Denver Tops Top Ten Places to Move in US

There are hundreds of reasons why Denver is such a great city to live. Some may love it because of the 300+ days of sunshine and easy access to the great outdoors, while others may be fans of the growing art, music, and food scene. Whatever your reasons may be, you are not alone in your recognition of why this city is so great. In a recent article on HomeownersInsurance.com, Denver claims the spot as the top place to move in the United States.

This list compiles a variety of criteria to judge the ten cities that made the cut. This judgment was made up of five different factors: rent prices, home values, living costs, transportation, and amounts of activities, or fun. Each of the city’s criteria was given a number from 1-10 and the total was tallied. Denver reigned supreme.

Out of the possible ten, both transportation and living costs scored a perfect 10. Those who drive I-25 during rush hour may question this, but compared to Los Angeles or New York traffic (who scored a one and five respectively), we have it easy. Rent prices scored a four, home values scored a five, while fun rounded out the survey with six points. Denver’s total points came in at 35, higher than any other city in the United States. It beat out cities like Charlotte, North Carolina (a close second), Austin, San Diego, and Phoenix.

With the recent news rolling in as overly positive for Denver, those of us who already call it home can sit back and enjoy its rising popularity!

Downtown Denver Earns Forbes Magazine’s Praises

For all of us that already call Denver home, we know what an amazing city it is. Each year, we get over 300 days of sunshine, access to world renowned ski resorts, four distinctive seasons, and up and coming neighborhoods that rival some of even the trendiest US cities. But Denver is a relatively small city and is easily overshadowed by some of the country’s larger metropolises: until now.

In a Forbes magazine article released in the end of March 2013, Denver tops the list as one of 15 US cities with an emerging downtown area. They took into account the 20-year, seven-mega project plan that is sweeping the downtown area, including the revitalization of the Union Station district. These mass-investment, mass-construction projects are sure to define Denver and its future success in the coming years.

According to Forbes and other journals, Denver has ranked 16th among America’s fastest growing cities, fifth among the best cities for business and careers, and seventh among US cities with the best economic index. It may seem like a lot of numbers, but it all comes down to very positive news for our city. It is an exciting time to live in Denver and the future holds even more promise for this Rocky Mountain mecca.

New Grocery Store to Open in Downtown

If downtown lacks anything, it is convenient access to a grocery store. Other than crossing a major freeway or leaving downtown proper, there are no options for a large-scale grocery store. But all of that is about to change as a Denver Business Journal article has announced that a new King Soopers is confirmed for the block at 20th and Chestnut, in the updated Union Station district.

The store will have an urban-format and take up the ground floor of a new residential building by the Nichols Partnership, Inc. But this is no small project. The store is slated to cover the almost the entire block between 19th and 20th Streets, and Wewatta to Chestnut, covering approximately 42,000 square feet and costing upwards of $82 million.

A grocery store was chosen to fill this spot because of the residential boom in the Central Platte Valley, Riverfront Park, and the anticipated buildings in the Union Station district. An expected 5,000 new apartments will be built in the next two years, including the 312 Class A residences above the new King Soopers. This project will fulfill a dire need for the amenities a grocery store can provide.

With the addition of the King Soopers to this area, it is pretty clear that this part of downtown is booming. Once the Union Station project is completed, many anticipate that this neighborhood will rival Larimer Square and Cherry Creek as Denver’s new “hot spot”. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until 2014 to enjoy it!

A Look at Union Station’s History

When the renovation of Denver’s classic Union Station is completed in 2014, the building will have received a very modern makeover. But while the majority of people who walk by the construction each day ponder as to the future of the station, its past is just as interesting.

So we have included some rather interesting and unknown facts about our beloved Union Station that most people do not know, but should.

• The current Union Station was not the first one. On the same site, the Union Depot and Railroad Company built Denver’s first station in 1881 for $525,000. Due to a fire ignited by a faulty electrical system, that station was burned beyond repair on March 18, 1894. The existing Union Station was built quickly afterwards.
• There used to be a massive stone clock tower in the center of the front façade, but it was torn down in 1914 and replaced with the central section we see today.
• In the center room of the station, there are 2,300 Columbine flowers, Colorado’s state flower, carved into the plaster arches.
• The true glory days of Union Station were in the 1920s and 1930s, when the station would operate about 80 trains a day.
• When train travel was still all the rage, Union Station saw its fair share of famous passengers, including Presidents Harry Truman, William Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and Queen Marie of Romania.
• In 1933, Denver was inundated by a series of devastating floods. On August 4, the station was overwhelmed and closed for a period of time as trains could neither arrive nor leave.
• Up until 1958, Union Station saw more travelers per year than the Stapleton Airport.
• RTD and the City of Denver made improvements to the station in the 1980s in order to accommodate the new rail platforms, canopies, and bus lanes that provided access to the Market Street Station.

Once the Station is reopened:
• Trams will run regularly between Union Station and Denver International Airport, a much needed transportation corridor.
• The commercial and retail space designed for the new Union Station will contain only locally owned businesses and no major chain stores.
• Many people speculate that when Union Station is finally reopened to the public, the city blocks immediately surrounding it will become the new “it” neighborhood in the city, surpassing Larimer Square and Cherry Creek North.
• The station’s historical building will have a new 110-room hotel, run by Sage Hospitality.
• The now empty area behind the station will be completely developed with both commercial and residential space.

New Town Home Project in Jefferson Park!

It is clear that the Highlands neighborhood of Denver is hot with development right now. There seems to be a new project springing up on every block: from trendy, modern town houses to more contemporary apartment buildings. And with the jump in the number of available houses, more and more people are making the move to this up and coming neighborhood. And we are happy to announce another fabulous, modern town home project in the Jefferson Park neighborhood, named Decatur Row. Construction is about to begin on eight gorgeous town homes, with breathtaking views of downtown, Elitches, the Aquarium, Pepsi Center, and the Platte River Valley. These town homes are located on Decatur Street and are just blocks from Jefferson Park, the heart of LoHi, Riverfront Park and numerous restaurants, boutiques, and bars. Each town home will have 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a 2-car garage. In addition to the 1229-1370 interior square feet, each unit has a rooftop deck that will only help to maximize the amazing views. The units are priced between $369-$389k, with two already under contract, and ground has not even broken yet! So if you are interested, give us a call today!

Denver Union Station Update

Progress on the Union Station project is in full swing and now, final installations are quite noticeable. If you can look past the mountains of dirt, the barricade of chain link fences, and the endless line of construction equipment, some of the project’s final details can be seen. Behind the historic station, a huge canopy structure has been installed, closely resembling the Highlands Bridge, just a few blocks down 16th Street. The juxtaposition of the modern, contemporary sculpture next to the classic, historic station adds an exciting sight for LoDo. On either side of the canopy, the construction of the Cadence Apartments is in underway. For those of you who don’t know what this project is, the Cadence Apartments will offer 13 floors and 220 units of residential, urban living. The project is one of the first for the new Union Station neighborhood and is scheduled for completion in Fall 2013. But quite possibly the biggest news is the station itself. Although it is still open for people to tour through, that could come to a halt as soon as the end of the year. Once the project team in charge of the station’s renovation receives final approval, Union Station will be closed until the renovation is complete in 2014. So if you want to see the inside before it’s unrecognizable, now is your chance. Denver Infill will be hosting another Union Station tour this Saturday, November 17th. This could the last chance to see inside, so take advantage of this tour!

Introducing the New Ballpark Neighborhood

For years, the Coors Field area was known for just that, Coors Field. To the west and southwest of the ballpark is the famous LoDo; consisting of shops, restaurants, and trendy lofts. But what was to the north and northeast of Coors Field? Well, the answer is simple: parking lots. But all of that is slowly changing. The Ballpark neighborhood has seen a dramatic makeover with new residential complexes springing up, accompanied by bars and restaurants. The residents and developers in this area are keen on reclaiming and revitalizing it, and this movement has no end in sight. The newest project, Legacy 22nd, is a 6-story, 212 unit apartment complex, developed by Legacy Partners. A trendy façade, innovative design, and a great location is all this complex needs to be the next big living place in downtown Denver. The Denver Infill blog offers complete renderings from the project’s architect, KTGY. The project is in the final stages of city approval and is expected to break grounds in late 2012 or early 2013.

New Entrepreneur-Friendly, Tech Center in the Golden Triangle

It seems like such a simple idea: create a technology campus where entrepreneurs can come to try and promote their small businesses. This one, central area will offer a shared workspace, mentorship, investor insight, and a software-programming school-all under one roof. Yet this has yet to been seen in Denver. Introducing Galvanize, a project aimed to combine all of these services and other support tactics for up to 70 different startups. These small businesses are expected to drive half of Denver’s workforce in the foreseeable future, and they now have a central hub. With technology growing at an exponential rate, Galvanize is using this to its advantage and helping the little guy establish something great. In a recent Denver Post article, the executive director of Denver’s economic-development office, Paul Washington, said that Galvanize “makes Denver a more attractive place to work for the 21st century employee.” Galvanize is the brainchild of restaurateur-turned-entrepreneur Jim Deters, who is known for opening the Asian bistro, ChoLon in LoDo. Recognize the name, ChoLon? That’s because Galvanize’s neighborhood-to-be, Gather Café and Lounge, is the work of ChoLon’s executive chef, Lon Symensma. In picking the perfect location, Deter focused on Denver’s circulation paths and main nodes, and eventually came up with the Rocky Mountain Bank Note Building in the Golden Triangle. Situated near a bike trail and a short distance to other downtown hotspots, the building was the prefect place to gather a crowd and hopefully use the community ties to an entrepreneur’s advantage. And with the Gather Café and Lounge in the lobby, the Rocky Mountain Bank Note Building will create its own some community within the larger LoDo area. A startup company can use the communal atrium for $300 a month, or pay $450 for a permanent desk on the mezzanine level. For more details and rental options, check out Galvanize’s website and start your business off on the right foot!

Groovy New Café to Open in Denver’s Golden Triangle

Gather, a new café and lounge, is set to open up in the historic Rocky Mountain Bank Note Building in Denver’s Golden Triangle. A joint project between Chef Lon Symensma of ChoLon and the Flow Restaurant Group, Gather’s main goal is to provide a comfortable, yet trendy and vibrant, community space for the surrounding businesses and residents, and serve as a place where people are encouraged to exchange ideas while indulging in great food. Intrigued? Well, it gets even better. The menu, crafted by the critically acclaimed and successful executive chef, Lon Symensa, will include your typical breakfast and lunch fares, like muffins, scones, bagels, and sandwiches, but will also showcase Symensa’s own creations, inspired by Vietnamese street foods. And if you are simply in the mood for a happy hour beer, Gather can satisfy that as well. The café will include a wide variety of Colorado beers on tap, but also offer fresh squeezed juices, an outstanding superior coffee program by Ninety Plus, and a full liquor bar is in the works. The downside? You’ll have to wait until December for Gather to open, but we’re sure that it will be worth the wait.