Location
Denver, CO, on the South Platt River near I-25 west of Broadway
Size
50 acres
Project Type
Mixed-use revitalization of 1.2 million square foot former rubber manufacturing complex
Project Background
For more than 85 years, the former Gates Rubber
Factory was a Denver landmark as the home of
the Gates Corporation. Cherokee acquired the
property in 2001 knowing it was contaminated and
with a full commitment to remediate the site while
indemnifying the former owner of environmental
liabilities. On and off-site pollutants caused
by almost a century of industrial use included
asbestos and PCBs in the buildings and significant
groundwater contamination related to petroleum
products and the use of trichloroethylene (TCE).
The Cherokee Solution
Where others saw an abandoned industrial site,
Cherokee saw an opportunity to remediate the
property and create a world-class urban village
that complements Denver’s city-wide assets,
takes responsibility for integrating existing
neighborhoods and captures the benefits of light
rail transit. Cherokee implemented source area
cleanup in 2002 and began an off-site cleanup
plan to address groundwater issues in 2004.
Through an unprecedented community outreach
campaign, Cherokee has met with local businesses,
politicians, neighborhood leaders and nonprofit
groups in the area, keeping them informed of
and involved with the site’s redevelopment and
remediation plans. As a result of this work, the
site was rezoned with a unanimous vote of the
city council. The new Transit Mixed-Use zoning
(TMU-30) enables the property to be developed
with a mix of uses to maximize utilization of the
adjacent light rail station that serves Denver’s
central business district, downtown area and its
suburban office market.
Redevelopment Plan
Cherokee is working with land use experts,
architects and vertical developers to create a
model Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) while
building on the strengths of a historic landmark.
The anticipated development plan includes more
than 3,000 residential units and 1.75 million square
feet of office, retail and entertainment space. The
full, vertical development of Cherokee’s project in
Denver is expected to occur over the next 10-15
years. Demolition and infrastructure design began
in 2006. The first phase of construction will begin
in 2007 with first occupancy anticipated in 2009.
For additional information, visit our project website at www.cherokeedenver.com
Download project pdf
< back
|
