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/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2015
Kovach says Denizen’s proximity to the train tracks is countered by upgraded
soundproofing that keeps the sounds of the light rail completely at bay. Lower rum-
bles from freight trains remain audible but not obtrusive.
The project is a result of a years-long push toward “a more walkable, urban city,”
particularly around light-rail stops, says David Gaspers, senior city planner with Den-
ver’s Department of Community Planning and Development.
“Our rail stations generally fall within our ‘areas of change,’” notes Gaspers. “For ev-
ery $1 spent in the city outside of a half-mile of a rail station, over $5 is spent within
a half-mile of one.”
Alameda is defined as an “urban center,” he adds, as all of the rail lines converge
there with adjacent vibrant communities in West Washington Park and Baker. A
project like Denizen “helps us reconnect those neighborhoods.”
Denizen is the first project of its kind, but don’t expect it to be the last. “[RTD] sees
the value of having housing right next to the light rail. We expect to see more of
those opportunities as RTD explores more public-private partnerships.”
But a glimpse of the city’s more walkable future is visible at Denizen today. The first
tenants took occupancy in August and the project is slated for completion in the fall.
The target market? Millennials who are concerned more about convenience than
square footage.
/ Urban Living Reimagined: Denizen /
PROJECT TEAM
DEVELOPER:
D4 Urban
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
PCL Construction
ARCHITECT:
Kephart
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER:
Monroe & Newell Engineers Inc.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT:
Studio InSITE
INTERIOR DESIGNER:
Studio 4D
Photo courtesy Michelle Meunier Photography
