Seattle-based Unico Properties continues to expand its presence in Denver’s urban core with a proposed mixed-use project, 14 Wynkoop, located along Cherry Creek between Wazee and Wynkoop streets.

The 14 Wynkoop development site is outlined in yellow on the image below and consists of two parcels. The parking lot along the Wazee Street side measures 12,500 square feet and was bought by Unico in February 2016. The surface parking lot on the Wynkoop side measures approximately 10,000 square feet and is part of the parcel that includes the adjacent building at 1430 Wynkoop that Unico acquired in October 2015. Unico has also requested an alley vacation which adds about another 1,500 square feet, putting the total project footprint at approximately 24,000 square feet.

According to documents submitted to the Lower Downtown Design Review Board (LDDRB), the proposed development will include 73,000 square feet of office space on floors 2 through 4, 40 residential units on floors 5 through 8, 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and three levels of underground parking containing 142 storage spaces for automobiles. The 8th floor is a residential penthouse level that is quite a bit smaller than the other floors in square footage, as it is stepped back significantly on all four sides. The image below shows 14 Wynkoop’s three building elevations. All of the following graphics are from the project’s August 4 submittal documents and are courtesy of OZ Architecture, the project architect.

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14 Wynkoop was informally discussed at the November 5, 2015 LDDRB meeting, but the Board will take up the project formally for the first time at their August 4 meeting. The first step in the LDDRB process is reviewing the project’s proposed mass and scale. City staff have put forward a “denial” recommendation for this first review, which is not unusual. It’s fairly common for a project to require multiple rounds of review with the LDDRB before receiving approval.

Here are several conceptual renderings for the proposed development. Keep in mind that these designs are preliminary and only address mass and scale, not necessarily materials or other design details. The design will definitely be refined in the coming months as part of the historic district design review process.

View from near the Downtown Children’s Playground across Cherry Creek:

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Wazee Street view:

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View from across the other side of the Wazee bridge over Cherry Creek:

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Wynkoop Street view with 1430 Wynkoop on the left:

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This is good news for Downtown Denver! Another big surface parking lot will be eradicated and replaced with an urban fabric-healing building that brings people and economic vitality to the edge of Cherry Creek.