Comments on: Speer Boulevard’s Future http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html News and information about urban infill development in the Mile High City Wed, 23 May 2012 05:26:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Anonymous http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2150 Anonymous Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:19:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2150 One thing the city needs to do with Speer Blvd in the immediate future is significantly update the landscaping. Instead of the traditional dead grass that now lines it, the city should plant natural grasses, shrubs, and flowers that flourish in the arid climate. The landscaping along the bike path of the Cherry Creek just east of Colorado Blvd is a good example. Landscaping along with smart and unique infill projects will allow Speer to shine for years to come. One thing the city needs to do with Speer Blvd in the immediate future is significantly update the landscaping. Instead of the traditional dead grass that now lines it, the city should plant natural grasses, shrubs, and flowers that flourish in the arid climate. The landscaping along the bike path of the Cherry Creek just east of Colorado Blvd is a good example. Landscaping along with smart and unique infill projects will allow Speer to shine for years to come.

]]> By: joeindt http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2112 joeindt Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:38:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2112 Good point. As you drive it you'd see it as one big streetscape, but the reality is a long street connecting several neighborhoods. I would bet the zoning is based on the 'hood in question. It may be hard to come up with consistency of the entire route because of that. I do think there is more potential for more high rise development. I also think a streetcar will organically develop. I don't see the character changing much. I think it will remain an inner city express way, perhaps with a train attached in the future. I still like speer very much. Good point. As you drive it you'd see it as one big streetscape, but the reality is a long street connecting several neighborhoods. I would bet the zoning is based on the 'hood in question. It may be hard to come up with consistency of the entire route because of that. I do think there is more potential for more high rise development. I also think a streetcar will organically develop. I don't see the character changing much. I think it will remain an inner city express way, perhaps with a train attached in the future. I still like speer very much.

]]> By: jronczy http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2085 jronczy Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:45:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2085 Some thoughts on Speer... some streets are meant to be connections, and some are meant to be gathering places. Very few, if any, can serve both masters effectively. Responding to scott Bennet, I am not sure a "riverwalk-tpe" plan is as wonderful as we all seem to think it might be. While San anonio's riverwalk is a wonderful place, it is effectively removed from the fabric of downtown by the grade change, rendering the balance of the CBD a ghost town. That is not something I'd like to see. Some thoughts on Speer… some streets are meant to be connections, and some are meant to be gathering places. Very few, if any, can serve both masters effectively. Responding to scott Bennet, I am not sure a "riverwalk-tpe" plan is as wonderful as we all seem to think it might be. While San anonio's riverwalk is a wonderful place, it is effectively removed from the fabric of downtown by the grade change, rendering the balance of the CBD a ghost town. That is not something I'd like to see.

]]> By: Saint http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2065 Saint Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:08:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2065 They better pull it up to Speer. That was my understanding (although apparently a false one) when I voted on it. They better pull it up to Speer. That was my understanding (although apparently a false one) when I voted on it.

]]> By: Ken http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2064 Ken Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:02:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2064 The six finalists are just competing for the right to do the design. None of them have done any kind of real design yet (beyond conceptual). Once the winning firm is selected and they start the actual design process, I'm sure they will at some point present their design to the public in the form of renderings, models, etc. The six finalists are just competing for the right to do the design. None of them have done any kind of real design yet (beyond conceptual). Once the winning firm is selected and they start the actual design process, I'm sure they will at some point present their design to the public in the form of renderings, models, etc.

]]> By: Anonymous http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2063 Anonymous Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:27:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2063 Are they going to release the renderings/models of the six finalists for the Boettcher redesign...I would love to see them! Are they going to release the renderings/models of the six finalists for the Boettcher redesign…I would love to see them!

]]> By: Anonymous http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2054 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:30:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2054 the bell tower is the exact type of cutting edge architecture denver needs to erease the "cow town" image we have fostered for so long. To have this building near the convention center and somewhat close to the new museum would be put an exclamation point on the idea that Denver no longer wants to merely flirt with the idea of being cosmopolitan and begin the transformation of a city which has every intention of not just allowing new ideas, but rather one which welcomes them. Kudos to Geller and Fentress for their bold visions. Hopefully, this "gateway" building will be built and prove that Denver is a home for innovation and the destination for others wanting to erect somthing great the bell tower is the exact type of cutting edge architecture denver needs to erease the "cow town" image we have fostered for so long. To have this building near the convention center and somewhat close to the new museum would be put an exclamation point on the idea that Denver no longer wants to merely flirt with the idea of being cosmopolitan and begin the transformation of a city which has every intention of not just allowing new ideas, but rather one which welcomes them. Kudos to Geller and Fentress for their bold visions. Hopefully, this "gateway" building will be built and prove that Denver is a home for innovation and the destination for others wanting to erect somthing great

]]> By: Scott Bennett http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2047 Scott Bennett Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:17:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2047 Agreed about the river. Every time I ride down there, I wonder why they didn't create a riverwalk-style commercial development. It's kind of impossible now for at least a generation. The ideal place to do it would have been on the LoDo end, and they built condos right up to the edge along the whole stretch. The rest of the stretch along Speer has traffic lanes on both sides, and it would be prohibitively expensive to reroute all the lanes to one side to allow things like restaurants on the other. <br /><br />Some of that decision was probably due to flooding- I've seen the water almost up to the top of the wall, so anything you did would have to be up above that level, and couldn't come down close to the water. Still, it's a shame they didn't take advantage of the opportunity when they had it. Agreed about the river. Every time I ride down there, I wonder why they didn't create a riverwalk-style commercial development. It's kind of impossible now for at least a generation. The ideal place to do it would have been on the LoDo end, and they built condos right up to the edge along the whole stretch. The rest of the stretch along Speer has traffic lanes on both sides, and it would be prohibitively expensive to reroute all the lanes to one side to allow things like restaurants on the other.

Some of that decision was probably due to flooding- I've seen the water almost up to the top of the wall, so anything you did would have to be up above that level, and couldn't come down close to the water. Still, it's a shame they didn't take advantage of the opportunity when they had it.

]]> By: Anonymous http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2039 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:04:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2039 I might include University and 6th as showcase streets as well, which would be highly served by street cars. <br /><br />As for Speer - this is the one boulevard in the city that follows a natural element of the river. It's amazing to me that for a city as dry as Denver, more emphasis wouldn't go to expanding the role that the river could play in development. Everyone loves the water, but with the exception of the fairly recent creation of Confluence Park, there isn't really any area that the public can access the water - except for the jogging trails. Not one reatuarant with an over-hanging balcony. Nothing.. It's a beautiful natural resource that is being under-utilized by the city. I might include University and 6th as showcase streets as well, which would be highly served by street cars.

As for Speer – this is the one boulevard in the city that follows a natural element of the river. It's amazing to me that for a city as dry as Denver, more emphasis wouldn't go to expanding the role that the river could play in development. Everyone loves the water, but with the exception of the fairly recent creation of Confluence Park, there isn't really any area that the public can access the water – except for the jogging trails. Not one reatuarant with an over-hanging balcony. Nothing.. It's a beautiful natural resource that is being under-utilized by the city.

]]> By: Anonymous http://denverinfill.com/blog/2008/06/speer-boulevard-future.html/comment-page-1#comment-2038 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:01:00 +0000 http://denverinfill.com/wordpress/2008/06/speer-boulevards-future.html#comment-2038 Oh, what I thought was a parking garage is actually the lower, commercial building on the other side of the creek. Oh, what I thought was a parking garage is actually the lower, commercial building on the other side of the creek.

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