DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[laniroj]

Anyone have any updates for Unico's 1420 Wynkoop Street? Last I heard from their online updates was a year ago for an alley utility thing. Crickets ever since, no SDP on the City's website...nada. What's the word? This was one of my favorite proposed projects and that little stretch is my absolute favorite view of Denver with the historic buildings, Cherry Creek, and old railway bridges.

[Denver]

Originally Posted by laniroj

Anyone have any updates for Unico's 1420 Wynkoop Street? Last I heard from their online updates was a year ago for an alley utility thing. Crickets ever since, no SDP on the City's website...nada. What's the word? This was one of my favorite proposed projects and that little stretch is my absolute favorite view of Denver with the historic buildings, Cherry Creek, and old railway bridges.

The deal is dead unfortunately. They placed the land and plans on the market around 6 weeks ago. The story I got from the broker is that the equity partner in the deal is forcing the sale. They have been in the deal for too long without any movement to allow the deal do go forward (plus the land has appreciated enough in value that they will get an ok return with do development risk).

Hopefully someone picks up the land and does not use it as a covered land play.

[Ich]

Not sure if this was already discussed but there was a concept plan filed for 2201 Stout Street for three 25 story towers with a shared two story podium. Curious to see what that would look like.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Three towers on the same podium? I imagine those are going to be some narrow looking towers

[TakeFive]

Denver City Council Approves Affordable Housing Plan
June 7, 2022 By Mekialaya White - CBS4

(CBS4) – Nearly six hours after Denver’s city council meeting began on Monday evening, leaders voted to approve the “Expanding Housing Affordability” policy. It’s a joint effort by Mayor Michael Hancock and city council, in an effort to increase access to affordable housing across Denver. The city says it worked for more than a year to develop the policy, which will take effect on July 1.

It's fair to say this was a well thought-out plan. Whether it's good or bad depends on who you ask. Personally, I would have preferred DCC find a way to "incentivize" more family units.

According to the City

Next Steps
Further guidance and rules and regulations are forthcoming for the development community as the city moves forward in implementing the Expanding Housing Affordability policy.

Side topic

Progressives look to shake up Denver City Council
June 7, 2022 By Esteban L. Hernandez - AXIOS Denver

A new slate of progressive Denver candidates will test how far to the left the city will shift in the next two years.

State of play: Three first-time city council candidates are running on a progressive platform, focusing on issues and policies that put them on the leftward side of their own party.

Why it matters: In Democratic-controlled Denver, the shade of blue matters.

This could be Denver's chance to reach for the Utopian Stars.

[rds70]

A couple of renderings of the proposed 8-story, 84 unit apartment building planned at 20th and Chestnut (Shears Adkins + Rockmore is the architect):

[SirLucasTheGreat]

Sale of the Broncos to Rob Walton is official tonight. Hopefully, Walton doesn't a build a new stadium out by the airport.

[Ich]

https://denverite.com/2022/06/07/the-fut...262-new-homes-or-preserving-car-culture/

🤦🏽♂️ What’s next? The Dennys on Santa Fe and Alameda?

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by SirLucasTheGreat

Sale of the Broncos to Rob Walton is official tonight. Hopefully, Walton doesn't a build a new stadium out by the airport.

Ehhhhh..... they're moving the Broncos to real football town: Bentonville, AR.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Ich

https://denverite.com/2022/06/07/the-fut...262-new-homes-or-preserving-car-culture/

🤦🏽♂️ What’s next? The Dennys on Santa Fe and Alameda?

Are you f'ing kidding me? Does the historic preservation community have no shame?

[Interzen]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Are you f'ing kidding me? Does the historic preservation community have no shame?

I read the article and didn't see mention of anyone pushing for preservation. Just that 'Denver Landmark Preservation has dubbed it eligible for preservation.' I guess we will know after the 23rd if anyone pursues it but I doubt it would get much traction.

[laniroj]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Ehhhhh..... they're moving the Broncos to real football town: Bentonville, AR.

For the sake of Pat Bowlen's legacy, I hope the trust put in a no move clause to the sale contract.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Interzen

I read the article and didn't see mention of anyone pushing for preservation.

I read the article itself, and Denverite, as (indirectly) pushing for preservation.

[Interzen]

I read it as fairly neutral and informational in nature. The only slightly inciteful thing I saw was the use of 'bulldozed' in this sentence:
Denver has to decide whether the one-story Googie-style building should be preserved in the name of history or bulldozed to make way for housing.

I actually read the bolded point near the end to be nudging the reader towards the reality that additional housing is a worthy priority and our city is ready to move on from an auto-centric low density use/building in such a densifying urban neighborhood.

'The question Denverites now face: Should today’s urban development and need for new housing be curbed by nostalgia for yesterday’s car culture?'

I have to admit I'm puzzled what they are implying by the statement that 'This would not be an entirely income-restricted housing development, and the number of units is much smaller than the 646 units proposed to be built across the street from the Mercury Cafe.'

[RyanD]

When I was 13, my parents took their car to get serviced at that Firestone. It brings back such memories of taking a cruise around empty downtown streets. The tech, while overcharging my parents, gave me a candy bar that day, and it made the experience unforgettable. After we got the car back, we drove to a green chili joint somewhere on Santa Fe, Kalamath, or South Broadway and had a great lunch. I never want to forget that day and removing that building will take a piece of me away forever. Oh, and we NEED to protect Googie architecture, even though this is my first time hearing about it.

/s of course, this is a truly made up story. But don’t be surprised if something like this comes through.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Interzen

I have to admit I'm puzzled what they are implying by the statement that 'This would not be an entirely income-restricted housing development, and the number of units is much smaller than the 646 units proposed to be built across the street from the Mercury Cafe.'

Because Denverite dog-whistles everything they write now to have a far-left Boulder-eque tilt. And they have an absolute hard-on for showing how actions might screw the little man. An example is there recent piece on the sidewalk ballot. Focusing on a corner house in Bear Creek that has extra frontage without mentioning that most households with such long frontages would be in higher-income neighborhoods such as Virginia Vale, Crestmoore, etc. Next they'll be a mention of sidewalks taking away from neighborhood character.

The quality of writing went down when Sachs left.

[TakeFive]

I'll disagree on a couple of points

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Because Denverite dog-whistles everything they write now to have a far-left Boulder-eque tilt. And they have an absolute hard-on for showing how actions might screw the little man. An example is there recent piece on the sidewalk ballot. Focusing on a corner house in Bear Creek that has extra frontage without mentioning that most households with such long frontages would be in higher-income neighborhoods such as Virginia Vale, Crestmoore, etc. Next they'll be a mention of sidewalks taking away from neighborhood character.

The quality of writing went down when Sachs left.

I don't particularly miss David Sachs although to be fair much of his writing on Denverite was good. But he too often retained his penchant for distortion and bias.

I recall praising the site maybe 9 months ago for some excellent in-depth pieces but I'll agree that they seem to have reverted to their too-liberal DNA.

Nathaniel Minor who often writes about transit is generally quite good - although he will include an 'obligatory' urbanist slant on occasion. His sidewalk piece is a mixed bag but he gives both a good example and bad for liking the sidewalk proposal or not. With respect to using linear feet IMO they should have capped this so somebody living at Bates and Sheridan wouldn't have such a big burden. Speaking of Sachs, he had a favorite stretch of missing sidewalk along So Sheridan he proudly displayed frequently. Turns out that particular stretch involved three different jurisdictions that he overlooked with the lacking sidewalk side of the street not even in Denver.

I have enjoyed the writing of Esteban L. Hernandez. He also wrote the political piece for AXIOS which I found to be 'descriptive' but not biased.

Apparently DOTI will make 'observations' should this proposal make the ballot. I look forward to this.

[bobg]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Apparently DOTI will make 'observations' should this proposal make the ballot. I look forward to this.

Given how long it takes DOTI to study anything I too look forward to seeing those observations in time for the November 2028 election.

Of course that timing would be as about effective as the unprotected bike lanes downtown, the "neighborhood bikeways", the sidewalk inspection program, and their Lincoln St redesign. So par for the course.

[SirLucasTheGreat]

I do think that DOTI has over-prioritized building many miles of low comfort bikes lanes rather than less miles of high comfort bikeways. However, I feel like they have done pretty good downtown, especially on 18th, 19th, and Welton with protected lanes. I just wish they would add protected lanes on a few major corridors outside of the CBD and LoDo.

[TakeFive]

Nice look for the location

Originally Posted by rds70

A couple of renderings of the proposed 8-story, 84 unit apartment building planned at 20th and Chestnut (Shears Adkins + Rockmore is the architect):

--------------------------

You Dawg

Originally Posted by RyanD

When I was 13, my parents took their car to get serviced at that Firestone. It brings back such memories of taking a cruise around empty downtown streets. The tech, while overcharging my parents, gave me a candy bar that day, and it made the experience unforgettable. After we got the car back, we drove to a green chili joint somewhere on Santa Fe, Kalamath, or South Broadway and had a great lunch. I never want to forget that day and removing that building will take a piece of me away forever. Oh, and we NEED to protect Googie architecture, even though this is my first time hearing about it.

/s of course, this is a truly made up story. But don’t be surprised if something like this comes through.

I had tears streaming down my cheeks from such great memories. In fact I was ready to tell bunt to "go fly a kite" due to his insensitivity.

Oh well; I will say you make a great storyteller.