New 100 Story Multi-Use Skyscraper Proposed Downtown (Denver, Colorado Springs: bus, rail, activities)

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by Marcy1210

100 stories? This isn't Dubai, it's Colorado Springs.

No way would a 100 story building make sense here.

[lurtsman]

Don't we have any city ordinance banning absurdly tall structures? I favor those ordinances because we have beautiful mountains for all to see and if he were to destroy the views he should be sued in class action.

If he wishes to buy up more land and have a series of 10 to 15 story buildings, I would have no problem so long as he also builds the necessary parking structures for each employ that is to be brought there. We have one of the few reasonable downtown areas that is both nice and not absurdly expensive to park in. It would be a shame to see that destroyed.

[shanen]

Originally Posted by lurtsman

Don't we have any city ordinance banning absurdly tall structures?

If so, we should have one against sprawl too . Let's just not grow the city in any direction

[Kar54]

Yeah, I have a hard time picturing it. The skyline would appear like a middle finger giving you the bird. But I'll take 30 stories if he can manage it. That I believe may be feasible.

[Maynerd]

Originally Posted by lurtsman

..... and if he were to destroy the views he should be sued in class action.....

But, you don't own the view.

[iknowftbll]

How funny. Earlier today I said on another thread that I considered it unlikely any significant highrises would be built in Colorado Springs for the foreseeable future. I consider this 100 story tower proposal laughably unlikely, but wouldn't be surprised to see Sanders Pursue a 30 story residential tower. Maybe multiple 30 story and below towers. I definitely prefer they be residential towers because that brings population to downtown and revitalizes it. It could spur additional commercial development and catapult the city forward.

Or it could all be speculation.

I am not against a moderate amount of high rise development for the city, but I also feel it would be tragic for the city to block out an amazing background like Pike's Peak. I think 400 feet should be as tall as they build.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by iknowftbll

How funny. Earlier today I said on another thread that I considered it unlikely any significant highrises would be built in Colorado Springs for the foreseeable future. I consider this 100 story tower proposal laughably unlikely, but wouldn't be surprised to see Sanders Pursue a 30 story residential tower. Maybe multiple 30 story and below towers. I definitely prefer they be residential towers because that brings population to downtown and revitalizes it. It could spur additional commercial development and catapult the city forward.

Or it could all be speculation.

I am not against a moderate amount of high rise development for the city, but I also feel it would be tragic for the city to block out an amazing background like Pike's Peak. I think 400 feet should be as tall as they build.

Agree. Ten years of moderating and reading every posting in the COLO forums has shown me that more and more people want to live in a walkable city. We actually have a walkable and bikeable downtown, with some good eateries, a small movie house, coffee shops, small retail shops, a park (with its share of homeless) and some transit in the immediate downtown area.

Big time / big box retail is NOT coming to downtown COLO SPGS, it's going along Powers Blvd, North Academy and North Nevada, which makes downtown ideal for dwellings. It isn't all that far from downtown to the better shopping but I can't imagine major shopping ever coming to downtown.

[iknowftbll]

^ It may be better that way. I know a lot of people knock Denver for lack of a large department store/s downtown but it doesn't seem to suffer for it.

I'd like to see a couple mid-rise residential towers downtown and ensuing commercial development. More small business: shops, restaurants, bar/grill type places. I'd love to see the stadium built and think the Sky Sox owner is an idiot for not wanting to move. I think what he'd lose in parking revenue he would more than make up for in ticket sales and a boost in concessions. With that said, I believe the stadium should go up with or without the Sky Sox being on board. It's an investment in a part of the city that needs it. Maybe they could lure a Major League Soccer team into town. The foot traffic before and after games would really enhance other businesses. A stadium would likely be a casual draw for downtown residents, too.

Colorado Springs is a city with an immense amount of potential. It has its problems but it's a great place with a lot of upside. A few improvements here and there would really carry it a long way.

[TCHP]

The biggest issue to downtown growth is the 66 acres that constitute the Drake power plant. Its big, its ugly, people don't want to live and recreate next to it, and its paid for and produces inexpensive power. To eliminate it for an alternate plant could easily cost everyone on Cos an additional $20 a month on their utility bill for the next generation to come to create an area that a large % of the city won't ever visit, but will incessantly complain about in their monthly bill.

Despite that, there are already 356 residential units in the planning and permitting stages in the downtown area. Work is being pushed by Norwood Development and Griffis Blessing for these units which will be on the southwest corner of Colo Ave and Wahsatch and 600 block of south Cascade.

There is already a mixed use retail and residential unit being built at 400 S Nevada. Iron Bird Brewing has already signed a lease on a portion of the commercial space and the apartments are under construction.

I wouldn't be surprised to see any future investors sitting back and watching how these currently planned units go over and how the whole City of Champions projects proceed before they actually push for high rise living.

[iknowftbll]

I agree the plant is a horrible eyesore downtown and it is not likely or practical to replace it. But Colorado Springs isn't alone in this regard. In fact, Minneapolis built a baseball stadium for the Twins adjacent to a power plant where refuse is burned as fuel. If the plant can be cordoned off from downtown by a parking structure or something like that it'll feel separated from the city and its presence there less of a buzz kill.