The other day while attending the Visioning Workshop for the Downtown Area Plan, I saw a photo of the new urban-style Target store recently constructed in Stamford, CT. Seeing it saddened me because it reminded me of the failed plan for an urban Target store (with affordable housing above, no less) on Block 162. You can thank the Cook family, owner of the blighted Fontius building, for that deal falling through. Anyway, in the DenverInfill archives I found a cool photo of that block I had taken, so I thought I’d share the two of them together.
Do a little mind exercise and picture the Target store covering all of the block except for the Fontius (left) and McClintock (right) buildings in the foreground, with a residential tower or two along 15th Street rising above. Wouldn’t that have been sweet? Funny, from that distance, the Fontius building doesn’t look all that bad. Hopefully, developer Evan Makovsky, who is planning a major project on the block with or without a renovated Fontius, will soon relieve us from the shame that is Block 162.
Comments to this post from the previous Blogger version of the DenverInfill Blog:
The urban Target on the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis looks even better than the one pictured, and the Nicollet Mall is far less vibrant and interesting than the 16th Street Mall.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous : 8/30/2006 12:20:00 AM
Don’t give up hope so easily . . . I think a downtown target like Stamford would be phenomenal to site on block 207 – which would be a fantastic connection between 14th Street to 16th Street, and also help seam the civic center area to the convention center district. How do we get the target folks and the DURA folks in touch with each other about such an opportunity? Another great block for target would be block 98.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous : 8/30/2006 11:18:00 AM
don’t dispair! There are a couple of other awesome blocks for siting a downtown target – perhaps even better than the fontius block. One is block 207 at 14 and tremont. It would not only provide a great connection between the 14th street residential district and the 16th street mall, it would also help seam the civic center district with the convention center district. How do we get DURA talking with the target folks about this? Another great option would be block 98.
Permalink Posted by Anonymous : 8/30/2006 11:21:00 AM
What about where the old Woolworths used to be? wouldnt Target work there? or where Media play was?? Just a thought? Wonder what everyone else thinks??
Permalink Posted by Michael : 8/30/2006 12:57:00 PM
I think block 98 would be a great fit. Only issue with block 207 is the historic house turned office that fronts Court. Unless of course the house was somehow fit into the design of the Target. Anyhoo, the Federal Reserve Bank should build another structure downtown and allow that prime lot to be developed.
Permalink Posted by Rob : 8/30/2006 01:14:00 PM
Block 98 or 207 would work, but I’d personally prefer a Super Target or WalMart (with supermarket) on one of the pads near Glass House in the Central Platte Valley. Not only would this location provide relatively easy access to those living downtown, it would also provide easy access to those living in East Highland. Further, I would expect the store to receive more traffic due to its proximity to Union Station and I25. I sent a message to WalMart Corporate Real-Estate a few months ago suggesting this location and they said they would look into it. Alas, I’m not holding my breath for action on it.
Permalink Posted by Eric : 8/30/2006 02:48:00 PM
No, not a Walmart in Downtown Denver. Yikes. Denver deserves more class than that. A walmart wouldn’t fit in and it would likely be a terrible eye-sore.
Permalink Posted by the inhabitant : 8/30/2006 04:38:00 PM
Yeh I dont know how I feel about Walmart. I dont even know if I’d want a super target either. I think that we have plenty of grocers in this country who could open a decent urban store. I think a regular target would be nice. Ok, heres my trashy side coming out…Id also like to see a small store like a Gordmans or a Steinmart open somewhere downtown. I know, slap me and hand me a white trash card. Thanks!
Permalink Posted by Rob : 8/30/2006 10:23:00 PM
To be clear, the WalMart I have in mind for downtown would not be the traditional blue box found in the burbs. I was thinking about something like the prototype store in Plano, Texas:
http://www.ddimagazine.com/displayanddesignideas/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002688959
IMHO, the prototype’s enhanced style and design (inside and out) combined with its upscale product selection would fit well downtown.
Permalink Posted by Eric : 8/31/2006 05:53:00 PM
Here’s a better link to the WalMart prototype with pics:
http://www.newmarketbuilders.com/hoa/assn161/documents/40-176-WMTPlano%20Report_2006.pdf#search=%22walmart%20prototype%20store%20plano%20texas%22
By the way, I would be all for (and I suspect it would be required by the city) review and approval of an external design that properly fits in with surrounding buildings downtown
Permalink Posted by Eric : 8/31/2006 06:15:00 PM
I’ve been to the Target in Minneapolis. It’s very convenient for downtowners. I didn’t like the street level part of the building there very much because they are more connected to the skyway system. Denver would need to work to ensure a vibrant street level entrance, and not another blank concrete wall.
Permalink Posted by John : 8/31/2006 09:54:00 PM
I just saw the movie last night called “The High Price of Low Cost”. Watch it, then see if you still want a Wal-Mart in downtown Denver
Permalink Posted by Michael : 9/01/2006 09:32:00 AM