Capitol Hill Roundup JAN 2023

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Avalon Governor’s Park. With Capitol Square Apartments now complete, only one new project is officially under construction in Capitol Hill. The project is now above the street level, with the first three floors underway. Above the concrete podium, the upper floors will use light gauge steel as the primary structure, with prefabricated facade panels.

Art Studios. While not new vertical construction, the adaptive reuse of the former Art Institute building is well underway. There is little to see on the project’s exterior, as most of the work focuses on the new interior; however, the attached parking garage along Lincoln Street did get a new facelift. The 1960s office building will feature 194 studio apartments and a single ground-floor retail tenant.

PROPOSED

Society Denver / KMGH Redevelopment. A site development plan, and all of the applicable documents, aside from a building permit, have been filed with the city for the KMGH redevelopment on Speer and Lincoln. While KMGH Channel 7 News still needs to move to their new home in River North, all the documents are getting lined up so construction can start shortly after their move.

One note about the redevelopment site and the statistics on the table below. PMG, the developer of a new project named Society Denver, proposes only a 12-story building containing 397 apartment homes. The site development plan filed with the city calls for a 12 and 14-story building. It is still being determined if the 14-story portion will also be part of Society Denver.

700 Lincoln. The 18-story project proposed for the northeast corner of East 7th Avenue and Lincoln Street went before the Downtown Design Advisory Board in November for site design and massing review. The Board recommended that the project move forward under these conditions:

1. Study massing along alley – to break down the long façade with greater expression, massing moves, than Juliet balconies. Staff would appreciate the Board detailed comments and direction in the motion.
2. Further study the proposed open amenity space to develop it to be a success for the Urban fabric and not just a private pet area.

Here are a few photos of the project site today. The existing single-story building will be demolished to make way for this project.

Furthermore, we have a massing and rendering to share that was included in the design review package.

8th X Lincoln. A block north of 700 Lincoln, another 18-story project is proposed on the northeast corner of East 8th Avenue and Lincoln Street. This project also went before the Downtown Design Advisory Board earlier this month and received the approval to move forward with the design under these conditions:

1. Study alignment and connection between ground level and upper floors on Lincoln, 8th Avenue and alley.
2. Clarify the narrative for the materials and design intent. Ensure a cohesive façade design
3. Provide information for streetscape including lighting at street level and above.
4. Provide detailing for projecting balconies.
5. Further study the top of the building – parapet and amenity canopy.

Here are a few photos of the project site present day.

In addition, below are a few renderings of the project pulled from the design review package submitted to the city.

Governor’s Hill. Across the street from 800 Lincoln, on the southeast corner of East 8th Avenue and Lincoln Street, concept and urban design plans were recently filed with the city for another 18-story residential project. This two-block stretch of Lincoln Street has always been significantly under-severed in density and is still littered with surface parking lots. The east side of Lincoln Street between East 7th and 9th Avenue, shown in the photo below, has the potential to feature three 18-story buildings.

Gables Governors Park. Demolition of a single-story structure, mid-block between East 7th and 8th Avenue along Sherman Street, is complete to make way for a 10-story residential project. While the surface parking lot at the corner remains open, work should begin soon as building permits have been filed with the city. As of today, renderings have yet to surface for this project.

Luma Apartments. With severe structural concerns, the parking structure at 720 Grant has finally been demolished to make way for a nine-story project. The project is making its way through the city, with the most recent document filed last month.

Sports Castle Lofts. In 2019, we announced the initial plans to redevelop the area around the Sports Castle at East 10th Avenue and Broadway. Since then, the project has been through a handful of different revisions, and it got confusing what exactly was going to happen. However, with some new clarity, the latest rendition is most likely moving forward, with demolition permits filed for the parking structure directly north of the Sports Castle. When visiting the project site, there are signs that work is starting, with scaffolding along the existing parking structure. In the photos of the project site below, we also included the most recent rendering of the project.

951 Logan. A small surface parking lot mid-block along Logan Street between East 9th and 10th Avenue may soon get supplanted to make way for a new five-story residential project. While this is a small lot, and the density presence in this part of Capitol Hill is excellent, finishing the streetwall on this block is an exciting prospect.