Thomas Hoaglund of the Planning Department reports that a draft of the 41st and Fox Station Area Plan is now online. You can view it at the CPD website (www.denvergov.org/TOD), or request a hard copy from Tom at Thomas.hoaglund@denvergov.org (by phone, 720-865-2930).
A lot of District 9ers have worked long and hard to create the Station Area Plan. The draft includes concepts and recommendations that were developed through a series of public workshops and meetings held last year. Over the next two months, Tom will be available to answer questions and listen to comments on the draft plan. CPD is tentatively planning to present the plan to the Denver Planning Board on November 4, after the community has had plenty of time to review the document and offer feedback.
Below is a brief summary of the plan highlights:
Goals:
- Improve pedestrian connections to the station, between neighborhoods, and along major corridors
- Create opportunities to add more housing, jobs and services to the station area
- Incorporate plazas, parks and open space into redevelopment areas
- Capitalize on the station area’s proximity to Downtown and location on the Gold Line and Northwest Rail corridors
- Balance the needs of new development and existing uses
Plan Elements:
- Development of a high intensity activity node close to the station on the east side
- Creation of a pedestrian shopping corridor along Fox Street
- Mixed-use redevelopment of the former Denver Post site
- Link park and open space improvements to enhance neighborhood livability by providing positive orientation, buffering, aesthetics, recreational amenities, and storm water management
- Capture partnership benefits with Regency Student Housing by encouraging ties between academic institutions, student populations, and incubator employment uses
- Respect existing housing west of the station by redeveloping along the edges of the Sunnyside neighborhood leading to Inca Street and in a mixed-use node at 38th and Navajo
- Incorporate historically significant structures by drawing design inspiration from the area’s historic, industrial character
- Promote pedestrian and bicycle connectivity with improvements to Navajo, 38th, Elati, 41st, 44th, Fox, Inca and other streets
- Promote structured RTD parking that is shared with adjacent development
- Capture views of Downtown and buffer the station area by locating taller structures along I-25 and I-70
- Support for sustainable development, green building practices, housing affordability and healthy, walkable communities
Tom urges people to get in touch with him to discuss the Station Area Plan. He is eager for feedback, so take a look at the draft and please let him know what you like (or don’t like) about it.
