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June 2021 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 71 F or a variety of reasons, Denver finds itself in dire need of many more quality affordable housing units. Building has not kept pace with rents, which shot up 77% over the last decade in the Denver metro area, and the devastating impacts of the pandemic have further imperiled the economic stability of countless residents. The issue is being com- pounded by Denver’s continued popularity for transplants combined with relatively stagnant wages. This is a crucial juncture for the city, and on both the public and private sides, partners are stepping up to the task. At the state level, a new bill would seek to give localities the authority to regulate development and construction of new affordable housing units, decoupling inclusionary zoning from rent control. While lawmakers debate this po- tential tool for incentivizing affordable housing develop- ment, we’re seeing developers tackle the issue on a project basis, finding opportunities to include affordable housing units in particular surrounding transit-oriented develop- ments. Our project partners Mile High Development and Urban Land Conservancy sawa unique opportunitywith the Sher- idan Station Apartments community to add a large portion of much-needed affordable housing. Located at East 13th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard in a parcel directly adja- cent to the RTD W Line, this newly opened multifamily community offers 133 apartments for people making 60% or less of the area median income. • Combining affordability and walkability. As a tran- sit-oriented community, Sheridan Station offers a dense mix of uses at a walkable scale within a short distance of a train or bus station – a critical factor when considering that average living and transportation costs make up the lion’s share of the expenses for lower-income residents. Eliminating the need for an automobile helps these folks put their income to work in other ways. The project developers also found creative ways to pro- vide nearby parking space for residents who do have cars without having to build a new, expensive parking garage. Mile High Development was able to ne- gotiate a long-term parking lease with RTD, which helped reduce the number of parking spaces in the building, maxi- mize the number of units, and optimize the footprint of the building to keep the project in budget. The location of Sheridan Station is con- venient enough that residents can walk to a number of nearby businesses. The bustling West Colfax Avenue is a 10-minute walk away and a Target and King Soopers are less than a mile away. Sloan’s Lake can be visited after a short bike or scooter ride. • Affordability doesn’t mean sacrificing design. Often, when we hear about affordable communities, people pic- ture cheap-looking designs that have value-engineered out any semblance of architectural character. This approach ultimately contributes to the negative stigma around af- fordable housing and provides fodder for community op- position. Together with Mile High Development, Brinshore Devel- opment, Alliance Construction Solutions and Urban Land Conservancy, JNS aimed to break that stereotype at Sher- idan Station Apartments. Our goal was to give residents – and the community – something of value that they could be proud of for years to come. The conceptual process began, as it does with all our multifamily projects, by deeply understanding the project vision – from the budget to the lifestyle of the target resi- dent, from the ideal community ethos to the neighborhood context. Since walkability was such an important factor in this community, we created a variety of ground-floor public spaces that easily connected visitors and residents to the adjacent neighborhood and light-rail station. Residential units have ample natural light and efficient, open floor plans that take advantage of the stellar views to both the Front Range and downtown Denver. Designing Quality Affordable Housing at Sheridan Station TOD Cassie Turbow Associate, Johnson Nathan Strohe