Friday, March 30, 2007

 

New Office Project Proposed Near Pepsi Center

Margaret Jackson at the Denver Post reports this morning that Kroenke Sports Enterprises and developer Jim Neenan are planning to build two, 5-story, 150,000-square foot office buildings in the southwest corner of the Pepsi Center parking lots across from the Invesco Field light rail station. The buildings will be constructed in two phases. Here's the article: (Project to Begin Near Pepsi Center).

Here's a rendering of the project (image courtesy of denverpost.com):



The general contractor will be M. A. Mortenson and Oz Architecture is doing the design.

In general, I'm quite disappointed with this proposal. I think it's odd that the first thing the developer boasts about is the project's "ample parking" instead of its location immediately adjacent to a light rail station. I also see nothing mentioned about any ground-floor retail or other uses incorporated into the project. It appears this project has not been conceived as a "transit-oriented development" which, in this current era in Denver, is unfathomable. The architecture, scale, and orientation of the two buildings strike me as too suburban for this site. They'd look right at home along Dry Creek Road in Centennial.

When I wrote my blog in September on urbanizing the Elitch Gardens/Pepsi Center area (Denver's Elitch Gardens: Don't Raze, Urbanize!), this isn't what I had in mind. How about this instead: Take the second proposed office building and plop it down on top of the first, making a single 10-story office building. Then, on the site where the second office building was, build a 10-story (or so) residential building. Put ground-floor retail in both buildings including a restaurant with patio seating in the plaza facing the station. Now that would be an urban, transit-oriented development, and a great start to urbanizing the massive parking lots in this part of Downtown.

As was mentioned in the article, several years ago it was announced that Kroenke planned to build a retail, residential, and entertainment project at this site, including possibly an ice-skating rink. That's the project currently described for this location on the CVP South/Auraria page. It's too bad that project has been replaced with this one.

Where's the grand vision for this area? I've said it before and I'll say it again: Kroenke should partner with Elitch Gardens and the city to create a master plan for the entire Elitch's/Pepsi Center area that would eventually replace all surface parking with structured parking wrapped by high-density residential, office, retail, and entertainment uses. That's what we should expect for Downtown Denver!


Posted by Ken @ Friday, March 30, 2007 ~ Permalink ~
Comments:
What a waste! I hope it's never built -- better to save the opportunity for something better.

With the DNC coming soon, I would guess that we won't see too much activity on any of the parcels surrounding the Pepsi Center or Elitch's, since the security measures taken for the DNC would disrupt construction. This project looks far enough away that it wouldn't be affected.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 3/30/2007 08:08:00 AM
 
I totally agree with you, Ken. This proposal is a complete disappointment. The only saving grace would be if these buildings were simply phases 1 and 2 of a much larger overall proposal, or at least part of the larger development plan... Somehow, I doubt this is true, though. :(
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 3/30/2007 08:09:00 AM
 
That project blatantly sucks! They were going to fit an ice skating rink, retail, etc on that little space shown in the rendering?!?!
Permalink Posted by Blogger Rob : 3/30/2007 08:11:00 AM
 
Another disappointing thing. There's no mention of these buildings being green. Even though OZ Architecture and Mortenson build green, apparently Kroenke has no interest in that.
Permalink Posted by Blogger lindaloo : 3/30/2007 08:39:00 AM
 
Totally right Ken, the entire surrounding site has the potential to become a total jewel for Denver... if done correctly. And this proposal is not it.

These developers are robbing Denver and themselves of an opportunity to turn this area into a mega-center of commercial and entertainment space. Their office project would do better if combined with different mixed-used / TOD elements.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 3/30/2007 08:42:00 AM
 
Stan Kroenke is married to Anne Walton, the daughter of Sam Walton--the man who did so much to destroy the urban fabric of America in small towns and big cities alike. That this development looks like something more typical of the Meridian or Interlocken business parks at the far fringes of our vast sprawling metropolis therefore comes as no surprise. Can the city planning department work with him to produce a more appropriate development, or is this billionaire free to do what he likes with his property? Mr. Kroenke apparently believes that the last 50 years never happened--putting suburban-style buildings downtown was a popular notion in the 1950s and 1960s (just look across I-25 at the Diamond Hill office complex for a perfect example).
Permalink Posted by Blogger History Mystery : 3/30/2007 09:24:00 AM
 
I'm just angry that the Easter Bunny left his eggs lying in the middle of that plaza. I mean what kind of magical creature just leaves his stuff lying around? Not very responsible.

Yeah, and I totally thought suburban office park when I saw that rendering. Gross.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Paul : 3/30/2007 09:34:00 AM
 
I'm just thinking off the top of my head right now, but is there some way we could start an organization to support and foster community-wide discussions and consideration of "new urbanism" and/or TOD or related development? A group that would take on picketing the Fontius and similar buildings (or parking lots!), would get after Denver and other metro cities when they don't take advantage of LRT stations or other "obvious" opportunities to require smart growth, sustainable development, mixed use development, etc. I know a lot has and is being done around here, but then a clunker like this proposal shows up and I want to knock some sense into the developer and/or the city planners/decion-makers or whomever may need a figurative thump on the side of their head(s).

I'll even help to get it going, but I'd like some allies and maybe a "front" person or two since I have to be careful how involved I get in things like this due to my job. Any takers?
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 3/30/2007 11:38:00 AM
 
amen to your analysis. horrendous use of the space. they couldn't have put less effort or thought into this.
Permalink Posted by Blogger Charles : 3/30/2007 05:06:00 PM
 
really look at the area. who would want to live around this area, its next to railroad tracks,freeway,overpass,huge parking lot, not great selling points, there still plenty of parking(land) so maybe there will be more to come - like the north part of pepsi center -thats a good place for housing,retail.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 3/30/2007 05:56:00 PM
 
Who would want to live in this area? Not 10 years ago, the Riverfront Park area was even worse... railroad tracks (still there) near the highway, etc. Some project has to be first, but this whole area can be just as attractive as Riverfront Park. All it needs is someone to articulate the vision.
Permalink Posted by Blogger Ken : 3/30/2007 08:36:00 PM
 
How could this development be approved by the city? This is the exact opposite of what Denver is trying to acheive. Who approved this?? Seriously!!
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 4/01/2007 01:50:00 PM
 
I've always thought the entire Platte Valley missed the boat by not incorporating a system of water filled canals. Would have been easy to bring the water in from the Platte around Colfax, circulate it through the area including Elitches and then dump it right back in the river near confluence.
Same thing could have worked out of Cherry Creek and covered River Front area.
No water lost and we could have had our own little Venice.
Come on Stan, it'd be nice to look at from your stadium palace.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 4/22/2007 10:28:00 PM
 
Wow...if you could all just be realistic. Is this location really disturbing you? What kind of mixed use are you thinking about at this location? Do you think this is Larimer Square? Not even close! Retail!? Give me a break...office on light rail with a little retail on the BACK side of the Pepsi Center is a problem? Maybe if they put a bow on it, will that make you happy?
Permalink Posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 6/10/2007 07:26:00 PM
 
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