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Construction

Construction Updates
Denver construction update: December
December 3, 2015 at 1:18 am 5
It's a new month and there is snow on the ground so that must mean it is time for the December construction update. For this construction update a downtown Denver high-rise project makes its debut. Let's jump right in and take a look at the Country Club Towers project that is under construction near Speer Boulevard and Downing Street. Once complete this residential project will feature two 31-story towers and will house 551 apartment units and 1005 parking spaces. The Broe Group is the developer of Country Club Towers which began construction in June. The below photo was captured from the sidewalk on Downing Street. An orange concrete boom can bee seen behind the excavator in the foreground as below grade concrete work progresses. Country Club Towers Denver Heading north we see the Speer Boulevard Apartments located at 6th Avenue, Grant Street and Speer Boulevard. Exterior finishes are coming along. This project is being developed by Gables Residential. The first photo was captured at Grant and Speer and the second photo is at 6th and Speer. Speer Boulevard Apartments Gables Speer Boulevard A short distance away is the 7|S Denver Haus apartment project. This development is under construction at 7th and Sherman Street. The building will house 115 apartment units and was designed by Denver-based Crane Architecture. This project has one more floor to go before it reaches its final height at 8 floors. The rooftop will have a lounge area for residents once complete. Here is the construction site as viewed from the corner of 7th and Sherman. 7|S Denver Haus And as viewed from Broadway and 6th Avenue. 7|S Denver Haus Spinning around 180 degrees at 6th Avenue and Broadway is the future site of Denver Health's Support Services Building. This project broke ground in October and will reach 9 floors. It was designed by Denver-based Davis Partnership Architects. The building will also have space for ground floor retail where a BBQ restaurant is slated to open that will be owned by Justin Timberlake. Denver Health Support Services Building Looking north down Lincoln is the VIA Denver apartment project at 8th Avenue. Exterior work continues to make progress on this development. VIA Denver As viewed from the corner of Broadway and 8th Avenue. VIA Denver In the Golden Triangle of Denver is the nearly complete Joule apartment project. Texas-based Lynd is the firm that developed this project and also has plans to construct another apartment project in RiNo adjacent to Industry. Joule has been taking shape at Cherokee Street and Speer Boulevard. The first photo shows Joule while looking down Cherokee Street. Joule Denver Joule as seen from Speer Boulevard. Joule Denver Also in Denver's Gold Triangle is the construction site of the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Contemporary Art. This construction site is located at 12th Avenue and Bannock Street. The Kirkland Museum currently resides in Capitol Hill and will move to the new Golden Triangle location once complete. Kirkland Museum Kirkland Museum Just a block away at 13th and Cherokee is the construction site of the Eviva Cherokee apartment project. The Beck Group provided architectural services on this development and is also serving as the general contractor. Once finished Eviva Cherokee will rise to 19 floors. Atlanta-based Integral Group is the developer.  Below are a coupe of photos of the project as viewed from Cherokee Street. Eviva Cherokee Eviva Cherokee In downtown Denver At 15th and California is a dual-brand hotel project that is being developed by White Lodging. This site will become an AC Hotel by Marriott and a Starwood-branded Le Meridien Hotel and will rise to 20 floors once complete. Construction began in September. A great deal of excavation work has taken place in the last month. This White Lodging project is under construction one block from the Colorado Convention Center.  AC Hotel Le Meridien Hotel Denver Justin-43 Farther down 15th Street we find the 40-story 1144 Fifteenth project that is being developed by Hines. 1144 Fifteenth Street broke ground in June. Below grade work has been taking place in recent months. This building will feature 640,000 square feet of office space. Pickard Chilton the architecture firm that designed 1144 Fifteenth Street. Here is a photo of the construction site as seen from 15th and Arapahoe. We can also see 1401 Lawrence in this photo as well. 1144 Fifteenth Street And one from the sidewalk on Lawrence Street. It won't be long before this project rises above street level. 1144 Fifteenth Street A half block away is the 1401 Lawrence project. This office tower is expected to top out in February at a height of 22 floors. This is another Denver project where The Beck Group designed the building and is also serving as the general contractor. 1401 Lawrence 1401 Lawrence Here is one of 1401 Lawrence captured from Speer and Larimer. 1401 Lawrence At 15th and Little Raven is the the 34-story Confluence luxury apartment project. The 288-unit building will feature studio, one, two, and three bedroom apartments ranging from $1,500 to $12,000 a month. Here is the construction site from Speer Boulevard and a second photo peering at the site from from Confluence Park. The Confluence The Confluence Next is a look a the construction site of the 12-story Kimpton Hotel. This project will also include a 5-story office component as well. The hotel will house 200 rooms and space for ground floor retail/restaurants will also be constructed. This development is taking shape adjacent to the Denver Union Station train platform. Kimpton Hotel Denver Also under construction in the Union Station neighborhood is the Pivot Denver project at 17th and Wewatta. This project is set to feature a Whole Foods grocery store. Pivot Denver will include 580 apartment units and will top off at 13 floors. Holland Partner Group is the developer and Davis Partnership Architects designed Pivot Denver. Below is a photo of Pivot Denver from the pedestrian bridge at 18th. Pivot Denver The exterior panels are now being installed on Pivot Denver. Justin-59 As seen at the corner of 18th and Wewatta. Pivot Denver Right next to Pivot Denver is the construction site of Union Tower West. This project will rise to 12 floors and will feature a 180-room Hotel Indigo along with 100,000 square feet of leasable office space. Atlanta-based Portman-holdings is the developer. The below photo was captured from the pedestrian bridge at Union Station and the second photo is from the corner of 18th and Wewatta. Union Tower West Union Tower West On the same block as Union Tower West is the construction site of the Ashley Union Station affordable housing project. Ashley Union Station Scaffolding has now been installed around Hose House #1 at 20th and Chestnut Place. This structure was constructed in 1883 and served as a Denver Fire Station. The building will be restored and incorporated into a hotel project that will become a 12-story Hilton Garden Inn. A self-storage building currently sits vacant on the site and will be demolished in advance of construction. Below is a rendering of the future Hilton Garden Inn and a photo of Hose House #1.
Image courtesy Focus Property Group.

Image courtesy Focus Property Group.

House House #1 Denver Over in LoDo is the mixed-use Dairy Block project at the block of 18th, 19th, Wazee and Blake Streets. This development will feature leasable office space and a hotel that will be managed by Sage Hospitality. Earlier this year it was announced that Prologis will become the signature tenant of the office portion of the development. The below photo was captured at the 18th side of the development. Dairy Block The Dairy Block project as viewed from Blake Street. Dairy Block Making its first appearance on the update is 1776 Curtis, a residential high-rise that will be 29 floors, with the 29th floor serving as a mechanical penthouse. A total of 359 apartment units will be offered in studio, one, and two bedroom options. The 28th floor will feature penthouse units. The development will also include 999 17th Street, a 9-story office building that will be located at the 17th Street side of the block. Below are a couple of photos from 18th Street that show excavation is now underway. 1776 Curtis & 999 17th Street Justin-64 At 20th and Logan the Alexan Uptown apartment project continues to make progress. Alexan Uptown will top out at 12 floors and will be home to 372 apartment units. The first photo of Alexan Uptown was captured from Benedict Fountain Park and the second at 20th and Logan. Alexan Uptown Alexan Uptown Also in Uptown at 17th and Pennsylvania is the site of what will become the future home of the Colorado Health Foundation.  The site has not changed much since the ground breaking ceremony in October. Colorado Health Foundation The last project we will take a look at is SkyHouse Denver which has just about topped off. This apartment project has been rising at 18th and Broadway and broke ground in February. SkyHouse Denver will feature 354 apartment units and 6,900 square feet of space for ground floor retail. SkyHouse Denver SkyHouse Denver SkyHouse Denver That concludes our look at the projects under construction in and around downtown Denver. Amazing how much is going on these days. Have a great rest of your week, Justin
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City Improvements
Hancock applauds construction defects vote
November 30, 2015 at 12:49 am 2
Civic Center Park Denver

Denver City and County Building

Last week the Denver City Council voted 12-1 to approve a new ordinance that is designed to encourage the construction of condominium units. Many members of the Denver community have felt the construction defects laws that were on the book created an environment that was onerous for builders and made it too easy for condo owners to sue condo builders. “I want to personally thank City Council for approving this local ordinance. This is a measured and balanced approach to addressing a shortage of condominiums, taking great care to spur the creation of more for-sale units while protecting homeowner rights in situations of defective construction," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. Only a handful of multi-unit residential projects are currently being built as for-sale condos. The vast majority of new units are rentals. The limited supply of for-sale condos has contributed to high real estate prices. There are so few condo projects currently under development that Cherry Creek North's 250 Columbine development is single handedly impacting the condo stats as its units have hit the real estate market this fall.

“A new luxury condo development, 250 Columbine in Cherry Creek North, made a big impact in October’s high-end condo stats,” said Jill Schafer, member of the Denver Metro Association of Realtors. “Compared to September, there was a 228 percent increase in the number of condos sold in October between the $750,000 to $999,999 price range. About one-third of those sales were from 250 Columbine, the new luxury condo development that broke ground two years ago.”

“With this step, Denver joins with many of our metro area neighbors in seeking to find solutions to a housing market that is lagging and leaving our residents with difficult choices. While our balanced approach will seek to alleviate such pressure here at home, it is still imperative for the state Legislature to act. Colorado is demanding action and leadership, and we need it now. Denver and cities across the metro area are stepping up, and it’s time for the Legislature to do the same," explained Denver Mayor Hancock.

The new ordinance requires that the majority of condo owners must vote in favor of legal action for a lawsuit against a builder to move forward in Denver.

Two large condo projects are expected to begin construction in 2016. NAVA Real Estate Development has plans to build a 12-story condo project at the former site of St. Anthony's hospital just south of Sloan's Lake This building will include 226 for-sale units.

The Coloradan, a 342-unit development is planned to take shape adjacent to the train platform at Denver's Union Station. This project is set to be developed by East West Partners.

The Coloradan

Rendering of the Coloradan provided by East West Partners.

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Project Announcements
The Coloradan announced
November 9, 2015 at 11:14 am 3
The Coloradan

Rendering of the Coloradan as seen from the Union Station train platform provided by East West Partners.

Denver-based East West Partners along with Amstar Advisers have announced plans to development The Coloradan, a 342-unit condo project adjacent to Denver's Union Station. This will become the first for-sale residential project in the Union Station neighborhood. The one-acre site where The Coloradan will be constructed is 1750 Wewatta Street. Construction is expected to begin on this $200 million project in the summer of 2016 with completion slated for 2018. 

“We are very excited to partner with East West Partners on a luxury condominium development in the heart of downtown Denver. For over 25 years, Amstar and East West have witnessed the growth of this impressive city; that continued growth, coupled with supply-­‐side factors, create an excellent opportunity for condo development,” said Amstar Advisers Managing Director Kim Sperry.

East West Partners has served as the master developer of the Union Station redevelopment. In October, East West Partners announced plans to develop 16 Chestnut, a 250 foot-tall office building to be constructed in Denver's Union Station neighborhood. The 19-story building will include 420,000 square feet of space.

The Coloradan represents the last property in the Union Station neighborhood to be announced.

“Since opening in 2014, Union Station has quickly become the new heart of downtown Denver, and The Coloradan will be at the heart of Union Station, making it the most exciting new downtown living opportunity in the city,” said Chris Frampton, managing partner of East West Partners. “We are proud of everything we’ve built in Denver and Union Station, but The Coloradan may end up being our crown jewel.”

RTD has recently announced that the University of Colorado A Line that will provide commuter rail service between Denver Union Station and Denver International Airport will begin service on April 22, 2016.

The price of the homes will range between $250,000 to $3 million. The Coloradan will also feature 19,000 square feet of retail space. A parking garage will be incorporated into the property and will total 492 parking spaces. Additional amenities will include a rooftop pool and deck, a fitness room, and a club room.

Ten percent of the condos will be affordable housing units via the the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance of 2014.

“This is a major win for affordable home ownership opportunities right in the heart of Lower Downtown,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “The scale and location of The Coloradan is simply amazing, and we commend the development team for choosing to meet their affordability requirements on-­‐site at such a premier location. This helps to shape a stronger Denver, providing our hard-­‐working residents the opportunity to take advantage of all that our urban center has to offer.”

GE Johnson is serving as the general contractor and GBD Architects is the firm that designed the Coloradan.

The Coloradan

The gravel lot on the left side of the photos is where The Coloradan will take shape.

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Project Announcements
Work underway on Sloan’s Row
November 4, 2015 at 12:27 am 0
Construction is now underway on Sloan's Row, a 24-unit townhome project. This development is taking shape on King Street between 17th and 16th Avenue in west Denver. This location is a block and half east of Sloan's Lake and is six blocks to the west of Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The units at Sloan's Row range in size between 904 and 2,120 square feet. Units are priced between $344,000 and $659,000.
Sloans Row

Rendering of Sloan's Row courtesy ecoluxe Real Estate.

Sloan's Row units will feature rooftop decks that have been designed to accommodate a hot tub. Currently, one of the units has been sold and two other units are on reservation. Interior finishes will include quartz countertops, and Frigidraire appliances will be featured. The architecture firm that designed Sloan's Row is Godden Sudik, and Symmetry Builders is constructing this project Several other developments are currently under construction in this part of Denver. Sloan's Row is five blocks east of the former site of St. Anthony’s Hospital, which was demolished and is now the site of a seven block $300 million development. The St. Anthony's site will feature residential, office, and retail components. A movie theater is also panned to break ground at the former hospital site.  The below photo shows the construction site of Sloan's Row and was captured at the corner of 16th Avenue and King Street. Sloan's Row
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Construction Updates, Project Announcements
Denver October development recap
November 2, 2015 at 12:38 am 0
Even though the weather in Denver might be getting a little bit cooler, the development and construction news continues to stay hot. Let's take a look at the highlights from the month of October. Shorenstein, the developer of the future 1709 Chestnut project confirmed that they will be moving forward with this project. The development will feature a 24-story building and a 12-story building. Between the two structures 500 apartments will be housed and 20,000 square feet of retail space will be constructed.
Rendering of 1709 Chestnut courtesy Shorenstein.

Rendering of 1709 Chestnut courtesy Shorenstein.

Another exciting announcement that took place was that of 16 Chestnut. East West Partners along with Starwood Capital Group announced plans to move forward with 16 Chestnut, which will rise to 250 feet in Denver's Union Station neighborhood. The 19-story building will include 420,000 square feet of space. Above grade parking will be incorporated into the structure. Davita, a healthcare organization that specializes in kidney treatments has been announced as the anchor tenant. Davita will lease 265,000 square feet of space.Gensler is the Architecture firm that designed 16 Chestnut. The building will rise next to Denver's Millennium Bridge. This project is expected to break ground in the summer of 2016
16 Chestnut Denver

Rendering of 16 Chestnut courtesy Davita.

Two noteworthy projects broke ground in October– Denver Health's new Support Services Building and the Colorado Health Foundation's new headquarters. The Denver Health project is now taking shape on the west side of Broadway just to the south of 6th Avenue. The structure will be 9 floors in height once completed. Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock was on hand for the ground breaking and addressed the crowd in attendance.

“The goal is to ensure the residents of Denver are healthy,” said Mayor Hancock. “Denver Health and the City and County of Denver have enjoyed a great history together. We have grown up together and as a result, not only has Denver become the “it” city, Denver Health has become the “it” health facility throughout the nation. I am not just saying that, all you have to do is pick up any publication and they will tell you just the same. I am proud to be here for the ground breaking of this new Support Services Building.”

The Colorado Health Foundation's new headquarters will take shape at 17th Avenue and Pennsylvania Street. A ground breaking was also held for this development.

“We are going to be moving into this building towards the end of 2016 and one of the main features of this building is health-positive. The staff can come to this building and be healthier as a result of it,”said Karen McNeil-Miller, president and CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation.

Colorado Health Foundation

Colorado Health Foundation Ground Breaking.

In transit news, RTD has officially announced the University of Colorado A Line that will provide commuter rail service between Denver Union Station and Denver International Airport will begin service on April 22, 2016. Commuter rail trains will travel up to 79 mph and carry more people than light rail vehicles—200 people at maximum. Trains will run every 15 minutes during peak hours.

Things are staying busy in Denver and November is likely to be an exciting month as well.

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