Tuesday, December 26, 2006
New City Park West Project: 1780 Downing
A new mixed-use project is coming to Denver's City Park West neighborhood at the southeast corner of Downing and East 18th Avenue: the 1780 Residences on Downing.
The 1780 Downing project features 18 residential condominiums, with 16 of the units on the second and third floors, and 2 penthouse units occupying the top two floors. The project also features approximately 6,600 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. Here's a rendering of the building from the project website:
The project is set to begin construction, with completion planned for late 2007/early 2008. The developer is Birch Street Group and the building design is by Studio Gunn Architecture.
The 1780 Downing project features 18 residential condominiums, with 16 of the units on the second and third floors, and 2 penthouse units occupying the top two floors. The project also features approximately 6,600 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. Here's a rendering of the building from the project website:
The project is set to begin construction, with completion planned for late 2007/early 2008. The developer is Birch Street Group and the building design is by Studio Gunn Architecture.
New City Park West Project: The Gathering Place
In Denver's City Park West neighborhood, a local woman's shelter, the Gathering Place, is replacing their existing small building with a new facility that will expand onto the existing parking lot site to the south. The project is located at 1535 High Street, just north of Colfax on the east side of the street. The new 3-story building will almost triple the square footage over the old facility. While under construction, the Gathering Place is temporarily being housed at the Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church in the Park Hill neighborhood. Here's a rendering of the proposed project:
The new Gathering Place facility was designed by BurkettDesign, with Turner Construction serving as the general contractor.
The new Gathering Place facility was designed by BurkettDesign, with Turner Construction serving as the general contractor.
Monday, December 18, 2006
"TAXI" Project Construction Update
I recently had the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the TAXI project in the River North neighborhood. Thanks to Kyle Zeppelin and the rest of the folks at Zeppelin Development, I was able to check out the very cool TAXI Phase 2 project currently under construction along the Platte River just north of Downtown. Phase 1 was the renovation of the former Yellow Cab Company terminal into a 28,000 SF office/studio multi-tenant commercial space. Phase 2 is a new "landscraper" building that's 550 feet long and features 44 two-story residential units above 14 ground-floor commercial spaces.
Inside the colorful Phase 1 building, the TAXI theme is evident throughout. The site still features the taxi company's old radio transmission tower. In fact, the Phase 2 building wraps around the tower's guidewires and anchor as a design feature.
The new building under construction includes a lot of window openings and open floor plans, including a mezzanine level for the commercial units.
The views from the TAXI project are excellent, with skyline or mountain panoramas available from just about every unit.
The River North neighborhood, with its combination of industrial grit, river/recreation amenities, and Downtown proximity, is clearly one of the city's brightest up-and-coming districts. If you haven't gone to check out TAXI yet, you should. It's an interesting part of town to explore and a great urban infill project!
Inside the colorful Phase 1 building, the TAXI theme is evident throughout. The site still features the taxi company's old radio transmission tower. In fact, the Phase 2 building wraps around the tower's guidewires and anchor as a design feature.
The new building under construction includes a lot of window openings and open floor plans, including a mezzanine level for the commercial units.
The views from the TAXI project are excellent, with skyline or mountain panoramas available from just about every unit.
The River North neighborhood, with its combination of industrial grit, river/recreation amenities, and Downtown proximity, is clearly one of the city's brightest up-and-coming districts. If you haven't gone to check out TAXI yet, you should. It's an interesting part of town to explore and a great urban infill project!
Denver's Highland Bridge Dedication
Saturday was a big day for Downtown Denver as the new Highland Bridge over Interstate 25 had its dedication and grand opening celebration. The 320-foot long span represents the final member in a trio of new pedestrian bridges that connects the historic Highland district with the rest of Downtown. The not-quite-finished-but-close-enough-for-a-party bridge had temporary chain-link fencing along its sides to keep folks from falling onto the highway below (the permanant railing should be installed by the end of the week), but that didn't dampen the spirits of the hundreds of people who joined in the festivities. Here are a few photos from Saturday:
1. The Bryant-Webster Elementary School Mariachi Band kicked off the celebration with an excellent performance.
2. Mayor Hickenlooper delivering his now-famous "we'll cross that bridge when we get to it" speech.
3. The release of doves immediately followed the ribbon-cutting.
4. The crowd heading over to the Platte Street side of the bridge.
5. A very large Highland Bridge Dedication cake.
6. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the Highland Bridge Lofts featured several future developers.
7. The view from the Highland Bridge of the other two bridges and Downtown.
8. The glow-stick parade making its way across the new bridge.
9. The celebration concluded with a colorful light show and food, drink, and live music.
1. The Bryant-Webster Elementary School Mariachi Band kicked off the celebration with an excellent performance.
2. Mayor Hickenlooper delivering his now-famous "we'll cross that bridge when we get to it" speech.
3. The release of doves immediately followed the ribbon-cutting.
4. The crowd heading over to the Platte Street side of the bridge.
5. A very large Highland Bridge Dedication cake.
6. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the Highland Bridge Lofts featured several future developers.
7. The view from the Highland Bridge of the other two bridges and Downtown.
8. The glow-stick parade making its way across the new bridge.
9. The celebration concluded with a colorful light show and food, drink, and live music.
Jefferson Park Going Vertical
Development in one of Downtown Denver's hottest neighborhoods, Jefferson Park, may be getting even more intense. Today's Denver Post features an article about two 20-story towers that are proposed to go next to Mile High Stadium (aka Invesco Field at Mile High) on the site of the existing Red Lion hotel (Condo Towers May Replace Red Lion). The project would include residential condominiums, possibly a hotel component, and ground-floor retail, and offer stunning views of the Denver skyline.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The Many Colors of the Glass House
Its exterior glass skin now in place, the twin 23-story Glass House condominium project under construction in Denver's booming Central Platte Valley is adding some welcome color to the Denver skyline. With its blue tinted glass reflecting Denver's intense sunshine and colorful Colorado sky, the Glass House shines in blues, greens, silvery-grays and a spectrum of colors in between--sometimes all in the same day. Here's a sampling, all from this past week:
The 389-unit Glass House is part of East-West Partners' Riverfront Park development and will be complete Spring 2007.
The 389-unit Glass House is part of East-West Partners' Riverfront Park development and will be complete Spring 2007.
Sugar-Cubed Construction is Underway!
The Sugar3 building at 16th and Blake in the heart of Denver's Lower Downtown is officially under construction. The asphalt parking lot was dug up and hauled away. Downtowns are about people and buildings and pleasant public spaces, not automobiles and pavement. A great day for Downtown Denver!
The project is being developed by Urban Villages, LLC and features office, retail, and upscale apartments in a 10-story building.
The project is being developed by Urban Villages, LLC and features office, retail, and upscale apartments in a 10-story building.
Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver Construction Update
Construction of the new home for the Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver is underway. Located at the corner of 15th and Delgany on the edge of Lower Downtown and the Central Platte Valley, the 30,000 square foot museum will be finished later in 2007. The project was designed by noted London architect David Adjaye. Here's the project rendering and a construction photo from last weekend:
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Prospect's "Inca 29" Project Construction Update
Here's another infill construction update (went photo-taking this past weekend so you're going to get a bunch of these)... this time, the Inca 29 project in the Prospect district. Prospect is that gritty industrial niche tucked behind Coors Field that is being transformed into a cool Downtown Denver neighborhood where, after buildout, there'll be over 1,000 residential units plus neighborhood retail. Major projects completed there so far include the Metro apartments, the Jack Kerouac Lofts, the Diamond at Prospect, and the Ajax Lofts... the first in the 7-building Prospect Place project being developed by Urban Neighborhoods, Inc.
(The Prospect district has the distinction of having a little piece of the north-south-east-west metro grid in a part of town dominated by the diagonal Downtown grid. This introduces street names like Inca and Huron into the Central Platte Valley where streets like Bassett and Chestnut are expected. This adds to Prospect's quirky charm, much like how the only piece of the diagonal Downtown grid west of I-25--Central, Boulder, and Erie Streets--adds to the intrigue of the Highland area. For more on Denver's colliding street grids, check out my Special Feature on how Downtown Denver's streets and blocks came to be laid out.)
Inca 29 (full name is Inca 29 Urban Brownstones) consists of 28 units located at the corner of W. 29th Avenue and Inca Street. Construction should be completed later in 2007. Here's the artist's rendering, followed by the update photo from this weekend.
(The Prospect district has the distinction of having a little piece of the north-south-east-west metro grid in a part of town dominated by the diagonal Downtown grid. This introduces street names like Inca and Huron into the Central Platte Valley where streets like Bassett and Chestnut are expected. This adds to Prospect's quirky charm, much like how the only piece of the diagonal Downtown grid west of I-25--Central, Boulder, and Erie Streets--adds to the intrigue of the Highland area. For more on Denver's colliding street grids, check out my Special Feature on how Downtown Denver's streets and blocks came to be laid out.)
Inca 29 (full name is Inca 29 Urban Brownstones) consists of 28 units located at the corner of W. 29th Avenue and Inca Street. Construction should be completed later in 2007. Here's the artist's rendering, followed by the update photo from this weekend.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Ballpark's "24 Walnut" Project Construction Update
In Downtown Denver's Ballpark district, a new infill project, 24 Walnut, is making good progress. The 24 Walnut project is located at the corner of 24th and Walnut, on what was a large undeveloped lot, and features 29 urban townhomes with rooftop decks. With the Ballpark Lofts across the street and the Premier Lofts a block away closer to Downtown, the 24 Walnut project represents a key link in bridging the "no man's land" gap of parking lots that encircles Downtown and separates it from the Downtown-adjacent residential districts.
First, here's what 24 Walnut will look like when finished, followed by a construction progress photo from this weekend:
First, here's what 24 Walnut will look like when finished, followed by a construction progress photo from this weekend:
Sunday, December 10, 2006
2,000-Unit Denargo Market Project Takes First Step
Back in my October 5 blog, I discussed the announcement of a major new infill project for the Denargo Market area in the River North district just north of Coors Field in Downtown Denver. Since then, the project's General Development Plan application has been filed with the city and is currently under review by the planning office. The GDP is the first step in the process to move this project from concept to reality. Of course, the start of construction on this huge development is probably at least a year or two away, and buildout of the project could take a decade, but it's good to see Cypress Real Estate Advisors getting the ball rolling so quickly. According to the case file with the city, the development will include 2,000 residential units on 32.56 acres... that's a gross density of over 60 units per acre!
"Central Court" Under Construction in Highland
A new infill project--one that I haven't blogged about yet--is already under construction in the hot Highland neighborhood. The project is called Central Court, and is located at 17th and Boulder, just a couple of blocks away from the new Highland Bridge over I-25. The project consists of 6 townhomes, and features the modern design one expects from Sprocket Design Build, a firm that has designed a number of projects in the Highland neighborhood. Here are a couple of images from the project website:
Friday, December 08, 2006
Golden Triangle's "Piranesi" Project Construction Update
Construction on the 5-story, 44-unit Piranesi condominium project in Downtown Denver's Golden Triangle district is progressing nicely. The project is located at the corner of 11th and Delaware and is being developed by Trademark Communities. Here's a view of the elevator core bathed in the late-afternoon December sun.
A Big Day for Highland
On December 16, the new Highland Bridge, the last of a trio of designer pedestrian bridges linking the historic Highland neighborhood with Downtown Denver, will open! The same day, the Highland Bridge Lofts, a 101-unit condominium project located next to the bridge at the corner of 16th and Central, will break ground on its first phase. A whole day's worth of events are scheduled. Here's the lineup:
10:30 AM: Ribbon-cutting ceremony at the bridge with Mayor Hickenlooper and Councilwoman Montero
1:00 PM: Ground-breaking ceremony for Highland Bridge Lofts, 16th & Central
4:30 PM: Lighting of the Way Parade - A community celebration walk beginning at Union Station
5:30 PM: Highland Bridge Lighting Ceremony
Other events include:
12:00 - 9:00 PM: Winter Stroll - Platte and 15th Street merchants offer refreshments and entertainment
3:00 - 7:00 PM: Holiday in the Highlands - Food, hayrides, and kids events in the Highland neighborhood
Here's a photo I took in October showing the new Highland Bridge under construction in the foreground, with the Platte River Bridge and Millennium Bridge in the background:
It will be a great day for Downtown Denver!
UPDATE: Passing by the bridge on my way into work this morning, crews were hoisting a large section of the stairway on the Platte side of the bridge. Here's a photo:
10:30 AM: Ribbon-cutting ceremony at the bridge with Mayor Hickenlooper and Councilwoman Montero
1:00 PM: Ground-breaking ceremony for Highland Bridge Lofts, 16th & Central
4:30 PM: Lighting of the Way Parade - A community celebration walk beginning at Union Station
5:30 PM: Highland Bridge Lighting Ceremony
Other events include:
12:00 - 9:00 PM: Winter Stroll - Platte and 15th Street merchants offer refreshments and entertainment
3:00 - 7:00 PM: Holiday in the Highlands - Food, hayrides, and kids events in the Highland neighborhood
Here's a photo I took in October showing the new Highland Bridge under construction in the foreground, with the Platte River Bridge and Millennium Bridge in the background:
It will be a great day for Downtown Denver!
UPDATE: Passing by the bridge on my way into work this morning, crews were hoisting a large section of the stairway on the Platte side of the bridge. Here's a photo:
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Denver Justice Center Designs Revealed
In an online article in the Denver Post from a few days ago (Courthouse Design Gratifying) was a link to a PDF document containing renderings of the proposed Courthouse, Detention Facility, and Parking Garage/Post Office... the three components of the new $378 million Denver Justice Center approved by Denver voters in May 2005. While these designs are likely to get tweaked a bit, I would think they represent more or less what will be built over the next three years. I've reassembled the many renderings from the PDF into a couple of condensed images for your convenience. I imagine the full PDF will be available eventually on the city's project website at www.denvergov.org/justice_center/, which already contains a number of other documents you can download about the project. Here's a link (3.45 MB) to that PDF file from the Post, although I don't know how long the link will last.
So, without further to-do, here are the renderings... let the design debate begin!
First, the Site Plan (click and expand to view at full size):
On the left is the courthouse on Block 012-W. On the right is the detention facility on Block 011-W, and at the bottom is the Parking Garage/Post Office on Block 020-W.
The new Parking Garage/Post Office building is the first component of the project to be under construction. It broke ground a few months ago and is now starting to go vertical. The architect is AR7 Hoover Desmond Architects. The Parking Garage/Post Office is scheduled to be completed July 2007. Here's what it looks like now (left) and when finished (right):
Next is the Detention Facility to be located on the site of the now-vacant Rocky Mountain News/Denver Newspaper Agency building, across Delaware Street from the US Mint. The old RMN/DNA building will be razed in January 2007 to make way for the new jail, which will be completed in late 2009. This structure has been designed by Hartman-Cox and Oz Architecture. Here are elevations of the new facility (click and expand to view at full size):
Here is the design of the new Courthouse to be located on the site of the existing Post Office building between Gene Amole Way (Elati Street) and Fox Street. The Courthouse will begin construction in July 2007 with completion also in late 2009. The Courthouse design team is now led by local firm klipp. Here are the Courthouse elevations:
Finally, here are some perspectives showing most of the Justice Center complex and, in particular, the public plaza and street that will occupy the space between the Courthouse and the Detention Facility.
So, without further to-do, here are the renderings... let the design debate begin!
First, the Site Plan (click and expand to view at full size):
On the left is the courthouse on Block 012-W. On the right is the detention facility on Block 011-W, and at the bottom is the Parking Garage/Post Office on Block 020-W.
The new Parking Garage/Post Office building is the first component of the project to be under construction. It broke ground a few months ago and is now starting to go vertical. The architect is AR7 Hoover Desmond Architects. The Parking Garage/Post Office is scheduled to be completed July 2007. Here's what it looks like now (left) and when finished (right):
Next is the Detention Facility to be located on the site of the now-vacant Rocky Mountain News/Denver Newspaper Agency building, across Delaware Street from the US Mint. The old RMN/DNA building will be razed in January 2007 to make way for the new jail, which will be completed in late 2009. This structure has been designed by Hartman-Cox and Oz Architecture. Here are elevations of the new facility (click and expand to view at full size):
Here is the design of the new Courthouse to be located on the site of the existing Post Office building between Gene Amole Way (Elati Street) and Fox Street. The Courthouse will begin construction in July 2007 with completion also in late 2009. The Courthouse design team is now led by local firm klipp. Here are the Courthouse elevations:
Finally, here are some perspectives showing most of the Justice Center complex and, in particular, the public plaza and street that will occupy the space between the Courthouse and the Detention Facility.
Monday, December 04, 2006
2999 Lawrence in Historic Curtis Park Breaks Ground
Another great addition to the Curtis Park neighborhood is now underway! The 5-story 2999 Lawrence condominium project broke ground last week at its corner location at 30th and Lawrence. The project features 12 units ranging from about 1,000 square feet to over 1,400 square feet and a sleek design perfect for its hip Upper Larimer location.
The project is being developed by Village Flats, an innovative local firm led by principal Bryan Pigott, which recently completed a 3-story project in the Highland neighborhood. The project was designed by Rowland+Broughton Architecture and is planned for completion Fall 2007. For floorplans and pricing, check out the project website at www.2999Lawrence.com.
The project is being developed by Village Flats, an innovative local firm led by principal Bryan Pigott, which recently completed a 3-story project in the Highland neighborhood. The project was designed by Rowland+Broughton Architecture and is planned for completion Fall 2007. For floorplans and pricing, check out the project website at www.2999Lawrence.com.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
New Downtown Denver Embassy Suites Tower Moving Forward
Great news regarding the proposed Embassy Suites/Homewood Suites project at 14th and Stout across from the Colorado Convention Center! The 250-room, 27-story Embassy Suites Hotel and 125-room, 20-story Homewood Suites Hotel project on Block 138 has recently been submitted to the Denver city planning office for development review. There hasn't been much news on this project since it was announced in the Rocky Mountain News way back on April 1, 2005 (here's the article in case you missed it: High-Rises Planned for 14th Street Parking Lots), so having the project now officially on the books with the city is a very positive sign. More evidence the project is moving forward is that it looks like the old Motor Hotel Garage currently on the site will be facing the wrecking ball very soon. The garage closed down last spring, but only now does actual demolition appear imminent, as an "Alpine Demolition" banner has recently been hung across the front of the building.
To date, I have not seen an official rendering of the Embassy/Homewood project. When the project was announced in April 2005, a "massing model" rendering appeared along with the Rocky article, but that was when the developer, White Lodging Services, was planning on keeping the Motor Hotel Garage and incorporating it into the project. That was eventually deemed unfeasible, so the garage will go, and in its place will be the Homewood Suites tower.
So, before it's gone forever, here's a few final photos of the Motor Hotel Garage, one of Downtown Denver's first structured parking garages, built in 1930. The building has been abused and neglected over the years, but its front facade still reflects some of its original art deco charm.
To date, I have not seen an official rendering of the Embassy/Homewood project. When the project was announced in April 2005, a "massing model" rendering appeared along with the Rocky article, but that was when the developer, White Lodging Services, was planning on keeping the Motor Hotel Garage and incorporating it into the project. That was eventually deemed unfeasible, so the garage will go, and in its place will be the Homewood Suites tower.
So, before it's gone forever, here's a few final photos of the Motor Hotel Garage, one of Downtown Denver's first structured parking garages, built in 1930. The building has been abused and neglected over the years, but its front facade still reflects some of its original art deco charm.
New Curtis Park Project at 2428 Champa
A new infill project is in the works for the Curtis Park-Five Points neighborhood at 2428 Champa Street. The project (currently known just by the address) is planned as an 8-unit townhome project consisting of 4 units facing the street and 4 units facing an interior plaza. The project is being designed by Bothwell Davis George architects, with construction planned for early 2007. Here are a couple of renderings, courtesy of the architect:
DenverInfill Blog... More Frequent, Single Topic Entries
In the 18 months that I've been doing the DenverInfill blog, I've limited my blog to just one entry per any given day, while often reporting on several different infill topics or projects in the same blog entry. Starting today, I'm changing my approach. From now on, each blog entry will be about a single topic, with a blog title specific to that topic. This will make it easier for you (and me) to scan through the archives to find a previous blog entry on a particular infill project. It will also make the Permalink and Comment features more efficient, and it should even result in more precise search engine results too.
So, get ready for shorter but more frequent blog entries... giving you a great excuse for checking the DenverInfill blog more often!
So, get ready for shorter but more frequent blog entries... giving you a great excuse for checking the DenverInfill blog more often!
Friday, December 01, 2006
Jefferson Park Infill News
It's time for an infill update on the Jefferson Park neighborhood, one of Downtown Denver's hottest residential districts. In the past year or so, Jefferson Park has been "discovered" and now boasts a number of proposed and under-construction developments, with several more projects rumored to be in the works. So here's a quick look at what's going on in Jefferson Park.
Metroview. The project listed on the Jefferson Park neighborhood page as the 24th & Bryant Townhomes now has an official name... Metroview! The project features 8 modern townhomes at the northwest corner of W. 24th Avenue and Bryant Street, and is now under construction. The project is scheduled for completion in Summer/Fall 2007. Here are a couple of renderings:
For more information on this project, sign up at www.DenverCore.com. The project architect is Bothwell Davis George Architects.
2600 Frontview Crescent. I've got a bit of new information to share with you on this development (see Project #13 on the Jefferson Park neighborhood page), plus renderings too. The project design has been refined and will now consist of 9 townhomes and 31 flats, with construction scheduled to begin in early 2007. The project architect is Bothwell Davis George. Here are some preliminary drawings:
This project is located at the corner of Bryant and Frontview Crescent, sort of in between David Zucker's RiverClay project and the proposed Overlook project at the site of the Chile Pepper and Baby Doe's restaurants.
Flats on Upper 24. This project that hasn't yet been added to the Jefferson Park neighborhood page, but I did blog about it on August 24. Since then, the site has been cleared and a sales trailer is up and running at the location. The project also now has a nice website (www.upper24.com) featuring unit floorplans and more. Here's a newer rendering of the project... more renderings should be available soon:
Finally, a few Jefferson Park projects that have been under construction for most of 2006 have recently been completed or are nearing completion. These include the Zocalo Lofts, Walker's Row, Cityscape Townhomes, and the Urology Center of Colorado. I'll be posting pictures of these completed projects in the near future.
Metroview. The project listed on the Jefferson Park neighborhood page as the 24th & Bryant Townhomes now has an official name... Metroview! The project features 8 modern townhomes at the northwest corner of W. 24th Avenue and Bryant Street, and is now under construction. The project is scheduled for completion in Summer/Fall 2007. Here are a couple of renderings:
For more information on this project, sign up at www.DenverCore.com. The project architect is Bothwell Davis George Architects.
2600 Frontview Crescent. I've got a bit of new information to share with you on this development (see Project #13 on the Jefferson Park neighborhood page), plus renderings too. The project design has been refined and will now consist of 9 townhomes and 31 flats, with construction scheduled to begin in early 2007. The project architect is Bothwell Davis George. Here are some preliminary drawings:
This project is located at the corner of Bryant and Frontview Crescent, sort of in between David Zucker's RiverClay project and the proposed Overlook project at the site of the Chile Pepper and Baby Doe's restaurants.
Flats on Upper 24. This project that hasn't yet been added to the Jefferson Park neighborhood page, but I did blog about it on August 24. Since then, the site has been cleared and a sales trailer is up and running at the location. The project also now has a nice website (www.upper24.com) featuring unit floorplans and more. Here's a newer rendering of the project... more renderings should be available soon:
Finally, a few Jefferson Park projects that have been under construction for most of 2006 have recently been completed or are nearing completion. These include the Zocalo Lofts, Walker's Row, Cityscape Townhomes, and the Urology Center of Colorado. I'll be posting pictures of these completed projects in the near future.
