CREJ

12 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / June 2021 ADVERTISING: Lori Golightly lgolightly@crej.com SUBSCRIPTIONS: Jolene Wollett jwollett@crej.com ART DIRECTOR: Heather Lewis hlewis@crej.com 1600 Stout St., Suite 1330 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 623-1148 www.crej.com www.crej.com/buildingdialogue/ Publisher’s Note D o you feel it? Not just the jab in the arm, but also the optimism in the air. It’s palpable. Almost too good to be true. It’s been a long slog, but it feels like we are returning to some semblance of life as we knew it before the pandemic. In some ways, it feels like a slower drum beat – office tenants slowly returning to claim their desks. Paraphras- ing Kevin Costner, “They will come.” In other sectors, it can feel like we hardly missed a beat. A strong return to retail – something brokers feel confident about – is on the horizon as customers return to the mall and capacity limits are lift- ed for everything from restaurants to movie theaters. New construction has continued throughout – and starts have even increased this year, according to Dodge Data & An- alytics. However, logistical issues and increases in material prices likely will keep things in check for a while. A mixed bag in 2021 is better than the booby prize known as 2020. Jumping off from that visual, this issue is filled with sto- ries to make us all feel good about getting back together. Col- laboration is the word when it comes to the adaptive reuse of the ArtPark Community Hub in Five Points, where visitors will be able to check out a book at the new library branch, find a favorite food at the Comal Heritage Food Incubator or enjoy the artwork of local artists in the RedLine Contempo- rary Art Center. Junction Food & Drink, the chef-driven food hall at Colorado Center, is another place to get back together, bringing new interest to the mixed-use project that features Dave & Busters and a United Artists movie theater. Affordable housing – with an emphasis on good design – remains a constant theme in our pages, whether it’s for-rent product like Sheridan Station TOD or Denver’s for-sale La Tela Condos. Additional features include hospitality projects, end-user spaces, park remodels and even the rebuilt Pikes Peak Visitor Center. Finally, two really cool multifamily projects are coming to fruition: The Hooper at Five Points by Palisade Partners and Craine Architecture, a project that hits all the right notes in this former jazz enclave; and Edit, a 13-story Zocalo develop- ment in RiNo that lives larger than its abbreviated unit sizes all while embracing sustainability and oozing design. When we meet again, I’ll have an African tale to tell. Until then, enjoy our new lease on life and keep up the outstand- ing work! Kris Oppermann Stern Publisher & Editor kostern@crej.com