DENVER | Main Development Thread #7

[RyanD]

Back in 1858 a group of gold prospectors from Kansas decided that it was time to go out west for the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. This first settlement, known as Montana City, was in the Western Kansas territory. Even though Montana City was later to be the site of Denver, settlers preferred the town of Auraria and left Montana City behind.

Then this handsome gentleman came along (what a stud).


https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...r&GRid=8680739

General William Larimer placed cottonwood logs to stake a claim on the bluff overlooking the confluence of the South Platte and Cherry Creek River. Thus, Denver City was born.

Denver City received its name from this well dressed man, James W. Denver.



From a starting population of 4,749 in 1860, Denver proper has grown over 14,372% with the metro area over 59,261%. That's a lot of growth in just 157 short years!

From a mining town to the city it is today, Denver has faced many challenges but has greatly succeeded, becoming a better city each day. Let's explore some great moments in Denver's growth.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver#/media/Fileenver_Colorado_1898_-_LOC_-_restoration1.jpg


https://www.denverite.com/denver-16t...-photos-15246/


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/



I want to welcome you to the official 7th Denver Development Thread!

As mentioned by Cirrus in the previous thread:

The thread name: We do not have any formal rule that threads must be named in the "CITY NAME | Subtitle" format, but it's clear and some people like it, so here it is. Feel free to use a similar format for other threads you may create, but it's not the end of the world if you don't.

This thread's topic: This is mostly for downtown Denver and adjacent central city neighborhoods. But if someone wants to post development news from the suburbs or DIA or whatever, that's OK too (if we decide to change that, we'll change the title to "downtown only" or something). Just try to keep news for things that have their own dedicated threads in those dedicated threads. Also, be prepared for and accept that this thread sometimes digresses as the discussion ebbs and flows.

Other ongoing Colorado threads:

• DENVER | Transportation Thread
• DENVER | Cherry Creek Development Thread
• Colorado Politics
• Colorado Economy Thread
• Colorado Front Range Development Thread
• Official Skyscraperpage City of Denver Transit Plan Thread
• Mountain West Microbrew: Chit chat and irrelevancy
• Neverending Mountain West region college football thread

And don't forget: You ARE allowed to make new threads. They can be one-offs or you can attempt to create an ongoing one. Feel free.


[Previous Thread]

Let the discussion continue...

[pablosan]

Concerning The Confluence:

The tower is skinned in high-performance glass and random metal panels of blue and white, which gives the hint of falling water. Come nightfall, a series of white LED lights run down the side of the building to create the sense of water cascading downward. The lights will also be programmed to go solid blue and orange during Broncos games and other special events.

From the Colorado Real Estate Journal

http://www.crej.com/news/confluence-goes-flow/

[pablosan]

Some Capitol Hill News

A site plan submitted to the city in January proposes a 24-unit building standing five stories tall, with all two-bedroom units. Oyster International plans for a ground-floor restaurant fronting Lincoln Street and a 25-space parking garage.

This is replacing 3, 2-story houses that are being demolished.

BusinessDen

http://www.businessden.com/2017/03/0...or-apartments/

[DUPio]

A single-story run down bungalow was torn down for a 2 (possibly 3) story complex for one of the sororities at DU. 1985 S Josephine across from Starbucks/Brueggers

Both the engineering school and expansion of the international business school are complete and look nice.

Two ~5 story apartment projects along University near Illif look to be topped out.

The Mill Creek project at Josephine and Buchtel has to be near completion.

Sorry for no pictures. There are rumblings from some of the DU administrators I've spoken with about an effort to redevelop the west part of University between Asbury and Buchtel with retail, more apartments and a DU-owned hotel that would double as a training site for the hospitality students and host athletic teams. This would be awesome if it comes to fruition. A public-DU partnership indoor/outdoor tennis facility is set to break ground in the fall near South HS.

[seventwenty]

Ryan. What haven't you updated all those old photos for a before and after shot?

[Fritzdude]

Nice to see the Denver rock drill site getting redevelop. I often drive by there and wondered how long it might take for somebody to put this together. Nice to see Cole neighborhood getting some love.

[CharlesCO]

Not technically in Denver, but does anyone know what's going up on the southwest corner of Broadway and Girard in Englewood? That stretch of Broadway has really livened up in recent years. Never thought I'd see the day when Englewood could be considered "cool" much less that Englewooders would sport hairstyles from this century.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

Nice to see the Denver rock drill site getting redevelop. I often drive by there and wondered how long it might take for somebody to put this together. Nice to see Cole neighborhood getting some love.

Yeah, this really is going to be a nice development for the area. I kind of wish that one of the warehouses was given over to a marketplace. While the Source is nice, I find the Zeppelins interegration of architectural styles pre-dating the 1950's to be lacking.

http://denverrockdrill.com

[rds70]

The full building permit has been submitted for the Ascent Union Station project:



www.ascentapts.com

[DUPio]

What's the deal with the lot at 19th and Chestnut next to the power plant and Hilton project? Is that owned by the city or is that really the last parcel in Union Station/CPV without something in the works?

[BG918]

Originally Posted by DUPio

What's the deal with the lot at 19th and Chestnut next to the power plant and Hilton project? Is that owned by the city or is that really the last parcel in Union Station/CPV without something in the works?

Last I heard it was originally supposed to be an office building but now looks like potentially 16 stories of more apartments. I really thought we would see more than just 1 condo project at Union Station..

[CastleScott]

Getting back to Ryan's first post with Denver history and pics-the one second from the bottom looks to be from about August 1983 back when I was just starting at Metro State (as an older 50s something dude I remember several of those old photos).

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by CastleScott

Getting back to Ryan's first post with Denver history and pics-the one second from the bottom looks to be from about August 1983 back when I was just starting at Metro State (as an older 50s something dude I remember several of those old photos).

Denver circa 1983 was such a depressing place. There had been that great building boom in late 70s and early 80s, then came the 1982 recession and the collapse of the oil markets. At one point, Denver had the highest office vacancy rate downtown in the developed world, reaching 30 percent at one point.

Meanwhile, as shown by the picture, there was that large "rust belt" to southwest, west, and northwest, where Elitches, Pepsi Center, Union Station, Riverfront, Coors Field, RiNO and Ballpark are now. Midtown was also in decline, with a perception of high crime and urban decay. Beautiful historical houses were available on the cheap, if you were willing to live with that.

It was damn depressing. Denver population was in accelerating decline, ultimately losing 30,000 people in the 1980s with a general sense of malaise and decline.

Then and now is such an amazing contrast.

[Cirrus]

Assuming it's brick and not EIFS, that Ascent project looks pretty nice. Good, unusual, color combo.

[EngiNerd]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Yeah, this really is going to be a nice development for the area. I kind of wish that one of the warehouses was given over to a marketplace. While the Stanley is nice, I find the Zeppelins interegration of architectural styles pre-dating the 1950's to be lacking.

http://denverrockdrill.com

What a cool retrofit/rehab

[EngiNerd]

The projects just keep rolling in

http://www.businessden.com/2017/03/0...s-green-light/
17th Street, on the triangular parcel made up by Park, 17th, Marion, and Lafayette

Two years after bulldozing a dilapidated Uptown office building, a local developer has sealed a deal to replace it with 195 new apartments.

Lynd Co. is preparing to break ground on apartments and ground-floor retail space on 17th Avenue. It’s a mixed-use site local developer Pat Henry put together in recent years as he was working on another three-story apartment project a few blocks away.

[EngiNerd]

Huh....."welcome to CO"

Dispensary begins to rise in Union Station
By summer, travelers will be able to land at DIA, take the A-Line to Union Station, and stroll just three blocks to pick up an ounce and some edibles.

The Green Solution is planning a 4,000-square-foot dispensary on a sliver of land in the Union Station neighborhood, just a few blocks up from the light rail platform. It’s a $1.5 million build in a neighborhood that co-CEO Kyle Speidell said was not easy to break into.

“Because everything is brand new, it’s really challenging to find a location. And with new ownership at most buildings, they put marijuana at the bottom of the totem pole,” he said. “But developers saw this lot as too small; it wasn’t viable to build anything. So it was perfect for a tenant user.”

The Green Solution’s next dispensary will be at an undeveloped plot at 1995 Wewatta St. The marijuana chain bought the 3,125-square-foot parcel last year for $510,000, according to city records. Right now it’s a small surface parking lot
....

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

The projects just keep rolling in

http://www.businessden.com/2017/03/0...s-green-light/
17th Street, on the triangular parcel made up by Park, 17th, Marion, and Lafayette

I like this one. Great design for odd shaped space on a very prominent street!

[Robert.hampton]

Originally Posted by CherryCreek

I like this one. Great design for odd shaped space on a very prominent street!

I think the sheer size and height of the building will be a bit out of context for the neighborhood. I dont think 17th has anything taller than 5 stories and anything that tall is quite a bit west. From Park eastward almost everything is single story with a few 2-3 stories scattered. Even with that being said, the sheer amount of retail is great and will help activate that already lively section of 17th.

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by Robert.hampton

I think the sheer size and height of the building will be a bit out of context for the neighborhood. I dont think 17th has anything taller than 5 stories and anything that tall is quite a bit west. From Park eastward almost everything is single story with a few 2-3 stories scattered. Even with that being said, the sheer amount of retail is great and will help activate that already lively section of 17th.

Context looks great to me.