DENVER | Main Development Thread #6

[PLANSIT]

I may have spied a tower crane base at 9+CO (9th + Colorado) in Block 7. I was on the bus and caught it late... Need confirmation.

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

I may have spied a tower crane base at 9+CO (9th + Colorado) in Block 7. I was on the bus and caught it late... Need confirmation.

I took a bunch of photos of that project for a fairly large DI post and there were no crane bases. So, as cool as it would be to already have a crane base there, I don't want to retake photos.

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by RyanD

I took a bunch of photos of that project for a fairly large DI post and there were no crane bases. So, as cool as it would be to already have a crane base there, I don't want to retake photos.

When was the photoshoot?

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

When was the photoshoot?

I did it a week and a half ago.

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by bcp

WOW....blown away and may go land shopping...(we are starting a fund, ping me if anyone is interested)

"no requirement for developers in the new zones to provide parking.".... Incredible.

No affordability requirements....but I would think that IHO still applies for 30+ units?

Well done city council. Let the market work - you will still get parking spaces.

Well done planning staff at the City. City Council just approves.

Anyway, there is also a height amendment consideration for 38th/Blake. Not as tall, but just as significant for that area.

Next 38th/Blake Meeting.

[rds70]

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

I may have spied a tower crane base at 9+CO (9th + Colorado) in Block 7. I was on the bus and caught it late... Need confirmation.

I went by there today, and there is indeed a red tower crane base for the 9 story, 275 unit apartment building.

[CPVLIVE]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Thanks for the tips Denver forumers. We drove through the art museum area on our way to visit the Denver Botanical Gardens at Cheesman Park. The gardens were very impressive, and your parks also seem very nice.

We flew out of DIA last night and I was interested in seeing the new Calatrava/Gensler hotel addition. I gotta say that from a distance it is a huge eyesore to the airport. It doesn't go at all with the airport. It's bulky and blue, and it's form just takes away from the white tent tops of the airport. I was impressed with the large curved canopy interacting with the airport and up close and by itself it's not so bad. I think Calatrava's white version would have looked better, but it's similar form and bulkiness as the current one might still have been bad. Anyways, just my and my wife's, and father-in-law's opinion. I am curious to know what you locals think of it, though.

Yeah - Calatrava's design was far more elegant no doubt - and was more complementary to the existing airport architecture - but, as bunt said he couldn't be constrained by such things as budgets and apparently patented the color white.


Photo courtesy of the Denver Post

[Orlando]

Btw, there was a large construction project with 4 tower cranes just south of the airport by about 1 mile. Anyone know what massive project is going there?

[Denver Dweller]

http://www.denverrealestatewatch.com/2016/06/29/construction-at-9th-and-colorado/

[semiurban]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Btw, there were a large construction project with 4 tower cranes just south of the airport by about 1 mile. Anyone know what massive project is going there?

It is a new motel in Aurora.

[guppyflyer]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Btw, there were a large construction project with 4 tower cranes just south of the airport by about 1 mile. Anyone know what massive project is going there?

Gaylord Rockies

[comoneymaker]

I don't remember who said 16th st is the same as Fishermans warf in SF. Cause its not. Not even close. I feel safe af at fishermans warf.

http://www.9news.com/news/crime/video-shows-attack-on-16th-street-mall/259921019

[mojiferous]

Originally Posted by comoneymaker

I don't remember who said 16th st is the same as Fishermans warf in SF. Cause its not. Not even close. I feel safe af at fishermans warf.

http://www.9news.com/news/crime/video-shows-attack-on-16th-street-mall/259921019

I like how every news outlet just had to insinuate that this wasn't just another crackhead fight on the mall. No one mentions the multiple bystanders that he ignores, because "fight starts between crackheads that know each other and one of them grabs a pole" doesn't generate clicks.

Is it a problem? Sure. Is it somehow unique to Denver or the 16th St. Mall? Absolutely not.

Also, going back to my previous post about the mall: Just like the Ross management, the owners of the McDonalds on that corner (16th & Cleveland) should be publicly shamed for not helping to alleviate the crazy crackhead problem. Oddly enough the office buildings surrounding it and the hotel on the next corner don't have a recurring problem with aggressive panhandling or crazy homeless. But the McDonalds that seemingly tolerates packs of people sitting outside does have a problem. Just the old McD's on Champa did (whereas Mod Market does not).

[mhays]

There's a McDonald's in Seattle's Retail District too...it's the epicenter of Downtown crackheads.

Our problems are pretty similar. The City cracked down this spring and it probably improved, but we'll see. Also Westlake Park, in the middle of the Retail District, has been heavily "activated" with activities, rentable ping-pong stuff, etc., keeping it busy with normals. It'll take an ongoing battle though.

This is a huge theme on SSP...similar issues everywhere.

[RyanD]

I never mentioned this. I spent the entire night on the 16th Street Mall last Friday-Saturday. I time-lapsed the installation of 'Urban Tangle' for the DDP and it was quite an interesting night.

-We started at 10pm and didn't finish until 7am. Since I was just behind the camera, and not busy installing the art piece, I saw a lot of interesting things.

-When 12am rolled around, DPD just left us even though we requested for extra police presence.

-On just the Champa / Stout block alone, 5 physical fights broke out overnight, one including a shirtless guy getting dragged over the curb and along the mall. One of the fights DPD just watched, didn't intervene.

-Shouting profanities at pedestrians happened multiple times an hour mostly when they were ignored when asking for money, cigarettes, etc.

-This particular group of people would block the door to 711 and ask for change or whatever and refuse to let people in unless they complied. 711 does / did nothing about this.

-3 bottles were violently smashed overnight in various places around the block.

-One high / drunk lady refused to move out of the way of my camera unless I gave her whatever she was mumbling. I just moved along.

-Two guys were chasing each other around the block for a good half hour shouting and cursing over a stolen lit cigarette.

-The BID, out of all people, ended up sweeping these people off the block, almost literally with their brooms, at 5am to get the mall ready for the day.

It was stupid. I can't believe the mall is like this now. Back in 2009/2010 I used to walk the mall at 2/3am ALONE and not run into a single soul. I would never do that now.

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by RyanD

I never mentioned this. I spent the entire night on the 16th Street Mall last Friday-Saturday. I time-lapsed the installation of 'Urban Tangle' for the DDP and it was quite an interesting night.

-We started at 10pm and didn't finish until 7am. Since I was just behind the camera, and not busy installing the art piece, I saw a lot of interesting things.

-When 12am rolled around, DPD just left us even though we requested for extra police presence.

-On just the Champa / Stout block alone, 5 physical fights broke out overnight, one including a shirtless guy getting dragged over the curb and along the mall. One of the fights DPD just watched, didn't intervene.

-Shouting profanities at pedestrians happened multiple times an hour mostly when they were ignored when asking for money, cigarettes, etc.

-This particular group of people would block the door to 711 and ask for change or whatever and refuse to let people in unless they complied. 711 does / did nothing about this.

-3 bottles were violently smashed overnight in various places around the block.

-One high / drunk lady refused to move out of the way of my camera unless I gave her whatever she was mumbling. I just moved along.

-Two guys were chasing each other around the block for a good half hour shouting and cursing over a stolen lit cigarette.

-The BID, out of all people, ended up sweeping these people off the block, almost literally with their brooms, at 5am to get the mall ready for the day.

It was stupid. I can't believe the mall is like this now. Back in 2009/2010 I used to walk the mall at 2/3am ALONE and not run into a single soul. I would never do that now.

Mayor Hancock seemed genuinely outraged this week at his press conference talking about mall security, and promised to fix things with a lot more resources.

We will see if that happens. In addition to private security and a MUCH higher police presence, I think security cams down the entire length of the mall would be good a idea, especially ones that police have access too. Might as well start using technology to help.

It would be a shame to see the downtown renaissance cut short by "urban travelers "(thugs).

[RyanD]

You can only do so much since it's still public property / domain. I know if you kick them off the mall, they'll just migrate out to 14th, 15th or 17th, 18th, and beyond. It's tricky. I still say privatize it so you can actually do something versus just sitting there watching. It'll never happen but I like the idea in my head.

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by bcp

Sounds very aggressive on the mall now...not good. Curious if they share bunts ironic killtherich mentality.

What should mcdonalds do? Hire guards? Shoo them away?

They used to blast classical music. And it actually worked. Do they not do that anymore? I haven't paid attention lately.

[Robert.hampton]

Originally Posted by bcp

Sounds very aggressive on the mall now...not good. Curious if they share bunts ironic killtherich mentality.

What should mcdonalds do? Hire guards? Shoo them away?

They should probably hire the dude with the pole. I actually think he had the right idea.

[mojiferous]

Originally Posted by bcp

Sounds very aggressive on the mall now...not good. Curious if they share bunts ironic killtherich mentality.

What should mcdonalds do? Hire guards? Shoo them away?

Shooing them away actually does work -- sure, you'll probably have confrontations with aggressive people, but that's when DPD gets called. Just letting random homeless people camp out in front of your business does nothing positive. And that's exactly what McDonalds and Ross do...

I think having more DPD foot/bike patrols in downtown would be helpful too. More cops rolling by in cars does no good, they don't necessarily notice the more annoying behavior.

Having the cops act as a kind of outreach would move the really annoying kids along even faster. Right now DPD only gets involved if they have to bash someone's head, which is why the foot patrols they do run don't prevent much of this. Instead they should be encouraged to approach these packs of kids/crackheads and ask if everyone has eaten, if they know where the shelters are, if they know the laws about panhandling and urban camping... Stopping the shirtless crazy and asking if he's local, because we're at altitude and he'll sunburn faster than wherever he's from. And then come back and check on them, making eye contact and very obviously asking the vendors and people walking if they're doing OK. The approach might seem dumb to the "bash them on the head" crowd, but I can guarantee that the panhandlers and crackheads won't like being bothered all the time and the really crazy ones will reveal themselves pretty quickly. This way you're not harassing them and able to market it as a "wellness check". These foot patrols should continue all night long.

Of course, DPD is too underfunded and understaffed to commit the kind of resources this would require, so... Randomly bashing people who are already fighting is probably the only thing we get. Drunks harassing Ryan or breaking bottles or pooping on the sidewalk are the least of their worries most nights, so they just happen without consequence.