A market or a hotel with ground floor marketplace…. That seems to be one of the driving questions over the future of the Historic Union Station in the Downtown Denver condo and loft area planned between Riverfront Park and LoDo.
If the plans sound similar please read through the article below for details. They are very different.
The article in the Denver Post titled “Competing Union Station plans bring different benefits to Denver's table” brings two of Denver’s largest development teams head to head as they pitch their design plans to RTD.
On one side is the Union Station Neighborhood Co., a partnership led by Continuum Partners with East West Partners. East West Partners is the developer who brought us Riverfront Park.
On the other side is the Union Station Alliance led by Sage Hospitality's Walter Isenberg and longtime Lower Downtown developer Dana Crawford.
Union Station Neighborhood Co. has proposed a solution that includes a market with upper level office spaces. Union Station Alliance contends that a boutique hotel with the terminal utilized as a lobby offers a greater public gathering space.
Opinions are strong on both sides in this debate over the future of the historic Union Station building. Its ultimate use will be an amenity serving not only the many travelers passing through Union Station but also our clients and residents of the great downtown Denver loft and condo adjoining neighborhoods.
The new Union Station location will be a center for restaurants, shops, office, and of course transportation serving local downtown residents. In the span of the next decade local downtown residents will have the energy and amenities of this great neighborhood.
It is one reason so many clients have focused their dream home search around this growing area. From the condos and modern lofts of Riverfront Park/Lodo and into the historic Denver square homes and bungalows of LoHi, great Denver real estate opportunities are marketing access to this new neighborhood.
It’s one reason all of us at New Era Realty are so excited by the opportunities of both plans. It’s a critical piece of the design equation and a valued amenity for Denver condo and loft residents.
Either way, the great neighborhoods surrounding Union Station have a lot to gain by this project. Those residents don’t have long to wait to find out the answer as RTP plans to announce the winning proposal on November 22nd.