We have a short update on the status of 16 Wewatta, also referred to as the Triangle Building, next to Denver Union Station.
The developer, East West Partners, has begun mobilizing equipment on the site in anticipation of a January 2014 groundbreaking. A formal announcement with the details of the January groundbreaking event is expected in the near future.
Yet another project in Denver’s booming Union Station district is about to get underway!
I’m really not a big fan of this building, I live in the neighborhood and feel that between this, 1900 16th, the Da Vita building and the Gates building that the atmosphere of DTC got transplanted to Union Station. I don’t think any of these buildings have any sizable retail (or will). That whole section of town just feels like a very pedestrian unfriendly zone that I need to pass through way too often.
Artur,
The entire first floor of the The Triangle is retail. Additionally we are building a pedestrian only plaza. And a 200 bike bike station.
Check it out, I think you will think it’s pretty cool:
http://Www.thetrianglebuilding.net
Chris, great design! This building is Bike Central. The 2-wheel Downtown destination. Retail, so walkable. Nice.
I like that the plaza comes with gurls.
I like the building just fine too.
I like the Post Modernism feel to this building and I’m not opposed so much to it except that I think it would be more pedestrian constructive to have more housing in this area entirely, rather than office space. Why are we using every last inch of space for whats considered moderate low-rise office space? Because it grabs more buck for the square footage right? Yes! There’s plenty of blocks and empty parking lots around downtown to build office towers on. Furthermore this is part of why the Tabor II never gets off the ground when there are so many moderate office buildings under construction, no? But I’m sure you have what looks like a valid reason for it when my point really is, if you want a lot of pedestrians then you’re going to have to build more housing! Lots and lots of housing. So either do that or quit talking about a pedestrian orientated downtown.
Don’t you think we need both? Places to work as well as live. I see them going hand in hand, other wise it simply creates more issues than it solves, namely transportation.
But back to the point about housing. Is seems that there has been a lot of residential built and a lot more is under construction or planned: https://denverinfill.com/2013/09/downtown-denver-residential-boom-september-2013-update.html
I think there is/will be plenty of retail in that area…once there are enough people living & working in that area to support it.
Right now, there are quite a few vacant ground level retail spaces in that area.
Artur,
I’ll have to study that area of Lodo. I’m wondering if Denver lost a rare opportunity to require all buildings in LODO to be of a similar style, such as early 1900’s style…..maybe similar to Coors Field.
That would have been a mistake. Paying homage to a style or your surroundings is fine, but filler buildings, as well as new marvels, need to be “of their time”. Plus, the Union Station/Riverfornt Park area is not a part of Lodo.
That’s great news! Can’t wait till we have a wall of buildings through that stretch of Sixteenth.
In my opinion, the building is fine but not terribly interesting–but mostly I don’t like the fact that this building will obstruct the view of the new Union Station structure/shelter from Wewatta/Speer. When you look down Wewatta from the south (from the Pepsi Center) currently, the view is awesome, impressive, gorgeous! Especially at night…
More disappointing Denver box architecture. Why can’t this city get more creative? All of the projects going up in union station look so unsinspired and seem like such a missed opportunity.
I agree with you saying U.Station is uninspiring. It is starting to look like a missed opportunity.
Since when is a triangle shape a box? Some criticism can be uninspired.
Django… I was left scratching me head with that comment.
While the footprint is not a box, the architectural elements of it are nothing but boxy…ie windows, roof line, patio on top floor. Denver is strangely addicted to box form architecture and needs to start thinking out of the box when it comes to new building design.
I’m okay with this building, not overly exciting but not the worst. I actually wouldn’t have minded keeping this lot as a green space but I suppose there was a good deal of money in to be had in developing this location. Hopefully at least one building in DUS will be interesting.
I love this building…it’s sophisticated but unpretentious – it doesn’t hide behind a bunch of tacked on gimmicks or unnecessary architectural forms. this building will be expensive to build – all that glass and metal panels will need to be perfect to avoid puckering and dimpling that can be hidden behind stucco, brick and metal skins. I say kudos EW.
Thanks Bryan. For what it’s worth, there is almost no metal panel. The building is entirely glass. It’s very difficult to render that, but the upper floors are a mix of opaque and transparent glass. The first two floors are all transparent. It’s a 100% curtain wall building! the first in a long time in Denver,
– Chris
oooh even cooler – taking note from the david adjaye building?
This building maximizes a difficult lot for office use and underground parking. At street level, it perfectly addresses its location, on the inner-ring of the transportation hub, putting bikes and walkers right into the middle of the mix, rather than blocking flow. This is smart design.
Anyone have insight as to whether 16th St Mall design elements will be extended from Market to Wynkoop once Market Street Station is closed and the route is straightened? And will cars be allowed on 16th street from Wynkoop to Wewatta?
Thanks
Bruce
16th will be open to cars for a few blocks…I find it odd to break up the rhythm of the mall this way, but this is how it is.
I like it. Development that matches the rest of the area. This has been a good boom period, we haven’t had any monster built, like the MW Tower, or Trango. I would like to see another 600-footer go up. Disappointed about Tabor, but I figure it is just a matter of time. I hope.
I’m curious about what retail will be in the bottom floor! Sad it’s going to block my current view, but that’s probably not a good reason to not build a building.