Development News

Both Building 1 and Building 2 have received temporary certificates of occupancy (TCO), meaning all residential spaces, the parking garage and all core and shell space for the entire property may be occupied legally. There are a few outstanding items that are required to be corrected and completed to get the final certificate of occupancy (CO). The contractors continue to work through and complete all punch items identified by both Ownership and the architect.

On the commercial tenant front, the buildouts of the Chase bank branch, T-Mobile and Danner spaces are complete and have received their COs. Danner and T-Mobile have stocked their stores and have opened for business. Additionally, the tenant improvements for Milk Tea People, Water Grill and Thule are all under construction.

Punch list walkthroughs have started on the exterior of the project. All paving work has been completed and received signatures from Denver city inspectors. The site construction fencing has been removed, as requested by the city.

On the interior of the project initial punch list walkthroughs of all common and back-of-house areas have been completed. The outdoor amenity spaces have not yet been reviewed, but are expected to be complete and ready for owner walkthrough by the end of February.

Final city inspections are scheduled for February and March. Building systems are currently being tested and applicable, specific inspections scheduled.

On the exterior of the project, installation of metal panels is complete and the integrated lighting installation is finishing up and ready to be programmed. Work in the Paseo is essentially complete: railings and decorative metal has been installed, the snow melt system has been started up and electric heaters have been installed. The entryways into the Paseo from 17th Street and Market Street are complete and the pavers are being installed in the 16th Street entry.

On the interiors of the project, final punch walks of The Flats (i.e., the 171 residential units in Building 2) are essentially complete, save for some miscellaneous exceptions now being addressed. Finishes in the residential common areas are trailing the units, with corridor carpeting and interior signage installation still ongoing, though nearing completion. Millwork installation is mostly complete, with the residential clubhouse kitchen still finishing up. All of that said, all units in The Flats are ready for tenant occupancy pending city inspections, which are the primary focus at the moment, as described below.

In Building 1 (i.e., the ten-story building along 16th Street), the push is on to prepare for city inspections for certificates of occupancy scheduled in January and February 2021. Pending obtaining appointments with the necessary city inspectors, particularly the Denver Fire Department, the project team is hopeful that certificates of occupancy will be obtained for the entire project in February 2021. In addition to the residential units in The Flats, portions of the office and retail space are also finished and ready for occupancy.

On the exterior of the project, installation of metal panels continues at the Arcade and 17th Street passageways to the Paseo. Once installation is complete in those areas, the subcontractor will move on to Building 1 (ten-story building along 16th Street) exterior ceilings. Installation of the snowmelt system and concrete work also continue in the Paseo. Hardscaping along 17th Street is finishing up with work on planters.

On the interior, owner punch walks of residential units is progressing in both Building 1 and Building 2 (five-story building along Market and 17th Streets). Final unit cleaning is beginning to take place in a selection of units on Level 5 in Building 2. Pre-commissioning of building systems has started in both Building 1 and Building 2 as finishes are completed in the lobbies and garage common areas.

On the exterior of the project, brick work is complete on the façade facing the Paseo on Building Area 2C (section of the five-story building at the corner of 17th and Blake Streets). Brick work is now finishing up in small areas in Building Areas 1A and 1B (10-story building along 16th Street), in the Paseo and at the parapet tops. Installation of metal panels for the Arcade (entry to the Paseo from Market Street) ceiling has started and will progress concurrently with the same for the Arcade screen wall and the dog run area at Level 5. At ground level, finished concrete has been completed in the area between Building Areas 1A and 1B. Landscaping and streetlight pole bases have been installed along 17th Street, to be followed shortly by installation at the planters.

On the interior, first owner inspections have been completed for a portion of the residential units in Building Areas 2A and 2B (section of the five-story building along Market Street to the corner with 17th Street). First walk-throughs will be starting shortly on the next group of units in those same areas. Elsewhere, finish work on the residential units continues in Area 2C, with plank flooring being installed and to be followed by installation of MEP trim. In the residential sections of Building 1, drywall is complete, and tile and countertop installation has started on Levels 9 and 10. On Levels 5 and 6 of Building Area 1B (10-story building at the corner of 16th and Market Streets), the residential units are nearly ready for contractor inspection, which precedes the owner walks. That grouping of units is expected to be ready for first ownership walk-throughs by the end of August 2020. In the residential common areas, the amenity spaces and leasing office have been drywalled, taped and finished, and have received the first coat of paint. Common area bathrooms have tile installed.

From the exterior, the project is coming more into focus each day and it is clearly taking its final form. The brick masonry is nearing completion and storefronts have been installed. Along Market Street, the planters have been completed and hardscaping is progressing, which will be closely followed up by the installation of cement siding and final site furnishings. At the Arcade (Market Street entrance to the Paseo), the Dri-Design metal panels have been delivered, which allows for final flashing and trim work to begin. In the Paseo itself, concrete hardscaping has begun and the “sawtooth” storefronts are complete. Up above, on the residential amenity deck, reinforcing has been installed in the pool basin, which will be followed up with electrical, plumbing, and shotcrete.

In Building 1 (10-story building along 16th Street), the brick façade is nearly complete on the upper section at the corner of 16th and Market Streets and the lower façade at the corner of 16th and Blake Streets facing RTD is nearing completion. On the office floors, the contractor is readying for turnover to tenants for their fit-out. On the residential levels, interior finish work is ongoing. On Levels 6 and 7, drywall is ongoing. On Levels 8 through 10, building inspections are being conducted and/or are scheduled prior to starting the same.

In Building 2 (five-story building along Market and 17th Streets), the exterior brick façade has been completed along 17th Street and the masons have begun brick work along Blake Street. The installation of exterior metal siding has started in the Paseo and work on the residential unit balconies is in progress. On the interior of the building, plank flooring has started on Levels 2 and 3, and on Level 4 tiling of the kitchen backsplashes and in the bathrooms is ongoing and installation of the cabinetry is almost complete. On Level 5, painting is nearing completion and cabinet installation is starting.

Elsewhere on site, installation of storefront has begun on Market Street. Site grading has been completed on Market Street, as well, and utility connections are being installed for planters, which will be followed by more hardscaping work.

Residential interiors are in full production in Building 2 (five-story building along Market and 17th Streets). Trim work and cabinet installation have begun as priming and the first coat of paint are finished on the lower floors and move up the building. On the exterior, window installation has been completed along 17th Street and onto Blake street, and brick installation is 75% complete along 17th Street.

In Building 1 (10-story building along 16th Street), interior framing is complete through Level 9 and rough-ins of MEPS is complete through Level 10. Drywall has been staged for installation up through Level 10. Production drywall has started for the residential units on Level 5. On the exterior of Building 1, window installation is nearly complete through Level 10 and brick installation has been completed along the lower 16th Street elevation at the corner with Market Street. The masons have since started brick work on the upper section of the same elevation.

In October, there was significant activity all across the site. In Building 2 (five-stories, along Market and 17th Streets), drywall installation has begun in earnest in the residential units. Once drywall is installed, crews will immediately follow to tape, finish, and apply the first coat of paint to the new walls. Window installation is also finishing up along 17th Street and will then continue onto the Blake Street elevation. Exterior brick work is close behind, continuing down 17th Street. In Building 1 (ten-stories, along 16th Street), MEP rough-in, interior insulation and framing continues in the residential areas. The MEPS rough-in and window installation continues on the lower office floors, as well.

The brick crew has begun mobilizing along 16th Street to begin work on the lower elevation. Paving is also set to begin along 16th Street as curb and gutter installation is being completed. Down in the garage, a significant number of car stackers have been installed by Harding Steel.

Work on the residential units is progressing. In the low-rise portion of the building, subcontractors are preparing to install HVAC equipment on the roof, and window installation continues along 17th Street and in the Paseo. Insulation is being installed and third-party and city inspections are also underway; after those tasks are completed, drywall will begin on the interiors. In the high-rise, good progress is being made on metal stud framing for the residential interiors.

Given the work ongoing or scheduled to start on the interior of the building, getting weather-tight is a top priority. Exterior masonry is a major piece of that effort and continues to progress around the site. Brick has been completed on the Market Street façade of the low-rise, and the mason’s crew is setting up scaffolding to commence down the 17th Street façade. Additionally, brick work is also nearing completion on the lower section of the Market Street façade of the high-rise, and an additional scaffold has been set up on the upper section of that area, as well, to allow exterior waterproofing to be completed prior to brick starting there. Also related to weather-proofing, we are installing temporary wood storefront barriers at the ground level to “dry-in” the building and allow necessary testing and inspections to take place in those spaces.

Sitework is starting along the 16th Street frontage with the installation of planter drains and light poles. Waterproofing is also beginning in Paseo behind Building 2.

In August, the roof was completed on Building 2 (five-story, wood-frame building along Market and 17th Streets). With windows also going in and temporary protection elsewhere, the push in Building 2 is now drywall and finish work on the interior.

Building 1 (10-story, concrete building along 16th Street) is only slightly behind, with roofing scheduled to complete in September 2019. As that is finished, the focus there will shift to accelerating framing and insulation, followed by plastering over incomplete window openings to essentially make the building weather-tight. In the case of either building, that is a necessary precedent to drywall and finish work.

Elsewhere on site, sitework and concrete sub-slabs are commencing in areas not affected by scaffolding, beginning with the 16th Street elevation. The Market Street elevation at Building 2 will come next in late September 2019, followed by the remainder of Building 1 frontage in early October.

The building was fully “topped out” in July, with the concrete for the roof in Building 1 (10-story building along 16th Street) being poured July 12 and with the wood framing in Building Area 2C (5-story building, corner of 17th and Blake Streets) being completed shortly thereafter. Topping out was a major milestone for the project.

Focus now shifts to secure the exterior of the building and complete build-out on the interior. The brick masons continue to progress on the façade along Market Street, and the window installers are completing work along Market Street, moving into the 10-story building at the corner of 16th and Market Streets. On the inside of the building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work continues at a brisk pace, as does metal stud framing and infrastructure work below ground in the garage.

In May, wood framing, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (“MEP”) and concrete work continued, and installation of windows in Building 2 started.

Concrete work picked up momentum in Building Areas 1A and 1B (10-story building along 16th Street) in May. Pours for the post-tension (“PT”) deck, columns and shear walls were completed through Level 8 in 1B and through Level 7 in 1A. Looking ahead and continuing upward, the contractor plans to pour the Level 8 PT deck in 1A on June 1 and the Level 9 PT deck in 1B on June 9.

Good progress was made again in May on the wood framing for Building 2. Framing was completed through Level 5 in Building Areas 2A and 2B (5-story building along Market Street) and was finally started on Level 2 in 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets). The next major focuses for the framing subcontractor will be catching 2C up to 2A and 2B and completing the wood roof decking in 2A and 2B.

MEP installation work continues at a good pace. Installation of overhead MEP and fire protection systems in the garage is nearing completion. At the ground level, metal stud framing continues at retail storefront locations, coupled with mechanical and plumbing installation work, most recently commencing at the ground level in 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets).

Window installation is ongoing along the Market Street elevation of Building 2.

In April, wood framing, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (“MEP”) and concrete work continued to be the major focus of activity. The Level 5 structural concrete columns and shear walls in Building Areas 1A and 1B (10-story building along 16th Street) were completed and the post tension (“PT”) concrete slabs were formed for the Level 6 deck in 1A and 1B. Continuing upward, Kiewit is targeting May 6 to pour the Level 7 PT deck in Building 1B. In Building Area 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets), the slab-on-grade in the ground floor retail space was poured. That will allow MEP and fire protection (sprinkler) work to commence in that area.

Significant progress continued through the month on the wood framing for Building 2. Framing was completed through Level 5 in Building Areas 2A and 2B (5-story building along Market Street) and was finally started on Level 2 in 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets). In addition to catching 2C up to 2A and 2B, the wood roof decking is the next a major focus in 2A and 2B, which will allow that portion of the building to be “dried-in” (i.e., waterproof on the interior). Dry-in will be closely followed by window installation and electrical wiring.

Below grade in the garage, overhead MEP and fire protection work are nearing 90% completion. At ground level, metal stud framing has been partially completed and is on hold for now to allow MEP systems to finish out. Mechanical and plumbing installation is close to completion on Level 2 in 2A in the residential amenity areas. Window installation has begun along the Market Street elevation of Building 2, albeit at a slower pace than is expected. Continuum and Kiewit have discussed improvements to process with the subcontractor to get them back on schedule. The concept being discussed is an “assembly line” type arrangement, wherein the windows are assembled, staged in the appropriate unit locations, and then installed by a separate crew focused on that portion of the process.

In March, wood framing, MEP and concrete work continued to be the major focus of activity. The Level 4 structural concrete columns in Building Areas 1A and 1B (10-story building along 16th Street) were completed and the post tension (PT) concrete slabs were formed for the Level 5 deck in 1B. In Building Area 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets), the Level 2 PT deck was poured and the start of concrete block work for Elevator 9 and Stair 7 followed almost immediately. Concrete block work is also ongoing in Building Areas 2A and 2B (section of the building along Market Street) for the trash chutes and mechanical chases through Level 4 upwards to Level 5.

Progress continued through the month on the wood framing for Building 2. Framing was completed through Level 4 in 2A and 2B, with the Level 5 wood decking in progress and scheduled to be completed in April 2019. Wood framing in 2C is expected to begin once the Level 2 PT deck cures enough to do so, making for a scheduled start in April 2019.

Below grade in the garage, overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work continues to progress, as do fire protection (sprinkler) systems. At ground level, metal stud framing is also ongoing: “pre-sheetrock” work is nearly completed in Building 2, which allows mechanical duct work and piping installation to begin.

In February, concrete work continued to be the major focus of activity. The Level 3 structural columns in Building Areas 1A and 1B (10-story building along 16th Street) were completed and the post tension (PT) concrete slabs were poured for the Level 4 deck in 1B. Concrete structural columns were poured in Building Area 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets) and the Level 2 PT deck is slated to be poured mid-March 2019. Concrete block work is also ongoing in Building 2 for the trash chutes and mechanical chases.

Good progress was also made in February on the wood framing for Building 2 (five-story building along Market and 17th Streets). Framing was completed through Level 3 in Building Areas 2A and 2B (section of the building along Market Street), with the Level 4 wood decking in progress and scheduled to be completed in early March. Framing is expected to start in Building Area 2C upon the completion and initial curing of the Level 2 PT deck, making for a scheduled start in April 2019.

Below grade in the garage, concrete block has been completed except for a few final punch list items, and overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work continues to progress. Metal stud framing is also ongoing: “pre-sheetrock” work is happening in Building 2, Level 1. This entails preparing for and installing drywall prior to mechanical duct work and piping going in.

In January, concrete work continued and remains a major focus of ongoing activity. This past month, the Level 2 structural columns in Building Areas 1A and 1B (10-story building along 16th Street) were completed and the post tension (PT) concrete slabs were poured for the Level 3 deck in 1B. Concrete pours were also completed in the residential amenities and leasing office areas of Building Area 2A (portion of the 5-story building along Market Street). Sub-grade preparation for the slab-on-grade was completed in Building Area 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets) in anticipation of pours starting there in February 2019.

Below grade in the garage, concrete block work is nearing completion, with overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work progressing concurrently. Metal stud framing has also started below grade and on Level 1 of Building 2.

Concrete work is ongoing onsite. In December, the post tension (PT) concrete slabs were poured on the Level 2 decks for all of Building 1 (10-story building along 16th Street), as well as in Building Areas 2A and 2B (5-story building along Market Street). Concrete has also been poured in the residential amenities and leasing office areas of 2A, as well as for the second level columns in Building 1. Concrete block work in the garage is near completion, as well as vertical shafts rising in areas of Building 2. Overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work is underway and progressing in the garage as well. Metal stud framing will be starting in the garage in early January 2019 and the wood framing structure in Building 2 will start mid-January.

Work in Building Area 2C (corner of 17th and Blake Streets) continues. Final utility and foundation work is being done in preparation for pouring the slab on grade in early February 2019. Pours for the Level 2 PT deck in 2C are scheduled for the end of February 2019.

Utility updates have been completed that will now allow for foundation to continue. Foundation work at corner of 17th and Blake Streets is ongoing. Elsewhere on site, construction continues above-grade, with progress being made on ground floor columns and formwork for the second level concrete deck. The second level concrete deck along Market Street is expected to be completed by the end of 2018 or in early 2019. At that point the focus of concrete construction will shift to areas along 16th Street and formwork will commence for the second level decking in that area.

Concrete pours for the street-level deck have been completed and underground work is complete with the exception of the area at the corner of 17th and Blake Streets. Portions of the slab-on-grade in that area have been poured, with the remaining sections awaiting completion of underground utility work.

Elsewhere, construction is now moving forward more visibly above-grade, with workers completing form work and concrete pours for the ground floor columns and starting forms for the second level deck. The second level deck, which along Market and 17th Streets will be the podium atop which the wood framing for apartments will sit, is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

All underground utility work in the garage is complete and foundation work along 16th Street and Market Street is complete to the corner with 17th Street. The dirt access ramp to the garage from 17th Street has been removed and the final garage floor slab section was poured August 31. The lone section of foundation work remaining is the slab-on-grade at street-level at the corner of 17th and Blake Streets, portions of which are expected to begin being poured in September 2018. That work has been dependent on the completion of the electrical vault, which is expected to be complete by the end of September 2018.

The most visible construction activity at the site currently are the pours for the street-level concrete deck and ground floor columns. Those are complete along 16th Street and are ongoing along Market Street. The street-level deck is another big focus of current construction and is expected to be completed in early October 2018.

Concrete is being poured to get us back to street level! The garage floor should be done by the end of August and street level concrete completed by the end of September. We will see the second floor along 16th Street by early September. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing underground work continues in the garage ahead of concrete.

Construction of foundation walls and columns is nearly complete, with only the drilled piers and associated columns remaining to be formed and poured where the temporary, dirt construction access ramp is now along 17th Street. Those will be completed in the next few months once the ramp is removed as foundation work concludes and the elevated deck begins to be poured at street-level. Other current concrete activities include forming and pouring in sections of the slab-on-grade (i.e. parking garage floor), which is nearly complete for the area along 16th Street, and placing formwork in preparation for the first pour of the elevated concrete deck at the corner of 16th and Market Streets. Key utility work is also ongoing: underground duct banks have been completed to the new electrical vault and other underground electrical, plumbing, and drainage work continues to be installed throughout the site

Construction continues to progress, with foundation and concrete work well underway. Current foundation activities include completing the concrete structure for the stormwater detention vault, forming and pouring elevator pits and cores, and forming and pouring foundation walls. Concrete columns are also being poured, the tops of which can be seen from the street along the 16th Street Mall, and the first pours for the garage slab-on-grade have begun.

Utility work has also been a major focus in the last month, as the team makes progress on the new, permanent utility rooms and electrical vault towards the 17th Street end of the site, and installs new underground plumbing and drainage.

Construction of the project is progressing. The erection of the tower crane was completed April 20 and it was made fully operational April 23. This was a significant milestone as the crane will greatly assist in ongoing concrete foundation work and facilitate vertical construction going forward. Current foundation activities include construction of the stormwater detention vault, the walls of which are approximately 75% complete and concrete pouring for them should be finished the week of May 14. Foundations for Elevators 1 through 6 (the Building 1 elevators) are complete and foundation walls are currently being formed. Construction of the new electrical vault is progressing, with all demolition and shoring now complete.

Demolition is complete and work for the new foundations, garage walls and utilities is well underway. Necessary shoring, lagging and bracing has been completed and drilling of new foundation piers is complete with the exception of those that will be drilled under the temporary, dirt ramp into the site. The ramp should be removed and piers completed following the erection of the tower crane, which is now underway and expected to be completed by the end of this month. Work is continuing on the new electrical and stormwater detention vaults, which will pave the way for further foundation work in Building Areas 2C and 1A, respectively.