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SEPTEMBER 2017 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 53
I n the past decade, an unprecedented growth cycle
in Denver’s new community development has been
underway. Midtown, a landmark redevelopment of
a large undeveloped site within 10 minutes of down-
town Denver, was one of the early pioneers in this cycle.
First conceived in 2007, Midtown set many of the trends for
the denser communities that have been developed since.
Originally planned to provide attainable housing for mil-
lennials purchasing their first homes, Midtown has prov-
en to be attractive to downsizing baby boomers and seniors
as well. This broad band of demographic groups is drawn to
Midtown for many individual reasons, but they all share one
reason: they wanted to be part of a true neighborhood.
Planning: Laying the Groundwork
Midtown’s new take on neighborhoods began with the planning process.
The Preliminary Development Plan and Design Guidelines were specifically
written to outline the vision for community development, zeroing in on the
details that would make the overall plan come to life. The planning team
worked closely with Adams County offices to revise zoning codes and develop
new standards and guidelines for a dense neighborhood with a broad mix of
uses, complemented by abundant community-driven amenities throughout.
Each of these planning steps helped to ensure that Midtown would be truly
unique – and remain true to its vision from early concept to final construc-
tion.
Trends: Trailblazing Midtown
Midtown was an early trailblazer for several trends that have become famil-
iar in today’s planned communities. The project’s timing corresponded with
the Great Recession in 2008, a time when expectations of housing and com-
munity were readjusting in the marketplace. A re-imagination of community
was due, and Midtown was ready to lead the way.
The building site was a great location but possessed no sense of place, a
blank slate that needed revitalization and repurposing. The vision for the site:
Make it walkable, bikeable and incorporate easy access to regional trails. For
the workforce, an easy commute to the metro area was a necessity, and access
to commuter rail trains, light rail and major highways was key.
From a lifestyle perspective, home trends were changing. Smaller lots for
more compact housing with affordable building costs were in the spotlight.
Midtown responded to this, while still providing a unique mix of home types:
townhomes, single-family homes, and a blend of traditional floor plans and
efficient foot prints. Side yards rather than traditional backyards give home-
owners the opportunity to tailor plants and landscape to individual taste and
have small private outdoor spaces. Midtown also envisioned amenities that
did not exist in other developments at the time, to be shared by the neighbor-
hood and create the heart of the community.
A New Interpretation of Traditional Neighborhoods
A reinterpretation of the traditional neighborhood informed Midtown’s
John Norris,
PLA, CLARB
Principal,
Norris
Design