A concept design review application for a new infill project that would add 169 units of affordable and workforce rental apartments to Downtown Denver’s Arapahoe Square district has been submitted to the Arapahoe Square Design Advisory Board (ASDAB). The 13-story project proposed for 2250 Champa Street and currently called Champa Flats will have its first review by the ASDAB on December 12.
Below is a Google Earth aerial with the 0.36-acre site outlined, and a Google street view image showing the property’s current status as an ugly surface parking lot:
According to the project’s ASDAB application, the Champa Flats includes a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments on floors 4 through 13 with an indoor/outdoor resident lounge also on the fourth floor. A total of 94 vehicle parking spaces are located on the first three floors plus one level underground. The parking on the first three floors is shielded from view from Champa Street with building uses. At the street level, a commercial retail space and the building lobby front the sidewalk, with each of these ground-floor spaces extending vertically to hide the parking on the second floor as well. On the third floor, a fitness center and resident amenity space obscure the parking from the street view. Access to the parking is via the alley.
Here is a rendering (courtesy of OZ Architecture) taken from the project’s ASDAB application of the front (Champa) side of the proposed building. Please keep in mind that this is a concept design only. The project is just starting its journey through the design review process with the ASDAB and the City, so it is likely that the tower’s design will be refined over the coming months.
It is exciting that another forlorn Arapahoe Square parking lot may be eradicated and replaced with desperately needed affordable housing, no less!
Oh look, more stucco. Groundbreaking…
It is the best architectural design around. Put my name on it said no one ever.
Wage workers throughout Denver are distraught over the skyrocketing cost of living in Denver, and Zach is up-in-arms about building material aesthetics for one of the few affordable housing projects proposed in the city.
Seriously. #ClassicNIMBY #DenverFUGLY
I agree on disliking stucco but will still count this as a win. The way they are hiding the parking and not having a huge podium is nice. The fact that it is affordable is great and lastly it has retail!
Looks kinda similar to the Delaware Lofts in the Golden Triangle… Not leaving this here to complain, and overall I think it looks better than some recent construction (stucco not withstanding). My only fear is that the “new wave” of projects or whatever you wish to call it might again lack creativity in designs and will again produce a plethora of duplicates.
Still, this looks solid – just ignore me 🙂
I actually appreciate that they are using some more materials besides stucco and that the stucco is on the upper levels not on the street. The difference shades of wood and cement look attractive together. We’ll see how it ends up, but using different materials certainly adds to the expense, which may make this affordable project impossible.
Love to see the eradication of another surface parking lot. Is there a surface parking lot inventory somewhere on DenverInfill? It would be terrific to see this inventory declining over the years.