DENVER | Main Development Thread #6

[seventwenty]

Hickenlooper signs urban-renewal reform despite threats of stalled projects

Originally Posted by DBJ

Gov. John Hickenlooper on Friday signed into law Colorado's most significant piece of urban-renewal reform in recent memory, choosing to back a bipartisan measure over objections from city leaders and one urban-renewal financier who warned that the new law will bring some high-profile projects to a screeching halt.
A throng of county, special-district and school-district leaders gathered around the Democratic governor in his office as his signature on House Bill 1348 — sponsored by House Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, D-Gunbarrel, and Rep. Polly Lawrence, R-Roxborough Park — ended a frenzied three-week push to block the measure, a result that city and business leaders achieved when Hickenlooper vetoed a separate urban-renewal effort last year.

The bill itself.

The Colorado Municipal League did not back the bill.

HB 15-1348 would result in a chilling effect on the ability to create future urban renewal projects. The tax increment financing (TIF) formula contained in the bill will discourage the private sector from investing the time and money needed to develop a project financing package with an urban renewal authority, with the probability that the financing package will be undone by demands made during the TIF negotiations with taxing entities.
Urban renewal financing packages are already complex and difficult to complete - generally taking more than a year to work out between the urban renewal authority and the private sector.
HB 15-1348 adds another complicated layer of negotiation and financing formulas.

Commerce City did not like the bill.

[BG918]

Originally Posted by lumos

I am not sure if this is of interest but I captured the swollen confluence on Friday evening as the workers on the REI river improvements tried to hold back the water.

That part of Confluence Park has been flooded for the past two weeks, including the Cherry Creek trail in that area. The diversion dike has done a good job with holding back the water for that project. For those that have wondered what they're doing there:
The first phase of Confluence Park’s master plan will begin in late February and includes the closure of Shoemaker plaza and surrounding portions of the S. Platte River Trail until August 2016. Shoemaker Plaza is located on the west side of the South Platte River near the REI store and was built in the 1970s. As part of the larger plaza reconstruction, its concrete ramps will be replaced by a 12 foot wide, fully accessible bicycle and pedestrian ramp that will meet today’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. This ramp is a key connection to the South Platte River regional trail system and will provide better access to the plaza, which will be reconfigured to create more usable outdoor space for social activities and other events in Confluence Park. The cost of this project is approximately $4.2 million.

[Scottk]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Easy Like Sunday Morning
This one's for you, Scottk.

It's like you know me!!


Thanks for sharing, I am glad to hear about this

[Scottk]

Originally Posted by BG918

That part of Confluence Park has been flooded for the past two weeks, including the Cherry Creek trail in that area. The diversion dike has done a good job with holding back the water for that project. .[/I]

I wonder if all of this extra water has had any impact on the construction of the confluence??

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Scottk

Thanks for sharing, I am glad to hear about this

Originally Posted by BG918

The first phase of Confluence Park’s master plan will begin in late February and includes the closure of Shoemaker plaza and surrounding portions of the S. Platte River Trail until August 2016. Shoemaker Plaza is located on the west side of the South Platte River near the REI store and was built in the 1970s. As part of the larger plaza reconstruction, its concrete ramps will be replaced by a 12 foot wide, fully accessible bicycle and pedestrian ramp that will meet today’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. This ramp is a key connection to the South Platte River regional trail system and will provide better access to the plaza, which will be reconfigured to create more usable outdoor space for social activities and other events in Confluence Park. The cost of this project is approximately $4.2 million.

There's a nifty slide show of a new park in the Sun Valley neighborhood along with Weir Gulch channel improvements at the South Platte that was completed last October.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Hickenlooper signs urban-renewal reform despite threats of stalled projects

While I'm normally pro-business and against any new impediment, in this case I'm inclined to side with the counties and the Governor. There's some concern over the "applicability clause" which Hickenlooper promised to clean up in the next session. He did veto last year's bill which he said went a step too far. I assume his thinking was that they got it right this time and not to postpone the whole bill over some language ambiguity which can be easily addressed next year.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by RyanD

Y'all don't listen to me... Of course this puppy is going up.

I'm calling your bluff; no shovels, it doesn't exist.

[lumos]

Originally Posted by Scottk

I wonder if all of this extra water has had any impact on the construction of the confluence??

I do not think so. The current excavation is already below the water line and their pumping has kept the work site dry.

[rds70]

As of this morning, 15th Street adjacent to the 1144 site has been re-routed to allow for use of the public right-of-way during construction.

[seventwenty]

Originally Posted by rds70

As of this morning, 15th Street adjacent to the 1144 site has been re-routed to allow for use of the public right-of-way during construction.

Saw that. Took some photos from around there this morning.

Polsinelli's new digs:


1144 site as of 9:30. Some construction workers on the far side of the image. There were about 8-10 of them this morning.


New 16th signage



Edit: apologies for the different sizes. Damn imgur phone app.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by seventwenty

New 16th signage



Edit: apologies for the different sizes. Damn imgur phone app.

These aren't just signs, they have interactive touch screen, pretty sweet. Everything from the normal map, to transit and bicycle route info. And apparently there is also going to a sign-takes-a-selfie option that isn't activated yet.

[derek.berardi]

Sorry, I don't have a pic, but SkyHouse is going to start climbing. We've officially got one floor of column action going on. Was too hard to snap a pic while biking.

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by rds70

As of this morning, 15th Street adjacent to the 1144 site has been re-routed to allow for use of the public right-of-way during construction.

The re-route allows for 15th St. PBL to still be in operation during construction:

[rds70]

One Belleview Station to break ground tomorrow:

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/r...iew-station-office-buildingto-break.html

[DenverPoke]

Heard something interesting today. Put in the rumor category, but I was told Elitch's will be moving and the property redeveloped. Denver is trying to find a way to keep it in the city limits, but apparently the current property is already under contract. Anyone else hearing similar?

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by DenverPoke

Heard something interesting today. Put in the rumor category, but I was told Elitch's will be moving and the property redeveloped. Denver is trying to find a way to keep it in the city limits, but apparently the current property is already under contract. Anyone else hearing similar?

Wow, that could be really good news IMHO. How ironic and what a sign of progress. Elitches was a pioneer making great use of a former urban waste land that nobody else at time valued.

Now things have changed, and the real estate is very valuable. It's no longer the highest and best use.

I'd be curious where Elitches would end up if it relocated. Perhaps Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, as part of another redevleopment project?

From a commercial perspective, South Metro probably makes sense but would be a pretty penny for the right space.

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

These aren't just signs, they have interactive touch screen, pretty sweet. Everything from the normal map, to transit and bicycle route info. And apparently there is also going to a sign-takes-a-selfie option that isn't activated yet.

Any bets on how long those large interactive screens remain working? Nice touch, but not sure they are survivable in an urban environment like the 16th Street Mall.

[seventwenty]

Originally Posted by CherryCreek

Any bets on how long those large interactive screens remain working? Nice touch, but not sure they are survivable in an urban environment like the 16th Street Mall.

I've seen them in Seoul. They held up well there.

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by DenverPoke

Heard something interesting today. Put in the rumor category, but I was told Elitch's will be moving and the property redeveloped. Denver is trying to find a way to keep it in the city limits, but apparently the current property is already under contract. Anyone else hearing similar?

That would be awesome. I would hope that it be zoned for very high density.

[seventwenty]

Originally Posted by derek.berardi

Sorry, I don't have a pic, but SkyHouse is going to start climbing. We've officially got one floor of column action going on. Was too hard to snap a pic while biking.

Here ya go



And Brown Palace, since it doesn't get enough love.