DENVER | Main Development Thread #6

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Of course I had to try to check out what the hell you were talking about. I found THIS good USA Today article. I also then clicked the link for Marriott's new AC brand which also discusses this fast growing market segment.

Stopping by Charlotte and Washington (DC) Business Journals I got a little better feel for Hilton's new Canopy brand. For one thing it's "less capital intensive," meaning they're cheaper. From the USA Today article (link above):

"We saw an opportunity to not only enter the lifestyle space by developing a new brand, but also to redefine this category by creating a more accessible lifestyle brand..."
(Also)
Instead, Hilton is going after those who want to feel like they're not staying in a hotel chain even if they are. Each hotel will reflect the neighborhood that it's in.

From WBJ there's this:

It's meant to be a destination not only for hotel guests, but others in the neighborhood, Wood said.

Apparently Canopy Hotels will not have a standard design which is consistent with attaining a local (neighborhood) flavor.


Both Hilton's new Canopy and Marriott's new AC brands are their refinement of hotels like Starwood's Aloft in the "lifestyle" space. Hotel Indigo by IHG is another. Marriott is also partnering with Ikea in launching a more budget oriented chain in Europe called Moxy.

AC by Marriott was originally grown in Europe and is now being "imported." It does seem more specifically designed for the city to be an urban experience to appeal to millennials. It is intended to be more affordable than their luxury brands but still upscale with a focus on the business traveler with conference and meeting rooms etc.

If executed well in the hands of the right developer, Canopy might work at the Market Street site. It seems more ideal though for Lower Highlands or even RiNo. From what I've gathered I'm more intrigued with AC by Marriott for downtown.

[DenverPoke]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Stopping by Charlotte and Washington (DC) Business Journals I got a little better feel for Hilton's new Canopy brand. For one thing it's "less capital intensive," meaning they're cheaper. From the USA Today article (link above):

From WBJ there's this: Apparently Canopy Hotels will not have a standard design which is consistent with attaining a local (neighborhood) flavor.


Both Hilton's new Canopy and Marriott's new AC brands are their refinement of hotels like Starwood's Aloft in the "lifestyle" space. Hotel Indigo by IHG is another. Marriott is also partnering with Ikea in launching a more budget oriented chain in Europe called Moxy.

AC by Marriott was originally grown in Europe and is now being "imported." It does seem more specifically designed for the city to be an urban experience to appeal to millennials. It is intended to be more affordable than their luxury brands but still upscale with a focus on the business traveler with conference and meeting rooms etc.

If executed well in the hands of the right developer, Canopy might work at the Market Street site. It seems more ideal though for Lower Highlands or even RiNo. From what I've gathered I'm more intrigued with AC by Marriott for downtown.

http://img.washingtonpost.com/news/digge.../10/PikeandRose_HotelAnnc_6x6_300dpi.jpg

This is the rendering for the DC Canopy...I think it would fit in well anywhere in Denver...just depends on where they want to go and the franchisee.

[TakeFive]

^^ Don't necessarily disagree. This one (in DC) is 8 miles from Hilton's Headquarters so I assume it's a bit of a flagship for them. Nice looking building and if a Denver developer would also want to build one with a 100 (or more) condo's on top that would be great. It's why I suggested it could be be done if executed right.

But on those blocks closer to the Convention Center I'm hoping for more than 177 rooms and would prefer something more substantial, including branding. I was focusing (maybe too much) on Canopy's neighborhood theme and wondering how it would develop elsewhere as a brand? But Kimpton's "localized" Hotel Monaco is supposed to be quite nice although I think they are typically a downtown hotel.

[TakeFive]

In reference to water need projections and use I found this:


Courtesy of Vox

"These maps of water use show why the Western US is in trouble"
is the Headline on an interesting article HERE.

[BG918]

Originally Posted by Denver

Tower crane was put up today for the 6th and Speer apartments and the crane came down today for the platform. One up, one down.

From Denver Cityscape, this will probably look similar to the nearby Boulevard but two floors taller:

http://denver-cityscape.com/

[RyanD]

So it begins... Site specific aerial photos for DenverInfill.

Golden Triangle: EnV Update #1
via DenverInfill

[Dogpatch]

WOW!! Ryan, you're taking updates to the next level!

[RyanD]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

WOW!! Ryan, you're taking updates to the next level!

Lots of people can take pretty tasty ground level photos of any project. I gotta ramp it up!

[EngiNerd]

New nickname...."Ramp-it-up-Ryan"

[Fritzdude]

Originally Posted by RyanD

So it begins... Site specific aerial photos for DenverInfill.

Golden Triangle: EnV Update #1
via DenverInfill

Great photos! I think it would be great for Denver to have 12-18 story towers lined along Cherry Creek within the Golden Triangle. Then have an elevated train span the waterway from the Highlands to Glendale. It would be a great alternate form of transportation without getting in the way of traffic. Plus, you would have great views of the creek during the ride. The photo below is from Holland, but it could easily be built 45 feet above the creek, which would still put it 25 feet above traffic in order to have enough space to clear road use below.

[enjo13]

Looks like Union Station is a failure. Way too white.

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/...y-miss-train-union-stations-architecture

[sphinx88844]

Originally Posted by enjo13

Looks like Union Station is a failure. Way too white.

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/...y-miss-train-union-stations-architecture

Are you kidding me... That is the most ridiculous article I have read in a long time...

[bcp]

that is almost entirely utter garbage...a few good points on the food options...that's it. why no mention of greyhound and the mexico buses? too touchy to talk about actual income differences and travel patterns (driven by time-value / cost mostly).

but it's more insulting to minorities than anything else....africans must have soul food? asians only eat sushi and like simple architecture? mexicans demand colorful walls to use the transit?

i'll agree that the retail / restaurant mix is overly selective....but that's easy to fix...blaming the architecture? good luck there...take a look at 10th and mariposa.

[The Dirt]

Not a failure, just racist because it's white. Yes, buildings are racist, now. This goes hand in hand with DIA being an anti Semitic swastika shaped airport. No wonder I don't see a lot of Jews when I go there.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by bcp

that is almost entirely utter garbage...a few good points on the food options...that's it. why no mention of greyhound and the mexico buses? too touchy to talk about actual income differences and travel patterns (driven by time-value / cost mostly).

but it's more insulting to minorities than anything else....africans must have soul food? asians only eat sushi and like simple architecture? mexicans demand colorful walls to use the transit?

i'll agree that the retail / restaurant mix is overly selective....but that's easy to fix...blaming the architecture? good luck there...take a look at 10th and mariposa.

Nicely stated. I'll try to piggyback a bit so I don't just repeat what you already said.

With an intent to be thought provoking I don't mind the article so much but it fails on many levels. As typical it implies that correlation is causation. To his credit he does often suggest another answer to his own questions.

While I'm not familiar with the Kansas City station making comparisons to St. Louis or Washington DC is ludicrous. Those places are huge in comparison to DUS. The renovation of St. Louis Union Station was initially very successful as it was a creative, cool use of a wasting asset. But the bloom faded.

In the interest of restoration, renovation and preservation of DUS they preferred the option of making it into a pricey boutique hotel. It was a good choice IMO but this limited the best use of limited common area spaces. It is what it is.

[bunt_q]

I actually agree with this article. It is completely oriented toward a lily white and wealthy crowd. My criticism of the article is why it focuses on Union Station. The same thing could be said for all of Central Denver. The implication in the article that Denver is somehow diverse is complete garbage, Denver - the whole of the municipal boundaries - is diverse the same way the metro area is diverse. But the central city is not in the least. It's wealthy, it's white, and it's getting exclusive. Let's not toss out a 49% white number and pretend we are a diverse city. Those groups don't cross paths.

[Mulligan]

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Not a failure, just racist because it's white. Yes, buildings are racist, now. This goes hand in hand with DIA being an anti Semitic swastika shaped airport. No wonder I don't see a lot of Jews when I go there.

I second that. This article was utter nonsense and quite possibly one of the dumbest things I think I've ever read from that paper (and I read their Gardner endorsement).

So glad I cancelled my subscription years ago...

[TakeFive]

Good News

Colorado's unemployment rate dropped to 4.7 percent in September, the lowest rate since June 2008...

per the DBJ

"Charlie: Order the cranes and call our lender; tell him that everything is rosy."

dramarising.tumblr.com

[SeattleExPat]

I walked by the 1801 Wewatta site this morning and noticed a sign there advertising that construction was going to start in January 2015, along with the rendering we have seen here. I am pretty sure that is new.

Also,the north pedestrian bridge at Union Station is finally open, and has been for at least a week. I hadn't seen that information posted here.

[Scottk]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Good News
per the DBJ

"Charlie: Order the cranes and call our lender; tell him that everything is rosy."

dramarising.tumblr.com

Which is exactly why I am very afraid of an economic recession occurring very soon.