Botanical Interests HQ Remodel / Addition Photos

Venture Architecture worked with Broomfield-based seed company, Botanical Interests, to design new office space and remodel their existing offices.  Here are photos from their open house showing the finished product!

 

 

 

 

 

Denver Faring Well in Region Hit Hardest by Recession

As the nation rebuilds after last year's economic collapse, Denver comes out on top in comparison to other Mountain Metros.  In a study reported in the Denver Post, the mountain states look to be the hardest hit region in the U.S.   But take a look at the chart at the bottom of this article, "Six Mountain States, including Colorado, hardest hit in U.S. by recession".  The extreme economic downfall of cities like Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ bring the regional average down, while Denver makes out well above the national average in both categories, the housing price index and unemployment rate.

Public Meeting for 16th Street Mall Urban Design Plan Today

Today, December 9, from 5:30-7pm at the Colorado Historical Museum Auditorium, the first of three scheduled public meetings will take place.  This will be a chance for the public to give input that will used in the urban design recommendations as part of the "16th Street Mall Plan", which was initiated in 2008.  The first phase of the "Plan" will examine infrastructure issues, such as deterioration of the 25-year old pavers that line the street of the Mall.

Construction Begins on B's Baseball Museum in LoDo

This week, construction began on B's Baseball Museum in LoDo.  Venture designed the museum space that will house Bruce Hellerstein, CPA's amazing collection of Old Stadium Architectural Fabric. His collection includes a perfectly preserved window from Forbes Field's main entrance, an original section of the Fenway's Green Monster Backstop, as well as countless stadium seats, turnstiles, all star game banners, and more. B's Baseball Museum is located just a few doors down from the Southeast Entrance to Coors Field.  Please check back soon to see photos as construction progresses.

Process Streamlined for Redevelopment of Urban Brown-fields

The November 2009 Architectural Record article, "Is Brown the New Green?", discusses how three urban brown-fields are being redeveloped into research-oriented mixed-use communities.  In the post-industrial American city, brown-fields are tracts of urban land that have been contaminated and left abandoned or underutilized.  The upside of this type of site is the central location- in proximity to transportation, workforce, and in the case of these projects, proximity to universities or hospitals.  Challenges that have traditionally been associated with the redevelopment of brown-fields, such as cleanup costs, have been lessened as the process becomes streamlined.  Developers have become more familiar with the process, the regulatory framework is in place, and subsidies have become more available as the public benefits of these projects are recognized.  Take a look at these successful projects at MIT, Wake Forest University, and Seattle suburb, South Lake Union.

Construction Wraps Up at Botanical Interests

Construction at the Botanical Interests headquarters in Broomfield wrapped up last week.  Check back for photos of the finished office remodel and addition, coming soon!

Even the Best Make Mistakes...

... but at Venture Architecture, details matter.  We address them all, one at a time, and together as a comprehensive design and construction team.

Here's an article from the Architectural Record that looks at the ongoing repairs that have been underway at the Denver Art Museum since the roof began leaking just 3 weeks after Daniel Libeskind's $110 million addition was opened in 2006:  "Leaky Libeskind Roof to be Fixed at Last".

Denver Architect, Roland Wilson

Venture Architecture started with a business model much like Denver architect, Roland Wilson's.  Wilson, who passed away last month at the age of 83, "bought land, brought in investors, designed the building, and often retained part ownership", according to this Denver Post article: "Early Denver apartment Designer...".  Wilson, who designed an incredible 6,000 units in his lifetime, was one of the first architects in Denver to offer amenities such as indoor pools and game rooms, which are now common in multi-story apartment buildings.  He will be remembered for his innovation as a developer, and by the mark he left on Denver's skyline.

Solar Jobs, Investment Dollars Coming to Denver in 2010

According to this Denver Business Journal article, "SMA Solar plant to bring hundreds of jobs to Denver", the world's largest manufacturer of a key component of solar power generation has chosen Denver as the location for its first U.S. plant.  The German based company, SMA Solar Technology, will invest $22.3 million in the project and create up to 700 long-term jobs.  Mayor Hickenlooper credits Governor Ritter and his branding of Colorado as the "New Energy Economy" for the influx of solar jobs.

Denver Home Prices on the Rise

This recent article from the Denver Business Journal says Denver home prices in August returned to where they were one year ago: "Denver home prices rise for 6th straight month".  The article ranks Denver 2nd in a study of 20 cities that tracked home price decline over the past year.

Venture Founder Featured in Denver Business Journal's Power Book

Venture Architecture and founder, Martin Goldstein, were featured in the Denver Business Journal's 2009 Power Book, published on October 23rd.  The Denver Business Journal made 10 selections from 14 industry categories.  The selections made were all business leaders who deserve recognition for their accomplishments over the past year, despite the challenging economic climate.

The Venture Architecture entry states, "Goldstein's collaborative and creative approach to architecture has enabled him to complete large-scale commercial and government projects; smaller, high-end remodels; and historic renovations."  Martin's recent mayoral appointment to the Landmark Preservation Commission is also mentioned.  Click here to read the entire Power Book entry.

Featured Product: BP Glass Garage Doors and Entry Systems

We like this new product by BP:  Glass garage doors and entry systems.  The manufacturer uses 100% recycled glass, aluminum and steel, and the manufacturing process itself is environmentally sustainable as well.   The glass panels are fully insulated to reduce heat loss, and allow for maximum light transmission while maintaining privacy.  These doors would work well in a restaurant or commercial setting to create the option of opening up space when needed.  In a residential context, they offer a more modern approach to the traditional garage door.

Progress at Botanical Interests Headquarters

Here's round 2 of construction photos for Botanical Interests headquarters.  Make sure to check back to see how the office remodel and addition progresses.   

Venture's Architectural Visualizations... Another Tool in Leasing Unfinished Space

Venture created these architectural visualizations using our 3-D modeling software. Our client is using these as a tool to lease space in a building with unfinished interiors.  These visualizations will allow the building owner to offer multiple options to potential tenants before starting construction on the building. 

Conference Room 1  

Conference Room 2 

Waiting Room

Denver Tops the Nation

Here are three articles from the Denver Business Journal that place Denver among the top cities in the Nation.  We know that the Mile-High City is the best and we have the stats to prove it:
"Portfolio.com: Denver Hit Less Hard on Jobs Than Most Cities"
"Poll: Denver, Colorado Among Most Popular Places to Live"
"Daily Beast:  Denver among America's Smartest Cities"

A Green Reinterpretation of Neo-Gothic Style

We like the design of Yale University's greenest facility, Kroon Hall, which is featured in this month's GreenSource.   This reinterpretation of the campus's neo-gothic architecture features sandstone cladding, a glue-laminated beam vaulted roof, and red oak paneling throughout the interior. Check out the image gallery to see more of this cool design.  The article outlines the many ways in which this building is sustainable.  

Neighborhood Redevelopment Project's Future Questionable

Development company, Cherokee Denver recently had to give ownership of a 16-acre portion of the site known as the Gates Rubber Factory back to Gates, Corp. due to lack of financing to finish the extensive environmental cleanup that has been underway since 2001.  Another portion of the site that was sold to Trammell Crow Residential has already seen the development of 475 apartments.  The City of Denver, through the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, has pledged $85 million toward the project, which would create a "residential and retail hub designed around access to public transportation", according to this Denver Post article.  Although no public money has been spent to-date, the City will be able to issue those funds if redevelopment continues during the next 25 years. The site is located several blocks west of the Venture office, and we hope to see continued redevelopment as the economy improves.

Seattle Firm Uses Old-School Technology, Innovation to Go Green

This interesting article in GreenSource describes how Seattle-based architecture firm, Weber Thompson takes a "less-is-more" approach to sustainable design.  The 40,000 sf Terry Thomas building was designed to, "operate efficiently without using a lot of expensive technology".  It's central courtyard works with vents, controls, and window openings to channel warm air out and cool air into the building, making air conditioning unnecessary.  Energy consumption was cut by 50% without the use of photovoltaic technology, and the building received LEED-Platinum (interiors) and LEED-Gold (core & shell) ratings. Check out the image gallery for a closer look at this impressive building. 

Possible Extension for First-time Homebuyer Credit

The $8,000 tax credit that has helped 1.4 million first-time homebuyers since it was put in place last year may be extended for an additional 6 months. The credit, which is set to expire on December 1, has helped to, "spark a rebound in the sluggish housing market", according to this Denver Business Journal article. The National Association of Realtors is supporting this tax credit extension.

Construction Underway at Botanical Interests HQ

Check out the first round of construction photos from Botanical Interests HQ. Venture Architecture worked with the Broomfield-based seed company to design new office space and remodel their existing offices.

Companies Paying More to Lease LEED Office Space

LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] buildings are being snapped up by commercial tenants willing to pay higher lease rates to live and work better in their office space-- and look good doing it. Check out this article in the Denver Post:
"Colorado Businesses Chasing a New 'Green'".

Good Design Sells

This article, written by Venture founder, Martin Goldstein, was published in the 9/2/09 - 9/15/09 edition of the Colorado Real Estate Journal.

"Fighting the Real Estate Fight with Good Design"

One way to combat today’s real estate troubles is to pay more attention to the details during the design process. It’s easy to become consumed with the business of real estate, but now is the time for owners, project managers, and owner representatives to invest additional time and attention into the design process. While the design itself cannot solve a real estate inventory glut, a well-designed project, and one that is well thought through, will lease or sell faster and will in the long run improve the value of the property.

Remodel in Denver's Pennsylvania Historic District Complete

Substantial completion has been achieved on the excellent and extensive remodel of a 6,000 sf single family Victorian residence in Denver's Pennsylvania Historic District. The Levin Family took residence on Tuesday, September 1st. Be sure to click on the 1040 Pennsylvania blog, "This Abused House" . It captures the ups and downs of their experience throughout the remodel process. The owner had a strong vision and deep commitment to this project that led the design and construction teams. Look for photos in the coming months on our blog and soon to be updated "Projects" section of Venture's website portfolio.

Dovetail Solutions Begins Construction This Month

Dovetail Solutions, Inc. is slated to begin construction on Thursday, September 10. This amazing PR firm with a unique focus on corporate, public, and non-profit partnerships will see a complete remodel over the coming weeks. Responsible for countless PR and political campaigns, Dovetail Solutions, Inc. is a highly talented group ideally located in an historic building at the southwest end of LoDo's Larimer Street Shopping District. We are honored and excited to support this firm and its remodel project.

www.dovetailsolutions.com

Improvements Planned for 14th Street Mall

14th Street Mall? Anyone who frequents, lives in, or works in the downtown area probably knows that 14th street has a very different feel than the 16th Street Mall. The city is currently reviewing ways to improve the pedestrian feel, human scale, and overall experience of 14th Street... this article provides an overview update of the news from 14th Street.

"Coming Soon: 14th Street Mall?"

Youtube video of the future 14th St.

Venture Teams Up With B's Baseball Museum in LoDo

Venture Architecture is honored to have been selected by Rare Space and Hellerstein CPA Practice to be the architect of record on B's Baseball Museum. Listed by the Smithsonian Institute as one of the 21 best collectors of baseball memorabilia of all time, Bruce Hellerstein has an amazing collection of Old Stadium Architectural Fabric. His collection includes a perfectly preserved window from Forbes Field's main entrance, an original section of the Fenway's Green Monster Backstop, as well as countless stadium seats, turnstiles, all star game banners, and more. B's Baseball Museum is located just a few doors down from the Southeast Entrance to Coors Field. We'll keep you posted about the Grand Opening date for this amazing LoDo project, or check the website:
B's Baseball Museum

Recognizing Student-Built Mod.Fab. Housing

We like the clean, modernist design aesthetic of GreenSource magazine's July 2009 "Best Green House". The house was built by students of Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture in Scottsdale, AZ. Taliesin Dean, Victor Sidy, describes the school's philosophy as based on Frank Lloyd Wright's "constant inquiry of the relationship between man and nature.”

The 600 square foot, 13 foot-wide "Mod.Fab." house incorporates modern style with the goal of minimal impact on natural surroundings. The steel-chassis structure is designed for mass-production. However, unlike the typical pre-fabricated home, this house utilizes photovoltaic solar technology and a roof designed to channel rainwater to a cistern, as well as Wolf/Subzero appliances and Milgard sliding glass doors for a feeling of compact luxury.

Venture Digs Deep to Uncover Value of "Green" Products

Venture strives to embrace "green" products and technology, but as this article, "The Freaky Math of Plug In Hybrids", shows, it pays to look closely at the real value behind every product we use. Awareness is key when evaluating "green" options. If a project calls for cost-effectiveness to take a backseat to environmentally friendly options, we look for data that proves the value of the "green" products we offer our clients.

As Predicted...

Denver and Colorado continues to outpace the nation in "year to year losses" for residential real estate prices. It was also the smallest decrease since 2007. As the data comes in, it appears that at least the slide over the economic edge may be over... and as predicted, the Rocky Mountain West is ahead of the nation. "Report: Colorado, Denver outperform nation on home-resale prices"

Wind Power

So, it appears that there is more wind power capacity that had been previously thought... particularly at higher altitudes. Take a look at this recent article from Popular Science Magazine:

"Windpower Could Provide 40 Times Earth's Power Needs"

Press Release for Goldstein LPC Nomination

To follow up from our last post... here is an excerpt from the August 5th Press Release on Martin Goldstein's nomination to Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission:

Denver, CO—Denver has a new advocate to help protect and preserve its historical character. On the heels of a unanimous nomination by the Denver Planning Board, Mayor John Hickenlooper formally appointed Martin Goldstein, founder of Venture Architecture, to Denver’s Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC). The LPC is charged with designating, preserving, enhancing, and perpetuating structures or districts of architectural, historical, or geographical significance in Denver.

"Denver is distinguished by unique landmarked structures that help to tell the story of our City’s past and it is imperative that we continue to protect them,” noted Tyler Gibbs, Manager, Planning Services for the City and County of Denver. “We are proud to have Martin join the Board and contribute his expertise to the City’s continued commitment to the values and effective implementation of Historic Preservation throughout our community." ...

Thank You Mayor

Late last week, we at Venture learned that Mayor Hickenlooper has appointed our founding Partner, Martin Goldstein, to a three year seat on Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission. We are very appreciative for this appointment and for all of the support we have received. Special thanks to Rich Delanoy for his nomination at the Planning Board, to Judy Blake for all of her encouragement, and to Tyler Gibbs and Moly Urbina as well.

Venture Architecture is committed to supporting the local community by promoting smart, sustainable design as well as the preservation of Denver's Architectural Fabric. We know that Martin will work hard to support the great work that the commission routinely provides to the community... and he will strive to add to that talented body of community leaders.

Denver Zoning Update

It sounds like the approval to overhaul Denver's Zoning Code may be pushed back. This is a hot topic and stirs strong feelings. We are supportive of the overhaul and hope a solution is identified that everyone finds satisfactory. Here is an article with some of the details:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12934750

Spire, RiverClay, Sustainability, and Good Business

Here's an article on two exciting new condo projects in downtown Denver. One is a new high rise building that will add to the skyline and will be Denver's largest multi-family LEED Certified Building. The other was Denver's first LEED Certified Residential Project. Notice that Developer David Zucker is quoted as saying the additional costs on RiverClay added about 2%... that's very important because it proves that "Green" Design can still make good business sense. We're very glad to see both of these projects pave the way for smart, sustainable design. Take a look:

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_12926537

Trip to Chicago anyone?

The Sears Tower recently opened up a new tourist feature that caught our eye... and we wanted to share. Apparently they added four glass bays for visitors to walk out on and see a unique view of the city. All of the walls, the roof, and, most notably, the floor is made of glass. Take a look:

http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/1646642,CST-FIN-roeder01.article#

Urban Issues

Here is an interesting article about the growth of cities that is relevant to Denver. It was written about an author named Jeb Brugmann who studied how different communities worked together to create a viable city and what it means if they fail. More specifically, he writes about local leaders working together to make a more sustainable, business friendly, exciting place to live. All of this reminds us of Denver's Downtown Area Plan [DAP]. Below are quotes from the article and from the DAP that use similar language... as well as links to websites for both.

"... alliances of political and civic leaders that assemble the political, financial and legal powers - and the will - to transform their cities, as he puts it, into "more equitable, ecological, stable and creative places."
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_12907359

Denver Area Plan:
"... a tool to help community leaders, decision makers, and citizens build upon Downtown's assets and guide... the community's vision of a livable, healthy, sustainable, and vibrant Downtown."
http://www.downtowndenver.com/Economic/DAPUSE.htm

Simple Solutions

The economy has been tight for nearly a year now and many of the folks in our professional and social circles seem to be talking about what a great time it is to simplify. In design, we always look for ways to be smart about how we use space, spend the budget, and consume energy, etc, but now these ideas seem more poignant. So, we are sharing the short essay linked below because it articulates some of these ideas about simplifying. We hope you enjoy the article as much as we did.

http://thinksimplenow.com/clarity/the-simple-life/

Botanical Interests Corporate HQ

We at Venture would like to share the website for our newest client, Botanical Interests. A family owned company, they sell seeds for flowers and vegetable gardens with amazing varieties from around the world. You might recognize the distinctive packaging with unique and colorful art renderings of the product that each seed will produce. We are honored to have been selected for the remodel and addition of their corporate offices in Broomfield and encourage you to check out their website:

http://www.botanicalinterests.com/store/shop.php

Landmark Preservation Seat

Today we learned at Denver Planning Board's last meeting, they unanimously nominated one of our partners, Martin Goldstein, to hold their seat on the Landmark Preservation Commission [LPC]. There are nine seats on the LPC total, with the other 8 held by a variety of relevant, experienced, and talented professionals. Currently Martin's nomination is being reviewed by the Mayor for a formal appointment, which would make the nomination successful.

For a little background on the LPC, Denver's website says:

• Historic Preservation was established through the Denver Landmark Preservation Ordinance in 1967 in order to help preserve City history and character.
  

• Over 47 Historic Districts have been established and over 300 structures have been landmarked.

• Chapter 30 of Denver’s Revised Municipal Code requires that all proposed exterior alterations (including windows) to designated Landmark structures and structures in Landmark Districts requiring a building permit must be reviewed and approved by the Landmark Preservation Commission prior to the issuance of any Building or Zoning permit.

We are very excited about the possibility of Martin's appointment by the Mayor and for the opportunity to serve the Denver Community in this fashion. Martin and Venture's practice have included several interesting and challenging preservation projects. Protecting our architectural resources is an important ingredient to ensuring our city grows smart and successful.

Denver's New Zoning Code

The city's current zoning code is more than 50 years old. There have been numerous updates and modifications, but its surpassed its useful life. The new code is actually quite exciting since it focuses on modern life and current city wide plans for growth. Here is a quote from the website, which is really helpful and answers a lot of good questions. A link to the website is below the quote.

"The New Denver Zoning Code, a comprehensive rewrite, will support a growing economy, a sustainable environment, a diverse mix of housing, strong neighborhoods and a high quality of life."

http://www.newcodedenver.org/types

Natural Sun-Light Fixtures

An interesting new product has come to our attention that we wanted to share. It's not something we have used on any of our projects yet, but we would like to in the future. The "Sundolier" is a new day lighting system that should be effective enough at reflecting actual sunlight onto the ceiling of a space that traditional lights can be turned off. Here is a link. We'll post our thoughts about this and other "green" products that both catch our eye and that are used in our client's projects.

http://www.sunflowerdaylighting.com/Natural-Daylighting-Products/sundolier-natural-daylighting-solution.htm

Best City for Real Estate Deals... and 24th Largest Population

A few new comments in the news about Denver. On Monday, Forbes Magazine listed Denver as the Best City in America city for Real Estate Deals. Here is an excerpt citing why Denver listed so high. The link is below the quote:
"...Christopher Cornell, an economist at Moody's Economy.com says. 'It [Denver] has better growth potential than most cities today.'

Cornell attributes Denver's stability to its main industries--energy and technology--that he says aren't likely to decline simultaneously. He also says its housing market didn't grow as much as in other parts of the country over the last five years. 'Little boom, little bust,' he says"

http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/22/cities-deals-home-lifestyle-real-estate-home-buying.html

Also, today, Denver moved into the top 25 largest cities in America based on population. Here is a link to an article about that:
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/06/29/daily36.html

Sleeper?

Have you seen Woody Allen's science fiction spoof film "Sleeper"? The house featured in that movie is an architecturally significant structure. Some of you will recognize it from your drive along I-70. Others will note the unique, organic design.

We wanted to share Denver Business Journals' [DBJ] good news that the Sleeper House is out of foreclosure and wish the current owners the best. Check out the links to photos as well as the link to the DBJ article.

www.architectureforsale.com/printable.php?property ID=92#

www.denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/06/01/daily94.html?ed=2009-06-08&ana=e_du_pap

Denver's Good News

Yesterday, NBC cited Denver as the first city to make its way out of the recession. This has been considered at round table discussions around town, including NAIOP's Real Estate Expo late last year. Here is a link to Denver Business Journal's article on the news.

http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/18/daily31.html?ed=2009-05-20&ana=e_du_pap

Welcome!

Welcome to the first Venture Architecure Blog Entry. We will share an innovative perspective about our architectural practice and how smart design can improve our community. We invite you to check back often.