DenverInfill.com - Central Platte Valley (North) Neighborhood



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Central Platte Valley (North) Denver's Central Platte Valley has come full circle. As the city's birthplace in the mid-1800s, it was home to a mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses, and even a riverfront park. But by the mid-20th century, railroads had grown dominant and the Valley had became a massive rail yard and warehousing area. By the 1980s, things had changed again, as the decline in railroads and industrialization made the Central Platte Valley a virtual ghost town in the shadow of Downtown's modern high-rises. The Central Platte Valley Plan was completed in the 1980s, followed by major investments in new streets, light rail, parks, and public amenities. Now, the private sector is responding with significant infill projects, with much of what is planned still to come. The projects listed here are just those underway since this aerial photo was taken in 2000! Click on a yellow project number on the aerial to jump to that project. Click on a thumbnail to view the image. Images are numbered 1 - 4 from left to right. Images not credited to another source are original to DenverInfill.com.
	1 Highland Pedestrian Bridge MAP	The Highland Bridge over I-25 is one of three new pedestrian bridges (see # 2 and # 19) to link Northwest Denver to Downtown, and will provide a pedestrian corridor from Highland to the Civic Center area, a distance of 1.75 miles. Construction completed in the Winter of 2007. Image credits: 1- 3: www.highlandbridgedenver.com. Construction Progress Photos: View time-lapse construction photos for this project at Alpine Light Pictures: Highland Bridge.
	2 Platte River Pedestrian Bridge MAP	The pedestrian bridge over the Platte River opened in 2004, the second of three new pedestrian bridges to link Northwest Denver with Downtown. The bridge's white color and vertical masts relate to its larger neighbor, the Millennium Bridge, yet maintains is own unique personality. The bridge crosses the river where the former 16th Street Viaduct used to be, and connects with the center courtyard of the Commons West Apartments on the west side of the river.
	3 Denver Commons Park MAP	The centerpiece of the new Central Platte Valley, Commons Park, is a 20-acre green space that fronts the Platte River and serves as the counterpart to Civic Center Park at the opposite end of Downtown. The park features 40% of its terrain in native grasses and plants and 60% with a more formal and urban landscape theme. The focal point of the park is the hill, which holds at its top a polished granite compass marker. Image credits: 1: www.denvergov.org.
	4 Denver Skatepark MAP	Reportedly the largest free public skateboard park in the nation, Denver Skatepark anchors the northern end of Commons Park and was built after years of planning and cooperation between the City and Denver's skateboarding community. The park was built in two phases. Photo # 1 shows the project after Phase 1 (2003) but before the street was realigned and the existing building removed. Photo # 2 shows the completed project. Image credits: 1- 2: www.denvergov.org.
	5 Confluence Park Plaza MAP	The southern side of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the Platte River has been the home to Confluence Park since the 1970s, but the northern side has remained since then the site of an electrical substation...not exactly the most aesthetic and friendly land use to honor the site of the city's birthplace. All that changed in 2004. With the relocation of the substation, the site has been transformed into a landscaped park and plaza. Image credits: 1: www.denvergov.org.
	6 Confluence at Cherry Creek MAP	Ray Suppa, developer of the Palace Lofts and Waterside Lofts, plans to redevelop the site at the northwest corner of 15th and Little Raven, currently home to a small commercial building in general disrepair, into a 120-unit condo project known as the Confluence at Cherry Creek. The project will consist of a 9 and a 6 story building. Construction timeline is currently unknown.
	7 Townhomes at Riverfront Park MAP	Part of the East-West Partner's Riverfront Master Plan, the Townhomes at Riverfront Park, along with the Creekside Lofts, complete the creek-side of the block between Little Raven and the railroad tracks along 15th Street. This project features 23 units, ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,400 SF, and was designed by Oz Architects. The project was completed Summer 2005. Image credits: 1: www.riverfrontpark.com.
	8 Riverfront Creekside Lofts MAP	Another component of the Riverfront Park master plan, the Creekside Lofts have been built in two phases, with the second phase completed in Spring 2005. Along with the Townhomes at Riverfront Park, the Creekside Lofts complete the creek-side portion of the block south of Little Raven. The Creekside Lofts contain 40 units ranging in size from 600 to 1,250 SF in size and were designed by Oz Architects. Image credits: 1: www.ozarch.com.
	9 Archstone Riverfront Park MAP	The Archstone Riverfront Park Apartments was the first rental property developed as part of the Riverfront Park master plan. The project features 273 apartment units, ranging in size from 635 to 1,300 SF. The project stretches along the entire length of 15th Street from Little Raven to the railroad tracks and is 4-stories in height. The Archstone Riverfront Park Apartments were completed in 2002.
	10 Monarch Mills MAP	Monarch Mills is an 8-story condo project developed by Urban Ventures LLC and Continuum Partners. The building features 69 units in all, with 56 units available as deed-restricted affordable units, and 13 market-rate units. Monarch Mills is located along 15th Street next to RTD's "C" light rail line. Completion occurred Fall 2005. Image credits: 1: www.monarchmills.com Photos 2-3 (04/2005), Photo 4 (10/2005). Archived Photos (04/2005): 1
	11 The Delgany MAP	The Delgany is a 4-story, 44 unit condominium project developed by East-West Partners as part of their Riverfront Park master plan. The building features units ranging in size from 1,186 to 2,352 SF and includes dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Cherry Creek and an exterior facade comprised of brick and polished metal. The building was designed by 42\|40 Architects and was completed in 2005. Image credits: 1- 2: www.4240architecture.com.
	12 Art House Townhomes MAP	These 13 townhomes will wrap around two sides of the new Museum of Contemporary Art building. Designed by Studio Completiva, the townhomes will share the block with the Delgany and Monarch Mills. Once complete, this one block will hold three new residential developments and an iconic cultural building. Construction completed in late 2006. Image credits: 1- 2: www.studiocompletiva.com. Archived Photos: 1 2
	13 Museum of Contemporary Art MAP	Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art functions as a kunsthalle, a non-collecting space that features ongoing art exhibits. Founded in 1996, MCA/D has been housed in leased space, but recently received a donation of land in the Valley for a permanent home. After an international design competition, the Museum selected London architect David Adjaye. The museum's grand opening to take place October 28, 2007. Image credits: 1- 2: www.mcartdenver.org Archived photos (03/2005): 1
	14 Waterside Lofts MAP	The first new building to be built right along Cherry Creek in the Central Platte Valley, the Waterside Lofts is a 13-story, 160 unit condominium building featuring the "neo-LoDo" design of brick, metal, and glass in a contemporary style, while fitting in nicely with its historic neighbors. Waterside was developed by Ray Suppa, developer of the Palace Lofts, one of the first new construction residential projects in Lower Downtown.
	15 The Cosmopolitan Club MAP	The Cosmopolitan Club will be the Central Platte Valleys first senior housing option. This lot at 15th and Little Raven was originally planned for Archstone's Riverfront Phase 2. The land was purchased in 2006 by Belfour Senior Care to construct an upscale 264-unit facility with a 160-unit parking garage. Construction is planned to begin in late 2007. Image credits: 1- 2: Balfour Senior Housing, 3: www.denvergov.com, 4: www.denver cityscape.com.
	16 Riverfront Tower MAP	The tallest of the three initial buildings built by East-West Partners to kick off their Riverfront Park development in the Central Platte Valley, the Riverfront Tower is a 13-story condominium mid-rise featuring 58 units and an illuminated clock tower. The building also contains a number of shops on the ground floor. Riverfront Tower was designed by Urban Design Group and features units ranging in size from 1,000 to 5,100 SF.
	17 Promenade Lofts MAP	The second of the initial three buildings constructed by East-West Partners in the Central Platte Valley, the Promenade Lofts is a 7-story building containing 68 units that range in size from 885 to 4,149 SF. The building also features an exterior elevated walkway that connects the building's 3rd floor to the elevator tower on the Millennium Bridge. The Promenade Lofts was designed by Urban Design Group and was completed in 2001.
	18 Park Place Lofts MAP	The third of the original three buildings built by East-West Partners to start off their Riverfront Park project in the Central Platte Valley, the Park Place Lofts contains 71 units in a 7-story building. The building also features ground-floor retail, including the sales office for East-West partners and an incredible model of Lower Downtown and the Central Platte Valley in all its full-buildout glory. The contemporary designed of the Park Place Lofts was crafted by Urban Design Group.
	19 Millennium Pedestrian Bridge MAP	The signature icon for the Central Platte Valley, the Millennium Bridge is a 130-foot long, 80-foot wide cable-stayed pedestrian bridge that crosses the Consolidated Main Line (CML) railroad tracks and continues the 16th Street Mall into the Central Platte Valley. The bridge features a 200-foot tall mast that tilts backwards and sideways, and with its stark white color and its nighttime illumination, the $9 million bridge is a new Denver landmark and a symbol of the city's vitality.
	20 16th St. Mall Extension MAP	Since its completion in 1981, the 16th Street Mall, a mile-long pedestrian and transit corridor, has been the spine of Downtown Denver. Originally stopping at Market Street, the Mall was extended to Wynkoop Street in the late 1990s, and continued further west in 2002 with the completion of the Millennium Bridge and the introduction of light rail to Union Station. Now, a person can walk from Civic Center to the Platte River entirely on a dedicated pedestrian right-of-way.
	21 Gates Corp. World HQ MAP	Developed by Legacy Partners, this 10-story, 280,000 SF office building was built without any pre-leasing and was the first commercial building in the Central Platte Valley. Fortunately for the developers, despite the worsening office market, the entire building was leased by the Gates Corporation, which was leaving their I-25 and Broadway home after a century and was in search for a new location in the Downtown area for their world headquarters.
	22 RTD Light Rail ("C" Line) MAP	RTD opened light rail service to Union Station (the "C" line) in 2002. To accommodate light rail, a new station platform was built behind Union Station, the 16th Street Mall shuttle bus service was extended to Union Station to interface with light rail, and the new line was aesthetically integrated into the maze of new residential and infrastructure projects underway in the Valley.
	23 Union Sta. Master Plan MAP	As part of the FasTracks plan to extend rail transit service throughout the metro area, Union Station will serve as the multi-modal transportation hub for the region, where light rail, commuter rail, local and regional RTD busses, Greyhound, Amtrak, the SkiTrain, taxis, bicycles, shuttle busses, and just about everything else will all come together. The Union Station Master Plan lays out how all this will look upon full buildout.
	24 Commons Master Plan MAP	The CPV has two redevelopment areas: Riverfront Park (currently being developed by East-West Partners), which lies between the river and the CML railroad tracks, and Denver Commons, which lies between the CML tracks and Union Station. This section provides plan images for the Denver Commons area. Construction Progress Photos: View time-lapse construction photos for this area at Alpine Light Pictures: Denver Commons.
	25 Riverfront Park Master Plan MAP	The Riverfront Park portion of the Central Platte Valley is being developed by East-West Partners and is well on its way towards buildout. Aided by the new Commons Park and the iconic Millennium Bridge, Riverfront Park started off strong and hasn't looked back, with a steady stream of new projects always under construction. At full buildout, Riverfront Park will include over 2,000 residential units. Image credits: 1: East-West Partners, 2: www.designworkshop.com.
	26 Glass House Towers MAP	The Glass House project consists of twin 23-story towers and an 8-story base of parking, residential units, and retail. The project will have 390 units. Construction began in the Summer of 2005 and completed in early 2007. Image credits: 1- 2: www.glasshousedenver.com. Archived Photos (04/2005): 1 2 (10/2005): 3 Construction Progress Photos: View time-lapse construction photos for this project at Alpine Light Pictures: Glass House.
	27 The Manhattan MAP	The Manhattan is a 12-story apartment building built by the Greystar Corporation and was the first high-rise rental property in the Riverfront Park development. The project contains 265 units and was completed in 2003. A second phase for Greystar includes a shorter tower across Bassett Street from the Manhattan, scheduled for sometime around 2010, as well as the possibility of converting the Manhattan to for-sale condos in the future.