Skip to content
Archive of posts filed under the Land / Building Use category.
« Older Entries

Jefferson Park: 2785 Speer Update #1

Posted by  on June 14, 2013

Back in February 2012, Derek announced a new project that would help liven up Speer Boulevard in the Jefferson Park neighborhood. What used to be an area with a couple outdated office buildings surrounded by a sea of surface parking lots is now turning into a 325-unit 2-building apartment project that borders both the Jefferson Park and trendy Lower Highland neighborhoods.

Both buildings will rise 5-stories divided by Alcott Street. Due to the topography of this area, the views from these apartments will be unparalleled to anything else along this stretch of Speer Boulevard. Here is a rendering of the project to refresh your memory.

Shortly after this project was announced the buildings on site were demolished and then for over six months there was no activity on the site; just the foundations of the old buildings were intact. This project was on my worry list as it continued to sit with no activity leaving even more of an eyesore than before. However, over the past few weeks, construction activity has resumed and excavation has begun.

 

Since this project was delayed the original completion date will not be met. Assuming the time frame for construction is close to some other similar scaled infill projects, we should see this complete by late 2014. As a reminder, make sure you head on down to Union Station tomorrow morning at 9:50 AM for Ken’s great Denver Union Station tour especially if you haven’t been down there recently!

Bookmark and Share

Filed under Infill, Jefferson Park, Residential.
2 Comments

Ballpark: Walnut Flats Update #1

Posted by  on June 13, 2013

Back in October we announced a new project over on 27th and Walnut. Walnut Flats has now broken ground and construction has commenced. This is going to be a 169-unit apartment building with underground parking.

As a refresher, here is a rendering of the project by KTGY Architects. The building will rise 5-stories and take up the entire half block between 27th and 28th street along Walnut.

Here is a shot of the site from last weekend. This is a clear indication that construction has begun, there’s a hole in the ground and construction trailers are on site.

Units in the Walnut Flats will range from 612 – 1225 square feet. This project should be complete early to mid 2014.

Bookmark and Share

Filed under Ballpark, Infill, Residential.
5 Comments

Ballpark: The Douglas Update #6

Posted by  on June 10, 2013

When following a development, the ‘firsts’ of that project are always exciting whether it be a new tower crane, the first level of concrete poured, the first pane of glass, or the last piece to top out the structure. Over the weekend I noticed a ‘first’ with The Douglas over on Park Avenue West and Walnut Street: new brick!

Just like One City Block, The Douglas’ facade is going to be entirely brick. I also noticed once again that this development is contributing greatly to the Walnut / Market street wall.

Here is a little refresher of what the brick facade will look like when complete. The different colored sections of brick break up the facade making it seem less giant and monotonous given it’s one structure on an entire city block.

We are getting spoiled with a lot of brick on some of these lower scale developments which is never a bad thing! These buildings will last because of the higher quality materials being used all while adding great character to the neighborhood they sit in. There is a lot of work to get done with this project as they are expecting to open this summer, so we should see this wrapping up very quickly!

Bookmark and Share

Filed under Ballpark, Infill, Residential.
2 Comments

Union Station: Cadence Apartments Update #6

Posted by  on June 9, 2013

Piggybacking off of Ken’s last Denver Union Station update, today we are going to look exclusively at Cadence‘s progress. The structure has topped out and is beginning to really take its true shape.

Installation of glass has begun and soon we will start to see what facade materials are going to be used. Judging by the renderings, we will most likely see more earth toned materials being used; somewhat like the RiverClay condos in Jefferson Park.

Now that Wewatta Street is open, we can finally get up close and see what the front of Cadence is going to look like. Notice that there are setbacks in the front and on all sides of the building. It is definitely nice to see that this isn’t going to be a generic box apartment building.

Here are two more angles with Cadence in the picture: the newly opened 17th Street Gardens and the Millennium Ridge. It will be great 0nce all the lots around the 17th Street Gardens are filled, making it quite the urban passageway! Did you also notice that GE Johnson has cleared the 1601 Wewatta site? We will have some more details on that project later!

Cadence may look all alone in the open Union Station field but that won’t last for long. Right next door you have the proposed 1601 Wewatta project along with the proposed 16 Chestnut and the under-construction 1650 Wewatta project sandwiching it in. Cadence will soon be in the center of it all surrounded by buildings!

Bookmark and Share

Filed under Infill, Residential, Transit-Oriented, Union Station.
1 Comment

Denver Union Station Update #118

Posted by  on June 7, 2013

We’ve just covered the IMA Financial Center in Update #116 and 1701 16th in Update #117, so let’s take a quick look at what’s in between—the historic Denver Union Station, of course!—plus downtown’s newest public space, Wynkoop Plaza.

Wynkoop Plaza will feature a large water-jet-type public fountain in front of the historic station’s south wing. The infrastructure for the fountain has been under construction for several months:

The north and south wing buildings being set back a bit from the property line will allow Wynkoop Plaza to extend all the way to the corners of 16th and 18th Streets. In the photo below, the plaza area in front of the south wing building is being graded. Plaza construction in front of the historic station’s north wing (which will feature seating and a grove of trees) is further along; the plaza’s concrete base has been poured and holes for the street trees have been cut out:

The historic station, which is getting a full restoration inside and out, will have retail/restaurant spaces and public transit waiting areas on the ground floor and a 110-room hotel on the upper floors. Parts of the historic wings have already been scrubbed clean and repaired, and now the facade of the Great Hall is getting a major makeover:

Let’s end with our double-sized bonus photo. Here’s a once-in-lifetime photo of the iconic facade of Denver Union Station covered in scaffolding:

Coming up… Wewatta Street is open!

Bookmark and Share

Filed under Historic Preservation, Lodging, Public Spaces, Transit-Oriented, Union Station.
4 Comments

Denver Union Station Update #117

Posted by  on June 7, 2013

Continuing on with our series of Union Station update posts… let’s take a look at progress on the “south wing building” or what’s now known as 1701 16th Street.

Like its cousin down the street, 1701 16th Street is a five-story office building with ground-floor retail/restaurant spaces. Antero Resources will occupy most of the office space. Courtesy of Union Station Neighborhood Company, here’s a project rendering:

Even though construction started on the south wing building a few month after work had begun on the north wing building, the south wing building has mostly caught up and recently topped off:

Here are a few more construction photos. First, here’s 1701 16th Street from Wewatta Street. This shot will only be possible for a few more months as the 21-story 1650 Wewatta tower (under construction in the foreground) and the future remaining “A” block buildings along 16th Street will eventually block this view.

Here’s the view from near 16th and Wynkoop—almost the exact same perspective as in the artist’s rendering above—minus the blurry people:

Let’s conclude with another double-sized overview shot showing 1701 16th Street and its neighbor, the EPA Building:

Next, we’ll take a quick look at the historic station and Wynkoop Plaza.

Bookmark and Share

Filed under Infill, Office, Transit-Oriented, Union Station.
2 Comments
« Older Entries