Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!
Downtown Denver's Hyatt Regency-Convention Center is in the spirit once again:
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Confluence at Cherry Creek Project Moving Forward?
The Confluence at Cherry Creek, a project slated for the corner of 15th and Little Raven where an old boarded-up building currently sits--one of the last remaining in Downtown Denver's Central Platte Valley district--may be finally moving forward. The project was proposed several years ago by Ray Suppa, developer of the Palace Lofts at 15th and Blake, but nothing much has happened with it since then.
The original plan called for a 9-story condo building stepping down to about 6 stories along 15th. Recently, the developers submitted a rezoning request to the city to allow them to go up to 140 feet in height (about 13 to 14 stories). It's still early in the rezoning process and it will be several months before the rezoning request works its way through the Blueprint Denver committee and on to the full City Council for approval.
Personally, I am in favor of the rezoning. Thirteen stories is consistent with other developments nearby--namely Riverfront Tower at 13 stories, Waterside Lofts at 13 stories, Gates HQ at 10 stories, etc. A slightly taller project at that location will anchor the 15th and Little Raven intersection and, more importantly, provide added density to the Riverfront Park area. More residents in the area will help the existing and future businesses--like the proposed King Soopers at 20th and Wewatta and the nearby Vitamin Cottage--to thrive. The project site also overlooks the very cool Confluence Plaza, the new public space where the old Xcel Energy substation used to be, and higher density there will certainly spur additional activity at the plaza and make it a safer, friendlier place.
I'm tired of going past that boarded up building at 15th and Little Raven every day on my way into work. If adding a few more floors will get the project off the ground, I say let's do it. Along with the Cosmopolitan Club project diagonally across the corner, the Confluence at Cherry Creek project will complete the redevelopment of one of the Central Platte Valley's best intersections.
The original plan called for a 9-story condo building stepping down to about 6 stories along 15th. Recently, the developers submitted a rezoning request to the city to allow them to go up to 140 feet in height (about 13 to 14 stories). It's still early in the rezoning process and it will be several months before the rezoning request works its way through the Blueprint Denver committee and on to the full City Council for approval.
Personally, I am in favor of the rezoning. Thirteen stories is consistent with other developments nearby--namely Riverfront Tower at 13 stories, Waterside Lofts at 13 stories, Gates HQ at 10 stories, etc. A slightly taller project at that location will anchor the 15th and Little Raven intersection and, more importantly, provide added density to the Riverfront Park area. More residents in the area will help the existing and future businesses--like the proposed King Soopers at 20th and Wewatta and the nearby Vitamin Cottage--to thrive. The project site also overlooks the very cool Confluence Plaza, the new public space where the old Xcel Energy substation used to be, and higher density there will certainly spur additional activity at the plaza and make it a safer, friendlier place.
I'm tired of going past that boarded up building at 15th and Little Raven every day on my way into work. If adding a few more floors will get the project off the ground, I say let's do it. Along with the Cosmopolitan Club project diagonally across the corner, the Confluence at Cherry Creek project will complete the redevelopment of one of the Central Platte Valley's best intersections.
SugarCube Project Construction Update
Urban Villages' SugarCube project is making good progress at its prominent site at 16th and Blake in Denver's Lower Downtown district. The building is now up to its 6-story height--matching that of its historic Sugar Building neighbor--along the 16th Street Mall, with the remaining four floors of residential yet to be built in the back corner of the building. Here's a construction update photo from this past weekend, followed by a rendering of the completed project:
Sunday, October 28, 2007
New Auraria Science Building Nears Groundbreaking
A major new academic building planned for Downtown Denver's Auraria campus will break ground on December 7, 2007.
The new $111 million Auraria Campus Science Building project is technically an addition to the existing Science facility, but will visually stand out as its own building in several ways. The existing building is a 3-story 143,000 SF structure that is set back from Speer Boulevard by about 200 feet and is aligned generally along the Arapahoe Street axis. The new project will connect to the existing building via a short passageway and add an additional 181,000 SF of space--more than doubling the size of the original facility.
The configuration and placement of the new 5-story structure is particularly important. The southern side of the addition will extend the Arapahoe street edge over to Speer. The eastern side becomes the first Auraria campus structure to establish a Speer Boulevard street wall--a key component of the Downtown Area Plan's goal to connect Auraria with the core Downtown. Finally, the northern side of the addition angles to run parallel with the south face of the North Classroom building to reinforce the Lawrence Street axis and to visually anchor the Speer/Lawrence corner.
To illustrate the new building's location, here are four images. Top row: urban design framework (left) and a figure/ground sketch of the whole campus (right), both courtesy of AndersonMasonDale Architects. Bottom row: site plan (left) prepared by studioINSITE, and my DenverInfill aerial version (right).
Here are three more images, all courtesy of AndersonMasonDale. From left to right: view of model looking southeast towards the Performing Arts Complex; view looking southwest down Lawrence Street; view looking northwest from across Speer:
The $111 million project budget also includes the renovation of the entire existing Science building. The new structure will be LEED certified and is scheduled to be complete by the summer of 2009, with renovation of the existing facility finished by fall 2010.
The new $111 million Auraria Campus Science Building project is technically an addition to the existing Science facility, but will visually stand out as its own building in several ways. The existing building is a 3-story 143,000 SF structure that is set back from Speer Boulevard by about 200 feet and is aligned generally along the Arapahoe Street axis. The new project will connect to the existing building via a short passageway and add an additional 181,000 SF of space--more than doubling the size of the original facility.
The configuration and placement of the new 5-story structure is particularly important. The southern side of the addition will extend the Arapahoe street edge over to Speer. The eastern side becomes the first Auraria campus structure to establish a Speer Boulevard street wall--a key component of the Downtown Area Plan's goal to connect Auraria with the core Downtown. Finally, the northern side of the addition angles to run parallel with the south face of the North Classroom building to reinforce the Lawrence Street axis and to visually anchor the Speer/Lawrence corner.
To illustrate the new building's location, here are four images. Top row: urban design framework (left) and a figure/ground sketch of the whole campus (right), both courtesy of AndersonMasonDale Architects. Bottom row: site plan (left) prepared by studioINSITE, and my DenverInfill aerial version (right).
Here are three more images, all courtesy of AndersonMasonDale. From left to right: view of model looking southeast towards the Performing Arts Complex; view looking southwest down Lawrence Street; view looking northwest from across Speer:
The $111 million project budget also includes the renovation of the entire existing Science building. The new structure will be LEED certified and is scheduled to be complete by the summer of 2009, with renovation of the existing facility finished by fall 2010.
1900 16th Street Under Construction!
Yet another urban infill project has broken ground in Downtown Denver!
Recently, Trammell Crow started excavation work on 1900 16th Street, an 18-story office tower and 1,200-space parking garage on the block bounded by 15th, the CML tracks, 16th, and Delgany Street in the Central Platte Valley district. I recently did two blogs on this project: October 11 and October 4 that include renderings and project details.
I'm trying to get caught up on my blogging since I've been out of town for the past couple of weeks, so here's a recent article about the groundbreaking from the Denver Business Journal and here's a photo I took yesterday of the site:
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core.
Recently, Trammell Crow started excavation work on 1900 16th Street, an 18-story office tower and 1,200-space parking garage on the block bounded by 15th, the CML tracks, 16th, and Delgany Street in the Central Platte Valley district. I recently did two blogs on this project: October 11 and October 4 that include renderings and project details.
I'm trying to get caught up on my blogging since I've been out of town for the past couple of weeks, so here's a recent article about the groundbreaking from the Denver Business Journal and here's a photo I took yesterday of the site:
Downtown Denver: Rebuilding the Core.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
19th Street Skybridge Demolition
Back on September 13, I commented on the skybridge over 19th Street that will be removed as part of the demolition on Block 066 to make way for the new 1800 Larimer project. Well, the skybridge is now history! Many thanks to Micah for taking and submitting these photos of the bridge being removed a few days ago from over 19th Street:
New Curtis Park Project: Cornerstone Residences
A new project is coming to the corner of Park Avenue West and Curtis Street in Downtown Denver's Curtis Park-Five Points district.
The project is called the Cornerstone Residences and will serve as transitional housing for up to 51 homeless individuals or couples. To read a detailed description of the building, its mission, and the organizations undertaking the project, please check out the Rocky Mountain Housing Development Corporation's webpage on the project here.
Thanks to Len for getting the scoop on this project! The new building will sit right on the north corner of Curtis Street and Park Avenue where the existing St. Francis Day Shelter is located. Across Curtis Street is the Urbans @ Curtis project, which is wrapping up construction. What a great improvement these two projects will make to that intersection and to the transition between the Curtis Park district and Arapahoe Square!
Here's an image of the new Cornerstone project from architects Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh.
I think that's a pretty sharp building and it will fit in nicely along Park Avenue.
The project is called the Cornerstone Residences and will serve as transitional housing for up to 51 homeless individuals or couples. To read a detailed description of the building, its mission, and the organizations undertaking the project, please check out the Rocky Mountain Housing Development Corporation's webpage on the project here.
Thanks to Len for getting the scoop on this project! The new building will sit right on the north corner of Curtis Street and Park Avenue where the existing St. Francis Day Shelter is located. Across Curtis Street is the Urbans @ Curtis project, which is wrapping up construction. What a great improvement these two projects will make to that intersection and to the transition between the Curtis Park district and Arapahoe Square!
Here's an image of the new Cornerstone project from architects Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh.
I think that's a pretty sharp building and it will fit in nicely along Park Avenue.
Purple!
Go Rockies!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Green Drinks Denver
For those of you interested in green design, planning or construction, or sustainable development in general, you should check out Green Drinks. The concept behind Green Drinks is pretty simple: once a month, people who work in or are interested in the green design movement gather at a local pub and have a drink or two and network. That's it. There's no membership, no program, no committees, no dues, no organization per se. You don't have to RSVP and no one keeps track of how frequently you attend. You just show up and have fun chatting and drinking with likeminded people. There are Green Drinks chapters worldwide.
Green Drinks Denver is organized by architects Jeff Bartosik and Josh Ward at klipp. Denver's Green Drinks is held the last Thursday of every month starting at 6:00PM at Double Daughter's at 1632 Market in LoDo. I've attended Green Drinks about four or five times now and have really enjoyed it. You'll recognize some people from before, but you'll also see plenty of new people to meet too. Every time it is a different crowd.
Each month, Green Drinks also spotlights a business or organization in the green design industry. This month, DenverInfill.com, along with Studio HT, are being featured! So come on down to Double Daughter's this Thursday after work and hang out for a bit meeting new people and chatting about infill development and green design. See you there!
Green Drinks Denver is organized by architects Jeff Bartosik and Josh Ward at klipp. Denver's Green Drinks is held the last Thursday of every month starting at 6:00PM at Double Daughter's at 1632 Market in LoDo. I've attended Green Drinks about four or five times now and have really enjoyed it. You'll recognize some people from before, but you'll also see plenty of new people to meet too. Every time it is a different crowd.
Each month, Green Drinks also spotlights a business or organization in the green design industry. This month, DenverInfill.com, along with Studio HT, are being featured! So come on down to Double Daughter's this Thursday after work and hang out for a bit meeting new people and chatting about infill development and green design. See you there!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
DenverInfill Update
Greetings, Downtown Denver infill fans. Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but I've been out of town on business in the Portlands (Maine and Oregon--two great places to have to travel to). Nevertheless, things are well in the Mile High City. Not only are the Rockies the National League champions, but construction is at an all-time high in Downtown Denver: Four Seasons, Sugar-3, 1755 Blake, 1800 Larimer, One Lincoln Park, 1515 Wynkoop, 1400 Wewatta, 1200 Elati, 816 Acoma, Denver Justice Center, Zi Lofts, 2120 Market, plus many other projects in the Downtown districts are climbing skyward.
Many of you have asked about the Spire. Don't fret. The Nichols Partnership is a sophisticated development firm and negotiations are in the works on a replacement for their construction loan. But securing a $160 million-plus loan takes time and it's reasonable that construction activity at the site takes a pause in the interim. It's only a matter of time before all the "i"s are dotted and all the "t"s are crossed on a new loan, then we'll see construction resume. Hang in there.
I'll leave you with this: the latest photo from on high--courtesy of Bob--of the activity at the Four Seasons site:
Many of you have asked about the Spire. Don't fret. The Nichols Partnership is a sophisticated development firm and negotiations are in the works on a replacement for their construction loan. But securing a $160 million-plus loan takes time and it's reasonable that construction activity at the site takes a pause in the interim. It's only a matter of time before all the "i"s are dotted and all the "t"s are crossed on a new loan, then we'll see construction resume. Hang in there.
I'll leave you with this: the latest photo from on high--courtesy of Bob--of the activity at the Four Seasons site:
Thursday, October 11, 2007
1900 16th Street Design
The other day I posted the latest rendering of Trammell Crow's 1900 16th Street project. Today I'm pleased to share with you a supersized version, courtesy of Tryba Architects:
Also, it looks like construction is about to begin on the Cosmopolitan Club, the the 7-story assisted-living senior housing project planned for the corner of Little Raven and 15th, just across the tracks from 1900 16th Street.
Looks like two more major projects are about to break ground in Downtown Denver!
Also, it looks like construction is about to begin on the Cosmopolitan Club, the the 7-story assisted-living senior housing project planned for the corner of Little Raven and 15th, just across the tracks from 1900 16th Street.
Looks like two more major projects are about to break ground in Downtown Denver!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Chroma Townhomes Coming to 25th & Larimer
St. Charles Town Company is launching the final phase of their project at the former Benjamin Moore Paint factory site at 25th and Larimer in Downtown Denver's historic Ballpark district. Originally planned as a multi-story condominium project, Chroma has now been transformed into a sleek modern townhome project that will include artistic colored window glazings and incorporate the historic varnish flue at the site. Here's a press release from St. Charles Town Company with additional details about the project: Chroma Townhomes Press Release
Here's a site plan of the project: Chroma Site Plan and a link to the project website: www.chromadenver.com
Also, here's a rendering of the project exterior (expand to view at full resolution):
Chroma will be a great addition to the rapidly developing Ballpark neighborhood and will help strengthen the pedestrian connection between Upper Larimer and Lower Downtown.
Also, here's a rendering of the project exterior (expand to view at full resolution):
Chroma will be a great addition to the rapidly developing Ballpark neighborhood and will help strengthen the pedestrian connection between Upper Larimer and Lower Downtown.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
1900 16th Street Project Set for Construction
You may have noticed recently some activity at the former Gates employees' parking lot site at 16th and Delgany. The trees are being removed, the light fixtures are gone, and the surface parking lot is on the verge of being eradicated to allow for the start of construction of 1900 16th Street, the $100 million mixed-use project planned by Trammell Crow.
First, let's start with an updated rendering of the project that shows all of the project's phases. Here's the latest:
The first phase consists of an 18-story, 335,000 SF office tower, prominent in the image above, at the corner of 16th and Delgany/Wewatta. Also part of Phase 1, visible to the left of the office tower, is a 1,200-space parking garage--3 levels underground, 3 levels above ground--along the 15th Street side of the block.
Phase 2 of the project consists of a 10-story office building, visible to the right of the Phase 1 tower next to the Millennium Bridge. Finally, Phase 3 would build eight levels of condominiums on top of the parking garage, as depicted in the above rendering. The timing of Phases 2 and 3 will depend on market conditions.
What's also great about this project is that, regardless of when Phases 2 and 3 may happen, Phase 1 includes ground-floor retail along the 16th Street side of the 18-story tower, plus restaurant spaces along the parking garage's Delgany and 15th Street sides! The 15th Street side of the parking garage will be set back slightly to allow extra room for enhanced landscaping and restaurant patios spaces.
More good news: A traffic signal is planned upon completion of the project for the intersection of 15th and Delgany. Currently, there are traffic signals at 15th and Wewatta and 15th and Little Raven, with traffic zipping along in between at speeds not conducive to an urban environment. If you've ever tried crossing 15th Street at Delgany--the entrance to the soon-to-be-open Denver Museum of Contemporary Art--you know that it's like playing Frogger in real life. Fortunately, once 1900 16th Street is complete, you'll be able to walk safely across 15th Street from the Museum to the restaurants along Delgany, the 16th Street corridor, and all the development and transit facilities behind Union Station.
Phase 1 of the 1900 16th Street project should be complete in 2009.
1900 16th Street rendering courtesy of David Owen Tryba Architects.
First, let's start with an updated rendering of the project that shows all of the project's phases. Here's the latest:
The first phase consists of an 18-story, 335,000 SF office tower, prominent in the image above, at the corner of 16th and Delgany/Wewatta. Also part of Phase 1, visible to the left of the office tower, is a 1,200-space parking garage--3 levels underground, 3 levels above ground--along the 15th Street side of the block.
Phase 2 of the project consists of a 10-story office building, visible to the right of the Phase 1 tower next to the Millennium Bridge. Finally, Phase 3 would build eight levels of condominiums on top of the parking garage, as depicted in the above rendering. The timing of Phases 2 and 3 will depend on market conditions.
What's also great about this project is that, regardless of when Phases 2 and 3 may happen, Phase 1 includes ground-floor retail along the 16th Street side of the 18-story tower, plus restaurant spaces along the parking garage's Delgany and 15th Street sides! The 15th Street side of the parking garage will be set back slightly to allow extra room for enhanced landscaping and restaurant patios spaces.
More good news: A traffic signal is planned upon completion of the project for the intersection of 15th and Delgany. Currently, there are traffic signals at 15th and Wewatta and 15th and Little Raven, with traffic zipping along in between at speeds not conducive to an urban environment. If you've ever tried crossing 15th Street at Delgany--the entrance to the soon-to-be-open Denver Museum of Contemporary Art--you know that it's like playing Frogger in real life. Fortunately, once 1900 16th Street is complete, you'll be able to walk safely across 15th Street from the Museum to the restaurants along Delgany, the 16th Street corridor, and all the development and transit facilities behind Union Station.
Phase 1 of the 1900 16th Street project should be complete in 2009.
1900 16th Street rendering courtesy of David Owen Tryba Architects.
Monday, October 01, 2007
New Office Project at 12th & Lincoln?
For a couple of months now, CB Richard Ellis has had a sign at the corner of 12th and Lincoln on Block 042-B promoting "New 170,000 SF Office for Lease." The site is immediately south of the ING Building which fronts along 13th Avenue between Broadway and Lincoln. So far I haven't found out much about this proposal, such as number of floors, the building design, project schedule, etc. Here's the sign:
But, this past week, there was some activity at the site. Thank you to several of you who brought this to my attention... the old brick buildings that occupied the center of the block--a former auto repair shop, I believe--were demolished this past week! Check it out:
I'll keep you posted when I learn more about this project.
But, this past week, there was some activity at the site. Thank you to several of you who brought this to my attention... the old brick buildings that occupied the center of the block--a former auto repair shop, I believe--were demolished this past week! Check it out:
I'll keep you posted when I learn more about this project.
