Rooftop Restaurant on Platte

Walking around Downtown you see a lot of buildings in the process of going up. Sometimes we see something that catches our eye and has to be shared.

Today, that something is a posting advertising a Restaurant Space Available in a new building being built on Platte Street in the Riverfront Park / Central Platte Valley / LoHi area. If the sign placement is indicative of where the restaurant will be located, there might be a new rooftop restaurant location coming with one of the best views in Denver. Since this new building is located right on the Platte River across from Commons Park the views would be an incredible skyline of the Riverfront Park Towers such as Glass House and then the entire Union Station and LoDo skyline behind it.

Wow!

Now it is more likely that the restaurant space will be occupied by a tenant on the ground level… but the sign placement makes it seem as if the top floor would be the available space.

It is simply amazing just how many new wonderful restaurants, bars, bistros, taverns, pubs, breweries, and eateries have been established in the entire Central Platte Valley area. At a time when stock prices are so volatile (dropping another 200+ points today to 16,321 from a high of 17,279 on September 19th) many are looking at investments in their own back yard.

We just happen to live in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

And today we saw one more sign (literally) that the city is continuing to grow and offer one of the best Urban lifestyles anywhere.

Congrats Denver! Now comment away on what type of restaurant you’d like to see in this amazing location.

The post Rooftop Restaurant on Platte in Riverfront Park / Central Platte Valley / LoHi appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

McLoughlin’s in Riverfront Park

Riverfront Park’s most popular pub has been growing steadily over the past few years to meet the demand of a thriving neighborhood. Earlier we reported on the huge space expansion when McLoughlins almost tripled in size.

The most recent news about McLoughlins should make our local LoHi, Riverfront Park, and Union Station Neighborhood dog lovers and owners especially happy. They have found a way to make the patio dog friendly.

Not the entire patio is dog friendly, but the section (pictured above) that is in front of the expanded area is now open for you to sit and have a beer with your pup. For those who don’t remember, that space used to house a local Community Banks of Colorado branch.

So that makes Riverfront Park even more of a dog friendly destination. INK Coffee added tables outside directly on the raised curb of Little Raven Street where dogs and their owners can relax. Denver Beer Company, just across the pedestrian bridge on Platte Street has been a dog friendly year round destination where you are almost guaranteed to see a few happy pups anytime you visit.

And one can’t talk about the Dog Friendly aspect of Riverfront Park without mentioning the biggest dog friendly components… the parks. Riverfront Park enjoys a location directly on the front of Beautiful Commons Park and just a block or two away from Confluence Park and Cuornavaca park. These beautiful green space parks are perfect for taking your pup on a walk.

Want to let your dog run off leash, there’s a park for that too. Denver’s Railyard Park was funded via the Riverfront Park foundation and provides two different dog friendly park areas.

Add it all together and Riverfront Park may be the most Dog Friendly neighborhood in Denver.

Dog owners, here are a few Dog Friendly Links from Denver Urban

Denver Dog Friendly Links

• Find a Condo Near any Denver Dog Park
• Find a Condo near McLouglin’s Pub
• Riverfront Park Condos
• Denver Urban Dogs Twitter Feed
• Denver Urban Pinterest
  • Dog Beds
  • Denver Dogs
  • Dog Bowls

The post McLoughlins in Riverfront Park adds Dog Friendly Patio Section appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

It’s pretty amazing how fast time flies. It doesn’t feel like yesterday, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been more than a decade since the only building at Riverfront Park was a slim little trailer used as an office amidst huge construction vehicles working to build what would later become the Plaza space and roads in Riverfront Park. That same plaza is shown above during one of the Riverfront Park Fashion Shows.

Just over 10 years, and look how much has been built.

Riverfront Park started with just three main buildings around the Plaza space. Those buildings were the Promenade Lofts, Park Place Lofts, and Riverfront Tower.

Those buildings sold out quickly, tenants began occupying the ground floor retail, and things kept growing.

What followed was the height of Real Estate conditions. Creekside Lofts and Flats, The Delgany Lofts, The Brownstones, ONE Riverfront and the Park at ONE Riverfront, and of course we all remember the huge excitement surrounding the Glass House.

At the same time several parcels were sold to apartment developers. Monarch Mills put in an affordable housing project. The Station (as it is currently known) and the Manhattan opened their doors.

By 2008 the neighborhood was thriving and the secret was out. With plans laid out for the New Union Station everyone had their eyes on Riverfront Park. Many expressed intentions of buying in the next new development to appear in this hot neighborhood.

But that may not happy, at least not anytime soon.

In the past few years the Manhattan expanded their apartment offerings by taking the parcel across the street (behind the Brownstones). Balfour Senior Living finally took the leap on their large project occupying the land adjacent to 15th street behind the Promenade and Riverfront Tower (they had looked at starting years earlier but held off, we are guessing, for reasons tied to the market drop in late 2000’s). Then AMLI built their own new apartment building across from the Skate Park and adjacent to the dog park (on 20th and Little Raven).

Very quickly a lot of land was spoken for.

And now it appears that the parcel in front of Glass House (Between Glass House and Little Raven Street) will be almost entirely apartment development. We reported earlier that sampling and testing vehicles were on the site with. While many hoped for a chance to buy into a new Riverfront Park project our sources are now sharing that the parcel is being planned as a rental, with the exception of the tip of that triangle which is privately held and could one day be the location of a single family home (what a great spot).

So… if this turns out to be the case that leaves one Last Parcel at Riverfront Park. There is a vacant parcel located next to the Brownstones, across the street from the AMLI apartment, and directly on Little Raven. Since it is on Little Raven the zoning will probably limit what could be built there. If we look at what has been planned on Little Raven it might be fair to expect another townhome project (perhaps Brownstones Phase II) or a more affordable offering. Or, it could be another rental project.

Either way it is interesting to stop and consider the implications off all this development. Riverfront Park just became a neighborhood of a very fixed supply. There is no new high rise coming out of the ground, there may not be any new developments coming that will be for sale.

But that limited supply situation may be the spark that allows a developer to put something on Riverfront Park’s last unclaimed parcel. If they wait just long enough for the certainty on all the other parcels be solidified (i.e. the apartments in front of Glass House are underway) the demand for something (anything) new in Riverfront Park could support doing that last parcel as a high end residential project.

If not, then the inventory that exists may be all there will ever be.

That kind of perspective gives a new value to living and owning a Denver Urban residence in Riverfront Park. Because if you follow a love of great locations Riverfront Park is hard to beat. It has it’s own park at the front door, the great downtown and Union Station transportation hub in the back yard, and a central location surrounded by hundreds of restaurants, shops, sporting events, theater, and the list goes on from there.

View all Riverfront Park Listings

Contact us today about this amazing neighborhood.

The post The Last Parcel at Riverfront Park appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

The Sky is the Limit

When it comes to parking, the sky is the limit for just how high prices can go. The rules of supply and demand can become a little extreme when you are talking about parking spaces. Let’s look at a story that was on NPR this morning about a new project in New York City. As reported in the article “Buy Condo, Then Add Parking Spot for $1 Million”

A new development, 42 Crosby Street, is pushing the limits of New York City real estate to new heights with 10 underground parking spots that will cost more per square foot than the apartments being sold upstairs.

How does this happen? Developers are building new projects with fewer parking spaces. This creates huge demand for limited parking spaces and as monthly parking rental costs rise the value of owning a space increases. While New York City is certainly the extreme, it only takes one trip downtown to realize just how scarce parking has become. No one wants to park blocks from their building, especially when winter arrives. Parking rules that limit parking to 2 hours until a certain hour (often 10 pm) downtown have created a culture in such neighborhoods as Riverfront Park where people set timed reminders for themselves to move their car until the magic hour arrives. This reminds me of the old Seinfeld episodes where parking spaces on the street were valued like gold. Remember the episode where George fills in for the gentleman who has a job just moving cars on certain days of the week. Yep, that is how strongly people work to have a space for their car.

Sure, we have a great and growing light rail system. Our weather and the attitude of our residents lends itself to more biking, walking, and car sharing. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are still a car driving city. Many of our friends and clients who are couples love living downtown and have learned that with so many restaurants, shops and amenities to enjoy outside their front door they only require a one bedroom space. The do, however, often require (or at least desire) two parkings spaces. However, almost all one bedroom condos and many two bedroom sold downtown only allowed one parking space. So now you have a market where building residents rent parking spaces from other residents or from parking garages downtown.

Or they wait, and wait, and wait, for the rare occurrence when someone offers a parking space for sale. And when they do come up for sale they can be expensive.

Glass House and SPIRE Parking Spaces

Glass House was one of the first to see parking spaces skyrocket. During initial sales at the Glass House every unit was sold with one parking spot except the penthouses, which had two. The additional spaces in the building were then offered for sale to anyone who purchased a two bedroom. No additional spaces were available for one bedroom owners.

Because there were not enough spaces for every two bedroom unit to buy a second space they developer tried to slow down the sale of two bedroom spaces (back in 2006) by doing price increases. At first additional parking spaces were $15,000. That lasted almost no time at all before the price was increased to $25,000. This price didn’t slow down demand either so prices very quickly were raised to $40,000 which seemed to be the magic number to slow demand.

SPIRE approached this differently. They sold the units with NO parking spaces assigned which made it more affordable to get a condo downtown if you could rely on light rail and car sharing. The sales process at SPIRE focused heavily on reinforcing the fact that light rail and BCycle was across the street and they struck an agreement with Connect by Hertz who located an office in the base of the building. For many who opted to go parking space free their purchase included some car share or BCycle membership.

For those who did want a SPIRE parking space the prices ranged from under $10K (for scooter or motorcycle parking spaces) up to $55K. The cost of the space was based on how low in the garage you wanted to be. For example, what was considered a premium space on the first level might be $55k but a space at the top might be $25K. It all depends on how much you value the number of loops you have to do every day for the lifetime of your condo.

But for residents of Glass House or SPIRE (and the many other buildings downtown) there is no developer option. Now owners have to wait and hope someone offers a parking space for sale. The Glass House bulletin board is filled with posting from people seeking parking spaces to buy or rent.

So what is a parking space worth downtown? We will have to wait until the next one comes up for sale and see.

But at least it won’t be a million dollars. At least not this year. Of course you can rent a space for roughly $150 to $200 a month. Here is a website with parking rates and details https://denver.parkingspotter.com/lower-downtown.

The post What is a Denver Parking Space Worth appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

The Glass House Purchase

One of our clients was happy to share the details behind their recent investment purchase in the Glass House and we thought it might be a fun case study for the site.

The target acquisition was the Glass House in Riverfront Park.  This particular client was very focused on this specific building.  Factors included the great amenities, swimming pool, fitness center, views, but ultimately it was all about location.  The new Union Station Neighborhood project and all the benefits of being adjacent to the hub of our Denver transportation network was one location benefit.  The location became exponentially more valuable when front door access to three public parks (Commons Park, Cuernavaca Park, and Confluence Park), the Downtown (both LoDo and Union Station Neighborhood) restaurants, shops and amenities, the cool hip dining and fun spots of LoHi, and walking distance to all of Denver’s sporting arenas.

The location scored for this buyer on all these marks, and they like to look to the future for investments.  It didn’t hurt that so many available parcels in Union Station and Riverfront Park have, over the past 3 years, gone the way of apartment development leaving fewer condos for ownership in this awesome location.

The target was a one bedroom which which they were able to close on for approximately $330,000.

Now let’s look at the Rental Market side.

Renting Market at Glass House

The rental market at Glass House is strong.  It is a desirable location (for all the reasons above) and for many the idea of living in a condo building is much more appealing than living in an apartment.  The property was put under lease for $1,850, but it did take a couple months to go under contract.  There are a LOT of options for rentals in this area.  The new Union Station, Riverfront Park, and LoHi are rolling out brand new apartment buildings fast and furious.  So far this has not affected rental prices, in fact over the past few years they seem to still be rising.

These new buildings have great amenities too so we will see how the market bears the weight of all these new available properties on rental rates.  The magic word in rental buildings seems to be amenities.  If you have a pool, a fitness center you are in a pretty good spot to attract tenants.

After property management fees and some water/sewer and the HOA fees (which are higher in buildings such as the Glass House with all those amenities) it looks like the net income per month is about $1,100.

So a $330,000 investment is going to start off generating about $13,200 or about 4% per year.  This particular owner is super happy with that.

The consider this a great start when looking at a long term investment horizon.  This 4% is only the cash flow from the investment property itself, this does not factor in any appreciation toward the future sale.

The investor’s objective is to have and hold this property with a goal of seeing that monthly amount increase over the years (decades) as our Denver market continues to evolve.

It’s simply a matter of personal choice.  Some are more comfortable weathering the stock market (rough time last week though) and others prefer real estate.  For this particular buyer the target location made this their ideal long term choice.

If you could invest in any property, in any neighborhood, of any type (condo, home, land) what would you choose?

Contact anyone on the Denver Urban Team to talk about your Real Estate Goals today.

Valuable Links

• Neighborhood PSF Report
• Glass House
• Union Station Neighborhood
• Riverfront Park
• LoHi / Lower Highland
• LoDo
• Light Rail Friendly Homes
• Top Trending Neighborhoods
• Top Trending Buildings

Contact Denver Urban

The post A Glass House Investment Case Study appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Don’t forget the Transit

Sure, we keep talking about all the great restaurants opening up in the New Denver Union Station terminal.  But the real heart of Union Station is the transit.

Denver Union Station is the hub for the entire Light Rail System. From this central location at the Newly renovated Terminal and the awesome Union Station Neighborhood being developed Denver residents can travel throughout our city.  One of the most exciting elements of our rail system is the new East Corridor access line underway that will carry travelers to and from Denver International Airport.

The DIA line is the one I am most excited about.  Once that is open the days of guessing how much time it will take to get to the airport, dealing with traffic (which gets worse every year), parking, parking fees, and all those annoying commuting elements will be replaced by a train timetable and the ability to sit and relax on the train.

The benefits of our new transit hub at Denver Union Station don’t stop with the light rail.  Denver Union Station is also the hub of national rail lines and local shuttle and bus transportation options.  This morning when taking some photos inside the new terminal I checked to see where today’s travelers might be going.

Two options were taking off today out of Union Station via the Amtrak schedule. The first was the California Zephyr that begins in Chicago before arriving in Denver and then continues on to Glenwood Springs and finishes in Emeryville (San Francisco).  Today’s train was Westbound.

The other scheduled trip was a bus departing for Vail.  That means there IS a way to get up to at least one of our amazing ski resorts without driving.  I’m hoping the list of options keeps growing.

Most of us are already familiar with the local 16th street shuttle and a new shuttle line along 18th is being added.

As more and more transit continues to grow, as the RTD lines are extended, and as national Rail continues to evolve the location at Union Station is bound to become an even more attractive amenity for downtown residents.

And as you can see from the images below, the new terminal is AMAZING and offers great restaurants for dining, bars for celebrating, and hotels for guest to stay and enjoy our downtown.

Who else is excited to consider the new Denver Union Station and the light rail to DIA as the the first stop on their vacation?

Valuable Links

• Union Station Neighborhood
• Riverfront Park
• LoHi / Lower Highland
• LoDo
• Light Rail Friendly Homes
• Top Trending Neighborhoods

The post All Aboard! A Sneak Peek inside the New Denver Union Station Terminal appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Riverfront Park’s Undeveloped Park Front Real Estate

Most everyone knows the triangle piece of land in Riverfront Park just in front of the Glass House.  This piece of real estate has been closed off for years awaiting news of development plans to offer new condos and homes.  There are many reasons for all the buzz.  After all, Riverfront Park is one of the hottest, if not THE hottest, neighborhoods in all of Denver.  This triangle piece of prime real estate has been watched so closely by home shoppers because it occupies a huge section along Little Raven Street looking out to the Commons Park.

If you are familiar with how rare it is to find a home directly on Wash Park, or Sloan’s Lake, you get the idea.

Well in case you didn’t notice, behind those wooden fences there has been quite a bit of activity this week.  Trucks and drilling machines have been going around this little spot of land digging into the ground.

Are they taking soil samples?  Is it just a routine service call?  Could this be the first step in planning out a new Development in Riverfront Park.

If so, it is the first brand new residential project in Riverfront Park since ONE Riverfront and The Park at ONE Riverfront were offered going back all the way to 2007.

And that could get a lot of people excited. Unfortunately it is our guess that what was once thought to for sale residential will likely be for rent residential. With the current market conditions and the boom of apartment construction it seems more likely to see another apartment development on this site, and most likely in the back corner where the height zoning is the highest.

The zoning and height restrictions for this parcel don’t lend themselves to something that might be a tower such as Glass House, but instead some lower or Mid Range Buildings.   Usually the zoning along Little Raven by the park is much lower.  This is why you see the ONE Riverfront Townhomes and The Brownstones facing Commons Park.

So it is reasonable to expect that we might see a lineup of new Townhomes or Rowhomes lining Commons Park.

As you move away from the park the zoning usually allows  for some more mid range buildings.  This could allow for a small tower like structure.

Which, if you wanted an example, is exactly what happened in the design of the ONE Riverfront Tower.  Townhomes line the street and a higher structure goes behind it.

Either way it is too early to know for sure what is being planned until the developer makes an announcement, but make sure to contact someone on our Denver Urban team to stay updated.  Plans to develop this parcel years ago were going fast following the success of Glass House.  Then everything came to an abrupt halt when market conditions changed and prices weren’t as attractive to creating new condos.

Prices sure have bounced back.  Maybe that is the carrot needed to spark something new on the triangle.

Contact us to stay updated on the triangle

The post Activity in the Riverfront Park Triangle appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

New Lighting for Commons Park

Clients and Denver Urban Fans have been buzzing for years about how great the Riverfront Park and LoHi lifestyle is.  We talk non stop about the great location, access to light rail, restaurants, shopping, events, green space, and access to trails and bridges.

We also talk about the safety factor.  Riverfront Park provides one of the greatest amenities for a downtown neighborhood via their master HOA.  This master HOA, which every resident of Riverfront Park contributes to, helps to support a team of folks who keep the area clean and also off duty police officers who work daily to keep the neighborhood safe.

That’s pretty cool.  Especially when you think about just how much traffic takes place connecting residents of Northwest Denver (LoHi, West Highlands, etc.) and Downtown Denver. Most if it via the Plaza at Riverfront Park and crossing the main lawn at Commons Park.  With the growth expected due to the new Union Station Neighborhood projects and light rail this area is sure to have more traffic.

So the city of Denver is dedicated to making that commute even safer. Starting today, and for the next 6-8 weeks, the Denver Parks and Recreation Department will be upgrading the lighting across the paths for the big circle area of Commons Park. The goal of the project is to help promote safety.

For those who don’t know, the Denver Parks are Recreation department has curfews on our public parks. Officially our city parks are closed from 11:00 PM until 5:00 AM, which you can read about in the “City and County of Denver Department of Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations“.

However, the wonderful design of our pedestrian bridges for the Downtown – Riverfront Park – LoHi connection make this central lawn area of Commons Park such a safe and convenient pedestrian and bike friendly path compared to walking along 15th or 20th street that the city seems committed to making sure the safest alternative exists.

From a Denver Urban point of view the new lighting project is great and a tip of our hat to Denver Parks and Rec for working to keep providing great pedestrian friendly, safe, and convenient uses of our public spaces.

The Downtown Denver lifestyle just keeps getting better and better every day. To learn more about Denver Urban living contact us today.

Here are some more valuable links

• LoHi
• Riverfront Park
• Union Station
• Light Rail Friendly

Contact Denver Urban

The post Denver Parks and Rec Improvements to Commons Park Start Today appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

UPDATED:  LOOKS LIKE THIS BILL WAS KILLED

May 6th, 2014:  DENVER POST “Procedural move kills last of three Colorado construction-defects bills”  

SB 220, which sought to push more condo construction defect cases into arbitration, was killed in a procedural move after the Senate Judiciary Committee didn’t convene Monday night.

Read more: Procedural move kills last of three Colorado construction-defects bills – The Denver Post https://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_25707252/procedural-move-kills-last-three-colorado-construction-defects#ixzz31iIPdtRv
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: https://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
Follow us: @Denverpost on Twitter | Denverpost on Facebook

Where is the next Glass House or SPIRE?

It’s a pretty common question. With everyone talking about how Denver real estate is BOOMING and everyone throwing around terms like “low days on market”, “sellers market” and “home availability index”; and with buyers getting into bidding wars over the most coveted Denver Urban listings, everyone wonders why no one is building a new high rise. Don’t get me wrong, there is a LOT of great new development going on. LoHi, Jefferson Park, LoDo and all our great Denver Urban neighborhoods are seeing some great new modern projects getting designed, sold and built (usually in that order).

However all of these projects seem to be single family homes, duplex projects, triplex projects, row homes, or mid rise buildings of 4 floors or less. There have been no grand announcements about a new Denver high rise residential tower the likes of the amazingly popular Glass House, SPIRE or Riverfront Tower. These towers are so amazingly hot that resale listings are often snatched up the very day they come on the market. This is especially true of the Glass House which is the gem of Riverfront Park and sits between the hot LoHi neighborhood and the new transit center of Union Station. Side note, if you don’t know why this location is so amazing read the story “A long road led to Denver Union Station’s rebirth” including the quote…

“a transformation that started with the 2007 opening of the 23-story Glass House residential buildings in Riverfront Park, just west of downtown”

So if these buildings are so very very very popular why hasn’t anyone built a new one with all the buyer demand we keep talking about? One big reason may be how the laws are currently written. Apparently the reason real estate developers aren’t racing to build a new Glass House or Spire is because they have too much construction liability. That is a worry for many, including urban planners and fans of high density that want to see more vertical condominium projects for the Denver skyline to continue the growth and development of our city.

Last week Senator Ulibarri’s Homeownership Opportunity Act (SB 14-220) was introduced in an effort to find some common ground that protects condominium homeowners while also creating an environment that encourages large condominium project development. One of the big issues in the new bill covers the issue of arbitration or mediation. Most governing documents that developers write create a structure where the HOA or homeowners must settle their dispute via mediation or arbitration. However, in other states and even here in Colorado this has been challenged as homeowner associations attempt to go to litigation. Simply put, they want to be able to sue the Developer even if the governing documents call for mediation/arbitration to resolve conflicts.

However the developers want new homeowners to be held to the original governing documents they signed. This element could be a protection for the developer, but don’t worry… the new law has something in place to protect the HOA too. One of the biggest concerns that might discourage a developer is the possibility that just one or two homeowners might initiate a lawsuit even if the majority of residents feel everything about their purchase was great, or that the issue is being addressed. To manage this instance and attempt to create a compromise the law appears to allow for the HOA Board of Directors to still initiate a lawsuit BUT with a process that makes it an action by the entire building. That may allow for some measure of validating the concerns and issues.

Of course this brings in the whole aspect of WHO exactly is on this board of directors. Are they biased in some way, or are they in a position where they have a relationship with the developer that might create a situation where they aren’t acting in the best interest of the residents. This is a big issue folks, and it is probably great for future home buyers that it is being debated out in the open.

Cities need different types of development and many urban planners feel that high density buildings offer the best foundation for city growth. If you read the article we mentioned above you can see how valuable the entire Riverfront Park and Glass House development has been for the wonderful advancement and transit oriented development that is now taking place in the Union Station Neighborhood and Northwest Denver.

Read the Proposed SENATE BILL 14-220 Here or call us to learn more about buying and owning a high rise condominium in Denver.

In the meantime, unfortunately for buyers, is that many great parcels that could have been utilized for a new Glass House style building are being developed as apartments. Rents hare high and for many these apartment buildings offer the best use of the land. That means an even more competitive environment to find a great high rise condo home. This is why our team stays on top of new listing and market opportunities to help our clients get the best information to help them find their dream home.

Even if Senate Bill 14-220 passes and creates an environment for developers to enter back with a new high rise offering it could be YEARS before something of that scale is designed, approved, and built to be occupied. That is a lot of time to watch what the market can do with prices and continue to pay rent.

Hopefully, this new bill or one based on it can find a way to make everyone happy. The goals of the new Homeownership Opportunity Act Senate Bill 14-220 seem to be to working to:

• Create an environment where Real Estate Developers are encouraged to bring us great new high rise condominium residential towers.
• Allow for new homeowners to feel safe and confident that any issues, should they arise will be addressed
• Ensure that the HOA boards, Arbitrators, and Mediators are all unbiased and acting in the proper interest

What will the passing of this SENATE BILL 14-220 mean for Buyers?

It could mean a lot of things, but the goal would be more options.  What I mean by that is the possibility that all those Real Estate Developers who have been waiting to start a new high rise Denver residential condominium building will get off the bench and start throwing in their proposals to the city and breaking ground.  No, it doesn’t mean that we will have a brand new residential tower for homebuyers to move into tomorrow, but it could mean there might be one started that could be available in down the road.  In which case we return to the world or looking over floor plans, identifying which units are the best value, have the best view, and the best amenities.  It means reading condo documents very closely and understanding what future development will be happening wherever the new building is located.  What are the materials in construction, what are the HOA fees, and hundreds of other questions to ask.  Our team has worked on so many high rise buildings because we love them.  But buying off a drawing and a model means making sure you know and understand all the details being presented.

But this is all hypothetical, and as mentioned above it requires a LOT of time.  We can speculate forever on what the length of time will be for a final bill to get approved, but that is only the start.  Then if a Developer decides to come forward they need to go through all their steps to get the project approved and ultimately built.   Based upon past projects such as SPIRE and Glass House you might want to assume a couple years.  So… would that mean the next person to move into a new high rise might not happen until 2016? 2017?  2018?

If you are looking for a new Denver condominium or home your best bet might be today.  You can walk it, touch it, and move in.  That doesn’t mean you can’t get in on a future new condo opportunity down the road.  It all depends on what your own goals are for home ownership and your reasons for doing so.  For some, it is the peace of mind that you aren’t putting dollars into rent.  For others it is knowing they can have something to own in the neighborhood they love.  Contact us to discuss your goals, ideal time frame, and property criteria.  Keep in mind this is mostly affecting new high rise condominium towers, not smaller projects or mid rise buildings.

Homeownership Opportunity Act SB 14-220 seems to be more focused on Glass House or SPIRE style amenity rich building.  However, these are often the most desired buildings because their density helps to build a community that can support all those attractive lifestyle amenities like swimming pools, fitness centers, media rooms and more.

What Property Type fits your Lifestyle?

Share your thoughts

I’m a writer on this team along with being a huge fan of Urban Planning, Architecture , Sustainable Living and transit oriented development.. but not a lawyer or real estate broker so any legal experts who want to weigh in are welcome to comment and share their thoughts.  What I’d love to do is hear a variety of thoughts, hopes, and pet peeves about this issue from condominium residents, prospective homebuyers, and industry experts. We will keep following this story so make sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook and Google+.

Updates in the News

• May 14, 2014:  CBE CLE Legal Connections “SB 14-220: Requiring Mediation or Arbitration of Construction Defect Claims Where Required by Owners’ Association Governing Documents“
• May 6, 2014:  Westword  “Condo construction: One of three bills to boost affordable housing moves forward“

Request more information or to tour a Building

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Wow, this place is going to crush it! I got a chance to visit Union Station’s new Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Grill recently for their special “pre opening” tasting menu. From what I could tell on my initial visit the Thirsty Lion is going to collect a strong following FAST.

First, lets cover the location. The new Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Grill occupies almost the entire west wing of the new Union Station building adjacent on the corner of Wynkoop and 16th. That puts them front and center to give all the light rail and car optional (you know how we love public transportation) commuters who pass though the new Union Station Hub. And the inside of the Thirsty Lion is a great place to have your post work happy hour. The space is HUGE! There is a large bar that features big screen TV’s to catch your favorite game. There are large high top community tables all around the bar for folks to sit and gather with friends. And then there are the large low tables and booths that line the outside walls and windows. From any of these tables visitors have a view of the open kitchen or out to the streets of Denver, which I believe will have some great architectural features and fountains to enjoy.

Sunshine lovers don’t worry, there is a massive outdoor deck that spans the front of the Thirsty Lion so you can sit outside during all our Denver warm seasons.

Okay, so we covered the fact that this is a great spot to grab a beer or bite on your commute. Now let’s talk about Sports. This location has to be pretty much dead center between Sports Authority Field, Coors Field, and the Pepsi Center. They have a great chance to capture the sports crowd before and after our great games.

Now let’s talk food. When we were seated and asked for some recommendations the staff (which were awesome) quickly shared a few favorites including their gourmet burgers and sandwiches. During this VIP opening to test the menu each group was giving a different menu with four items to choose from. It was their way to make sure the kitchen got a chance to be tested on the full menu, or to make sure that one item didn’t get crushed.

We sampled one of the gourmet burgers, the reuben, and a couple of their 52 beers on tap. Yes, they have an very extensive beer menu to help make sure anyone can find whatever suits their taste. They also have a great list of specialty cocktails in case beer is not your choice.

The food was excellent. The burger was perfectly cooked, the gourmet flavors mixed wonderfully, and the fries were crisp and tasty. We saw several pizzas come flying out (those folks seemed happy) and one Ahi Salad that looked to have some fairly good sized cuts of tuna. For those who want to eat healthy don’t worry, the menu allows for it.

What can we say, we loved it. We plan to bring a bigger group back this weekend to do exactly what this great location was designed for, to gather with friends, laugh, and catch up.

The new Thirsty Lion Gastropub an Grill in Union Station is well worth a visit, and it’s just one more reason why living in Downtown just keeps getting better and better. Residents of Riverfront Park, LoHi, LoDo, and Union Station celebrate, your neighborhood just got one more dining amenity for your Denver Urban lifestyle.

Want to find condos around the new Thirsty Lion, click here or visit these links.

• Riverfront Park Neighborhood Listings
• LoHi / Highland Neighborhood Listings
• Union Station Neighborhood Listings
• Lodo Neighborhood Listings
• Union Station on Twitter
• Union Station on Facebook
• Neighborhood PSF Chart

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The post Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Grill in Union Station Kicks off the New Neighborhood appeared first on Denver Urban Living.