![]() The memo to Hickenlooper, obtained by The Denver Post, said the city’s urban-design team believes the Continuum/East West plan is preferable to that of Union Station Partners. ![]() “Being selected for negotiations doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.” “I don’t think they’re done with this story,” said Marilee Utter, who has long been active with downtown development issues. “I have to serve the group I’m working with,” and the team “wanted a unanimous response,” Crawford said. Longtime LoDo developer Dana Crawford, a member of the advisory committee, sided with her fellow committee members, even though she recently voted to endorse the Union Station Partners proposal through Friends of Union Station. Those negotiations are designed to settle on precise financial and development details for the Union Station remake. ![]() In contrast, the rival Union Station Partners plan to develop “large buildings of uniform design … is not allowed within the adopted zoning for the site, nor is it in keeping with the varied architecture that is characteristic of Lower Downtown and the Commons neighborhood.” That team’s proposal included high-rise structures of up to 45 stories.Ī group of real-estate and financial experts who have been advising Union Station’s owners unanimously approved a recommendation to move forward with Continuum/ East West in “exclusive contract negotiations,” according to an e-mail that circulated Tuesday. The memo came from Denver planning chief Peter Park, Hickenlooper aide Diane Barrett and Regional Transportation District planning director Liz Rao. The Continuum/East West plan “will tend to reinforce the distinctive character of individual buildings consistent with the surrounding neighborhoods,” the memo continued. In a memo to Mayor John Hickenlooper, top RTD and Denver officials said the Continuum/ East West plan would have “less of a negative impact” on transit ridership than the proposal of the other finalist, Union Station Partners, led by real-estate developer Cherokee Investment Partners. The plan also calls for burying bus and commuter-rail lines next to the station, but would light-rail lines at street level about two blocks to the west. A 678,000- square-foot retail component would feature a grocery store and a large-format retailer, along with boutiques, restaurants and bars. The Continuum/East West design calls for 730,000 square feet of office space and 557 residential units. A design that complements the character of Denver’s historic LoDo neighborhood.A commitment to involve small businesses in at least 15 percent of the project’s predevelopment work.The overall cost is $75 million less than the competing proposal. ![]()
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