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you’re coordinating to keep construction progressing,”

says Dooley. “In some ways that’s our biggest challenge,

and in some ways that becomes one of our bigger suc-

cesses because you don’t have an option to cowboy it and

do things your own way. You have to work with the city,

you have to work with the neighbors, you have to work

with neighboring contractors and it becomes a normal

course of business to detail every delivery, every construc-

tion paving plan and man power with adjacent properties

and contractors in the city and of course we want to keep

Excel happy.”

And while communication is valuable, one factor is always

on Dooley’s mind.

“Above all else, though, safety is paramount,” adds Dooley.

“We always have to make sure that we’re keeping the public

and any adjoining neighbors safe from any potential incidents.

“It comes down to working with the city and making sure that

we’ve got plans for lane and sidewalk closures. Anything that’s

impactful to pedestrian or vehicular access we try to do on the

weekends. Our superintendents attended biweekly meetings of

all the contractors and the planning portion of this part of town to

discuss all the lane closures, all the sidewalk closures, any major ac-

tivities, any major deliveries from us and from any of the adjoining

contractors so everybody is aware and can coordinate accordingly.”

According to Dooley, thanks to good communication, flexible co-

ordination and diligent safety awareness, throughout the project

they have been “on budget and right on schedule.”

As it builds toward completion, Union Tower West’s beautiful

Viracon glass façade and silver translucent metal parking garage

screening are striking additions to LoDo and tenancy is moving along

smoothly.

Hotel Indigo, part of the InterContinental Hotel Group, is a boutique

hotel that touts a “retail-inspired design experience” with murals on

guest room walls and public spaces that transform “seasonally through

changing aromas, music and artwork.”

Law firms have been quick to move on most of the office space. Husch

Blackwell, with offices in 16 cities around the U.S., will lease 36,272 square

feet of office space – or a floor and a half – while Denver- and Chica-

go-based Bartlit, Beck, Herman, Palenchar & Scott has signed on for a

floor.

Garland could not name the restaurant tenant, but did confirm that

there is a restaurant concept on board and its identity will be disclosed

soon.

And while all that glass skin is visually stunning to look at, it’s also a

reason while Union Tower West will be a LEED-certified Silver or Gold

building. According to Dooley and Beckman, sustainability was a focus

from Day One.

“For us, it’s not a matter of saying, ‘Denver likes brick and they like this

so let’s put all that stuff together and make a building out of it,’ ” Beck-

man says as he points toward Wynkoop Street. “No, what we look at is

how can we take the technology of our time because the technology of

our time is what’s key. It’s key for the sustainability aspects of the project,

it’s key for the aesthetic of what we do. It’s the key for doing more with

less … one of the best things you can do for sustainability is use less stuff.

Use less steel, use less concrete, use less glass, use less drywall because all

of those things come from our natural resources.”

Dooley adds, “As of the last 10 years, sustainability has certainly become

a leading discussion in the design of any building. Owners and tenants

are getting somewhat smarter in looking at the metrics of what it means.

When you’re looking at the leasing aspect of it, LEED Silver or Gold have

become buzzwords and people know that this is a high-performance

building.”

Beckman and Dooley both say the key in sustainability for Union Tow-

er West was built around the “less is more” approach.

/ Union Tower West – from Dusty Lot to Stunning Gem /

PHOTOS:

Michelle Meunier Photography

ABOVE:

The architecture of Denver’s first John

Portman & Associates building follows the

firm’s ethos of “less is more.”

FAR RIGHT:

Construction continues on the ground

floor of Union Tower West, which will

feature space divided into independent

retail and restaurant outlets, the lobby

for Hotel Indigo and a common area

called “The Great Hall.”

‘I would like to get

involved more in Denver,

more with the Denver

real estate community

and more with the

Denver development

groups. I think we have

a very special project in

Union Tower West and I

think the project and the

ideas behind the project

can thrive here.’

– Gordon Beckman, John

Portman & Associates