COLORADO | Front Range Development Thread #2

[Denver Dweller]

http://www.imfromdenver.com/video-th...g-to-colorado/

[bunt_q]

I might have vomited a little.

[The Dirt]

I think I just got eye cancer.

[Cirrus]

I don't know what you guys are complaining about. It clearly worked.

Aurora 1980 population: 158,588
Aurora 2015 population: 359,407

I attribute it fully to our Ms You Stand For Qual-it-eeee.

[TakeFive]

No question that Aurora Rocks.




"Future of RidgeGate East explored in study session"
August 9, 2016 by Rick Gustafson - The (Lakewood) Sentinel

The Lone Tree City Council and the public got their first look at a preliminary plan for the development of the area east of I-25 known as RidgeGate East at a council study session on Aug. 2.

The 2,400-acre site extending from Lincoln Avenue to what will be the end-of the-line light rail station just south of RidgeGate Parkway has been divided into two sub-area plans. The land paralleling I-25 and encompassing the new light rail route under construction is the proposed location of the new Lone Tree City Center.

Keith Simon, executive vice president of Coventry Development Corporation made the presentation.

“It's not often that any of us gets to plan a new downtown,” Simon told the council. “This is pretty darn exciting.”

The concept for sub-area one was created by MIG, a Berkeley, California-based firm specializing in planning and design.

The four basic components for the City Center focus on a mixed-use core with plazas, parks, shops and restaurants anchored by the City Center Light Rail Station. Surrounding the core will be multifamily residential housing to the east and a campus-style corporate office district to the west, fronting I-25.

[TakeFive]

Qual-it-eeee

Image courtesy Visit Aurora

"Record-setting industrial development to be built in metro Denver"
Aug 15, 2016 by Molly Armbrister - Denver Business Journal

Majestic Realty Co. this fall will break ground on Colorado's largest-ever "single-phase" industrial development to be built all at once, building 834,580 square feet in three buildings.

The buildings will be located in the Majestic Commercenter, an industrial park at the intersection of I-70 and Tower Road.

"California company adds 530 acres at its Aurora site for industrial expansion"
Molly Armbrister - Denver Business Journal

Majestic Realty Co. has purchased 530 acres adjacent to its existing properties at Interstate 70 and Tower Road in Aurora with plans to build more industrial space,

The company now plans to build an e-Commercenter that can accommodate up to 7 million square feet of development at full build-out, including four buildings that are about 1 million square feet each.

"Opus building industrial project in Aurora"
Aug 11, 2016 by Molly Armbrister - Denver Business Journal

"Denver industrial real estate company to build new project in Aurora"
Aug 25, 2016 by Molly Armbrister - Denver Business Journal

Aside from any snickers, this is a very encouraging sign for the metro Denver economy. By comparison, industrial development in metro Phoenix is Big Business; it's huge. For example, Amazon built its first prototype flagship distribution center in west Phoenix. It's a little over one million square feet. The investment in the equipment inside runs to the $billions. Phoenix also has a lot of small and medium sized manufacturing. These new facilities are not your Father's warehouses. Another example is when companies like Intel or Micron Tech build new facilities not only is the equipment incredibly expensive but they contain clean rooms and are generally "clean" inside. Intel's newest facility may look vanilla on the outside but it's a $5 billion "warehouse."

[TakeFive]

"Texas food service company bringing 240 jobs to development near DIA"
Sep 7, 2016 by Molly Armbrister - Denver Business Journal

McLane Foodservice Inc., a Texas-based company, has acquired 20 acres in a development near Denver International Airport with plans to employ 240 people in a 250,000-square-foot facility.

The facility will be built northwest of the intersection of Pena Boulevard and Tower Road in the Nexus at DIA development, formerly named the DIA Tech Center.

Just like the airport Denver's aerotropolis is starting to take off.

[The Dirt]

Maybe they'll finally have an onramp from southbound Tower to westbound Pena. Jobs are good, otherwise, meh.

Edit: the rendering shows a future onramp.

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Maybe they'll finally have an onramp from southbound Tower to westbound Pena. Jobs are good, otherwise, meh.

ABSOLUTELY not. Pena Blvd. is an airport-financed road, paid by residents of the City and County of Denver and airport users. It is not a sprawl subsidizer. Do you think it's a coincidence that there's no on-ramp there? Of course not. Because the minute you do that, commuter traffic from BFE Commerce City - which contributes not a dollar to the tax base that supports that highway - clogs up Pena, which is first and foremost an airport access road.

They can use E-470. That's why it is there. Roads aren't free.

Personally, I think we should find a way to toll Pena Blvd. Would encourage transit, discourage unnecessary sprawl-subsidizing use, and generate airport revenue. All good things. There's really no good reason not to toll Pena.

[TakeFive]

Mayor Michael Hancock wonders when you might have time to stop by his office?

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by The Dirt

Maybe they'll finally have an onramp from southbound Tower to westbound Pena. Jobs are good, otherwise, meh.

Edit: the rendering shows a future onramp.

IIRC, Commerce City entered into and IGA with Denver to fund a SB on ramp.

Hopefully Denver bent them over backwards on it. Commerce City is a municipality that deserves to be used like a dime whore.

[The Dirt]

Well, bunt, I hate to break it to you, but looks like Pena's going to become the main link between Commerce City and Sprawltropolis. It makes sense to have this since this new service company will need access to a highway. I will thoroughly enjoy using this onramp instead of having to drive through Green Valley Ranch at night on my way back from airport parking.

Here's the image from that article:

http://www.9news.com/news/local/jobs...-dia/315133475

[bunt_q]

We'll see. I'd like to track down that IGA. I'm not convinced this alone will necessitate the ramp. But if Commerce City wants to pay handsomely, well, then that's fine. Maybe E-470 will sue to stop it. Think of all the lost toll revenues. I might have to suggest that, actually...

[TakeFive]

I wondered if Denver gave McLane any incentives. Google was kind enough to point out their Phoenix location isn't near the airport here. It's not unusual for a distribution company like this to establish a facility design prototype and just build a replica when they expand.

It wasn't until I finished reading the article that I realized McLane is owned by Berkshire Hathaway; they love these nuts and bolts, largely recession-proof businesses. Well this is interesting. Wal-Mart acquired McLane in 1990. Berkshire Hathaway purchased McLane in May 2003 from Wal-Mart for $1.45 billion. At the time their sales were $14.9 billion. Today they're a $48 billion business.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

I wondered if Denver gave McLane any incentives. Google was kind enough to point out their Phoenix location isn't near the airport here. It's not unusual for a distribution company like this to establish a facility design prototype and just build a replica when they expand.

It wasn't until I finished reading the article that I realized McLane is owned by Berkshire Hathaway; they love these nuts and bolts, largely recession-proof businesses. Well this is interesting. Wal-Mart acquired McLane in 1990. Berkshire Hathaway purchased McLane in May 2003 from Wal-Mart for $1.45 billion. At the time their sales were $14.9 billion. Today they're a $48 billion business.

Denver gave no incentives for this, the facility is in Commerce City.

[Cirrus]

How about some drone videos above Boulder? There's a lot of rock climbing and hiking in this, but there are enough neat city views to make it worth the 4 minutes.

Video Link

[TakeFive]

Photo courtesy Burl Rolett - BusinessDen

"Path cleared for Aurora mixed-use project"
AUGUST 30, 2016 by BURL ROLETT - BusinessDen

With the blessing of the city of Aurora, a run-down shopping center near the Kennedy golf course and ball fields has been leveled to create a clean canvas.

Mile High/Koelbel has demolished the bulk of the former Regatta Plaza shopping center in Aurora, making way for a mixed-use development near the intersection of Interstate 225 and Parker Road.

The project could include 500 residential units, 100,000 square feet of retail space and 250,000 square feet of office space

The first project will be construction of the new King Soopers however which I assume is being handled by Kroger Real Estate.

[COS]

Someone mentioned the newly completed Center for Character and Leadership Development at the Air Force Academy. I snapped a bunch of pictures of it plus the rest of the main area. Also, they're getting a new golf course clubhouse. Just a hole in the ground now, but maybe there's a render somewhere. Judging by the dig, should be pretty big.

[Cirrus]

God, AFA is so sterile. It might be the worst college campus in America.

[LAM]

Those are amazing photos of the AFA campus, COS. How did you manage to get so many photos without any people? Even in the off season most college/universities have some students. Aren't they in session yet? Otherwise, I have to disagree with Cirrus, it really looks like a beautiful campus. Of course, I've never been there, so I don't know how it reads in real life.