North  ä

Central Platte Valley
District

Click on a yellow project number on the aerial to jump to that project.  Click on a thumbnail to view the image.  Images are numbered 1 - 4 from left to right.  Images not credited to another source are original to DenverInfill.com.

As the city's birthplace in 1858 at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek, the Central Platte Valley began as a mix of low-density residential and commercial uses and grew over the next several decades to become the heart of the fledgling community. By the mid-1900s, due to nearby Union Station, the CPV had evolved from a mixed-use neighborhood into a major rail yard, industrial, and warehouse area. By the 1980s, the decline in freight and passenger rail left the CPV and the Union Station area in a state of significant decay, with crumbling infrastructure, empty buildings, and vagrants.

After forging a redevelopment plan in the late 1980s, Denver made major investments in the form of replacing/removing the Valley's old viaducts, building Commons Park and opening the area up for redevelopment. East-West Partners purchased much of the land and has been leading the Valley's redevelopment since the late 1990s with their Riverfront Park project. Today, the Central Platte Valley is one of Downtown's most vibrant mixed-use districts.

Riverfront Park
Master Plan

Aided by the new Commons Park and the iconic Millennium Bridge, East West Partners' Riverfront Park project started in 2000 and has been steadily approaching buildout. When complete, the Riverfront Park area will include over 2,000 residential units.  Here are a few images of the Riverfront Park Master Plan.

Central Platte Valley Zoning

The Commons Planned Unit Development (PUD) is the zoning for most of the Central Platte Valley and Union Station districts except for the area immediately behind Union Station, which was rezoned to TMU-30 in 2004. Presented here are selected pages from the Commons PUD and TMU-30 zoning documents, for informational purposes only. The City of Denver Zoning Office is the only official source for zoning maps, documents, and information.

1
Creekside Lofts       

MAP

Another component of the Riverfront Park master plan, the Creekside Lofts have been built in two phases, with the second phase nearing completion in Spring 2005.  Along with the Townhomes at Riverfront Park, the Creekside Lofts complete the creek-side portion of the block south of Little Raven.  The Creekside Lofts contain 40 units ranging in size from 600 to 1,250 SF in size and were designed by Oz Architects.  Image credits: 1: www.ozarch.com 

2
Townhomes at Riverfront

MAP

Part of the East-West Partner's Riverfront Master Plan, the Townhomes at Riverfront Park, along with the Creekside Lofts, complete the creek-side of the block between Little Raven and the railroad tracks along 15th Street.  This project features 23 units, ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,400 SF, and was designed by Oz Architects.  The project was completed Summer 2005. 
Image credits: 1: www.riverfrontpark.com                                                                         

3
Confluence Park Plaza

MAP

The southern side of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the Platte River has been the home to Confluence Park since the 1970s, but the northern side has remained since then the site of an electrical substation...not exactly the most aesthetic and friendly land use to honor the site of the city's birthplace.  All that changed in 2004.  With the relocation of the substation, the site has been transformed into a landscaped park and plaza. Image credits: 1: www.denvergov.org          

4
Confluence at Cherry Creek

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Ray Suppa, developer of the Palace Lofts and Waterside Lofts, plans to redevelop the site at the northwest corner of 15th and Little Raven, currently home to a small commercial building in general disrepair, into a 120-unit condo project known as the Confluence at Cherry Creek.  The project originally was conceived as 9 and a 6 story buildings, but in late 2007 the developer submitting plans to increase the building's height to 14 floors. Construction timetable is unknown.

5
The Station at Riverfront

MAP

The Station at Riverfront Park was the first rental property developed as part of the Riverfront Park master plan.  The project features 273 apartment units, ranging in size from 635 to 1,300 SF.  The project stretches along the entire length of 15th Street from Little Raven to the railroad tracks and is 4-stories in height.  The Station at Riverfront Park Apartments were completed in 2002 and was originally known as Archstone Riverfront Park after the developer, Archstone-Smith.

6
Cosmopolitan Club     

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The Cosmopolitan Club will be the Central Platte Valleys first senior housing option.  This lot at 15th and Little Raven was originally planned for Archstone's Riverfront Phase 2.  The land was purchased in 2006 by Belfour Senior Care to construct an upscale 264-unit facility with a 160-unit parking garage. Construction is planned to begin in Spring 2008. Image credits: 1- 2: Balfour Senior Housing, 3: www.denvergov.com, 4: www.denver cityscape.com.  

7
Riverfront Tower

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The tallest of the three initial buildings built by East-West Partners to kick off their Riverfront Park development in the Central Platte Valley, the Riverfront Tower is a 13-story condominium mid-rise featuring 58 units and an illuminated clock tower.  The building also contains a number of shops on the ground floor.  Riverfront Tower was designed by Urban Design Group and features units ranging in size from 1,000 to 5,100 SF.

8
Promenade Lofts

MAP

The second of the initial three buildings constructed by East-West Partners in the Central Platte Valley, the Promenade Lofts is a 7-story building containing 68 units that range in size from 885 to 4,149 SF.  The building also features an exterior elevated walkway that connects the building's 3rd floor to the elevator tower on the Millennium Bridge.  The Promenade Lofts was designed by Urban Design Group and was completed in 2001. 

9
Millennium Bridge

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The signature icon for the Central Platte Valley, the Millennium Bridge is a 130-foot long, 80-foot wide cable-stayed pedestrian bridge that crosses the Consolidated Main Line (CML) railroad tracks and continues the 16th Street Mall into the Central Platte Valley.  The bridge features a 200-foot tall mast that tilts backwards and sideways, and with its stark white color and its nighttime illumination, the $9 million bridge is a new Denver landmark and a symbol of the city's vitality.

10
Commons Park   

MAP

The centerpiece of the new Central Platte Valley, Commons Park, is a 20-acre green space that fronts the Platte River and serves as the counterpart to Civic Center Park at the opposite end of Downtown.  The park features 40% of its terrain in native grasses and plants and 60% with a more formal and urban landscape theme.  The focal point of the park is the hill, which holds at its top a polished granite compass marker.  Image credits: 1: www.denvergov.org 

11
Platte River Bridge  

MAP

The pedestrian bridge over the Platte River opened in 2004, the second of three new pedestrian bridges to link Northwest Denver with Downtown.  The bridge's white color and vertical masts relate to its larger neighbor, the Millennium Bridge, yet maintains is own unique personality.  The bridge crosses the river where the former 16th Street Viaduct used to be, and connects with the center courtyard of the Commons West Apartments on the west side of the river.

12
Highland Bridge   

MAP

The Highland Bridge over I-25 is one of three new pedestrian bridges (see # 1 and # 3) to link the Highland district to Downtown, and creates a pedestrian corridor to the Civic Center area that extends a distance of 1.75 miles.  Construction completed in Spring 2007. Image credits: 1- 3:  www.highlandbridgedenver.com,  Construction Progress Photos: To view photos of the bridge's installation, go to the DenverInfill Blog of August 7, 2006 

13
Park Place Lofts

MAP

The third of the original three buildings built by East-West Partners to start off their Riverfront Park project in the Central Platte Valley, the Park Place Lofts contains 71 units in a 7-story building.  The building also features ground-floor retail, including the sales office for East-West partners and an incredible model of Lower Downtown and the Central Platte Valley in all its full-buildout glory.  The contemporary designed of the Park Place Lofts was crafted by Urban Design Group. 

14
One Riverfront

MAP

One Riverfront Park is located between the Park Place Lofts and the GlassHouse.  The project features two phasess: 49 units in a 7-story condo building and a row of townhomes along Little Raven, and a second phase known as Park One Riverfront consisting of 18 condominium units in a 3-story building. The entire project to be completed Spring 2008.  Image credits: 1 - 2: www.oneriverfront.com.  Project construction photos at Alpine Light Pictures: One Riverfront.

15
Glass House

MAP

The Glass House project consists of twin 23-story towers and an 8-story base of parking, residential units, and retail. The project will have 390 units. Construction began in the Summer of 2005 and completed in early 2007. Image credits: 1- 2: www.glasshousedenver.com.  Archived Photos (04/2005): 1 2 (10/2005): 3  Construction Progress Photos: View time-lapse construction photos for this project at Alpine Light Pictures: Glass House.  

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16
EWP future development

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The last site expected to be developed by East-West Partners in their Riverfront Park development, known as Parcel 6, the project will feature a maximum building height along Little Raven of 55 feet and 80 feet along Bassett Street. Details are expected to be announced in 2009 or later.

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17
18th Street Bridge

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The 18th Street Pedestrian Bridge will span the Consolidated Main Line railroad tracks and connect the Union Station area with the Riverfront Park area along 18th Street.  On the Riverfront Park side, the base of the bridge will be located between Glass House and the Manhattan. On the Union Station side, the base will sit between the City House project and the new  light rail station.  See DenverInfill Blog 5/8/2007.  Construction to commence in 2008.  Image Credits:1-2: East-West Partners.   

18
The Manhattan

MAP

The Manhattan is a 12-story apartment building built by the Greystar Corporation and was the first high-rise rental property in the Riverfront Park development.  The project contains 265 units and was completed in 2003.  A second phase for Greystar includes a shorter tower across Bassett Street from the Manhattan, scheduled for sometime around 2010, as well as the possibility of converting the Manhattan to for-sale condos in the future. 

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19
GID future development

MAP

This parcel is owned by GID and is planned to become rental apartments. Project details are not yet available, nor is the project schedule. Maximum building height will be 80 feet.    

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20
Brownstones at Riverfront

MAP

The Brownstones at Riverfront Park are the most expensive project to date in the Central Platte Valley.  The project includes 16 residences with 3 floors and a minimum of 3 bedrooms.  Units range in size from 2,177 to 4,500 SF and average around $2 million a piece.  The homes form a U-shape around a central courtyard, with underground parking.  The project was designed by Humphries Poli Architects of Denver.  Image credits: 1- 2: www.hparch.com. Archived photos: 1  

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21
EWP future development

MAP

The next planned development by East-West Partners in the Riverfront Park area, the project has not yet been named nor have details been announced, but the maximum building height will be 55 along Little Raven and 85 feet along Bassett Street. Project details are expected to be revealed in early 2008.      

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22
Denver Skatepark

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Reportedly the largest free public skateboard park in the nation, Denver Skatepark anchors the northern end of Commons Park and was built after years of planning and cooperation between the City and Denver's skateboarding community.  The park was built in two phases. Photo # 1 shows the project after Phase 1 (2003) but before the street was realigned and the existing building removed.  Photo # 2 shows the completed project.  Image credits: 1- 2: www.denvergov.org.   

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23
EWP future development

MAP

A future project by East-West Partners on what is known as Parcel 10 will share the block with the Railyard Dogs Park.  Maximum building heights are 80 feet along Little Raven and 140 feet adjacent to the dog park.       

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24
Railyard Dogs Park

MAP

The Railyard Dogs Park will occupy a slightly-less-than-one-acre triangle of land at 19th Street and the railroad tracks, just north of the Manhattan. Railyard Dogs Park will be a City of Denver off-leash dog park, and will feature an artificial turf similar to Invesco Field. The project's construction timeline hasn't been finalized, but it should be complete within the next year or two.  See DenverInfill Blog 5/13/2007. Image Credits and project website: 1:railyarddogs.typepad.com.