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March 8, 2010
 While our family was in London last month, we had the opportunity to visit with many of my husband’s overseas friends and family, and I found it really interesting that several of them mentioned the 16th Street Mall when relating their experiences visiting Colorado. Obviously, the mall makes an impression on visitors, especially those who spend some time exploring downtown on foot. As a long-time resident, I never really give the mall a second thought - sure, if I’m downtown I might hit one of the restuarants on the mall for lunch or happy hour, but I have to admit that I tend to gravitate toward the independently-owned restaurants Uptown or in Riverfront because parking near the mall is such a pain. It would be different if I worked nearby and was parked there, anyway, or if there was a good public transportation option to get there, but living in the suburbs it would take 3 buses and a miracle to get there in less than 2 hours, and I can drive downtown in less than 20 minutes, so that’s the obvious option.
I will be interested to hear what happens with these plans - and if you spend any time on or near the 16th Street Mall, it might be a good idea to attend one of the public planning sessions to express your opinion!
Interesting update regarding the 16th Street Mall on yourhub:
Bicycle lanes, moving buses to 15th among alternatives for mall
Three different visions for a possible facelift of the 16th Street Mall are being examined by Denverites. Provided by: Kathryn Scott Osler/DP
The first option, and least expensive, involves improving what already exists without major infrastructure changes.
The second alternative involves moving the mall buses closer together, killing the median and widening sidewalk space on the northeast side of the street. It would allow for more patio seating and vendor and kiosk space.
The third and most radical vision includes moving the westbound mall bus to 15th Street to allow for expansion of public space, an emergency lane or possibly a two-way bicycle lane.
Residents and business owners who attended one of two open houses last week to hear about plans had differing opinions of what they wanted to see. (more…)
March 5, 2010
Living in Capitol Hill: living green AND living it up!
“Walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to our health, the environment, and our communities.
Better health: A study in Washington State found that the average resident of a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood.1 Residents of walkable neighborhoods drive less and suffer fewer car accidents, a leading cause of death between the ages of 15–45.
Reduction in greenhouse gas: Cars are a leading cause of global warming. Your feet are zero-pollution transportation machines.
More transportation options: Compact neighborhoods tend to have higher population density, which leads to more public transportation options and bicycle infrastructure. Not only is taking the bus cheaper than driving, but riding a bus is ten times safer than driving a car!2
Increased social capital: Walking increases social capital by promoting face-to-face interaction with your neighbors. Studies have shown that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.3
Stronger local businesses: Dense, walkable neighborhoods provide local businesses with the foot traffic they need to thrive. It’s easier for pedestrians to shop at many stores on one trip, since they don’t need to drive between destinations.”
–from www.walkscore.com
ALSO IN CAPITOL HILL? LIVE IT UP! from music venues, to favorite restaurants, this hood as it all! and its an easy bikeride or walk. http://www.guidespot.com/guides/capitol_hill_denver_best
SO WHY NOT LIVE HERE? Live simply….
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Susannah Campora | Live Urban Real Estate | 720.982.5098
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1421 Gilpin #6, Denver, CO
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hip cozy quiet condo in capitol hill walkable to cheesman park and urban life. updated with modern fixtures, hardwoods, exposed brick, walk-in closet,
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1BR/1BA Condo
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offered at $99,500
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| Year Built |
1910 |
| Sq Footage |
558 |
| Bedrooms |
1 |
| Bathrooms |
1 full, 0 partial |
| Floors |
Unspecified |
| Parking |
1 Uncovered spaces |
| Lot Size |
Unspecified |
| HOA/Maint |
$217 per month |
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| see additional photos below |
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PROPERTY FEATURES
| - Walk-in closet |
- Hardwood floor |
- Living room |
| - Office/Den |
- Breakfast nook |
- Refrigerator |
| - Stove/Oven |
- Stainless steel appliances |
- Laundry area - inside |
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COMMUNITY FEATURES
| - Laundry on-site |
- Storage space(s) |
- Secured entry |
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OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES
| - doublepaned secure windows |
| - new paint |
| - exposed brick |
| - updated kitchen |
| - modern fixtures |
| - bonus room for office |
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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Kitchen |
Office |
Exterior |
Lobby |
Eating Space |
Living Room |
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Contact info:
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Susannah Campora
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Live Urban Real Estate
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720.982.5098
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For sale by agent/broker
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Posted: Feb 19, 2010, 7:03am PST
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March 3, 2010
A city is sized up by its skyline, both its might and its imagination. When we look at tall buildings from far away, we don’t care about their science — if the elevators are fast or how much energy they consume.
We take in how they shape the urban outline, if they are innovative or traditional, if they give the city a personality that’s distinct from the next city down the interstate.
For two decades, Denver’s skyline stood virtually still as commercial development pushed its way horizontally toward the south and west. Buildings went up downtown, many interesting, but none were the sort of high-rises that truly affect the view.
Then, in December 2005, the 37-story Convention Center Hyatt came online, and since then five more high-rises, predominantly residential, have taken shape in rapid succession, a trend that the current economy is likely to curtail.
So how are the six new upstarts making their mark, and what do — or will — they bring to the mix? Here’s a quick take on each one.
Hyatt Regency Convention Center
14th and Welton streets. klipp architects, Denver. Opened 2005.
How high: 37 stories.
The look: A slender matchbox of a building, this giant hotel’s grace overshadows its size: 1,100 rooms. From a five-story, glass-and-stone box, two distinct rectangles shoot skyward. Zinc bands run top to bottom along the sides, adding upward thrust, while tiny cantilevered roofs top off the south side.
The takeaway: As the foremost accommodator of conventioneers, the hotel gives tourists the impressive first impression that Denver is stylish and up-to-date. Marble and limestone in the lobby make it luxe, but stainless-steel details keep it contemporary. It helps that the hotel is friendly and in tune with the latest hospitality trends. Self-check-in, anyone?
If we could change one thing: The Hyatt is impressive, but not a signature building for Denver. Why? Because it could exist in any city. It lacks notable historical or geographical references. Think about the convention center itself, with its mountain-mirroring roof lines and giant back terraces that pay homage to the city’s best asset: its Rocky views.
The Glass House
Bassett and Little Raven streets, Preston Partnership, Atlanta. Opened 2007.
How high: 23 stories
The look: It’s not a house exactly, but this place is aptly named. Twin glass condominium towers, set perpendicular to each other, rise from a brick base. The building takes advantage of a deep setback over the seventh floor to offer a roof deck complete with trees and a swimming pool.
The takeaway: The Glass House gets credit for transforming Denver’s Riverfront Park neighborhood into an urban hot zone, with pedestrians and attractive retail. That’s a huge accomplishment for any building. But it towers over its neighbors along the park. Time will tell if the hulking structure is out of place in its low-rise section of town, or if it’s an invitation for others to reach higher.
If we could change one thing: We’d simplify its exterior shapes, drop the brick and bring the shine down to the street. Or expand the name to the Glass-and-Brick House.
One Lincoln Park
East 20th Avenue and Lincoln Street, Buchanan Yonushewski Group, Denver. Opened 2009.
How high: 32 stories
The look: Think beachfront condos in the heart of downtown. One Lincoln Park is all curve and stretch in a city that likes its buildings at right angles. An interesting mishmash of setbacks, swoops and surface material, this 186-unit structure is in constant motion. It all leads up to a curved shell roof.
The takeaway: One Lincoln Park dares to be different. Its exaggeration borders on cartoon, but it forces Denver to rethink what a residential building can be. Is it fresh, or is it a novelty act? It’s important, if only for its location, pushing the high-rise district farther north and east. Its unique shape means anything goes as the city develops in that uptown direction.
If we could change one thing: Great buildings have great lobbies, inviting entrances that define the experience. This one feels more like a pass-through, not a spot for neighbors to mingle with one another or the neighborhood. That, and the bulky garage at its base, separate the building from the very downtown it is meant to connect to. Oh, and where’s the park?
Spire
14th and Champa streets, RNL Design, Denver. Completed 2009.
How high: 41 stories
The look: The modern high-rise as seen through a mile-high eye. Spire energizes the city skyline by adding what appears from a distance to be four, flat planes assembled into a slim, glass rectangle — a classic international design trick. But look closer: Those planes break up so the building can present balconies and long views of our mountains and plains. The base sits forward so residents can enjoy, of all things, a small in-house dog park. What could be more Denver?
The takeaway: This building is a winner, and not just because its glass takes on pleasing shades of blue or gray as the sun comes and goes. The high-rise brings a sense of the now to a downtown that can look stuck in the ’80s. Best of all, its 496 units will lure a diverse group of residents to the area; the mix of livable, affordable starter homes and high-end skypads means the neighborhood won’t become a playground for the wealthy.
If we could change one thing: Well, it’s not really a spire, is it?
The Four Seasons hotel and condominium residences
14th and Arapahoe streets, Dallas-based HKS Inc. (architect of record), Jackson Hole-based Carney Architects, (architect of design). Set to open fall 2010.
How high: 45 stories
The look: With 102 residences stacked on top of 240 hotel rooms, the hybrid Four Seasons puts the emphasis on the inside, where it is stunning enough to advertise its top unit for $7.5 million. The outside, the part the rest of us live with, offers the basic high-rise rhythm. It starts as a block and stays that way, getting glassier and glassier and more balconied as it grows, which is lovely — if you own a unit. The terraces curve a bit high up, and on top sits a white spire.
The takeaway: Some buildings serve a city simply because they exist. Downtown needs great hotel rooms and more full-time residents who can keep it going after rush hour. The Four Seasons will contribute mightily. The questions that remain: Will its conservative design make it easy to overlook, despite its size? The buzz of incoming residents — overnighters and beyond — will surely make the city look bigger and busier, but will it look better? Occupancy, please.
If we could change just one thing: We’d take that spire off the top and give it to Spire, down the street.
1800 Larimer
RNL Architects, Denver. Set for completion in spring 2010.
How high: 22 stories
The look: This office tower, stacked high with bands of smoky glass and beige concrete, would fit well in the Tech Center, except for the quirky, multistory patches of reflective, blue glass appliqued — randomly — to the facade. Add to those two personalities a distinct third, courtesy of a bright, white flat roof.
The takeaway: This building is all conflicting adjectives: horizontal, vertical, rectangular, triangular, square, shiny, matte, mirrored, transparent, squat, tall, attractive and ugly. And the noun? Box. Take away the tricks, and it’s kinda ordinary. It’s gonna have a tough time winning fans.
If we could change one thing: We’d encourage the doubters to give it a chance. RNL, among the city’s best firms, knows it has tried something different - and that’s admirable. Plus, this building’s transparent lobby, to be filled with trees and cantilevered landings, will offer more to pedestrians than the other buildings on this list combined. Lights and tenants, including big name Xcel, may bring it alive. But if that doesn’t work, judge as you will.
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14479459?source=sb-facebook#ixzz0h9QZX3HF
January 28, 2010
 One of the most common questions homeowners face is when does it make sense to add an addition or remodel my home? This is more likely to be an issue in the Highlands neighborhoods as market values are on the rise. Where is the break-even point if you decide to sell? How much does a new bath or addition or basement finish really cost?
To help answer those questions, I am hosting a relaxed gathering at the Highlands Garden Café for clients, friends and neighbors to meet and discuss ideas with a group of trusted contractors, suppliers and artisans. The event will be this Sunday, January 31st from 2PM-5PM. I have included specialists and suppliers including cabinetry, flooring, tile and granite, appliances and fireplaces, windows, plumbing, and faux painting artisans. In addition, I will have General Contractors available as well as experts in recycling and mortgage refinancing.
The Highlands neighborhoods pose very unique challenges; finding a balance between the urban feeling and varied architecture to defining more contemporary space. We make do with one less bathroom than we prefer and convert an office to a bedroom when family and friends stay over. Its life in the Highlands and the amenities of the neighborhoods exceed the inconvenience of adapting to an older home. As my fellow agents at Live Urban will attest, there are more buyers looking in the Highlands and surrounding neighborhoods than those wishing to leave and ultimately, sell their homes.
The Highlands Garden Café is located on 3927 W 32nd and is the perfect backdrop for such an event. The Csafé was first converted from one Victorian home 16 years ago and expanded to the neighboring home a few years later. Additional dining rooms, offices and kitchens were added in a third phase, respecting the style and architecture of the original homes. The Café will provide complimentary wine and appetizers to sample why the Café is consistently rated nationally as one of the best restaurants in Denver.
I will have market analysis information and recent sales data to determine your current market values and I will be available to answer your real estate questions and ideas. Please RSVP at 303 668 9373 or online at HighlandsHomeExpo.com I look forward to meeting you on Sunday!
January 6, 2010
The Children’s Museum of Denver remains a favorite for me and my kids, especially because they are always mixing it up with special programs like the one tomorrow with two of the Harlem Globetrotters - and since I’m a huge fan of the Amazing Race, I was super excited to see that it was Big Easy and Flight Time who will be hosting the program!
The Harlem Globetrotters are coming to the Children’s Museum!
Bring your little hoopsters to see Big Easy Lofton and Flight Time Lang, two of the world-famous
Harlem Globetrotters!
Thursday, January 7, 1:00 p.m.
at the Children’s Museum of Denver
These world-renowned ambassadors of goodwill and basketball skill will provide Children’s Museum guests with their interactive C.H.E.E.R.TM program that focuses on Cooperation, Healthy Minds & Bodies, Effort, Enthusiasm, and Responsibility…along with their amazing ball-handling skills and other roundball tricks!
This event is free for Museum members and
is included with the cost of general admission.
Want more of the Globetrotters?
Children’s Museum friends and family can save $5 on select seats at the January 9th, 2:00 p.m., Harlem Globetrotters game at the Pepsi Center!
Not valid for courtside or VIP seats
Online PROMO CODE: MUSEUM
Click here to take advantage of this special offer!
December 18, 2009
If you have driven down a major Denver street lately, then surely you have noticed more and more green leaves popping up on the outside of previously empty retail spaces. This phenomenon of medical marijuana dispensaries is streaking across the city and leaving a swath of controversy in its wake. This week, the dispensary craze has come to the forefront of major media throughout Denver with front page reports of holdups and new regulation to grab our attention.
It was earlier this summer when dispensaries began popping up around town. At first, most people thought little of them, just a good joke and laugh for who was caught walking in and out. Lately though, the situation has seemed to grow a little more heated, not just because of combating individual opinions of the dispensaries and their purpose, but just as importantly, the impact they are having on local communities.
Obviously, safety has been a number one concern of neighborhoods who are now presented with more and more green leaved signs popping up. With two dispensaries in Denver held up at gun point, a break in at a Boulder shop and an expected explosion in Breckenridge this week alone, the safety concerns have certainly been magnified.
These concerns have prompted the government to take a closer look at the states fastest growing business. On Wednesday, Denver Council Members voted to ban dispensaries from opening within 1,000 feet of a school and of one another. This issue of opening within such close proximity to each other has become another major point of contention, in addition to safety, for local residents and merchants.
On one particular Denver boutique laced street, the issue of so many potential dispensaries opening has local business owners on edge. Speaking with members of the local merchant association, there is a strong possibility that there will soon be six dispensaries in their merchant district that stretches six city blocks, and 5 within one block. This means there could easily be dispensaries side by side and their competition side by side directly across the street. For a merchant association that has worked so hard the past 3 years to create a unique shopping experience and has been awarded millions of dollars in funding to improve the shopping district, this block of dispensaries creates a major obstacle for strolling shoppers and diners and feels like a major step backwards for local merchants. And with landlords bumping rent that only dispensaries can afford to pay, it has forced out other long term merchants on the block, forever changing the make up of the street.
With these new rules and regulations going into effect after January 1st, 2010, we will have to wait and see how many dispensaries pop up between now and New Years. With the potential for five dispensaries on one block, and countless more surely opening across the city, odds are pretty good that the face of many of our city streets could drastically be changing. The question is then how much they will change and the how the city will regulate these changes moving forward. Living, working and selling real estate in the neighborhoods seeing the highest concentration of dispensaries opening, I personally am worried about the long term impact they will have both on resale value and attractiveness of these thriving communities. I am sure that we will be hearing much more about this debate in the coming months and the backlash it brings.
December 10, 2009
Don’t miss Jingle and Mingle this Saturday and Sunday on Tennyson Street in the Berkeley District! Bring the kids for Holiday book readings, pictures and hanging out with Santa. For adults, don’t miss the extensive wine tour at participating restaurants, extended hours and promotions for stores and restaurants, and Santa handing out prizes on the street.
December 9, 2009
Earlier this year, I started redesigning and remodeling a home on Perry Street as my new residence. My sister, Pat Perry, is the owner and chef at the Highlands Garden Café and she the purchased the home three years ago. While she and our mother completed the gardens next to the home, the remodeling and construction was up to me. Imagine my surprise when I uncovered a bit of North Denver history lost under the floorboards.
The home was built in 1902 and it is a small unassuming flat roof structure, lacking the character and elegance of the surrounding homes. While working in the small cellar, I discovered a thin handwritten journal filled with names, drawings, and maps. You can imagine my surprise of discovering a lost journal though there was no mention of its author or the owner.
I decided to find out more and tracked down Frederick Stanford whose grandmother owned the home from 1910 through 1984. He graciously filled in all the details and I now find myself writing the Highlands Christmas Story in hopes of returning the journal to its rightful owner.
In his letter, he described the home on Perry Street perfectly and shared why this home has a special place in North Denver’s history. I have posted the entire story online at HighlandsChristmasStory.com and I am sharing a sample of his letter with you.
“It seems the flat roof on Perry Street was actually the perfect size for eight reindeer and a sleigh! Unlike the high-pitched Victorian style roofs of her neighbors, this spot was the best resting spot in the Highlands for Santa to allow his reindeer a quick break in their amazing journey. As kids we used to snicker when she told us Santa would drink her homemade Peppermint tea sitting on the ledge above the front door. Those snickers would be goose bumps now! You have proven her story true”.
To celebrate this Highlands story, you and your family are invited to the Highlands Garden Café on December 20th from 1-3PM for decorating cookies and sharing in the conclusion of the story It is our hope to leave Santa hundreds of Highland cookies in homes everywhere to celebrate this Christmas season. The Café is also collecting new, unwrapped toys for donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver. Your contribution will add to the smiles Christmas morning for those in need. If you would like to receive your own online copy of the story, please email me at martin@liveurbandenver.com and I will forward it to you.
Please RSVP online for the Christmas cookie party at HighlandsChristmasStory.com or call the Café at (303) 458 5920.
We hope to see you there!
November 6, 2009
If you have completed or know of a great renovation project in the Greater Highlands area, contact LIVE Broker Associate Jana Miller at jana@liveurbandenver.com to suggest it be featured as the “Renovation Spotlight”. The new segment will feature before and after photos of projects big and small, including outdoor projects in summer months. Additional photos will be published on the Tribune’s website at http://www.northdenvertribune.com.
Renovation Spotlight is especially interested in affordable yet unique homeowner-based projects (DIY!), all things green and sustainable, drop dead architecture, historic restorations, and all-around eye-popping design. Submissions from contractors, architects and designers welcome, but ‘fix and flips’ receive less consideration than homeowner-driven projects. Participants must be willing to describe their approximate budget.
October 13, 2009
Denver used to be a commuter-only town - dead on the weekends and evenings, with traffic flowing in and out with business-hours. Now that Denver has a thriving Urban Core, and is truly vibrant from neighborhood to neighborhood, it’s time to focus on the little things that would make it easier to live a bit greener, and transportation is one of them.
I love to ride bikes with my kids, and we also love going for long walks - but the kiddos also like having a destination along the route - a break at the neighborhood book store, a stop at the local ice cream shop, a quick bounce in the castle at the farmer’s market…the thing is, it’s sometimes a bit too scary to ride with the littles along to places like these, so we end up driving.
Which is why I was really happy to read this article in today’s Denver Post…
Increasing business to merchants along Denver’s busiest roadways is one of the goals of a city initiative focused on designing streets to accommodate pedestrians and bikes, as well as cars and public transit.
Eight city departments are collaborating on the Living Streets initiative, which will support the vision of Blueprint Denver, a framework for guiding development in the city.
“We’re changing the conversation from talking about roads for vehicles or cars to making streets for living,” said Peter Park, manager of the city’s community, planning and development department.
The city isn’t looking to spend a lot of money on the project. Rather, over time, it will implement changes as other necessary improvements to the roads are made.
Cities that have adopted similar policies have seen significant economic impact on both commercial and residential real estate.
For example, after San Francisco narrowed traffic lanes to slow cars and accommodate other users on Valencia Street, nearly 40 percent of Mission District merchants reported in increase in sales and 60 percent said more area residents were shopping locally, according to a study prepared by Denver-based Progressive Urban Management Associates.
Living Streets also can help occupancy rates in commercial buildings. In a walkable area, the vacancy rate for retail and office properties averages 7.5 percent, compared with 11.5 percent on streets that are not pedestrian friendly.
“It’s a different way of looking at the economics of these corridors,” said Brad Segal, president of Progressive Urban Management. “We’re really suggesting that there’s value through neighbors and walking and biking, and there are relatively inexpensive ways of marketing to adjacent neighborhoods that haven’t been used.”
In addition to benefiting the commercial district, the Living Streets concept also has a positive impact on residential property. Homes in pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods command a price premium of $4,000 to $34,000, according to a study by CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders for sustainable cities.
The initiative is geared toward enhancing Denver’s most congested roadways without the expense of widening them.
“We hear the community saying it wants walkable and bikable, but there are tradeoffs,” said Crissy Fanganello, director of policy and planning for the city’s Department of Public Works. “If you want a bike lane, you might have to be willing to give up off-street parking or a lane of traffic.”
 Of the 1,100 residents responding to a survey regarding the Leetsdale Drive corridor, 69 percent said they wanted pedestrian amenities and 52 percent want bike access. Seventy-five percent said they would be willing to invest in the improvements through property assessments.
“We have to look at the corridor in terms of how it relates to the neighborhood as opposed to how it relates to the traffic,” Segal said.
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