There was a lot of demolition going on this weekend in Downtown Denver in anticipation of several new urban infill projects poised to start construction. Let’s take a look:
1755 Blake (Block 021): The small two-story building sitting near the corner of 18th and Blake–the one ultimately ruled not-historic-enough by the Lower Downtown Design Review Board–is now history. It, along with the surrounding parking lot, was demolished this weekend:
1800 Larimer (Block 066): The demolition of the low-scale medical office complex and Japanese restaurant that occupied the site continued this weekend. All that is left is the rubble:
Makovsky Project (Block 162): It didn’t take long after the old Bank of Denver building was demolished before the old Republic Hotel building next door at 15th and California started coming down. By Sunday afternoon, it was already half gone:
Fontius Building (Block 162): No, the Fontius isn’t being demolished. The 1923 structure at 16th and Welton is part of the Downtown Denver Historic District and certainly worthy of preservation, no matter how dilapidated the interior. But, that didn’t stop an errant driver from crashing into the Welton side of the building this weekend! As if Evan Makovsky didn’t already have enough things to do at the Fontius, now he has this to fix too:
Coincidently, I have a photo of the inside of the building right where the car crashed. It was one of the photos I didn’t bother to post as part of my Inside the Fontius special feature, but I might as well post it now:
Oh my God! A driver crashed in the Fontius building? That is hilarious. I wonder what Ken means by errant. Was he driving recklessly or did he intentionally he direct his car into the Fontious? Either way its hysterical.
Whats the deal on the Homewood/Hilton? I know they got the demolition done on the motor hotel but why haven't they started digging the foundation yet?
Dude read the article. It was a woman who had a seizure. Thats kind of sad but somewhat ironic. Its the reluctant force of the Fontius saying "I don't want to be rennovated, I want to be ugly!"
Anon 9:51, because before construction starts there have to be permits filed and approved. As of yesterday there are no permits filed for Embassy Suites. Sorry.
I saw the white tent at the four seasons site this morning!!
I think it is for the groundbreaking.
during lunch today, i took a walk by the four seasons site and i also saw activity across lawrence st at the great gulf site. I asked one of the workmen when this project is going to get "off the ground" and his response was "in about nine months"
just thought that i'd fill you all in
It's official! The Four Seasons has broke ground!
…I can't believe it's going to take over two years to finish the project… WAY TO LONG. I say we do as the UAE do, and build day and night as they do in Dubai!
Overall, great news though.
relax 12:51 the basic frame and infrastructure will be done in no time. Its the internal stuff that takes so long. Soon when you look from west Denver you won't have to sigh in dissaproval of the skimp sight of three towers poking over some hill.
Four Season broke-ground and started construction.
BTW, the other penthouse was sold as well for 8 million!!
Who needs 50% pre-sale, that's only for Spire kinda project.
This is Four seasons, 200% different than Spire, come on people, stop comparing FS with Spire, would you?
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/real_estate/article/0,1299,DRMN_414_5706431,00.html
Ken, any updates on the Spire? And if pre-sales was the problem, as people here seem to suggest, then why isn't the web page completed and why isn't there a clear sales office somewhere? That lack of initiative would seem to tell me that their concern isn't about pre-sales?
I tried to contact them about pre-sale on a Spire unit and nobody ever got back to me. I assumed they weren't attempting to do pre-sales.