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Page 18 — Multifamily Properties Quarterly — November 2016
C olorado’s billion-dollar
investment in multimodal
transportation is not only
reshaping the Denver trans-
portation grid, but also
unlocking new housing, entertain-
ment and live-work-play opportuni-
ties across the greater metro area.
Many new multifamily develop-
ments are starting to emerge adja-
cent to these stations, reshaping
neighborhoods into transformative
urban districts. Each new transit-
based district is a critical framework
for residents, commuters and busi-
nesses to develop into a continually
reshaping sense of place. As each
new station center develops, archi-
tects and planners need to define
these urban spaces as an inclusive
and dynamic place for people to be
and to interact.
Many of the newly built or
planned elements at these transit
locations are multifamily for-rent
communities offering an afford-
able alternative to downtown. These
communities are the first piece of
the master-planned vision of vari-
ous cities. Each station will have its
own unique character with its own
community connections and devel-
opment drivers. It is the responsibil-
ity of these developments to play a
vital role at full build out, in addition
to its role as a standalone property
helping to define and connect the
area.
For example, we designed the
Iliff Station Apartments, which is
being developed by SteelWave and
recently broke ground at the station.
The apartments tie the surround-
ing lower-density, primarily single-
family neighbors to
the higher-density
station core. The
city originally envi-
sioned the site with
a slightly higher
density but the
neighbors were
concerned about
traffic. We designed
a project that met
the density goals
of the city and
addressed traffic
concerns. Through
this project, we
connected the existing communities
to the station with great open space
so that the residents have a sense of
place today before the station’s full
build out.
Paying attention to the public
realm within a transit-oriented
development is critical to pro-
moting and defining the district’s
sense of place. Key components
include friendly ways to enhance
the pedestrian experience with dis-
tinct gathering zones, wider, well-lit
sidewalks, pathways and bike paths
that seamlessly link people to the
station. The development needs to
include public spaces to allow for
activities that promote both resident
and neighborhood interaction. The
program needs to promote users in
street-adjacent spaces that are lively,
active and provide sense of pedes-
trian scale such as restaurants, cof-
fee shops and shopping. Residential
buildings should extend to the street
with stoops and active zones that
align with the public realm. People
want to be part of the action.
We currently are collaborating
with Forest City on the master plan
and potential first phase of the
Central Park Station in Stapleton.
Though still in discussions, the
first phase will start with a six- or
seven-story for-rent residential com-
munity. To create the sense of place,
the overall station area has been
planned with a large central plaza
at the core surrounded by a mix of
uses.
The first residential building will
encompass one corner of this future
plaza only and efforts are being
made to create “place” for today as
well as tomorrow. Emphasis will be
on the amenity deck that overlooks
the main street into the station core
and will include scaled-down, two-
story massing that addresses the
pedestrian scale and presents to the
sidewalk with steps up to each front
door. Important gateways from all
directions are addressed with criti-
cal changes in mass or lack thereof
to recognize distinct points within
the station area. The overall station
plan will take years to come to frui-
tion, but the plan is designed such
that the flexibility will allow for the
organic development based on mar-
ket demands and consumer tastes
while maintaining the important
qualities of place.
Each of these new transit stations
creates opportunities for increasing
Nathan Sciarra,
AIA
Associate principal,
KTGY Architecture
+ Planning, Denver
Design
KTGY Architecture + Planning
SteelWave broke ground last month on Iliff Street Apartments, a multifamily develop-
ment adjacent to the planned Iliff light-rail station in Aurora.