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

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Get ready Denver, starting April 21st the 16th Street Millennium Bridge that connects Riverfront Park and the New Union Station Neighborhood is starting construction on a very cool face lift.

With all the planned foot traffic that the New Union Station light rail hub is expected to generate, including a new light rail line to DIA, it just makes sense to expand the East side foundation and pave the way for growth.  But this face lift isn’t just about traffic patterns, it’s about architectural design.

According to the Central Platte Valley Metropolitan District letter to neighborhood residents, part of this cool update will be a new set of LED lighting systems.  The Millennium is already an architectural icon, but this face lift will be implementing a lighting system similar to what dazzles us at Union Station and the Capitol during the holidays.  There will even be blue and orange lights to celebrate Denver Broncos games.   Does this mean Purple for Colorado Rockies games, Steel Blue and Burgundy for Colorado Avalanche Games, and Blue and Gold for Nuggets Games.

Actually the Rockies are technically Black, Silver, White and Purple… so I’m imagining the fun that could be had with a black light.

While the architects and designers focus on how to make the Riverfront Park and Union Station Millennium Bridge a beautiful icon of the city, we want to remind you to plan accordingly for your transit.  With construction moving in phases you can expect the stairs to be closed often and reliance on the elevators when available.  Cyclists might want to plan ahead and shoot down 20th or 15th and pedestrians remember we still have the Union Gateway Bridge at 18th.  However with all the new construction on the new Alta City House, the new King Sooper Grocery store at 20th and Chestnut, and all the other exciting buildings popping up your best bet might be to go AROUND this rapid development zone for a couple months while the bridge get’s wrapped up.

Now we have a fun question for you… what lighting suggestions can you think of for any day or event you can think of?  Who knows, maybe someone will see it and make it happen.

To learn more about real estate opportunities in these cool neighborhoods visit the links above or request more information:

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New Development Driving Glass House

With all the new Development occurring int Downtown Denver one building seems to be the favorite.  Riverfront Park’s Glass House building has been seeing a record number of new listings going under contract in a day or less.  Let’s talk about just why this building is the destination everyone seems to be talking about.

• The New Union Station Neighborhood Project is moving fast right across the pedestrian bridge from Glass House.  This new area has already announced a new hotel, several new restaurants, bars, shops and more. New restaurants include Zoe Ma Ma and two national restaurants expanding into Denver, the PROTEIN BARR and The Thirsty Lion Pub. These two new restaurants plan to open April 29.
• The New Union Station Hotel Project developers have announced they will have several new eateries including Milkbox Ice Creamery brought to us by the folks at Little Man Ice Cream, Pigtrain Coffee brought to us by the folks at Novo Coffee, Eatmore Burgers and Brats, Fresh Exchange Restaurant, and two new bars called the Terminal Bar and the Cooper Lounge.  The Terminal Bar is expected to be a beer lover’s destination with more than 30 brews on tap.   With many, many more blocks and businesses available for growth just imagine what else will arrive.
• The new King Soopers Grocery Store is opening a new high end store offering at the 20th and Chestnut block.  This new location is rumored to be opening later this year.  How awesome will it be to have a great large scale grocery store within walking distance.
• There is talk of a new Whole Foods location coming to the Union Station Neighborhood.  This new grocery addition could complement the King Sooper amenity and make the neighborhood even more desirable for living and as an investment.  Read more about this here.
• The new Union Station Light Rail Hub provides access to not only all the light rail lines throughout Denver but also a direct line out to Denver International Airport.
• Imagine if you could go back in time and buy a condo or loft on New York’s Central Park.  That is the comparison investors and homeowners are sharing about their Glass House purchase.  Directly on the Park Glass House residents enjoy runs, walks, and the sheer pleasure of living on open space in our urban playground.  That is a very special thing.
• Union Station Neighborhood, LoHi, Jefferson Park, LoDo, and Ball Park wrap around Riverfront Park allowing Glass House residents easy access to all the great dining, shopping, events and more that these neighborhoods offer.
• Riverfront Park is a culinary center of the Denver landscape with Zengo, La Biblioteca, McLoughlins, Sushi Sasa, Colt and Grey, Denver Beer Company, Brother Bar, St. Ellie, and footsteps away.  Zengo even offers delivery to the Glass House, it’s next door neighbor.
• Riverfront Park offers the Glass House, and all of the buildings in the neighborhood a dedicated Master HOA with full security staffed by off duty police officers and a team to keep the neighborhood clean and filled with plants, flowers, even holiday decorations.  Most people don’t know that one of the founding principles for Riverfront Park was to establish a community where residents had cleanliness and safety as primary values.
• Developers are not building new high rise buildings.  With current laws governing developer required reserves for high rise buildings the pace of new residential towers has ground to a halt.  Get in while you can, because if the laws were changed (which is currently in discussion) it could take years just to get the first shovel to break ground, plus the time to complete the building.
• The Glass House has what most consider to be the BEST amenities of any building in Denver.  Glass House residents enjoy a large pool (which is rare), 8th floor club lounge, outdoor pool deck, fire pit, outdoor grills, media theater room, continental breakfast, 24 hour front desk, and two story modern fitness center with classes.  It is a WONDERFUL lifestyle for the urban resident.

With the wave of new development adding to the many reasons why this location is the heart of Denver it is now wonder that Glass House condos and residences are moving quickly.

Glass House Expertise

Our team of Denver Urban experts knows the Glass House building inside and out.   There are many things to consider in comparing the various residences.   Some units offer incredible views, either of the city or the mountains, or both.  Some floor plans take the best advantage of square footage.   For current Glass House owners we help them understand what their residence is worth on the current market.  For Glass House buyers our team help you get the first opportunity to make an offer and provide the knowledge to build the most appropriate offer.  There are so many factors to consider in Denver’s star building.  We keep all our Glass House clients updated on exactly what is happening today and what future plans are occurring in this area that they should factor in.
View Available Glass House Listings HERE

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Ever since the glory days of the Glass House in Riverfront Park in 2006 the Denver audience has been awaiting news on the rumored City House building in Union Station.  At that time developers were concentrating their efforts on condominium developments throughout Denver.  Glass House, SPIRE, and One Lincoln came to the market with their high rise lifestyles including great amenities (pools, fitness centers, and more) and walls of glass.

Glass House sold out almost entirely within the first 45 days going on the market.  ONE Lincoln and SPIRE came to market later and showed strong sales as well, although nothing like the Glass House.

So it is logical that at that time the focus was on what was for some time nicknamed “Glass House 2”.  The name evolved into City House and at that time the expectation was another 23 story tower would be built within the new Union Station Neighborhood.

That was then, this is now.

The design evolved over time.  Rental and apartment rates within the Denver market have steadily increased and developers channeled their focus into he rental project scope.  A few years ago many thought the City House idea would come as another high rise tower with a purely rental market.

But high rise projects are also more expensive.  Concrete and steel construction that creates beautiful glass towers takes considerably more time and resources than a stick build.  So many where not surprised to hear the recent announcement by Wood Partnersthat they will be creating a 281 unit 5 story rental building with a “stick build” construction.  Other apartment developers have been successful with this model in the local area.  Commons Park West, The Station at Riverfront Park, and the new phase of the Manhattan are all great examples of mid rise apartment development.

The new Alta City House is being designed to be amenity rich with the pool, fitness center, and feature rich design that helps to drive up rental rates.  For those who bought in the Glass House with a city view and were expecting a 23 story tower in their City view this decision may be a welcome surprise.

This could also have an impact over time on property values in Riverfront Park, LoHi, and the surrounding Downtown Denver condo and loft neighborhoods.  More apartment buildings, which has been the trend, mean that there is less available inventory of for sale buildings in the area.  That could affect the supply and demand pricing.  If prices do increase perhaps it will drive the creation of some new for sale condominium buildings in the area.   Until then, existing inventory may be more sought after which is why we offer our clients rapid alerts on their favorite buildings and neighborhoods.

To learn more about real estate at the Glass House, in Riverfront Park, or any of the great Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft neighborhoods please give anyone on the New Era Realty team a call.

Cheers!  Union Station is growing FAST!

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