DENVER | Main Development Thread #6 - Page 31

Cirrus · #**601** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

I think the reality is that nobody cares, because nobody really uses the light rail to access suburban office locations. The train is for going downtown.

Because there's nothing good to walk to. The last mile connection on the employment end is just as bad as it is on the residential end. Using transit is too difficult.

But it's a chicken or egg problem. We don't build good TOD because there's no demand, but there's no demand for TOD because we don't build convenient TOD.

TakeFive · #**602** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 10:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

Have we seen this? 13th + Lincoln.

It's fairly new, as the streets were re-paved recently. And there's actually 2 new buildings rendered.

EDIT: Found this RFQP (2013) for redevelopment through Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

http://trustlands.state.co.us/Sections/R...FQP%20Capitol%20Hill%20FINAL%2080513.pdf

Obviously a great site for a "state" building.
I seem to recall that the state owns a site north of Colfax also that they want to redevelop. Either that or I was upside down when I read it and this was the site?

Interzen · #**603** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 10:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Ooh, cool. We need photos not just a rendering.

Per linked site

I posted some photos a couple months back. The exterior is going on right now. I lost my camera last week but I can snap some cell shots next time I go by.

bunt_q · #**604** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Because there's nothing good to walk to. The last mile connection on the employment end is just as bad as it is on the residential end. Using transit is too difficult.

But it's a chicken or egg problem. We don't build good TOD because there's no demand, but there's no demand for TOD because we don't build convenient TOD.

I don't think that's true here. There is good walkable stuff out there, denser, ironically farther from the light rail, e.g. Landmark, etc. I just think the transit is a complete non-factor. It's slow and along the highway - even if there was walkable stuff right nearby, the transit would still be an afterthought. That line is never going to become an integral part of people's lives, I don't think. It's just a commuter line. Good for that, but I have no expectations that it'll be transformative down there. Transit adjacent is exactly right - but every bit of development out there would happen exactly the same without the light rail.

The only thing that would help out there is to actively try and make driving more difficult. But nobody wants that.

EngiNerd · #**605** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 11:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Obviously a great site for a "state" building.
I seem to recall that the state owns a site north of Colfax also that they want to redevelop. Either that or I was upside down when I read it and this was the site?

That is correct, NE corner of Colfax and Lincoln is owned by the State (that is their parking lot) and was proposed for development a while back, but shelved due to budgets IIRC.

EngiNerd · #**606** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 11:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

I don't think that's true here. There is good walkable stuff out there, denser, ironically farther from the light rail, e.g. Landmark, etc. I just think the transit is a complete non-factor. It's slow and along the highway - even if there was walkable stuff right nearby, the transit would still be an afterthought. That line is never going to become an integral part of people's lives, I don't think. It's just a commuter line. Good for that, but I have no expectations that it'll be transformative down there. Transit adjacent is exactly right - but every bit of development out there would happen exactly the same without the light rail.

The only thing that would help out there is to actively try and make driving more difficult. But nobody wants that.

I would also guess that a great majority of those living in these southern TOD's (TAD's??) like Belleview Station likely work in the DTC/Inverness/Meridian and not Downtown. They probably would however use the light rail to go Downtown to the bars or games (and eventually airport) which could be a draw, so being transit adjacent is not completely without merit for those living in the immediate area of the light rail.

A fellow coworker at my office reverse commutes from Downtown to the Belleview DTC area, but drives because (you guessed it) its too much of a pain to get from the station to the office. They recently moved here, and attempted light rail but found it too inconvenient to use, even taking into account that they have to fight with traffic on I-25. In my mind that tells a lot about the usage of the LRT for anything other than commuting into downtown, there is just not the last mile transit in place at the stations outside downtown, and maybe a handful of others, to make them useful for anything else.

seventwenty · #**607** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 11:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

So is this why many prefer to live downtown and are willing to pay the living costs?

photo credits to DenveriJournal.com southbound from the Tech Center

It would seem of course that the photo also indicates there's no shortage of bodies preferring the suburbs. Yuck.

What's Denver going to do? Not sure CDOT experimenting with lane configurations daily is much of an answer.

I've been driving this stretch for a few days. For a $10,000 solution, it's a decent fix.

It's still a bandaid, but the jamming area has been reduced from north of Arapahoe to County Line. Arapahoe to County line is still packed, but at least 25's moving at 35 mph.

RyanD · #**608** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 11:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

Have we seen this? 13th + Lincoln.

I was just walking by this site last night going, man, I wish they would do something with this. Well there we go. This is sexy.

Denver · #**609** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 12:31 AM**

Who designed the rendering?

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

Have we seen this? 13th + Lincoln.

bunt_q · #**610** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 1:09 AM**

Please be condos. Please.

CPVLIVE · #**611** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 1:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Please be condos. Please.

^^^
I second this - I share your frustration bunt. Pretty much everything you've opined on about this subject I agree with - I would have wrote as much myself, but your doing a terrific job and I wouldn't want to subject the forum to my endless ranting.

PS - It was nice to see Ferrandino term-limited, but the damage is already done.

RyanD · #**612** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 1:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPVLIVE

^^^
I second this - I share your frustration bunt. Pretty much everything you've opined on about this subject I agree with - I would have wrote as much myself, but your doing a terrific job and I wouldn't want to subject the forum to my endless ranting.

You're our leader in this war Bunt. I expect a speech in the square (let's say Wynkoop Plaza) with you in full battle gear. Chainmail armor, sword in the air, scruffy war beaten face, the whole burrito. "Leaders of District 2 DENVER, [insert bunt-y words about condos]".

On a serious note, we might have to take drastic measures like this to get the point across. My goal is to buy a decently priced / sized place in a central Denver by my early 30s. Time's ticking...

bunt_q · #**613** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 1:56 AM**

I liked the Mayor's State of the City speech. If he could deliver on half that, I might not think he's totally useless. (Capitol stooge?)

TakeFive · #**614** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 3:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

That is correct, NE corner of Colfax and Lincoln is owned by the State (that is their parking lot) and was proposed for development a while back, but shelved due to budgets IIRC.

So I wasn't reading upside down then. This is good.
I also seem to recall that there was an existing office building as well as part of the site. I don't recall if they wanted to redevelop the whole parcel or just add a new building and then redo the existing building afterwards.

In any case with light rail and new apartment projects likely winding down by 2016 that might be a nifty time to tackle this site.

TakeFive · #**615** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 3:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Please be condos. Please.

Not sure why the Colorado Department of Natural Resources would need or want condos?

Of course that's why I found the rendering a bit confusing so maybe there are dots I'm not connecting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

I liked the Mayor's State of the City speech. If he could deliver on half that...

DownhomeDenver · #**616** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Not sure why the Colorado Department of Natural Resources would need or want condos?

They dont care about condos they care about ROI. The SLB currently collects about 700K in revenues from the site annually. they are looking for a team to develop it so they can make even more revenue by either selling the land or investing in development, etc. etc. I breezed through the document that was attached...

Cool building. Guess we will see what happens...

TakeFive · #**617** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 4:36 AM**

Speaking of The Honorable Mayor and his city speech I am still supportive of the evolution of the aerotropolis on and around DIA.

I highly recommend that they erect 30 story casinos and add a "brothel ally." Might as well add a cockfighting venue while they're at it.

On a less serious note, anything they can do to enhance development that would support DIA and its (international) flight schedule can only be a positive for downtown ultimately. It would surely lead to more Tall Boys over time. We may not be able to compete head to head with say Dallas or DFW but that's no reason to fold up the airport tents.

denconyny · #**618** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 5:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

We may not be able to compete head to head with say Dallas or DFW

Says who?

TakeFive · #**619** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 6:40 AM**

Quote:

Denver’s star has risen on the national multifamily scene, Price said, coming in just behind San Francisco and New York City in a Marcus and Millichap analysis of multifamily markets nationwide.

This quote is taken from the DBJ. This article is also interesting because it talks about affordability and (other) changing Denver neighborhoods.

Paulopolis · #**620** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 7:25 AM**

I came across this page (http://www.openstudioarchitecture.com/osa_portfolio_coloStateLandBoard.html) on Open Studio Architecture's website after Galvanize 2.0 was first proposed (they're designing that building or at least designed the first iteration of that building.) Open Studio was hired to put together an entitlement study for the Land Board that could act as a bridging document for a future RFP, guiding the parameters of the subsequent proposals. It looks like the document that PLANSIT linked to is the RFP. If so, are there any other proposals/renderings out there? Maybe this is the project that survived the cull and what the state plans to go with. In that case, it's a good-looking project.

Anyway, I'm really diggin' the renderings that PLANSIT included. I also like the fact that they want to keep the old building on the corner of 13th & Lincoln. It's a nice-looking building and would make a great retail space. I'd like to see an eastern elevation so we can see what they plan to do with that portion of the parking lot between the residential component and what looks to be an office building on 12th & Sherman.

Also crossing my fingers for condos.

P.S. I remember a rendering somewhere for the proposed state building at Lincoln & Colfax. It was proposed to be 10 stories and have ground-floor retail, if I remember correctly. If I get a chance, I'll see if I can find it.