If you thought there’s a lot of exciting development happening around Denver Union Station, then hold on… it’s about to get even better!

Holland Partner Group, the firm wrapping up construction on the Line 28 project at 16th & Boulder in Lower Highland, is bullish on Denver. So bullish, in fact, that they are set to begin construction late 2012/early 2013 on their next Denver project: 1650 Wewatta.

1650 Wewatta is a 21-story apartment building to be constructed at the corner of 17th and Wewatta, immediately adjacent to the Commuter Rail Train Hall currently under construction behind Union Station. The project represents about one-third of what’s called the “A” Block development site at Union Station, an L-shaped parcel located between Wewatta and the historic station from 16th to 17th streets. 1650 Wewatta will anchor the part of the “L” closest to the 17th Street spine of the DUS transit district. Two additional components of the “A” Block, office and hotel projects, will eventually complete the parcel.

These are the final approved renderings of 1650 Wewatta, courtesy of Erik at Holland Partners and Kristen, Mike, and Andy at Shears Adkins Rockmore. First, here’s a view looking southeast, with Wewatta Street in the foreground and the historic station and commuter rail platforms in the background. To the right is the shadow-massing of the future hotel/office portion of the parcel.

Here’s another view looking slightly more to the south and of the 17th Street Plaza side of the building:

Finally, here’s a view from Lower Downtown looking northwest, with Wynkoop Street in the foreground and 1650 Wewatta in the center/left of the image. Between 1650 Wewatta and the historic station’s south wing is the Commuter Rail Train Hall and its dramatic white arched canopy. To the immediate right of the new tower is the Wewatta Pavilion, an eventual twin to the completed Chestnut Pavilion. To its left are placeholders for the future hotel/office portion of the parcel.

1650 Wewatta will consist of 288 apartment units, with about 69% of the units as 1-bedrooms, 25% as 2-bedrooms, and 6% as studio apartments. A total of about 260 parking spaces will be provided on two underground levels and on Floors 2 through 4, a 0.90 parking space/residential unit ratio that reflects the project’s transit-adjacent location. The ground floor will feature about 7,000 SF of retail as well as lobby, utilities, and other building functions. Floors 5-21 will house the apartment units. Additional building amenities include a fitness club, yoga studio, pool and lounge area on the 14th floor, an outdoor courtyard space on the 5th floor, and 24-hour concierge.

1650 Wewatta is seeking LEED-Silver certification, and should be finished in 2014.