Colorado Real Estate Journal - March 18, 2015
The redevelopment of Denver Union Station is a unique and transformative development project that is already changing Downtown Denver. As the future multimodal transportation hub of the Rocky Mountain region, the publicly funded Denver Union Station Infrastructure Redevelopment project is spurring significant private development around the transit center. This multi-billion dollar project has been in the works for several years and over the past year a number of significant milestones were reached. When the final phase is completed, Denver Union Station will be the hub for the entire multi-billion FasTracks program that was approved by voters in 2004. The RTD FasTracks Program is a comprehensive transit expansion plan to build 122 miles of new commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles of bus rapid transit, 21,000 new parking spaces at light rail and bus stations, and enhanced bus service for easy, convenient bus/rail connections across the metro area. This Program is one of the most ambitious rail projects in the United States. Denver Union Station will serve as a centralized transportation hub, integrating light rail, commuter rail, and intercity rail (Amtrak), as well as regional, express, and local bus service, the 16th Street Mall shuttle, Free MetroRide, and intercity buses, taxis, shuttles, vans, limousines, bicycles and pedestrians. The hub includes a 22 bay underground bus terminal that serves as the spine of the entire site and features an interior pedestrian concourse. The new terminal opened and began operation in May of 2014 and replaced the existing Market St. Station which will soon become a new re-development site. The recently completed Chestnut and Wewatta pavilions and plaza areas now provide a street level connection between the light rail station and Mall shuttle platforms at one end of the terminal and the commuter rail platforms at the other. The existing Denver Union Station building underwent an 18 month long extensive historic renovation that was completed in summer of 2014. The station remains a downtown landmark and serves as an anchor of the larger master plan for the overall development. The station will continue to serve as the gateway to the new transportation hub which is in its final phase of construction being developed on land behind it. The station’s upper floors of the north and south wings were converted into the 112 room The Crawford Hotel that welcomed its first guests in July of 2014. The station’s Great Hall now serves as the hotel’s lobby and the remaining 22,000 SF of retail space on the ground floor is now home to a number of distinct new restaurants and stores including Stoic & Genuine by Chef Jennifer Jasinski, Mercantile Dining & Provision by Chef Alex Seidel, Snooze, The Kitchen Next Door, Five Green Boxes, Acme Burger & Brat Corporation, Bloom, The Cooper Lounge, Milkbox Ice Creamery, Fresh Exchange, Pigtrain Coffee Co., Terminal Bar and a new outpost for The Tattered Cover. The first rail line of FasTracks to be completed, the West Line, opened in April of 2013 connecting Downtown Denver with the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden. The 12.1 mile light rail corridor features 11 new stations as well as new Parkn-Rides and Call-n-Rides. The Eagle P3 Project is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2016. When it is completed, it will provide three new commuter rail lines to the RTD network. These include a segment of the Northwest Rail Line towards Westminster including a Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility and the Gold Line that will connect the system to Wheat Ridge. The third component of the project is the East Rail Line that will provide a direct rail connection between Downtown and Denver International Airport.