Live Denver

Built Green ~ What?

On our planet of dwindling natural resources consumers have become more sensitive to energy and environmental issues.  This is even true when remodeling a home or looking for a home to purchase.  There are many technologically advance methods and building materials that make homes better than ever before to our planet.  Improving water quality, conserving natural resources, better air quality in the home and more energy efficient systems are the major areas of focus for a green built home.

Materials.  Quick-growing bamboo grass is a healthy alternative to wood for flooring in homes.  Structures can be built with engineered wood that have improved strength that produces less construction (wood) waste and the engineered wood is approved by all building codes. Recycled materials are making a big debut in every part of the house with decks and fences made from recycled plastic lumber, recycled post-consumer carpets, recycled counter tops and dazzling recycled tiles made from glass.   

Home Systems.  Conservation of resources and minimal use of energy is the focus within the home's systems.  Green homes are equipped with energy efficient appliances that conserve energy and water and have reduced operating costs.  Advanced framing methods used by green builders reduce building costs and are more efficient because they use less lumber and can be built quicker at a fraction of the cost.  High efficiency water heaters can dramatically reduce energy costs by placing heaters closer to the point of use (IE: shower/tub) and insulating pipes near the mouth of the water heater.

Air Quality.  Toxin and allergy free zones will truly make your home a haven.  Low-toxic paints and finishes are the preferred choice of green builders for improved air quality.  Low-pile carpets that don't attract dust and other allergens.  Proper mechanical air ventilation systems are needed with the improved sealing of a green structure.  Balanced or positive ventilation keeps outside pollutants out of the home and deters moisture from hiding in nooks and crannies of a home due to pressurization.

Everyday more and more consumers are not only paying attention to limiting energy use, improved air quality/comfort in the home and better conservation of the planets resources but they are expecting these features in homes.  Consumers are looking towards the future in hopes of green features not just being the new fad but the Standard of home building and living in harmony with our earth.

Greetings from St. Paulasaurus.

I am visiting Vali's blog today from St. Paul Minnesota.  We thought it would be fun to switch places for a day. 

Summer is a great time to visit Minnesota.  We don't have snow here any where because we don't have mountains.  We do have rivers, lakes and beautiful forests in Northern Minnesota.  Currently in St. Paul there are dinosaurs roaming the streets.

They've been prepped, primped, and polished by local artists, and now the dinosaurs have hit the town! 2007 is the Science Museum's 100th anniversary, and in honor of that milestone, dinosaur statues are popping up all over the Twin Cities as part of the Diggin' Dinos summer celebration Read more

Photos were taken along Kellogg Blvd between the River Center and Wabasha Bridge.  If you are visiting St. Paul this summer be sure to stop at the Science Museum of Minnesota. 

~Be sure to check out my 16th Street Mall guest post at www.StPaulRealEstateBlog.com

Roxborough Park ~ Colorado Beauty.

Roxborough State Park is a natural marvel located just outside of Denver, Colorado to the southwest.  The park is remarkable red rock formations jetting into the air hundreds of feet surrounded by the rolling, green hills of Colorado beauty.  Wildlife is everywhere from fox and butterflies to bears and the occasional mountain lion. 

Hike Under the Moonlight is an upcoming event where a volunteer naturalist takes a group on a guided adventure learning and experiencing more about the beauty of Roxborough Park.  If you have the time on the evening of June 29, 2007 check out this adventure as the views will amaze you and you'll walk away knowing more about the natural rocks, plants and animals of the park.  For the complete scoop about this and all events visit the Roxborough State Park website.  Other events include guided day hikes, photography demos, watercolor classes and kids recreation too!

Enjoy the visual narration.

Urban Supermarket Planned.

Denver is finally getting an urban supermarket, planned for the Central Platte Valley at 19th and Chestnut. Although it is not confirmed which store will be there the rumor is it will be a King Soopers Fresh Fair.  Denver's downtown demographic has shown strong support for a concept along the lines of healthy, natural eats and King Soopers' Fresh Fair fits the part--a gourmet, organic concept with a large selection of prepared foods.

Downtown dwellers are more than ecstatic as this piece will complete the puzzle of downtown being a completely functional neighborhood with a REAL supermarket.  The shopping development will be the complete package with other retail stores in the complex: dry cleaners, bank, coffee, etc.  It's great news to finally know that the downtown population can sustain a full-service supermarket.  At 9000 strong and growing we can expect this to be the first of a line of grocers that will want their own piece of the action in downtown Denver.

The $130 million dollar project,by the Nichols Partnership, will get underway in 2008 with a completion date in 2010.  The project is planned to have residential units, office space and possibly an extended-stay hotel.  We can anticipate more specific plans and news to be released as they solidify later this summer.

 

Spire: Denver's newest high-rise lofts

Spire.
891 14th Street (Champa & 14th)
Denver, CO 80202

Construction started this May (2007) on Denver's newest high-rise being built in the Central Business District in over 24 years.  The high-rise will be one of the tallest residential development from Las Vegas to Chicago at 41 stories.  The units will feature floor to ceiling exterior glass walls with unobstructed views over the Colorado Convention Center to the Southwest of the Rocky Mountain Range. 

Spire will feature ground floor retail, eight-stories of parking and 33-stories are reserved for residential.  There will be 503 residential units and an additional 602 covered parking spaces will be added to the CBD.  The residential units will have 10-foot ceilings, balconies, slab granite counters & Ultra high speed structured wiring.  The building will feature 24-hour concierge & security, health club, media room, pool, fire pit, hot tubs & WiFi.

The building is planned to be complete in July 2009 and prices will start at $200,000.  Sales information is not yet available but it will be released soon.  Please visit www.spiredenver.com to see the renderings.

For current informaiton & updates please visit www.loftchicks.com  Now that the building is well underway much of this information has changed, we'll continue to keep feeding you the information on this amazing addition to Denver's urban residences.  

Denver ~ A city with a plan.

Once upon a time sat a desolate, industrial, abandon city core where you wouldn't be caught dead walking the streets after the sun fell below the Rockies.  Now jump ahead 21 years and a collective vision for a better city core back in 1986 and you have Denver 2007-the realization and implementation of the 1986 Downtown Denver area plan.

Recently was the unveiling of the 2007 Downtown Denver Area Plan at the Colorado History Museum.  This community forum introduced the draft plan of the vision elements to create a vibrant Denver and highlighted seven transformation projects that will be the focus over the coming 20 years.  Here is a summary of the five elements proposed in the Plan.

~THE VISION~

Prosperous.  A clean, safe city that attracts intellectual capital that will solidify our workforce and promote and strengthen Denver's economy.  As the idea of megaregions of the United States are being introduced Denver aims to be the Downtown of the Rocky Mountain Region.

Walkable.  Connecting downtown's districts and neighborhood making it easily walked from one end to the other.  Making uniform parking signage that will allow visitors to park the car once and utilize active transportation and walkways. Think: walkways, Grand Boulevards, bikes & pedestrians.

Diverse. Varied social and economic environments which promote Denver as a lifestyle center.  Urban America rejuvenated where families, young professionals and retirees can all find housing and lifestyles in the downtown environment.  A hearty, well-rounded economy that has an internationally welcoming air.

Distinctive.  Making a clear division and a strong image of downtown districts and evolving current planning and zoning regulations.  Bonding Auraria Campus with downtown, opening up the connection between the two areas.  Developing Arapahoe Square into Denver's new downtown neighborhood.

Green.  An outdoor downtown that boasts green streets and green buildings.  Main focuses will be refreshing the Civic Center park and sustainable resource use to create The Green City. 

The proposed plan has a 20-year lifespan that will solidify Denver's livable, economic and destination appeal.  The proposal for a more Vibrant Denver will help keep Denver competitive on a national and an international level.  The plan has been in the works for about 18 months and is still in the drafting stage.  For the complete plan and to voice your ideas and get involved please visit the Downtown Denver Plan website.

Colorado Pass ~ Reserve NOW.

Now is usually not the time we are thinking about next year's ski & ride season but you'll thank yourself later.  As all Colorado skiers & riders know there are handfuls of different season ski passes available but the best deal and most comprehensive is the Colorado Pass.

You have until May 13th to reserve your price on the 2007/2008 Colorado Pass.  The standard Colorado Pass is $419 (until May 13) and is unlimited skiing for the 2007/2008 season at Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge and 10 days at Vail or Beaver Creek.

Reserve your pass now, I suspect this year prices will go up around $500 for the same pass if you wait until the Fall.  If you don't want to fork out the cash now  you have the option of putting down $29 now and paying the rest (of the discounted price) as late as September 19th, 2007. Colorado Pass will give you all the details. Reserve now, ski (cheaper) later.

Happy Friday.

Spring Clean ~ Home Maintenance

Spring is upon us which means there is a long list of home maintenance items that need some attention.  Yes, I know cleaning off the BBQ grill is the one that is going to yield the tasty dividends but seasonal home maintenance is essential to making the most of your investment and more importantly your home. 

Check your gutters for blockage, if necessary you can scoop out the debris with a old kitchen spoon or purchase a gutter cleaning tool from a home improvement store. After run a hose up on the roof and into the gutters to make sure the down-spouts are clear. (tip: make sure downspouts are positioned to divert the water away from the foundation of the house, they tend to move a bit in the snow-pack and thaw.)

Examine the window screens for rips and tears, dead branches, kids and animals reap havoc on unsuspecting window and door screens. An easy fix is to purchase a screen repair kit it includes a few different sized pieces if self adhesive screen to cover up the holes. Another way is to buy some screen stock and cut pieces slightly bigger than the location of the tear and sew it into place with fishing line. And finally if need be the whole screen can be replaced, take the old screen out and using a small nail pull the black or grey cord out of the small channel on the inside of the screen frame, discard the old screen and cord (save a piece of the old cord to match up the right size of the new cord you will need). At the home improvement store purchase a roll of screen, new cord and a cord roller (plastic rollers are the best, make sure you buy enough screen and cord to fix all of your jobs), at home lay the empty frame out cord track side facing you and lay the new screen over it positioning the corner of the screen 1" over the track in the top corner and now lay the new cord on-top of the screen that is over the track and using the roller push it into the track, keeping the screen taut and moving around the track in one continuous piece, cut the cord when you reach the starting point from the opposite direction. After this is complete and you are satisfied with the tautness of the screen Trim the excess screen off with an exacto or utility knife, keeping right on the edge of the track and being very careful not to cut yourself or into the screen, begin to trim. Now reinstall the screen on the windows and keep pesky insects out.

Go around the outside of the house and look for anything that might be able to collect hold water in turn housing mosquito larve (ie. old buckets, rubbish piles, low drainage spots in the ground that can  hold water). Fill in low ground levels and store or discard anything that might be a good breeding ground. The heavy spring rain and warm weather are prime breeding conditions for mosquitos, who hatch their larve by the millions in standing water.

Change the cooling pads and clean/treat the reservoir in your swamp cooler also checking the water supply line for any leaks that might of incurred over the winter months. This also applies for central air in houses using forced air as a means to cool, check the air filters, chances are the months of running the furnace with all the windows and doors shut tight have collected a nice build up on them. Also consider upgrading to a allergen micro filter, they don't cost too much more and help with allergen filtration if you suffer from seasonal allergies.

This one is directed towards your vehicle: SERVICE TIME. You spend a lot more time in you vehicle in harsh driving conditions in the winter than you think and all the months of cold starting your engine, sudden braking, and driving in magnesium chloride and sand takes a lot more out of your vehicle than you might realize. Get a thorough inspection done including brakes, transmission, radiator and engine. I know some people do this on a regular basis but some people don't and now that you're in the spring cleaning mood why not pay a little T.L.C. to your vehicle, maybe you don't need an inspection, well maybe clean the 5 months worth of magnesium chloride off the underside of your car, or take it to a detailer and get the "works". If you are of the few who regularly take your car for service and keep it clean the hats off to you.

Spring home maintenance tips were provided by Travis Hooker, a Denver home remodeler.  He invites you to email him with additional questions regarding these maintenance tips. 303.807.0069

Denver Real Estate Market Quickie (Apr. 07)

Denver's current real estate market overview:

	2007 April	2007 March	2006 April	% of Sale Price Change
Single-family Home Average Price	323,000	302,000	319,000	1.12%
Condo Home Average Price	182,000	183,000	188,000	-2.97%
Combination Average Price	293,000	275,000	289,000	1.52%
Average Days on Market (combo)	110	119	103

Single-family detached dwellings have seen an average price increase of 1% over prices last year which translates to a currently stable market. As predicted the condo market has taken the biggest hit with almost a 3% depreciation from this time last year. 

The average time a home will sit for sale in the Denver Metro area is about 110 days which is about a   week longer than April 2006.  Denver currently has a high inventory of homes for sale but on a positive note there are 4% less homes for sale April 2007 than there was in April 2006 (4,399 homes Apr.07 vs. 4,300 homes Apr.06) with an absorption rate of about 27.44 weeks.

The overall picture is slowed growth predicted through 2007 and into 2008.  Denver's employment growth has slowed (1.7%) but is still higher than the national rate of 1.5%.  Professional & business services, health & education sectors are stable and growing but the information systems and construction sectors are taking the biggest hits currently.  Commercial Real Estate development is expanding with a variety of different projects in downtown Denver while residential development in Denver's suburban areas is struggling.

Denver home price growth has slowed and mortgage rates have taken a recent dip which translates as a favorable time for home buyers right now.

The lovely Lola.

Lola. 
1575 Boulder Street
Denver, CO 80211

Lola is a newer addition to the sparky Lower Highland area, LoHi, which sits on the hill to the immediate west of LoDo.  The restaurant is coastal Mexican flare boasting a mere 125 varieties of tequila.  The open-air patio has an unbelievable view of Denver's cityscape and the menu is fresh, innovative and reasonably priced.  Executive Chef Jamey Fader will take your palate on a Mexican taste adventure while your tequila ambassador will navigate you through the labyrinth of 125 tequila varieties.

Three things to try:

• Guacamole~made table-side
• Coin-style marg~key limes,tequila, citronge
• Hash~Grilled chorizo, sweet potatoes & onions

Is your mouth watering yet?  Complete the experience by checking the place out Sunday afternoon (2-5 pm) for live music-hip shakin' Latin beats and other local sounds.  Sunday brings you an incredible brunch menu or try the family-style paella.  Sip your delectable marg or mojito while enjoying the music and watching the dancers do their thing.

This is definitely a hot spot patio happy hour and I recommend coming early to get a table outside.  The basement has an additional bar and seating if the Patio and dining room are full. 

Originally this watering hole was located down on old Pearl Street and the 2006 move to LoHi was a smart one for sure.  The view from the patio of downtown Denver is unmatchable while the proximity to the new 16th street pedestrian bridge gives it easy walkability to LoDo and throughout the Highland neighborhood.  Click out Westword's scrolling Best of list for Lola through the years. 

The area is sprinkled with great places and this restaurant just adds another gold star to LoHi's list.

Lola is yet another reason to leave work early on Friday afternoon.