Wednesday, August 23, 2006
High Rise Hopes
Here's a brief update on Downtown's three tallest high-rise proposals:
Great Gulf Group Tower (Block 070, 14th and Larwrence, 55-story condominium):
This one has the biggest news of the three... a formal development review application for this project has been filed with the city planning office! Also, the number of units has been set at 167. The tower was originally reported to have approximately 200. Also, Kentwood City Properties has reported that the on-site sales office for the Great Gulf Group tower will be open by "early winter." If pre-sales go as planned, we might be looking at a summer 2007 groundbreaking.
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences (Block 074, 14th and Arapahoe, 50-story hotel/condominium):
No official news to report, but small signs that continue to indicate that the project is slowly moving forward. The Four Seasons sales office, under construction for several months in the ground-floor retail space of the Performing Arts Complex parking garage, appears to be nearing completion finally. Work activity in the space has been increasing of late, with finished ceiling, floors, and walls occasionally visible through the papered-over windows. Also, I've heard reports that in the last couple weeks, workers have been spotted doing survey work and taking soil samples in the parking lot site at 14th and Arapahoe.
Spire (Block 131, 14th and Champa, 41-story condominium):
This project still appears to be on track for a September 2006 groundbreaking, as recently confirmed by the developer, the Nichols Partnership. The project has been under review with the city for several months and the site has been cleared.
With a little luck, we'll have all three of the projects under construction by next summer.
Great Gulf Group Tower (Block 070, 14th and Larwrence, 55-story condominium):
This one has the biggest news of the three... a formal development review application for this project has been filed with the city planning office! Also, the number of units has been set at 167. The tower was originally reported to have approximately 200. Also, Kentwood City Properties has reported that the on-site sales office for the Great Gulf Group tower will be open by "early winter." If pre-sales go as planned, we might be looking at a summer 2007 groundbreaking.
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences (Block 074, 14th and Arapahoe, 50-story hotel/condominium):
No official news to report, but small signs that continue to indicate that the project is slowly moving forward. The Four Seasons sales office, under construction for several months in the ground-floor retail space of the Performing Arts Complex parking garage, appears to be nearing completion finally. Work activity in the space has been increasing of late, with finished ceiling, floors, and walls occasionally visible through the papered-over windows. Also, I've heard reports that in the last couple weeks, workers have been spotted doing survey work and taking soil samples in the parking lot site at 14th and Arapahoe.
Spire (Block 131, 14th and Champa, 41-story condominium):
This project still appears to be on track for a September 2006 groundbreaking, as recently confirmed by the developer, the Nichols Partnership. The project has been under review with the city for several months and the site has been cleared.
With a little luck, we'll have all three of the projects under construction by next summer.
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This excites me to no end. While I agree Huge towers do NOT a great city make. But I would really, really, really love to see a few more, especially the Four Seasons, what a great addition to the skyline of Denver. Personally, I would love to see a permanant public market much like that in Seattle. I know Dana Crawford talked of this years ago, but it never came about. I live in Fort Laud FL now, but check DenverInfill everyday, and can't wait for my anticipated move back to the queen city I love. I am so grateful for this site! Thanks a million
I think it's interesting that the "Own the Sky" slogan and graphics used for the Glass House in Denver were used for the Spire in Atlanta (http://www.spireatlanta.com/). Of course our Spire will be taller... -Abe
Permalink Posted by 
: 8/23/2006 01:03:00 PM
: 8/23/2006 01:03:00 PM
They do look very similar, however the Denver Spire(not GH) will be 12 stories taller(41) than the Atlanta version(29).
All three of these building will have a major imapct. Especially along 14th. With that beign said.. time for smart street scaping and for a department store to start getting ramped up to support all of these new residents... cough Target cough
All three of these building will have a major imapct. Especially along 14th. With that beign said.. time for smart street scaping and for a department store to start getting ramped up to support all of these new residents... cough Target cough
Permalink Posted by : 8/23/2006 04:58:00 PM
: 8/23/2006 04:58:00 PM
I'm wondering how the super soft condo market is going to affect Denver? Although, we are certainly not Miami or San Diego, who's to say some of our leery weak kneed developers won't cave and shelf their projects? Hmmm? Who's not to say that 505 units may be too much to bring to the market? I don't want to forebode, so I hope I'm wrong.
Having recently moved from San Diego (and unloaded my condo in Little Italy apparently minutes before the market tanked), I can apperciate the concern of over-building. My hope is that lenders and buyers (which now includes many fewer speculators and 'flippers', one hopes) are more realistic now.
Comment about DenverInfill.com on my less-topical blog at:
http://joebehrsandiego.livejournal.com/71532.html
Comment about DenverInfill.com on my less-topical blog at:
http://joebehrsandiego.livejournal.com/71532.html
I hope these projects come to pass. Personally, I almost never met a skyscraper I didn't like. They remind me of giant works of art for a city (especially at night).
Don't forget that San Diego built like mad... in fact they have one building that has over 600 units! These three don't even add up to that. Denver has the potential to build many more before it becomes saturated.
Permalink Posted by : 8/25/2006 12:31:00 PM
: 8/25/2006 12:31:00 PM
It's a great location and they are not competing for business. Gulf Group s aiming at mid to lower-upper level income clients and Teatro is looking for upper level and up.
Permalink Posted by : 8/28/2006 04:24:00 PM
: 8/28/2006 04:24:00 PM
I doubt we will see anything other than the Spire get built over the next five years. I've become a pessimist after decades of watching the plug get pulled on every potential privately funded skyscraper to be planned. One Lincoln Park was a miracle considering that, not only did it actually break ground, but it will also be Denver's first attractive skyscraper. Denver desperately needs a couple more attractive skyscrapers to improve its hideous skyline so it's no longer the country's greatest laughing stock among architecture enthusiasts. Skyscrapers are as important as all of the practical small projects that make a city livible because the small projects don't end up on postcards and don't convey anything to the rest of the world.
The long term positive aspect of these three projects (if they all happen) is that retail will follow roof tops (or high rise tops) in this case. In new developments on the edge of the metro-area, housing almost always gets built first, then the shopping centers come when the demographics and residential numbers are there to interest the larger retailer.
I agree with The Inhabitant's comment concerning the importance of skyscrapers to a city's visual appeal, but I disagree the assertion that Denver has a "hideous" skyline. My job requires travel to several cities of varied size every year and I'd rate Denver's skyline as better than average. It's cetainly not equivalent to the skylines of NY, Chicago, or Seattle, but I'd subjectively rate it one level below them. Indeed, if Denver's skyline is so bad, why do real-estate agents here list (and often charge extra for) city views as a feature?
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