With mid-July as the target for start-up of operations at the new mall shuttle station and the new light rail station, lots of activity is now concentrated on rebuilding Chestnut Place and building the loop for the shuttle. If you look carefully at the first photo below, which I took while standing at the bottom of the Millennium Bridge, you can see the elevation differences that define Chestnut Place and the loop.
The next photo shows the first signs of backfilling dirt on the top of the bus terminal alongside Wewatta Street (top of the photo). Construction vehicles are now routinely driving across that part of the roof. You can also see that waterproofing material is being added to the center part of the roof that will carry Chestnut Place. Foundation and utility work for Chestnut Place has also been started on the 18th Street side of the bus terminal.
All seven skylights in the roof of the bus terminal have now been constructed and are visible in the following photo.
Here’s a close-up shot showing progress of the bus terminal entrance/exit ramp. The floor of the ramp is complete and the walls are now being built.
Please see our Denver Union Station page at JobSiteVistor.com for 14 new photos this week.
Excellent update! For those of us who can’t come down and see it all, we really appreciate all the great photos.
I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to do these updates, Rick.
I’m sure I can speak for those of us who don’t live in Denver (at the moment) when I say how greatly we appreciate getting to watch this incredible project evolve. I look forward to following your blog until this sucker is finished.
Love the updates Rick.
Was wondering if you have any information about the real estate development on the site? The websites for the project seem to give nothing more than vague “visions” for what they hope the development of the area will look like. Have any deals/project been finalized for any of the parcels in the neighborhood (excluding, of course, the davita site)?
Eric, three commercial sites are likely to be developed in the next couple of years or so. The first one is between the historic station and Ice House where IMA Financial is committed to build a new five story building next year. The next is a proposed four story building on the opposite side of the station. To my knowledge, there is not a commitment yet for that building. The third likely development is the triangle lot across 16th Street from the station.
Eventually, the entire area around the bus terminal will be developed. That is likely to take many years and is, of course, dependent upon the health of the real estate and financial markets.
Chachafish and Dan,thank you for your comments, and you’re welcome.
Having just got back from a week traveling the train system of Netherlands, Belgium, and France I’m glad to see the progress. I do wish it moved faster as I really want to see it completed, but it still is so nice to see this taking shape. In the meantime I will dream of being able to take a Fyre style train from Longmont to Denver (without having to see Boulder, thank you very much).