DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by Curtis Park

Complete with a bus in the bike lane on Glenarm!

They don't show any buses on the Mall but instead have the roadway populated with people. I wish that were the case and that we could get the buses moved to 15th and 17th with the same frequency. Those pavers are taking a beating and I don't seem them surviving if RTD is faced with eternal repairs.

The MallRide carries over 40k riders per day. Something that's unlikely replicated on parallel streets like 15th/17th even with own ROW/Transit only lanes. It was built as a pedestrian and transit mall; it should and will remain that way.

Maintenance is a huge problem and that's why the City of Denver and RTD are looking to remedy the issues. They already have significant funding in place for a complete remodel of the entire mall. The project is in the Environmental Assessment phase.

MORE HERE

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[Curtis Park]

Just because it was designed as a transit mall does not mean it should stay that way.
The ridership does not need to be replicated since not every ride is a person going the entire length. What needs to be replicated is the frequency and convenience. A shuttle on side streets will draw ped traffic on the named streets possibly prompting new retail options.
Plans are in place to change how the buses run, but from what I've heard no solution has been found to keep from having to repair the pavers.
I know it won't happen, but I get to dream.

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

The MallRide carries over 40k riders per day. Something that's unlikely replicated on parallel streets like 15th/17th even with own ROW/Transit only lanes. It was built as a pedestrian and transit mall; it should and will remain that way.

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[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

Maintenance is a huge problem and that's why the City of Denver and RTD are looking to remedy the issues. They already have significant funding in place for a complete remodel of the entire mall. The project is in the Environmental Assessment phase.

Yes, $13 million was included within the Elevate Denver Bond Program that voters approved in November.

[CherryCreek]

Now if we can just get some offices or condo highrises in the parking lots behind Denver Pavillions!

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Yes, $13 million was included within the Elevate Denver Bond Program that voters approved in November.

That's only a small fraction of total cost.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

That's only a small fraction of total cost.

I figured as much. My post was partly a veiled invitation to add clarification if you know where additional funding is coming from?

[TakeFive]

This is quite interesting




Photos by Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen

Buildings on 16th Street Mall sell for $32.5M
August 27, 2018 by Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen

A building along Denver’s 16th Street Mall and an adjacent structure on a side street have changed hands in a $32.5 million deal. San Francisco-based FPA Multifamily, acting as FPACP3 Denver Lofts LLC, purchased 1543 Stout St./800 16th St. and 1531 Stout St. last week, according to county records.

The 1543 Stout St./800 16th St. parcel is on the corner of 16th and Stout streets. Clothing store Ross Dress for Less operates on the ground floor of the three-to-four-story structure. The 1531 Stout St. parcel is home to a six-story building, with apartments on the upper floors plus Indian and Italian restaurants, along with a cell phone repair shop, at the street level.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Curtis Park

A shuttle on side streets will draw ped traffic on the named streets possibly prompting new retail options.

This is the incorrect assumption you're making. It's just not true.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

I figured as much. My post was partly a veiled invitation to add clarification if you know where additional funding is coming from?

IIRC, It's coming from DURA TIF, some federal grants, RTD ($15M), and other sources. I believe that Denver has lined up about $96M in funding to date.

[Robert.hampton]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

IIRC, It's coming from DURA TIF, some federal grants, RTD ($15M), and other sources. I believe that Denver has lined up about $96M in funding to date.

Are the pavers staying?

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

Are the pavers staying?

I believe that's the intent. RTD wants them gone, but Denver is telling RTD to go pound sand as the city will be providing the vast majority of the funding and will be heading the project.

[Denvergotback]

I took the time today to email a few developers about some questions we all have been having, Some may be confirming what we all have dreading (maybe)...

I emailed both the Hines, and the developer of the Confluence asking when we should expect to see the nighttime lighting turned on indefinitely.

I am still waiting for a response about the Confluence, but James Roupp from Hines did respond about the side strip lighting saying, "I do not know if or when the lights will be on. There has been some push back from the neighbors...
Thanks!
Jamie"

Makes me think there is still pushback from the Four Seasons...

I also emailed a couple of developers that we were certain were over ambitious in their plans, Paradise Living and Greenwich...

I am still waiting on a reply from Paradise but when I tried emailing Greenwich (the email from their website) It instantly spat back at me a reply saying "Your message wasn't delivered to info@greenwichrc.com because the address couldn't be found, or is unable to receive mail."

I then tried calling the number on the contact page and it is no longer in service...

I have always kind of doubted the likely hood of this project happening, but this has helped me confirm it further that its not happening.

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

I believe that's the intent. RTD wants them gone, but Denver is telling RTD to go pound sand as the city will be providing the vast majority of the funding and will be heading the project.

Historic Denver is the main driver of keeping the pavers.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

IIRC, It's coming from DURA TIF, some federal grants, RTD ($15M), and other sources. I believe that Denver has lined up about $96M in funding to date.

Thanks

Originally Posted by wong21fr

I believe that's the intent. RTD wants them gone, but Denver is telling RTD to go pound sand as the city will be providing the vast majority of the funding and will be heading the project.

It's goes to the 'famous' original architecture and the grant money given which could cause a 'give-back' if they substantially changed the original..... or something like that.

Nice view of the Circa Building on Platte Street


Photo by Margaret Jackson/BizNow

https://www.bisnow.com/denver/news/o...building-92237

Developed by Unico Properties, the 96K SF Circa Building is certified LEED Platinum. The building’s contemporary design reflects the historic structures found along Platte Street — including the Root and Zang buildings, which also are owned by Unico.

See the Xero name in the upper left corner? There's a reason for that.

“The Circa Building was built for forward-thinking companies like Xero who are taking Denver to the next level,” Unico Vice President and Regional Director Austin Kane said.

It's obvious that Unico turned away all the backward-thinking companies.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Denvergotback

I took the time today to email a few developers about some questions we all have been having, Some may be confirming what we all have dreading (maybe)...

I emailed both the Hines, and the developer of the Confluence asking when we should expect to see the nighttime lighting turned on indefinitely.

I am still waiting for a response about the Confluence, but James Roupp from Hines did respond about the side strip lighting saying, "I do not know if or when the lights will be on. There has been some push back from the neighbors...
Thanks!
Jamie"

Makes me think there is still pushback from the Four Seasons...

I also emailed a couple of developers that we were certain were over ambitious in their plans, Paradise Living and Greenwich...

I am still waiting on a reply from Paradise but when I tried emailing Greenwich (the email from their website) It instantly spat back at me a reply saying "Your message wasn't delivered to info@greenwichrc.com because the address couldn't be found, or is unable to receive mail."

I then tried calling the number on the contact page and it is no longer in service...

I have always kind of doubted the likely hood of this project happening, but this has helped me confirm it further that its not happening.

Totally not surprised about Greenwich or Paradise...... I wrote those off a long time ago. Maybe someone will pick them up, but in that situation they probably would become completely different projects.

With respect to the 1144 strip lighting...... really? The strip lighting doesn't even face the Four Seasons. Is there some kind of leverage the Four Seasons has over this project I am unaware of? I get some people may have had concerns about the crown lighting, but if they are still complaining about the strip lighting, that's ridiculous. What's even more frustrating is how easily Hines is bending to a few people.

With the Confluence, maybe I could see the lighting facing east towards neighbors, but the river side faces... well, the river.

This isn't a problem in large cities where nighttime lighting is much much more ambitious than here in Denver.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by twister244

With respect to the 1144 strip lighting...... really? The strip lighting doesn't even face the Four Seasons. Is there some kind of leverage the Four Seasons has over this project I am unaware of? I get some people may have had concerns about the crown lighting, but if they are still complaining about the strip lighting, that's ridiculous. What's even more frustrating is how easily Hines is bending to a few people.

With the Confluence, maybe I could see the lighting facing east towards neighbors, but the river side faces... well, the river.

This isn't a problem in large cities where nighttime lighting is much much more ambitious than here in Denver.

I could have told you that 20 years ago when I first joined this forum. Even the crown for Block 162 has been unlit in all three of latest rendering releases.

In all fairness, however, I can see how accent illumination on our downtown buildings would detract from the spectacular view of the mountains we all enjoy in the pitch darkness of night.

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by twister244

With respect to the 1144 strip lighting...... really? The strip lighting doesn't even face the Four Seasons. Is there some kind of leverage the Four Seasons has over this project I am unaware of? I get some people may have had concerns about the crown lighting, but if they are still complaining about the strip lighting, that's ridiculous.

Instead of a lit crown, there's a giant Optiv logo which is potentially brighter than any crown lighting that could have been on the building. I guarantee you, if you lived in the Four Seasons, the Optiv logo is much more of an annoyance. Huh.

Edit: It's okay guys. Independence Plaza has our back.

[derek.berardi]

Originally Posted by RyanD

Instead of a lit crown, there's a giant Optiv logo which is potentially brighter than any crown lighting that could have been on the building. I guarantee you, if you lived in the Four Seasons, the Optiv logo is much more of an annoyance. Huh.

Edit: It's okay guys. Independence Plaza has our back.

I got excited and went past Independence Plaza last night but it isn’t lit like that. When did you take that pic?

[The Dirt]

Was that only lit for a Rockies game?

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by derek.berardi

I got excited and went past Independence Plaza last night but it isn’t lit like that. When did you take that pic?

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Was that only lit for a Rockies game?

It was on Saturday the 18th. The phone captured it as purple but it was more of a blue affair, so I'm not sure if it's Rockies related?