks like this one is getting close with press releases saying March, and a commercial construction permit filed 02/01!

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Nice! I'm excited for that 21st Street corridor. I took this photo while parked the other day. X2 is going to be pretty imposing when complete.

[DenvertoLA]

Remember when the green roof initiative passed and every developer cried wolf that it would destroy their profitability?

Looks to me that it is providing great amenities and better design

Originally Posted by RyanD

Have a lot of new renderings of 1900 Lawrence posted over at DI today:




https://denverinfill.com/2022/02/1900-lawrence-is-set-to-break-ground.html


Looks like this one is getting close with press releases saying March, and a commercial construction permit filed 02/01!

[Arapahoe]

Originally Posted by DenvertoLA

Remember when the green roof initiative passed and every developer cried wolf that it would destroy their profitability?

Looks to me that it is providing great amenities and better design

eh, thats the free market, post-pandemic world that is demanding outdoor and green spaces, not the silly green roof regulations. People don't want to have black roofs anymore, Zero, nobody. Totally unnecessary, pointless regulation when solar reflective white roofs can be had at about the same price.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Arapahoe

It also says they want to open this fall. Nice add for Ballpark/A Square area. Expecting this area to really grow into an entertainment district.

It is indeed a nice add. I can see the droves of workers from 1900 Lawrence heading down there for team building exercises enabled by copious amounts of alcohol. Hell, RTD could ever reconfigure routes to have a bus line run from 38th & Blake down to Auraria along Larimer. You know, go where the people are?

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Arapahoe

eh, thats the free market, post-pandemic world that is demanding outdoor and green spaces, not the silly green roof regulations. People don't want to have black roofs anymore, Zero, nobody. Totally unnecessary, pointless regulation when solar reflective white roofs can be had at about the same price.

Pretty much agree with you there. Once it was modified to incorporate other technologies (asides from actual green roofs) the market dictated what would be accepted.


Hell, even the patron saint of green roofs, Kyle Zeppelin, didn't incorporate a single green roof into any of his projects mandated or otherwise.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

It is indeed a nice add. I can see the droves of workers from 1900 Lawrence heading down there for team building exercises enabled by copious amounts of alcohol. Hell, RTD could ever reconfigure routes to have a bus line run from 38th & Blake down to Auraria along Larimer. You know, go where the people are?

Why would RTD go where the people go? That's one of the dumbest suggestions I've ever heard!

[SirLucasTheGreat]

I might have to take down some of my criticisms of Buzz Geller if we see a 400' office tower (1900 Lawrence), a 375' residential tower (Bell Park Residences), and an almost 600' ft residential tower (650.17th street) built on his former lots.

[rds70]

Here is a conceptual massing rendering of the proposed 23-story 1215 Elati building courtesy of BusinessDen.

Milender White would be the developer and the builder, per the story.

The project is proposed to have up to 400 units, 3,600 square feet of retail space and 340 structured parking spaces.