Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Bank of Denver Demolition Almost Complete
The old Bank of Denver/Standish Hotel on Downtown Denver's Block 162 is almost gone. Here's a great overview photo, courtesy of my friend Grant:
Here are a few "over the fence" shots I took yesterday:
After this building is gone, the former Republic Hotel building at the corner of 15th and California will be the next to go. Along with adjacent parking lots, the two building sites create a 75,000 SF parcel on which Denver developer Evan Makovsky plan to construct a major mixed-use high-rise development.
Here are a few "over the fence" shots I took yesterday:
After this building is gone, the former Republic Hotel building at the corner of 15th and California will be the next to go. Along with adjacent parking lots, the two building sites create a 75,000 SF parcel on which Denver developer Evan Makovsky plan to construct a major mixed-use high-rise development.
Sugar-Cubed Construction Update
The new Sugar3 building in Denver's Lower Downtown district is making good progress. The 10-story office/residential building on Block 019 is now up to the second level. Its impact on the 16th Street Mall streetscape is already evident:
Sugar3 is being developed by Denver's Urban Villages, Inc. Here's what the project will look like upon completion:
What a great addition to the 16th Street Mall!
Sugar3 is being developed by Denver's Urban Villages, Inc. Here's what the project will look like upon completion:
What a great addition to the 16th Street Mall!
What's Happening in the CPV?
Downtown Denver's Central Platte Valley district is booming with all sorts of urban infill projects, big and small. Over at East-West Partners' Riverfront Park blog, Celeste has posted a very comprehensive update on not only the many announced developments in the CPV that I'm tracking here at DenverInfill, but she also provides a glimpse into the future of some of the remaining undeveloped parcels in the Riverfront Park area. Thanks, Celeste!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Streetcars Along the 16th Street Mall?
In Sunday's Denver Post, Jeffrey Leib had an interesting article about the future of Downtown Denver's 16th Street Mall. Here it is in case you missed it: 16th Street on Road to Future
The article discusses one of the key problems with the Mall in its current condition: the wear and tear on the granite pavers in the bus lanes. One of the solutions RTD is considering is replacing the pavers with concrete. Now, I can appreciate the desire by RTD to find a simple and cost effective solution to this problem. But, if there's one place in our city where we should demand the use of the highest quality materials, it's along the 16th Street Mall, the premier public space through the heart of our Downtown. Replacing the pavers with concrete would cheapen the entire aesthetic quality of the Mall. I wholeheartedly agree with Tyler Gibbs on this one--no concrete, RTD! That would be like remodeling the state capitol façade and using fake stucco.
Another solution discussed in the article is replacing the Mall shuttle busses with streetcars. This is ultimately the best solution for several reasons. Installing a streetcar line along Colfax has been gaining strong momentum over the past few years, and upgrading the Mall shuttle to a streetcar line would be the logical first step in that direction. With the 16th Street Mall ending right at Colfax, future streetcar extensions east and west along Colfax from Civic Center Station could easily follow. Next, the proposed Downtown Circulator along 18th, 19th, Broadway and Lincoln, could be implemented as a streetcar or, at least, upgraded to a streetcar line as soon as possible, as has been discussed. RTD is also considering replacing the Welton Street light rail line with a streetcar line, running from the planned 40th & 40th Station down to the 20th & Welton Station, if not all the way to Civic Center Station. RTD also proposed (but dropped from the FasTracks program) a transit connection between the Broadway Station and Civic Center along Broadway/Lincoln. An extension of the Downtown Circulator streetcar line from 12th Avenue to the Broadway Station would be a no-brainer.
With there being so many potential streetcar lines criss-crossing Downtown, starting off with an upgrade to a streetcar line along the 16th Street Mall would send a clear messsage that Denver plans to take the next step beyond just suburb-to-Downtown rail transit: intra-city rail transit. Finally, since the Mall shuttle busses would be gone and the streetcars would ride on their own tracks, there would be no further degradation of the granite pavers. After the new Mall streetcar tracks are installed, the existing granite pavers could be used to fill in the gaps between the tracks, thereby maintaining the design integrity of the original Mall. I also agree with the idea of eliminating the wide median in the central section of the Mall and expanding the sidewalks on either side.
Portland, Oregon is currently upgrading their Downtown 5th and 6th Avenue bus transit malls with a brand new light rail line. This is in addition to their existing Downtown light rail and streetcar lines. Here's a photo of the construction from my visit last week. In the distance is their historic Union Station:
One of the main differences between streetcars and light rail is that, unlike light rail, streetcar lines share a lane with vehicular traffic and don't require the removal of the curbside parking lane. Here are two images from Portland showing how comfortably a streetcar line blends in with the rest of the public right-of-way:
Sharing the road with cars obviously won't be an issue along the Mall, but it would be along the proposed Downtown Circulator route, as well as along Broadway/Lincoln to the Broadway Station, along Colfax, etc. Note to the South Broadway merchants who previously opposed a transit line along Broadway: With a streetcar, you get to keep your on-street parking!
The big problem, of course, is that no one has any funding for a 16th Street Mall upgrade to streetcar, let alone most of these other potential Downtown streetcar lines. We can't afford to wait until after FasTracks has been implemented (2017) and then whenever metropolitan voters find themselves in a mood to increase their taxes to pay for streetcar lines that would primarily benefit Denver citizens. Such a scenario may never happen. Consequently, Denver citizens need to independently find a funding source to allow us to begin implementing an urban streetcar system as an integrated complement to RTD's busses and rail transit systems.
I agree with Mark Najarian, one of the good guys over at Public Works. If we're going to tear the Mall up, we ought to think big, plan for the next generation, and put in a streetcar line while we're at it.
The article discusses one of the key problems with the Mall in its current condition: the wear and tear on the granite pavers in the bus lanes. One of the solutions RTD is considering is replacing the pavers with concrete. Now, I can appreciate the desire by RTD to find a simple and cost effective solution to this problem. But, if there's one place in our city where we should demand the use of the highest quality materials, it's along the 16th Street Mall, the premier public space through the heart of our Downtown. Replacing the pavers with concrete would cheapen the entire aesthetic quality of the Mall. I wholeheartedly agree with Tyler Gibbs on this one--no concrete, RTD! That would be like remodeling the state capitol façade and using fake stucco.
Another solution discussed in the article is replacing the Mall shuttle busses with streetcars. This is ultimately the best solution for several reasons. Installing a streetcar line along Colfax has been gaining strong momentum over the past few years, and upgrading the Mall shuttle to a streetcar line would be the logical first step in that direction. With the 16th Street Mall ending right at Colfax, future streetcar extensions east and west along Colfax from Civic Center Station could easily follow. Next, the proposed Downtown Circulator along 18th, 19th, Broadway and Lincoln, could be implemented as a streetcar or, at least, upgraded to a streetcar line as soon as possible, as has been discussed. RTD is also considering replacing the Welton Street light rail line with a streetcar line, running from the planned 40th & 40th Station down to the 20th & Welton Station, if not all the way to Civic Center Station. RTD also proposed (but dropped from the FasTracks program) a transit connection between the Broadway Station and Civic Center along Broadway/Lincoln. An extension of the Downtown Circulator streetcar line from 12th Avenue to the Broadway Station would be a no-brainer.
With there being so many potential streetcar lines criss-crossing Downtown, starting off with an upgrade to a streetcar line along the 16th Street Mall would send a clear messsage that Denver plans to take the next step beyond just suburb-to-Downtown rail transit: intra-city rail transit. Finally, since the Mall shuttle busses would be gone and the streetcars would ride on their own tracks, there would be no further degradation of the granite pavers. After the new Mall streetcar tracks are installed, the existing granite pavers could be used to fill in the gaps between the tracks, thereby maintaining the design integrity of the original Mall. I also agree with the idea of eliminating the wide median in the central section of the Mall and expanding the sidewalks on either side.
Portland, Oregon is currently upgrading their Downtown 5th and 6th Avenue bus transit malls with a brand new light rail line. This is in addition to their existing Downtown light rail and streetcar lines. Here's a photo of the construction from my visit last week. In the distance is their historic Union Station:
One of the main differences between streetcars and light rail is that, unlike light rail, streetcar lines share a lane with vehicular traffic and don't require the removal of the curbside parking lane. Here are two images from Portland showing how comfortably a streetcar line blends in with the rest of the public right-of-way:
Sharing the road with cars obviously won't be an issue along the Mall, but it would be along the proposed Downtown Circulator route, as well as along Broadway/Lincoln to the Broadway Station, along Colfax, etc. Note to the South Broadway merchants who previously opposed a transit line along Broadway: With a streetcar, you get to keep your on-street parking!
The big problem, of course, is that no one has any funding for a 16th Street Mall upgrade to streetcar, let alone most of these other potential Downtown streetcar lines. We can't afford to wait until after FasTracks has been implemented (2017) and then whenever metropolitan voters find themselves in a mood to increase their taxes to pay for streetcar lines that would primarily benefit Denver citizens. Such a scenario may never happen. Consequently, Denver citizens need to independently find a funding source to allow us to begin implementing an urban streetcar system as an integrated complement to RTD's busses and rail transit systems.
I agree with Mark Najarian, one of the good guys over at Public Works. If we're going to tear the Mall up, we ought to think big, plan for the next generation, and put in a streetcar line while we're at it.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Introducing the Denver History Tours Blog!
One of the things I enjoy most about downtowns and urban environments in general is the history found in these oldest parts of our communities. In Downtown Denver, not only do we have today a great collection of beautiful late-19th Century and early-20th Century buildings, but we also have at the Denver Public Library a tremendous archive of photographs, maps, and other resources that document the hundreds of historic buildings that, unfortunately, are no longer with us, as well as the people and events that have shaped our city's history.
We can learn a lot about our future course as a Downtown community by understanding Downtown's past--its mix of uses, the form and scale of its buildings, the quality and nature of its streets and public spaces. In fact, if we are able to implement the recommendations outlined in the recently-completed Downtown Area Plan, we'll end up with a Downtown that will be very similar in character to the Downtown Denver of the early 1900s.
When I was doing the Worst Parking Lot contest last month, I had a lot of fun delving into the history of the five candidate blocks and learning about the generations of buildings that once occupied the ugly slabs of asphalt that are found on those blocks today. I hope you enjoyed those historical perspectives as well. If you did, then there's a new blog that you're going to like that I'm happy to help introduce: the Denver History Tours Blog!
Denver History Tours is a local business run by my friends Kevin and Shawn that offers a variety of walking and motor tours that explore Downtown Denver's rich history and its historic buildings and districts. Their highly recommended tours are available to parties as small as four people to large groups requiring a fleet of charter busses, all at very reasonable prices. Denver History Tours also helps me with the logistics for my DenverInfill tours--walking and motor tours I offer of Downtown Denver's urban environment from a real estate development and urban planning perspective.
To help celebrate Denver's sesquicentennial and to share Denver's history with a wider audience via the internet, Shawn (who's not only a fellow urban planner but also an historian and Denver native) has just launched their new Denver History Tours blog, which will feature a "nugget" of Downtown Denver history in every post. Where DenverInfill focuses on the existing conditions of each Downtown block and what is planned on that block in the future, the Denver History Tours blog will focus on the historic buildings and past of each Downtown block. When I blog about a new Downtown infill project, I will provide a link to Shawn's blog that covers the history of the same block, and vice versa. Shawn's just completed his first post, focusing on Block 098.
I'm excited that there's now a blog focusing on Downtown Denver's history and featuring the incredible historic photos at the Denver Public Library, and how nicely that will complement DenverInfill. I hope you will enjoy reading the Denver History Tours blog too!
We can learn a lot about our future course as a Downtown community by understanding Downtown's past--its mix of uses, the form and scale of its buildings, the quality and nature of its streets and public spaces. In fact, if we are able to implement the recommendations outlined in the recently-completed Downtown Area Plan, we'll end up with a Downtown that will be very similar in character to the Downtown Denver of the early 1900s.
When I was doing the Worst Parking Lot contest last month, I had a lot of fun delving into the history of the five candidate blocks and learning about the generations of buildings that once occupied the ugly slabs of asphalt that are found on those blocks today. I hope you enjoyed those historical perspectives as well. If you did, then there's a new blog that you're going to like that I'm happy to help introduce: the Denver History Tours Blog!
Denver History Tours is a local business run by my friends Kevin and Shawn that offers a variety of walking and motor tours that explore Downtown Denver's rich history and its historic buildings and districts. Their highly recommended tours are available to parties as small as four people to large groups requiring a fleet of charter busses, all at very reasonable prices. Denver History Tours also helps me with the logistics for my DenverInfill tours--walking and motor tours I offer of Downtown Denver's urban environment from a real estate development and urban planning perspective.
To help celebrate Denver's sesquicentennial and to share Denver's history with a wider audience via the internet, Shawn (who's not only a fellow urban planner but also an historian and Denver native) has just launched their new Denver History Tours blog, which will feature a "nugget" of Downtown Denver history in every post. Where DenverInfill focuses on the existing conditions of each Downtown block and what is planned on that block in the future, the Denver History Tours blog will focus on the historic buildings and past of each Downtown block. When I blog about a new Downtown infill project, I will provide a link to Shawn's blog that covers the history of the same block, and vice versa. Shawn's just completed his first post, focusing on Block 098.
I'm excited that there's now a blog focusing on Downtown Denver's history and featuring the incredible historic photos at the Denver Public Library, and how nicely that will complement DenverInfill. I hope you will enjoy reading the Denver History Tours blog too!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
"Uptown Apartments" Planned for 19th & Clarkson
A new apartment project to be known as the Uptown Apartments is planned for 19th and Clarkson in Downtown Denver's Uptown district.
The project will be located just east of Post Properties' Uptown Square development, on the vacant block bounded by E. 19th Avenue, Washington Street, E. 20th Avenue, and Clarkson Street. Park Avenue West clips off the northeastern corner of the block. Here's an aerial photo of the site:
The project will include 194 rental units on 6 floors wrapped around a central parking garage. While a rendering is not yet available, the building is expected to have a mostly brick exterior.
The project is being developed by Martin Fein Interests, Ltd. of Houston, Texas. While a groundbreaking date has not been announced, construction may begin Spring 2008.
The project will be located just east of Post Properties' Uptown Square development, on the vacant block bounded by E. 19th Avenue, Washington Street, E. 20th Avenue, and Clarkson Street. Park Avenue West clips off the northeastern corner of the block. Here's an aerial photo of the site:
The project will include 194 rental units on 6 floors wrapped around a central parking garage. While a rendering is not yet available, the building is expected to have a mostly brick exterior.
The project is being developed by Martin Fein Interests, Ltd. of Houston, Texas. While a groundbreaking date has not been announced, construction may begin Spring 2008.
Downtown Portland Perspectives, Part 1
I greatly enjoyed spending a few days wandering around Downtown Portland, Oregon taking photos and observing the city through my urban planning-colored glasses. Portland, as many of you probably know, is hailed as being exceptionally progressive from a planning perspective, and I wouldn't disagree. There are certainly plenty of things Denver can learn from Portland to help make Downtown Denver even better. I will comment on a few of those, but I'm going to break my observations up into a series of posts because I don't have time to record them here all in one sitting.
To begin, one of the first things I noticed that gives Downtown Portland a manageable, intimate pedestrian environment goes back to the original platting of the downtown area over a century ago: the width of the street right-of-way. From building face to building face, the span of the street right-of-way on most of the Downtown Portland blocks is quite narrow, particularly by Western U.S. standards. Here, take a look:
A relatively wide street for Downtown Portland has a right-of-way distance that would be considered average to most local streets in Downtown Denver. Here's a Downtown Portland street with three (gasp!) through lanes:
Now, there's nothing we can do now about the width of the right-of-way of Downtown Denver streets. But, we can do something about what we do within that right-of-way. Clearly, there are many streets in Downtown Denver that simply do not need as many vehicle lanes as there are today. In fact, one of the greatest battles that we must yet win before we can achieve true urban greatness in central Denver is with the city's traffic engineering department. Most traffic engineers (and certainly not just in Denver) over the last fifty years have operated under a philosophy that their number one priority is to maximize the volume and speed of motor vehicles along the public right-of-way. This has left us with a Downtown Denver where even "local" Downtown streets have three or four through lanes, a parking lane or two, usually no bike lanes, and narrow sidewalks. At least in the central Denver area, we have to turn that philosophy on its head. The new Downtown Area Plan's call for Downtown Denver to be a "Pedestrian Priority Zone" will mean little unless we can achieve a fundamental change in how we perceive and, consequently, use the public right-of-way. I know many of the folks at Public Works are completely on-board in this thinking but, unfortunately, there are still those in high places who are horrified by the concept of removing traffic lanes on Downtown streets. That is a battle that we must win before we can truly achieve an exceptional Downtown pedestrian environment.
Here are a few more street shots from Downtown Portland:
To begin, one of the first things I noticed that gives Downtown Portland a manageable, intimate pedestrian environment goes back to the original platting of the downtown area over a century ago: the width of the street right-of-way. From building face to building face, the span of the street right-of-way on most of the Downtown Portland blocks is quite narrow, particularly by Western U.S. standards. Here, take a look:
A relatively wide street for Downtown Portland has a right-of-way distance that would be considered average to most local streets in Downtown Denver. Here's a Downtown Portland street with three (gasp!) through lanes:
Now, there's nothing we can do now about the width of the right-of-way of Downtown Denver streets. But, we can do something about what we do within that right-of-way. Clearly, there are many streets in Downtown Denver that simply do not need as many vehicle lanes as there are today. In fact, one of the greatest battles that we must yet win before we can achieve true urban greatness in central Denver is with the city's traffic engineering department. Most traffic engineers (and certainly not just in Denver) over the last fifty years have operated under a philosophy that their number one priority is to maximize the volume and speed of motor vehicles along the public right-of-way. This has left us with a Downtown Denver where even "local" Downtown streets have three or four through lanes, a parking lane or two, usually no bike lanes, and narrow sidewalks. At least in the central Denver area, we have to turn that philosophy on its head. The new Downtown Area Plan's call for Downtown Denver to be a "Pedestrian Priority Zone" will mean little unless we can achieve a fundamental change in how we perceive and, consequently, use the public right-of-way. I know many of the folks at Public Works are completely on-board in this thinking but, unfortunately, there are still those in high places who are horrified by the concept of removing traffic lanes on Downtown streets. That is a battle that we must win before we can truly achieve an exceptional Downtown pedestrian environment.
Here are a few more street shots from Downtown Portland:
Monday, August 20, 2007
Welton Place: Linking Curtis Park-Five Points With Downtown
One of the key urban infill projects currently under construction in Downtown Denver is the Welton Place project by Century Real Estate, which previously developed the Broadway Plaza Lofts and the Blake Street Apartments projects nearby. Except for a couple of historic homes that will remain, Welton Place will cover the entire city block bounded by Park Avenue West, 24th Street, Welton, and Glenarm--right where the historic and thriving Curtis Park-Five Points district meets the Arapahoe Square (Northeast Downtown) district. Even better, Welton Place is located one block from the 25th & Welton light rail station.
Work has started on the first phase--townhomes at 24th and Glenarm, with future phases consisting of office, residential, and retail uses in three multi-story buildings along Welton and Park Avenue. Here's a recent overview shot of the whole block showing the townhomes now under construction:
Welton Place is the first of many projects to be located along the Welton Street corridor that will mend the parking-lot gap between Curtis Park-Five Points and the Central Business District. Imagine being able to walk from the soon-to-be-revitalized historic Fontius building at 16th and Welton all the way to the soon-to-be-revitalized historic Rossonian Hotel building at 26th and Welton and experience nothing but 10 blocks of mixed office, hotel, and residential uses with engaging ground-floor storefronts. That is our goal, and Welton Place represents a big step in getting us there.
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Work has started on the first phase--townhomes at 24th and Glenarm, with future phases consisting of office, residential, and retail uses in three multi-story buildings along Welton and Park Avenue. Here's a recent overview shot of the whole block showing the townhomes now under construction:
Welton Place is the first of many projects to be located along the Welton Street corridor that will mend the parking-lot gap between Curtis Park-Five Points and the Central Business District. Imagine being able to walk from the soon-to-be-revitalized historic Fontius building at 16th and Welton all the way to the soon-to-be-revitalized historic Rossonian Hotel building at 26th and Welton and experience nothing but 10 blocks of mixed office, hotel, and residential uses with engaging ground-floor storefronts. That is our goal, and Welton Place represents a big step in getting us there.
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Millennium Bridge Gets a Touch-Up
Have you ever noticed the rusty stairs on the northwest side of the Millennium Bridge in Downtown Denver's Central Platte Valley district? The steps on the southeast side are granite and concrete, but the steps on the northwest side are concrete slabs set into white-painted open metal treads. When freshly painted, the steps look quite impressive. But, metal has a way of rusting and turning all that nice white paint into--well, a rusty color, which doesn't look all that great. Here's a recent photo:
Help is on the way! Work just started on replacing the steps with the granite kind similar to the other side. Here's the planned work schedule from the Riverfront Park website, and Mike over at the Urban Brain has just posted a few photos of the start of construction. Fortunately, temporary stairs will allow people to continue to use the bridge during the renovation work. If everything goes as planned, the new stairs should be finished by Halloween.
Help is on the way! Work just started on replacing the steps with the granite kind similar to the other side. Here's the planned work schedule from the Riverfront Park website, and Mike over at the Urban Brain has just posted a few photos of the start of construction. Fortunately, temporary stairs will allow people to continue to use the bridge during the renovation work. If everything goes as planned, the new stairs should be finished by Halloween.
Adios, Motor Garage Hotel
After more than a month of demolition, the old Motor Hotel Garage at 14th and Stout in Downtown Denver is finally gone. All that's left is the final rubble to be cleared.
Thanks to some friends who work nearby, here's a photo from a couple of days ago:
In its place, a new Embassy Suites hotel will rise--hopefully, starting construction yet this Fall.
Thanks to some friends who work nearby, here's a photo from a couple of days ago:
In its place, a new Embassy Suites hotel will rise--hopefully, starting construction yet this Fall.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Greetings from Portland, Oregon
Hello Downtown Denver infill fans... I'm currently in Portland, Oregon having fun exploring their remarkable downtown. Until I get back and can share a few of my observations of Portland with you, here's a sign at a Downtown Portland construction site I know you'll appreciate:
Cheers!
Cheers!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Two Tabor Center: Now 40 Stories!
John Rebchook at the Rocky Mountain News reports that the proposed Two Tabor Center tower planned for the corner of 17th and Larimer will be 40 stories tall, not 38. Here's the full article from the Rocky: Plans shaping up to build 40-story Two Tabor Center
The information on Two Tabor Center that I posted just a few days ago (38 floors and 750,000 SF) was obtained from the Callahan Capital Partners website, but we now know they've increased the floor count to 40 and the square footage to 820,000 SF. A few other items of note: Callahan has hired Bill Mosher of Trammell Crow to help develop the tower; the project will cost $200 million; and construction is expected to begin early 2008 and be complete in 2010.
Forty stories isn't that much more than 38, but those two extra floors would mean that, by Summer 2008, we would have three towers 40 floors or higher under construction in Downtown Denver at the same time (Spire, Four Seasons, Two Tabor) with a fourth (1401 Lawrence) possibly later in the year. Now we're starting to get into some serious skyline transformation!
The information on Two Tabor Center that I posted just a few days ago (38 floors and 750,000 SF) was obtained from the Callahan Capital Partners website, but we now know they've increased the floor count to 40 and the square footage to 820,000 SF. A few other items of note: Callahan has hired Bill Mosher of Trammell Crow to help develop the tower; the project will cost $200 million; and construction is expected to begin early 2008 and be complete in 2010.
Forty stories isn't that much more than 38, but those two extra floors would mean that, by Summer 2008, we would have three towers 40 floors or higher under construction in Downtown Denver at the same time (Spire, Four Seasons, Two Tabor) with a fourth (1401 Lawrence) possibly later in the year. Now we're starting to get into some serious skyline transformation!
Monday, August 13, 2007
One Lincoln Park Making Progress
One Lincoln Park, the 32-story condo tower under construction on Block 177 in Downtown Denver, is coming along nicely. The tower is now past the half way mark (they're at about Floor 18 or so) and exterior façade elements and even some windows are now being installed. Osborn Development is the developer, Buchanan Yonushewski Group is the architect, and Swinerton is the general contractor.
Here are a few photos from this weekend:
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Here are a few photos from this weekend:
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Motor Hotel Garage Almost Gone
It's taken a while, but the demolition of the old Motor Hotel parking garage at 14th and Stout in Downtown Denver is nearly complete. Here's a photo from this weekend:
And here's a photo that captures the transformation of the area around the convention center, showing the Motor Hotel garage demolition on Block 138, the Bank of Denver/Standish Hotel demolition on Block 162, and the construction of Spire on Block 131:
This particular scene will continue to change over the next three years with the demolition of the Republic Hotel coming soon, the renovation of the Fontius building, the construction of the Embassy Suites Hotel, and the construction of Evan Makovsky's mixed-use project.
Friday, August 10, 2007
New $175 Million Project Planned for 16th and Wewatta
Another major mixed-use infill development has been announced for Downtown Denver's booming Central Platte Valley! Margaret Jackson at the Denver Post reports (Wewatta Project Planned) that Colorado Springs-based Sunshine Development Company paid $16 million for the vacant block bounded by 16th, Wewatta, 17th, and Chestnut across from Union Station. This is the same block that is currently being made into a temporary parking lot for Gates employees while 1900 16th Street is under construction (see my blog from July 14).
The $175 million project will reach 14 stories in height and include 450,000 SF of office space, 70,000 SF of retail, and a 150-room boutique hotel. For another perspective on this project, here's an article by Becky Hurley of the Colorado Springs Business Journal (Richardson Sets Sights on Denver Skyline).
Construction won't begin until 2009. Not only does a complex project like this take a while to design and get permitted, but since the site is being used for temporary parking, construction on this new project can't get started until the parking garage component of 1900 16th Street is complete.
Between the Union Station transit hub and all these planned private sector developments, virtually the entire area between 15th, 20th, Wewatta, and the CML railroad tracks will be one big construction zone for the next four years. Gotta love it!!
The $175 million project will reach 14 stories in height and include 450,000 SF of office space, 70,000 SF of retail, and a 150-room boutique hotel. For another perspective on this project, here's an article by Becky Hurley of the Colorado Springs Business Journal (Richardson Sets Sights on Denver Skyline).
Construction won't begin until 2009. Not only does a complex project like this take a while to design and get permitted, but since the site is being used for temporary parking, construction on this new project can't get started until the parking garage component of 1900 16th Street is complete.
Between the Union Station transit hub and all these planned private sector developments, virtually the entire area between 15th, 20th, Wewatta, and the CML railroad tracks will be one big construction zone for the next four years. Gotta love it!!
Design Review Begins for W Hotel in LoDo
In case you missed reading about it in the Denver Post, about a week ago, Sage Hospitality and architects JG Johnson submitted their first set of plans for the W Hotel project on Block 046 to the Lower Downtown Design Review Board. It didn't go so well. Here's the full article: W Hotel Needs Tweaking.
This is not all that unusual for the first time before the LoDo Design Review Board. Developers often go into the process pushing the envelope regarding building height, setbacks, etc., only to be reeled back in by the LDDRB. It's an iterative process that usually, but not always, results in a better design in the end.
I agree that the Market Street frontage needs some active storefront uses. That's one of the big problems with the current Office Depot: the blank wall along Market Street. We would expect great street-level uses facing the 16th Street Mall, but we should insist on something engaging for the pedestrian along Market Street too.
Right now the project is just at the massing-model stage, but I'm glad to see the design process underway so soon after the project was announced. It will be fun to watch the evolution of the design of Downtown Denver's W Hotel over the next few months.
Meanwhile, we've got to find a good Downtown home for Office Depot.
This is not all that unusual for the first time before the LoDo Design Review Board. Developers often go into the process pushing the envelope regarding building height, setbacks, etc., only to be reeled back in by the LDDRB. It's an iterative process that usually, but not always, results in a better design in the end.
I agree that the Market Street frontage needs some active storefront uses. That's one of the big problems with the current Office Depot: the blank wall along Market Street. We would expect great street-level uses facing the 16th Street Mall, but we should insist on something engaging for the pedestrian along Market Street too.
Right now the project is just at the massing-model stage, but I'm glad to see the design process underway so soon after the project was announced. It will be fun to watch the evolution of the design of Downtown Denver's W Hotel over the next few months.
Meanwhile, we've got to find a good Downtown home for Office Depot.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Building Permit Filed for Denver Four Seasons Tower
Good news for those of us eager to see the Four Seasons get under construction at 14th and Arapahoe in Downtown Denver: an expedited building permit application for the project was filed with the city on August 3! The permit is for shoring work only at this point, but still a great sign that construction could begin late summer/early fall as predicted.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
ReDirect Guide: Denver's "Green" Business Resource
One of the many reasons why urban infill is so important to our community is that it's a very sustainable form of development. Urban infill is anti-sprawl. Instead of constructing new travelways, utilities, and buildings in undeveloped greenfield areas, urban infill projects take advantage of existing infrastructure and increase the utility of land in already established areas. Urban places like Downtown Denver also are home to many environmentally sound and healthy practices like LEED-certified buildings, public transit, pedestrianism, etc. I'm sure the sustainability factor of urban infill development is one of the reasons why many of you DenverInfill regulars appreciate all the positive developments currently taking place in Downtown Denver.
Fortunately, many businesses these days seek to incorporate sustainable practices into their business model and promote green and healthy lifestyles for their employees and customers. Unfortunately, many more do not. Those businesses that do, however, should benefit from our patronage, right? To help us identify those organizations that offer sustainable perspectives, products, or services, you’ve got to check out ReDirect Guide. Think of it as the “green” yellow pages, with hundreds of categories and business listings in the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins region, plus Salt Lake City and Portland, Oregon too. I particularly like the description for each category (click on the question mark symbol after the category name) that explains how that business sector impacts the environment and sustainable, healthy living. They also have a very interesting "About Us" page that talks about their mission, how they decide which businesses to include in the directory, and other topics.
I think those of you who value an urban environment will find ReDirect Guide a very handy resource and a nice complement to DenverInfill.com. And, if you think you might want to advertise with ReDirect Guide, give them a call and ask for Ian.
Fortunately, many businesses these days seek to incorporate sustainable practices into their business model and promote green and healthy lifestyles for their employees and customers. Unfortunately, many more do not. Those businesses that do, however, should benefit from our patronage, right? To help us identify those organizations that offer sustainable perspectives, products, or services, you’ve got to check out ReDirect Guide. Think of it as the “green” yellow pages, with hundreds of categories and business listings in the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins region, plus Salt Lake City and Portland, Oregon too. I particularly like the description for each category (click on the question mark symbol after the category name) that explains how that business sector impacts the environment and sustainable, healthy living. They also have a very interesting "About Us" page that talks about their mission, how they decide which businesses to include in the directory, and other topics.
I think those of you who value an urban environment will find ReDirect Guide a very handy resource and a nice complement to DenverInfill.com. And, if you think you might want to advertise with ReDirect Guide, give them a call and ask for Ian.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Two Tabor Center Design Update... Getting Taller!
Not too long ago, on July 7, I blogged about the preliminary design for the long-awaited Two Tabor Center tower at 17th and Larimer, planned by the Tabor Center's new owners, Callahan Capital Partners. Over the past few months since Callahan announced their intentions to move forward with Two Tabor, they've provided just a square footage and floor count range for the new tower. The first design rendering from July 7 looked to be about 30 stories. Since then, not only have I been hearing rumors that Callahan was leaning more towards a 750,000 SF, 37-story version instead, but also a commenter to the July 7 blog who works for Callahan confirmed that the tower would be taller than the 30-story One Tabor Center.
Callahan has recently updated their corporate website's section on Two Tabor Center with new renderings and project details, and I'm happy to report that the rumors were true! How does a 38-story tower sound? The roofline design has also changed and Two Tabor will not have a flat top! Here are a bunch of new renderings and elevations from their website, which I'm pleased to share with you here:
View from near 17th and Lawrence:
View from across the intersection of 17th and Larimer:
17th Street elevation:
16th Street elevation (note the curved façade that will face One Tabor's curved façade):
Larimer Street elevation:
Lawrence Street elevation:
The tower will have a total of 750,000 SF, 20,000 SF (approx.) average floorplates, and will be LEED certified. The greenish-blue glass will infuse a nice dose of color into a part of Downtown that has a lot of brown, beige, and silver-colored towers.
Now let's see if Callahan can get Two Tabor Center under construction before the year's end as originally promised. One nice thing about this site: no big hole to dig and subterranean levels to build. Just rip off that medal cladding covering the elevator core and go vertical!
The Larimer Street side of Two Tabor, unfortunately, continues as the "blank wall" side, but with the remaining three-quarters of the Larimer block face already that way from the original 1980s construction, I guess I'm not too surprised by that. Hopefully, the 17th Street and plaza (Lawrence) sides will have good pedestrian-active uses. The plaza generally has a fair amount of people coming and going during the day, but few people seem to linger there--no doubt because there's nothing to do there. I hope Callahan has a ground-floor restaurant planned for Two Tabor, with outdoor patio seating spilling out onto the plaza. That, along with some new benches, public art, landscaping, and maybe a vendor kiosk or two would greatly help enliven that space and make it a vital pedestrian activity center. Doing so would be consistent, after all, with the newly adopted Downtown Area Plan. I hope Callahan has that in their plans.
Callahan has recently updated their corporate website's section on Two Tabor Center with new renderings and project details, and I'm happy to report that the rumors were true! How does a 38-story tower sound? The roofline design has also changed and Two Tabor will not have a flat top! Here are a bunch of new renderings and elevations from their website, which I'm pleased to share with you here:
View from near 17th and Lawrence:
View from across the intersection of 17th and Larimer:
17th Street elevation:
16th Street elevation (note the curved façade that will face One Tabor's curved façade):
Larimer Street elevation:
Lawrence Street elevation:
The tower will have a total of 750,000 SF, 20,000 SF (approx.) average floorplates, and will be LEED certified. The greenish-blue glass will infuse a nice dose of color into a part of Downtown that has a lot of brown, beige, and silver-colored towers.
Now let's see if Callahan can get Two Tabor Center under construction before the year's end as originally promised. One nice thing about this site: no big hole to dig and subterranean levels to build. Just rip off that medal cladding covering the elevator core and go vertical!
The Larimer Street side of Two Tabor, unfortunately, continues as the "blank wall" side, but with the remaining three-quarters of the Larimer block face already that way from the original 1980s construction, I guess I'm not too surprised by that. Hopefully, the 17th Street and plaza (Lawrence) sides will have good pedestrian-active uses. The plaza generally has a fair amount of people coming and going during the day, but few people seem to linger there--no doubt because there's nothing to do there. I hope Callahan has a ground-floor restaurant planned for Two Tabor, with outdoor patio seating spilling out onto the plaza. That, along with some new benches, public art, landscaping, and maybe a vendor kiosk or two would greatly help enliven that space and make it a vital pedestrian activity center. Doing so would be consistent, after all, with the newly adopted Downtown Area Plan. I hope Callahan has that in their plans.
DenverInfill Update: Ballpark/River North Construction Photos
The last in our photographic review of all the urban infill projects currently under construction in greater Downtown Denver is the Ballpark and River North districts. This final set makes a total of 48 infill construction/demolition photos over the past couple of weeks! My thanks to several DenverInfill readers identified during this series for submitting project construction photos, and a special thank you to my DenverInfill sidekick, Rob, for all his many efforts in this too.
Zi Lofts at 22nd & Blake (7 stories, residential condominiums... including Downtown's newest crane!):
24 Walnut at 24th & Walnut (3 stories, residential townhomes--just recently completed):
Upper Larimer (north site) at 34th Street & Larimer Street (3 stories, residential townhomes):
Fire Clay Lofts (final phase) at 31st & Blake (4 stories, residential condominiums):
Blake 27 Brownstones (phase 2a) at 27th & Blake (3 stories, residential townhomes):
TAXI (phase 2) on Ringsby Court (4 stories, residential and live/work condominiums... thank you to Anna for the photo!):
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Zi Lofts at 22nd & Blake (7 stories, residential condominiums... including Downtown's newest crane!):
24 Walnut at 24th & Walnut (3 stories, residential townhomes--just recently completed):
Upper Larimer (north site) at 34th Street & Larimer Street (3 stories, residential townhomes):
Fire Clay Lofts (final phase) at 31st & Blake (4 stories, residential condominiums):
Blake 27 Brownstones (phase 2a) at 27th & Blake (3 stories, residential townhomes):
TAXI (phase 2) on Ringsby Court (4 stories, residential and live/work condominiums... thank you to Anna for the photo!):
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
DenverInfill Update: Capitol Hill Construction Photos
I've been out of town on business for a week, which explains the recent dearth of blog entries. But, I'm back and there's a lot to talk about! So here's the last few neighborhoods in our Summer 2007 Downtown Denver Infill Construction Photo series... Capitol Hill:
Strada Flats at 11th & Grant (4 stories, residential condominiums):
Pearl Street Victoriana at 10th & Pearl (3 stories, residential condominiums):
Quality Hill Townes at 9th & Washington (3 stories, residential condominiums):
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Strada Flats at 11th & Grant (4 stories, residential condominiums):
Pearl Street Victoriana at 10th & Pearl (3 stories, residential condominiums):
Quality Hill Townes at 9th & Washington (3 stories, residential condominiums):
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
DenverInfill Update: Curtis Park-Five Points Construction Photos
Just a couple more neighborhoods to go in our Downtown Denver Summer 2007 Infill Construction Photos extravaganza... today Curtis Park-Five Points!
Welton Place (Phase 1) at 24th Street and Glenarm Place (3 stories, townhomes):
2999 Lawrence (Village Flats) at 30th Street and Lawrence (5 stories, condominiums):
Mestizo 31 at 31st Street and Arapahoe Street (3 stories, townhomes):
2428 Champa near 24th Street and Champa Street (2 stories, townhomes):
Urbans @ Curtis near Park Avenue West and Curtis Street (3 stories, townhomes):
Welton Place (Phase 1) at 24th Street and Glenarm Place (3 stories, townhomes):
2999 Lawrence (Village Flats) at 30th Street and Lawrence (5 stories, condominiums):
Mestizo 31 at 31st Street and Arapahoe Street (3 stories, townhomes):
2428 Champa near 24th Street and Champa Street (2 stories, townhomes):
Urbans @ Curtis near Park Avenue West and Curtis Street (3 stories, townhomes):
Urbans @ Stout at 28th Street and Stout Street (3 stories, townhomes):
Urbans @ Glenarm at 24th Street and Glenarm Place (3 stories, townhomes):
Luxe Modern Row at 25th Street and Champa Street (4 stories, townhomes):
Upper Larimer (south site) at 34th Street and Larimer Street (3 stories, townhomes):
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core
