DENVER | Main Development Thread #6

[DenverInfill]

Originally Posted by Denver

Who do you think is the least NIBMY of all of the candidates for the 10th?

Please vote for Anna Jones (non-NIMBY). Do NOT vote for Wayne New (super-NIMBY)

[DenverInfill]

Originally Posted by enjo13

http://www.westword.com/news/the-1965-flood-how-denvers-greatest-disaster-changed-the-city-6668119


Really interesting article on the 1965 flood. It's particularly relevant here as it talks a bit about how Lodo and the CPV came to be in the wake of the flood.

Good historical info for people like me who didn't know much about this.

Yeah that was a really interesting article.

[seventwenty]

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

Please vote for Anna Jones (non-NIMBY). Do NOT vote for Wayne New (super-NIMBY)

Quoted for the sake of quoting.

[Scottk]

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

Yeah that was a really interesting article.

Ken, off topic, but I am wondering what classes you are teaching in the fall semester?

I'm currently enrolled at CU Denver.... trying to get into a graduate program.

Would love to take a class with you if it is about urbanism / urban design.


I know I am a fool on these forums sometimes, but promise I am very friendly and respectful in real life.

PM me please

[TakeFive]

Rapping on Rentals

"Affordable housing is scarce in Colorado, and renters are paying the price"
May 4, 2015 by Caitlin Hendee, Denver Business Journal

Nationwide, one in four renters nationwide use half their family's income to make rent and utility payments, according to Enterprise Community Partner's.

Of course we are familiar with Denver's difficult rental market but it's also a nationwide problem. Biggest culprit has been stagnant wages or as I often describe the growing income disparity.

In some respects Denver is fortunate. They were well prepared and took advantage of HOPE VI funds to redevelop the old East Village projects plus the Mariposa redevelopment in La Alma/Lincoln Park. Plus there were several "transitional housing" projects built.

In addition there is the Urban Land Conservancy which has built several projects and has several more in the works including a TOD six-acre site at East 48th Avenue and Race Street in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood.

Also Charlie Woolley, St. Charles Town Co. builds affordable stuff including the Zephyr Line Apartments at Wadsworth and a nice project along Morrison Rd. Additionally there will be new affordable units that I posted about on the Front Range Thread by Metro West Housing Solutions. I'm sue there are others as well.

What is most challenged is not so-called "Affordable Housing" but rather more affordable mainstream rentals, actually both.

[TakeFive]

Another cut and run copycat.

Another mid-sized oil & gas company, Pioneer Natural Resources is shutting their Denver office with its 70 employees.

With the construction of office space in Union Station plus 1401 Lawrence Street, I won't be surprised either way with what Hines decides.

[TakeFive]

Green Shoots

per tumblr.com

My earlier post got me to thinking...
In addition to projects mentioned there:

• In January we got news news of a a 21-acre mixed-use development called Clear Creek Transit Village along RTD's Gold Line.
• Trammell Crow is building apartments at Arvada Olde Town
• Koelbel & Co has built a senior apartment, has another affordable apartment under construction and plans for a market rate project all near the Yale Station.
• Mile High Development LLC and Koelbel & Co will be the Master developer for the 21-acre redevelopment of Regatta Plaza at the Nine Mile Station.
• Belmar is adding apartments including some that are "affordable."
• Forest City is working on the Master Plan for the Stapleton TOD
• BG918 has mentioned the additions near the DU Station.
• Belleview Station projects of course

Put it all together and there is a good amount of TOD related construction or planning happening and I'm sure it will only pick up from here. Denver needs this.

[rds70]

A couple of interesting bits of information:

Southern Land Company is looking at developing an apartment project in Uptown on the half-block on the west side of Pearl Street between 16th and 17th Avenues. No details yet.

Of interest in downtown, I received a letter today from TCF Bank stating that they will be closing their location at 16th and California. I also noticed that Shames/Makovsky was only looking for short term leases in the building. Could this mean something will be happening on Block 162 in the near future?

[seventwenty]

So many runoffs: http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/city/denver/2015/

Vote in June Districts 2, 7, 10, 11 and the at large council position.

EDIT: B/c Ken knows more than me.

[DenverInfill]

Originally Posted by seventwenty

So many runoffs: http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/city/denver/2015/

Vote in June Districts 2, 7, 10, 11 and the at large council position.

Not at-large. There are two at-large positions on council so the top two vote-getters are the ones elected.

[seventwenty]

Fixed.

[balugajames]

Originally Posted by rds70

A couple of interesting bits of information:

Southern Land Company is looking at developing an apartment project in Uptown on the half-block on the west side of Pearl Street between 16th and 17th Avenues. No details yet.

Of interest in downtown, I received a letter today from TCF Bank stating that they will be closing their location at 16th and California. I also noticed that Shames/Makovsky was only looking for short term leases in the building. Could this mean something will be happening on Block 162 in the near future?

Awesome news. Also it appears the ULC has put their Uptown assets up for sale likely to help fund the development of the land they just purchased near the north line. Both the lot off Bennedict fountain park and the dirt lot north of the bennedict housing project on the east side of Park ave, kity to Polaris, has big signs saying available. They put the signs up on Monday... (I am pretty sure the ULC owns these). Curious if anyone picks those up soon and what we see. The bennedict fountain location is m-ru-30 which allows up to 30 stories I believe? I wouldn't mind another tower to complement the park and fountain. Obviously its just land for sale now, who knows, but it would have one heck of a view..

[denconyny]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Yep and anyone that thinks that Buzz Geller is capable of more is certainly under the influence of our legalized herb. The man's a landbank who doesn't have the means or the connections to develop what he owns. Oh, and he overvalues the f**k out of his parcels dissuading any outside investment.

Getting back to Buzz Geller and Paradise Land Company, I finally did some googling and found this...

http://www.paradiselandcompany.com/index.html

and there appears as if he/Paradise portfolios a lot of fantastic and unique empty lots (calling them parking lots) and now available for sale, and all with huge potential development opportunity..... he must have had some smarts to get his hands on these properties? However... if he overvalues them, and/or doesn't have his own means of development..... what a waste all of these are sitting there as surface parking lots, and with this market now as it is in Denver, it would seem foolish to not make an effort to get the most from all of these now. Then..... this is only my and he's the one holding all of these chunks of real estate.

Originally Posted by balugajames

Awesome news. Also it appears the ULC has put their Uptown assets up for sale likely to help fund the development of the land they just purchased near the north line. Both the lot off Bennedict fountain park and the dirt lot north of the bennedict housing project on the east side of Park ave, kity to Polaris, has big signs saying available. They put the signs up on Monday... (I am pretty sure the ULC owns these). Curious if anyone picks those up soon and what we see. The bennedict fountain location is m-ru-30 which allows up to 30 stories I believe? I wouldn't mind another tower to complement the park and fountain. Obviously its just land for sale now, who knows, but it would have one heck of a view..

If the price is right, well...... and again, with the Denver sizzling real estate market the way it is, maybe a lot more of these ugly surface parking lots will start getting filled up with some sort of development? Five or six story multi-unit housing buildings can be fine for a lot of them if that's what will work, but with so many surface parking lots still out there in the DT and immediate area, I would think that not everything has to end up as such (especially on a few of the Geller/Paradise properties), and maybe at least some edgy/unique architecture and/or development will start making marks here?

I still have to question what's really driving all of this inflow of population to the Denver area?

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by seventwenty

So many runoffs: http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/city/denver/2015/

Vote in June Districts 2, 7, 10, 11 and the at large council position.

EDIT: B/c Ken knows more than me.

Looks like, assuming that the run-offs produce similar results, that we'll have a Denver City Council that is considerably more anti-growth. Huuzah.

Result: Good for my home price, terrible for all of you guys renting or who want to move to Denver.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Looks like, assuming that the run-offs produce similar results, that we'll have a Denver City Council that is considerably more anti-growth. Huuzah.

Result: Good for my home price, terrible for all of you guys renting or who want to move to Denver.

I was wondering what the outcomes might mean. I did see where Susan Shepard was beaten easily so I assume that Rafael Espinoza is more of a NIMBY but don't really know that? Anna Jones and Wayne New were relatively close so this one might go either way?

[balugajames]

Originally Posted by denconyny

I still have to question what's really driving all of this inflow of population to the Denver area?

I think the answer to that is another question..
What isn't?

Jobs, climate, mountains, convenience, night-life, transit, DIA with its international flights, sports, beauty, diversity, recreation and little-big city living. The only thing stopping more is price and availability. There are a few other great places in the states but many normal places are pretty sub-par...

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Looks like, assuming that the run-offs produce similar results, that we'll have a Denver City Council that is considerably more anti-growth. Huuzah.

Result: Good for my home price, terrible for all of you guys renting or who want to move to Denver.

Once you go San Fran, you can't go back. Just a good reminder that the average voter is stupid. You can't fix high cost of living my "stopping growth," because you can't stop growth.

(Even Boulder didn't stop it, they just kicked it out into orbit. Rich white Denver just wants all us poor saps to live in Aurora, I suppose. If I ever get to that point, I will run for Aurora council, and I will wage "war" on Denver out of spite. God willing, that never happens.)

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Once you go San Fran, you can't go back. Just a good reminder that the average voter is stupid. You can't fix high cost of living my "stopping growth," because you can't stop growth.

Weren't you just saying that Colorado voters are savvy in another post talking about state transportation funding? Or did I completely miss the sarcasm in that one?

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Weren't you just saying that Colorado voters are savvy in another post talking about state transportation funding? Or did I completely miss the sarcasm in that one?

True. With the big issues. Everybody gets stupid and greedy when it's their neighborhood and property values involved - that stupidity is universal. It's only overcome in cities big enough that representatives are elected by large enough numbers of people that they can have the big picture in mind. That has been Denver, but I am not sure that's the case anymore. Others will learn from Susan Shepherd that is only takes a few thousand votes in Denver to unseat you. And that is a terrifying prospect. Think Littleton URA BS. I wouldn't be surprised to see a fast regression on planning issues. Green space + 3-story buildings + bicycles = utopia.

We need YIMBY Denver!

[DenvertoLA]

Originally Posted by denconyny

Getting back to Buzz Geller and Paradise Land Company, I finally did some googling and found this...

http://www.paradiselandcompany.com/index.html

My hopes are diminished with the quality of this website, that thing looks ancient haha