Denver Development Etceteras Thread #5 - Page 67

enjo13 · #**1321** Posted: **May 10, 2012, 9:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainpathology

Don't worry there will be a 7-11 in AT LEAST one of the retail spaces of the apartment building.

They might go ahead and add two...just in case.

rds70 · #**1322** Posted: **May 10, 2012, 9:43 PM**

Upon closer inspection, it looks like an extension of the alley will be created to extend out to Lincoln St.

Octavian · #**1323** Posted: **May 10, 2012, 11:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Speaking of parking...

Rds said 265 apartment units and 6,000 sf retail. This is in the Downtown context, Golden Triangle zone (D-GT). Which means - back of the napkin here - parking requirements are 0.75 per unit for multi-unit residential/mixed use, and 1.25/1,000 sf for most retail (double that for eating/drinking establishments). So probably the parking required is 207-214 spaces, depending on the retail programming. The developer is proposing 332.

I think that shoots a great big hole in arguments we may have about parking requirements driving up development costs. Apparently, the market is demanding a full 50% more than our requirements call for. (Which makes sense... 1-per-bedroom, minimum rule of thumb. We're not at the point yet as a city that those assumptions are changing for most developers.)

If ever there was an argument for better intra-city transit, that's it.

I think at a site like this that doesn't have the best transit options and is further from downtown, the market demands more parking. Where I think the parking regulations are especially tough are in those little properties in downtown. Look at 16th and Wazee, 14th and Blake, 14th and Wazee, 18th and Wazee. The parking requirements could make a difference on these properties even if they don't on this latest proposal.

Octavian · #**1324** Posted: **May 10, 2012, 11:31 PM**

RTD is bringing the big guns for the DUS light rail plaza opening May 18.

http://denverunionstation.org/index....=article&id=90

enjo13 · #**1325** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 12:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octavian

RTD is bringing the big guns for the DUS light rail plaza opening May 18.

http://denverunionstation.org/index....=article&id=90

Where Coconut the Clown goes..I follow!

bcp · #**1326** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 12:41 AM**

who the eff is running promotions for RTD?? i am pretty depressed after reading that...at least they will have hot zumba ladies...

bobg · #**1327** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 3:28 AM**

It's the opening of a plaza that is near the Light Rail Station. What do you guys expect Devotchka, Ian Cooke and the CSO performing specially written pieces for the occasion followed by a scene from the Book of Mormon with the original Broadway cast?

For these types of events I expect the entertainment to be just around the level of the Happy Hands Club in either an ironic hipster way or just flat out bad way. RTD and DUSPA are exceeding my expectations.

jimluk · #**1328** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 6:17 AM**

Who owns that weird parking lot/garage across Broadway, I've never seen more than a few cars there, obviously not a lot of demand in the area? I wonder if they could have leased that instead, though that would obviously be a detriment to future development.

Fritzdude · #**1329** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 7:12 AM**

I've been thinking about the various infill development that have been announced in the last 18 months and, quite honestly, iit still leaves me dumbfounded, especially considering the doom and gloom perspective I had at the end of 2010 - basically a full year into the financial crises aka "The Great Recession". Back then, I felt like it would be years before we saw anything substantial and I had resigned myself to the fact that we were entering a long duration of minimal developmental activity. But almost the exact opposite has happened when you look at it. In fact, I would argue the the last 18 months has been the boomiest of times since the early 80's. Am I wrong?

Not only have we seen very important developments get green lighted, primarily dense residential projects bringing thousands of new residents to the city with their ensuing economic impact, but the projects have filled in some of the biggest eyesore lots that we had all bemoaned - areas that were dead zones for a city trying to get that critical mass for increased vitality. I don't think I could have dreamed up a better course of events from the doldrums of late 2010. Imagine someone predicting back then that these blocks would soon see projects going up:

1. 23rd and Walnut
2. 21st and Blake
3. 20th and Lawrence
4. 19th and Logan
5. 8th and Broadway
6. 18th and Curtis
7. 19th and Little Raven
8. 18th and Chestnut
9. 20th and Chestnut
10. 10th and Osage
11. 16th and Boulder
12. 17th and Boulder
13. 32nd and Brighton
14. 29th and Denargo
15. 22nd and Stout
16. 15th and Delgany
17. 16th and Market
18. Zuni and Caithness Place
19. 18th and Bassett
20. 29th and Inca

I haven't even mentioned all of the office buildings and many other mixed use facilities (crime lab, DIA hotel, Union Station, museums, Auroria Campus, Devita Headquarters, etc..)

Bottom line - I would have been happy to get a quarter of all these developments underway back then, but the amount that's in process is staggering. I don't even know if I could pick out 20-30 still vacant lots in the city that could rival the ones listed as far as strategic importance to future development. Imagine, though, if the next 18 months somehow measured up to what we're now witnessing.

I really think Denver is reaching a tipping point in it's development..,

Octavian · #**1330** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 8:51 AM**

I'm not familiar with these developments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

12. 17th and Boulder
13. 32nd and Brighton
14. 29th and Denargo
18. Zuni and Caithness Place

DenverInfill · #**1331** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 10:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octavian

I'm not familiar with these developments.

I think he means 17th and Central, the final phase of Highland Crossing. Zuni and Caithness is the project formerly known as Core Power Yoga apartments. Both are shown here:

http://denverinfill.com/blog/2011/12...-update-2.html

29th and Denargo:

http://denverinfill.com/blog/2012/03...-addendum.html

32nd and Brighton:

http://denverinfill.com/blog/2012/03...-part-iii.html

awholeparade · #**1332** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 1:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octavian

I think at a site like this that doesn't have the best transit options and is further from downtown, the market demands more parking. Where I think the parking regulations are especially tough are in those little properties in downtown. Look at 16th and Wazee, 14th and Blake, 14th and Wazee, 18th and Wazee. The parking requirements could make a difference on these properties even if they don't on this latest proposal.

I live right next to this development (10th & Sherman), and I absolutely disagree about it not having the best transit. Next to Living off of Colfax and having the 15 bus, having the 0 is the next best bus line to have access too, as far as frequency goes. There's also the 16, which is pretty usefull, too.

Brainpathology · #**1333** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 1:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octavian

RTD is bringing the big guns for the DUS light rail plaza opening May 18.

http://denverunionstation.org/index....=article&id=90

So they're letting the clown out to play instead of his regular job of fare recovery projects?

Fritzdude · #**1334** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 3:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

I think he means 17th and Central, the final phase of Highland Crossing. Zuni and Caithness is the project formerly known as Core Power Yoga apartments. Both are shown here:

http://denverinfill.com/blog/2011/12...-update-2.html

29th and Denargo:

http://denverinfill.com/blog/2012/03...-addendum.html

32nd and Brighton:

http://denverinfill.com/blog/2012/03...-part-iii.html

Thanks for the correction - I was refering to the one on Central. Just curious, if you were a betting man, would you predict that we will be able to list another 20 some new developments, similar in scope to what I rattled off, by the year 2014? I'm hoping with the economy improving things might even get better. What are your thoughts?

bcp · #**1335** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 3:55 PM**

there is a project at 17th and Boulder (mid-block) - 74 apartments...so the list continues!

also, i heard that the long-awaited projected at 17th and Boulder (corner) is also moving forward again...about 100 more units (we will lose a very cool mid-mod CMU building and two poorly maintained victorians)

bobg - what kids are going to be there during lunch-time instead of at school? a clown is simply a terrible idea. since you asked...i'd prefer they do NOTHING to celebrate the opening of a plaza...it's a milestone, but self-congratulations are silly until it's really time to pop the champagne.

best,
bryan

bunt_q · #**1336** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 4:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

it still leaves me dumbfounded, especially considering the doom and gloom perspective I had at the end of 2010 - basically a full year into the financial crises aka "The Great Recession". Back then, I felt like it would be years before we saw anything substantial and I had resigned myself to the fact that we were entering a long duration of minimal developmental activity.

As long as people are still moving here (plus natural increase), we were always going to have to build something eventually. Humans need shelter, and there's only so much you can pack into the existing building stock.

You still see almost no for-sale housing being built. You see a negligible amount of commercial office space being built. Mortgage interest rates are at historic lows...mostly because nobody is borrowing any money. And you see Denver apartment vacancy rates pushing below 5%. So really, it all fits. Of course we were going to see a rental boom.

The nice thing is the huge percentage of new rental construction that is being captured by Denver proper. Suburban multifamily (rental) just can't compete (today). In a sense, it's almost natural that the city center would benefit most from a difficult time.

Long-term, though, I would still prefer we build for-sale condo housing. A decade of rental boom is great; it fills a much-needed housing niche, and one where the city has a great competitive advantage. And it adds immediate vitality to areas that need it, making future development of other product types more competitive, theoretically. But I don't want us to become unbalanced with too many apartments, and too little of everything else, either. Too many concentrated rental units presents its own problem. Which is why I am very happy to see the wide geographic distribution of the projects being proposed - from Highland, to Union Station, Ballpark, Arapahoe Square, to RiNo, to the CBD core, to Uptown, to South Broadway, all the way out to Cherry Creek and the Colorado corridor. That's very important, I think, that almost every central neighborhood in the city has something on the table.

bobg · #**1337** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 4:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcp

bobg - what kids are going to be there during lunch-time instead of at school? a clown is simply a terrible idea. since you asked...i'd prefer they do NOTHING to celebrate the opening of a plaza...it's a milestone, but self-congratulations are silly until it's really time to pop the champagne.

No idea if they are actually expecting kids to be in the plaza. I do know some adults actually like clowns (I have seen them at corporate parties with no alcohol and no kids plenty of times before). I would also bet that the amount of adults who like clowns is pretty close to the same amount of adults who actually like the sound auto harps.

However, from purely a PR perspective I am betting RTD/DUSPA do not care one bit about the quality of the entertainment, or whether it's a valid reason for a grand opening. This is merely an excuse to show that progress is being made on the project. For those of us on this message board that routinely check DenverInfill or routinely walk by DUS we are well aware of the progress that is being made. For the general public and the politicians who have other things to worry about their level of awareness is nowhere near as high as ours.

So RTD/DUSPA put out a press release highlighting a (not-so) grand opening that has some entertainment to make it sound like a big deal and provide for some good photo/video ops. All of this is done in the hopes that they get some traditional media coverage out of this event. The media coverage almost always occurs, and as a result more people are aware of the amount of progress being made on the project. It's a completely wasteful, idiotic, and stupid way to do things; but it's the way the PR world has worked for a long time now. Fortunately we are moving away from that traditional media model, but unfortunately not fast enough to make events like this unnecessary.

DownhomeDenver · #**1338** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

You still see almost no for-sale housing being built. You see a negligible amount of commercial office space being built. Mortgage interest rates are at historic lows...mostly because nobody is borrowing any money. And you see Denver apartment vacancy rates pushing below 5%. So really, it all fits. Of course we were going to see a rental boom.

That's not entirely true. Yes, true, no for sale housing in DOWNTOWN proper...but there's plenty in Highlands, Stapleton, Lowry (closer to Aurora). The scrape and build is not as active as it was in Cherry Creek North or University Park. Even Wash park has slowed down on the scrape and builds. But there's still for sale activity going on. Just not as much as it was before the great recession. Also keep in mind that "some" rental can eventually be turned into for sale if the market dictates. I do wish my neighborhood of Curtis Park would see further activity. All we have being built right now are the houses on 31st and Arapahoe.

The boom is great, but not everything is going to get built!

DownhomeDenver · #**1339** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 5:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fritzdude

1. 23rd and Walnut
2. 21st and Blake
3. 20th and Lawrence
4. 19th and Logan
5. 8th and Broadway
6. 18th and Curtis
7. 19th and Little Raven
8. 18th and Chestnut
9. 20th and Chestnut
10. 10th and Osage
11. 16th and Boulder
12. 17th and Boulder
13. 32nd and Brighton
14. 29th and Denargo
15. 22nd and Stout
16. 15th and Delgany
17. 16th and Market
18. Zuni and Caithness Place
19. 18th and Bassett
20. 29th and Inca

You forgot 28th and Speer which is in asbestos abatement now.

DownhomeDenver · #**1340** Posted: **May 11, 2012, 5:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcp

there is a project at 17th and Boulder (mid-block) - 74 apartments...so the list continues!

also, i heard that the long-awaited projected at 17th and Boulder (corner) is also moving forward again...about 100 more units (we will lose a very cool mid-mod CMU building and ...

Isnt there a cool furniture store or even art gallery there now in that modern commercial building?