It's December 2009 and we are just days away from not just a new year, but also a new decade.  It's times like these that we tend to look at the past and the future.

5280 Magazine is looking at the future as well in their December article titled "The Future of Denver".  In addition to looking at how the downtownis morphing into its own urban neighborhood including the expansion of pedestrian friendly boulevards and light rail.   The article also makes one statement we would like to quote for you....

Downtown is now home to 10,000 residents - a number that is expected to double by 2030-and more than 110,000 workers. "Residential downtown living is no longer an experiment, or bohemian chic." says Brad Buchanan, a principal and architect with the Buchanan Yonushewski Group.  "It's become a visible and exceptional lifestyle choice. -5280 Magazine December 2009 The Future of Denver

We agree that downtown living offers an exceptional lifestyle.  What the article doesn't share is that it has done so already for the past decade.  It simply gets better every year.

With the forecast to double the population by 2030, the planned Union Station Neighborhood development adjacent to Riverfront Park, the explosion in the Highlands and many other neighborhoods of great restaurants, and the downtown growth such as SPIRE and such urban projects as the 14th Street Initiative living in Denver offers exceptional opportunities.

It is a simple but wonderful growth cycle.  New residents are attracting new restaurants, shops and amenities.  Those new restaurants, shops and amenities enrich the neighborhood and in turn attract more new residents.  For Denver condo and loft owners it means more to do, to enjoy and to experience every year.

With the forecast of the population doubling between now and 2030 we can barely contain our excitement to watch and experience new additions as more dining and entertainment growth occurs.  The Mile High City is consistently awarded top rankings as one of the best places to live in the United States and we are just getting started.  New Era Realty is here to assist our clients in understanding the exciting neighborhoods and amenities within our wonderful city.  If you are interested in new development projects underway  or simply want to explore Denver condo and loft availability please contact us anytime.

The future of Denver is exciting.  Learn more by calling us today.

Time to pull out your cruiser bike and those leftover holiday lights, bulbs and garland to create a Holiday Bike Masterpiece. Not only should this offer some of the most hilarious sights of the holiday season it benefits a charitable cause.

Ride from City Park to the Handlebar and Grill to benefit the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

It’s time to celebrate the season at the BikeDenver Winter Solstice Ride! The ride is a casual, safe benefit bike ride for Denver cyclists to celebrate the season and enjoy Denver’s holiday lights – on our homes… and our bikes! We will ride through Colfax, Congress Park, Capital Hill and Washington Park neighborhoods known for their festive holiday lighting and then enjoy a social to celebrate the season. Ride release waiver, helmets and lights are required.

When & Where: Sunday, December 20th, 6:00 to 6:45pm bike ride followed by a social at the Handlebar & Grill (305 South Downing St.). Meet at City Park’s Thatcher Fountain before 6pm (enough time to sign your waiver form!).

Denver's Spire skyscraper finished early and under budget

That is the headline from this past Wednesday's Denver Business Journal Article and so very timely considering yesterday's post comparing what may be the two most popular towers in downtown Denver of which SPIRE was one. Here is a quick blurb from that article...

Construction has been completed on downtown Denver’s 42-story Spire condo project, a month ahead of schedule and under budget, according to general contractor JE Dunn Construction Co.

Completed early and under budget are two terms that we really enjoy hearing, especially in a project the size, scale and quality of SPIRE.  The team of J.E. Dunn Construction, RNL Architecture and The Nichols Partnership have all independently done many large scale projects and their expertise certainly brought a great contribution into the design and build of SPIRE.  As a result of this great team closings are expected to start shortly, and here is another blurb from the article about pricing and timing...

The Nichols Partnership has been marketing Spire units since mid-July, and condo sales should start to close soon with the building’s completion. Unit prices start in the low $200,000s and go up to $1 million-plus for premium residences.

Spire incentives to buyers have included a $35,000 credit that can be put toward the purchase price or used to buy appliance upgrades, parking or extra storage. The developer has also encouraged buyer

We agree the incentives currently have created a great time to buy.  New Era Realty has focused on SPIRE to provide our clients with professional buyer representation and knowledge of the SPIRE building and residences.  From watching SPIRE rise in the city to representing buyers on the first day reservation agreements were offered for our clients New Era Realty has been an expert of the SPIRE skyscraper.  Please feel free to contact us for more information on SPIRE or other Denver Lofts and Condos.

Architecture of Downtown Denver Lofts is always evolving. So is the art of designing residential towers to meet the needs and desires of current homeowners. Two towers in Downtown Denver seem to have captured both the heart and mind of Denver's audience. Those two buildings are the Glass House at 1700 Bassett St. Denver CO 80202 and the SPIRE at 891 14th Street Denver CO 80202.

We thought we would step back and talk about what folks love about these buildings and maybe hear your comments on their design and amenities.

Let's start with the obvious... Glass, glass and more glass. Both Glass House and SPIRE use a glass wall structure system. From the inside of one of the units the impact is wonderfully impressive. Floor to ceiling glass walls open up the residences allowing for incredible views and a huge amount of light. With walls of glass there is also the feeling of greater space making even the smallest one bedroom condominium feel large. There is a definite reason people love their glass wall homes in the sky.

Another wonderful feature about Glass House and SPIRE is a focus on amenities. Developers across the globe are constantly looking to provide their residents with not just a home, but also a way to enrich their lifestyle. Glass House offers a large lap swimming pool, club room, media room, gaming stations, fitness center with class rooms, fire pit, outdoor grill, office center, and even a continental breakfast every weekend.  SPIRE, which just held a tour of the new amenity areas, offers a reflective pool, a splash pool, two hot tubs, fitness center, private movie room, sports zone, multiple lounges including a 42nd floor sky club, club rooms for resident booking, office center, and refrigeration units for grocery delivery.  Both Glass House and SPIRE offer 24 hour front desk services for their residents.

The beauty of both buildings is that both offer wonderful amenities and access to all the wonders, restaurants, and entertainment of Downtown Denver within walking distance. Some quick comparisons between the two...

• Glass House has 387 residences SPIRE has 496 residences
• Glass House is 23 stories tall, SPIRE is 42 stories tall
• Glass House is located in Riverfront Park, SPIRE is located in the Theater District Downtown
• Glass House HOA fees are roughly $0.35 psf, SPIRE HOA fees are roughly $0.31 psf
• Glass House was built in 2007, SPIRE was completed this year and move in's are expected first quarter of 2010
• Both buildings were constructed by J.E. Dunn Construction
• Both buildings have captured the interest of Denver

Glass walls and rich with amenities these two buildings are wonderful to tour and see.  Please feel free to contact us at New Era Realty to schedule time to visit these two amazing buildings and we can share our insights into the benefits and individual strengths of each to match your own personal goals. What are your thoughts on these Glass Wall Developments in Downtown Denver and in the comparison of the two?

Do you have a favorite and why?

Looking for a spectacular holiday lights this special season.  Well pack up some hot chocolate and enjoy the Denver Botanical Garden.  With an already beautiful garden location and our recent blanket of snow and weather expected to warm up by Friday this weekend could the perfect time to visit.  Here is  quick quote from their website... and the display will run through January 4th. Don't forget hot cocoa, some toasty gloves, and map the trip to drive by the many beautifully decorated Denver downtown loft and condo buildings.

Embrace the holiday season at Blossoms of Light! Over one million colorful lights draped in elegant designs highlight the Gardens winter beauty. Romantic and popular kissing spots will return, as well as the always anticipated HoloSpex glasses. Seasonal entertainment will be available on select evenings. Please check back in late Nov. for our entertainment schedule.

New this year!

• Intricate ice sculptures further highlighting the Gardens as a winter wonderland will be placed throughout the gardens path.
• The Shop at the Gardens will be open to better serve our visitors with holiday spirit.

This past Thursday John Stegner, Brian Lehnerz and Chris Behrens of New Era Realty were invited to attend an Exclusive SPIRE New Homeowner Event in the furnished and completed 42 story SPIRE building at 891 14th Street, 80202. To share on word about how the new SPIRE building looks on the inside... Fabulous.

This event marked a special occasion for our team.  New Era Realty has been watching SPIRE rise in the Denver sky for the past few years and with our focus on the Downtown Denver Lofts and Condos market we have helped many of our clients find their new homes in this amenity rich building.  This past Thursday we joined our clients in seeing the finished amenity spaces on the 9th, 10th and 42nd floors.  Let's share a little bit from our tour.

To being, the lobby entrance provides a spectacular first impression entering directly off of 14th street.  From there four high speed elevators carried attendees up to the 9th and 10th floor main amenity floors.  The beautiful Front Desk which will be staffed 24 X 7 after move in was the registration area where we signed in and began our tour.  SPIRE boasts over 30,000 square feet of amenity space and most of those resident features are on these two floors.  The main lounge era was elegantly decorated with designer furniture and finishes.  The sports zone contained comfortable lounge seating and high tables allowing a view of the HUGE screen displaying for this night's event the Nuggets game.  There was even a Kegorator and in the adjacent room an elegant Pool Table.  Residents will find a cozy spot to meet and root on Denver's many sports teams in this space.  Most of the activity took place in the main front lounge areas which looked out to the snow covered pool deck.  A few of us ventured outside to warm our hands by the outdoor fire pit.  The weather could not have worked out better for the SPIRE team with steam rising from the two pools and hot tub which were illuminated with blue in the pool and an array of white sparkles in the waterfall.  Another prediction is that this space will get as much use in the Winter as the Summer as many folks mentioned how nice it would be to come home and relax in the hot tub or with a glass of wine by the fire pit after a work out.

Did we mention work out?  Yes our next stop was the fully equipped SPIRE fitness center which has also boasts a second hot tub.  The gentleman who planned and provided the fitness layout was on hand to answer our questions about the equipment.  We included a photo below to show you the great array of machines to help folks stay fit as part of their SPIRE lifestyle.

Not in the mood to work out?  On the 10th floor we found another huge lounge space and the private theater room was attracting its own audience of folks enjoying Transformers on the big screen.  The business center what looked to be some pretty powerful Mac's and we remind you that all the 10th floor amenity areas can be reserved for resident events.  Our final stop was the 42nd floor where the Sky Club offered panoramic views out to the city.  We enjoyed our tour and would be happy to share our knowledge with you in your Downtown Loft and Condo search.

Denver condo and loft residents know that this is a magical time of the year to enjoy holiday events. Here is a quick rundown of some of the top Denver Holiday sights, cultural theater and holiday performances.

A Christmas Carol
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
dcpa.org
Through December 26th

The Nutcracker
Colorado Ballet
coloradoballet.org
Through December 27th

Colorado Christmas
Colorado Symphony Orchestra
coloradosymphony.org
December 11th - 13th

Big Band Christmas
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Boettcher Concert Hall
December 15th

Denver Parade of Lights
denverparadeoflights.com
Downtown Denver (Free Admission)
December 4th and 5th

Happy Thanksgiving Denver from all of us at New Era Real Estate.

At this wonderful time of year our we along with our friends, families and clients celebrate and give thanks for the many wonderful elements of our lives. We hope are having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday where ever you may be spending it.

For many Denver condo and loft residents this time of the year also marks another celebration... the beginning of the wonderful Colorado Ski season right in their own backyard. Denver remains one of the few cities where the downtown is always growing. New restaurants, shops, and amenities continue to enhance the downtown lifestyle along with wonderful new Denver loft, condo and high rise developments build the heart of our city. People are relocating to Denver and our city continues to grow. One of the reasons why is that the Colorado Rockies provide an unmatched backyard and amenity compared to city anywhere. This time of year that means skiing.

Many of our Denver clients this weekend packed their cars with Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings, skis and of course friends and family members to enjoy the flip side of their Denver Urban Life. They left the beauty of the Denver city and traded their view of the stadium lights or the glow of Union Station for the sight of fresh snow across a mountains stream and the spectacle of holiday lights on decorated main streets and ski villages.

For Denver residents Thanksgiving marks another annual celebration. It symbolizes the complete opening of the local Colorado Ski Resorts. With Beaver Creek opening this past Wednesday Denver condo and loft residents can now enjoy skiing at Arapahoe Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Mary Jane, Vail and Winter Park all within two hours or less. We still need more snow, but the word is that Arapahoe Basin and the rest of the Eastern slope resorts have gotten some great snow while the western slope including Vail and Beaver Creek is not far behind. Additionally, within a couple weeks the new Ski Train operation will begin allowing Denver residents to walk with their skis over their shoulders to Union Station and relax with a cup of coffee for their peaceful journey to enjoy Winter Park skiing. That's right Denver, leave your car keys at home and walk out your urban front door to enjoy the wonderful Colorado Mountain Lifestyle.

Life in Denver is certainly something to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from all of us at New Era Realty!

There is something special about going to the movies. The very best movies touch us and draw us into their stories. Some movies lighten our day and leave us laughing in our seats. Others may touch our hearts or inspire us with the strength of the human spirit. And others may quite simply scare the heck out of us.

Not all movies are wonderful, but the folks on the selection committee for the STARZ Denver Film Festival have spent the last year scouring the world for the absolute best in independent and lesser known film. From November 12th through the the 22nd you can join this gathering in celebration of film. Join celebration events in the evening, listen to filmmaker panels discuss their work, or simply curl up in your seat an experience a touching story. No matter what you choose, this experience of the arts in the heart of Denver is worth the price of admission.

STARZ Denver Film Festival
www.denverfilm.org
November 12 - 22nd
900 Auraria Parkway
Denver, CO
80204 USA
303.595.3456 (phone)
303.595.0956 (fax)
info@denverfilm.org

New homebuyers were treated to some wonderful news today when the Senate approved an extension of the New Homebuyer $8000 credit for contracts signed by April 30th and closed by June 30th. It was an overwhelming 98 to 0 vote for the action as it heads to the House of Representatives.

That's not all. Thus far the Homebuyer Credit only applied to first time homebuyers. The new legislation created a $6,500 tax credit for those have already owned a home for the one of the past five years. Now it applies to homebuyers who have owned a home in one of the past five years.

If you are reading this post and are considering purchasing a Denver loft or condo this might provide some valuable assistance.

It's an incredible time to purchase your new home. New Era Realty has seen some incredible price opportunities throughout our market. Interest rates are at some of the lowest we have seen. If things couldn't be more attractive, this new Senate legislation creates a $6,500 additional reason that today's market couldn't be more attractive for buyers.

If you are interested in learning more about this new incentive and how you might qualify for either the first time buyer incentive or the new existing home buyer credit please give us a call today at 303.522.7746 or 303.521.6262. We are here to help you understand how these new changes will help you.

Here is part of that CNN Story...

The legislation also would extend the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit to contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. The controversial credit, which many say has boosted home sales in recent months, was set to expire after Nov. 30.

The Senate's bill also created a $6,500 credit for those who buy a home after owning one for the last five years. That measure would apply to contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. The current credit defines a first-time homebuyer as someone who has not owned a residence within the past three years.