06 16 CONDOS AND TOWNHOMES SLATED FOR DEVELOPMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY PARK By Keith Lewis Curtis Park Group will develop the small parcel of vacant land at the intersection of 25th & Lawrence for a condominium and townhome project. The development, named S*Park will be “igniting” in Spring 2017, according to the Denver-based real estate developer’s website. The residential development, on the edge of RiNo and Curtis Park will feature 91 condo units and eight townhomes. The condo unit’s range in size from studios that are even now being hyped at a price point just under $300,000 for 500 sq. ft. to the largest condos – three bedroom units – that will contain 2,000 sq. ft. at a price that has yet to be released. The townhomes will boast 2,500 sq. ft. of luxury indoor amenities, and include small yards and rooftop decks. The S*Park development will span the 2500 and 2600 blocks of Lawrence Street, and the 2500 block will feature a private park for residents, a greenhouse, and an urban garden on the property. S*Park will also set aside a percentage of the unit for sale as affordable housing, under a Denver ordinance that requires new condo developments of thirty or more units to set aside at least 10% of the offering for affordable housing. S*Park is the latest in a string of residential projects in densely populated areas of Denver, banking on the notion that millennials desire location, location over space. The idea that younger homebuyers and renters are willing to pay for well-designed living spaces in hot neighborhoods seems to be panning out. LIFE recently reported
DENVER JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
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Brother Jeff (left) takes a photo of the Tommy Tilton Group (Tilt sports a hat) while they perform a jazz number at the Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center & Cafe, 2836 Welton, in the Five Points community. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH on an explosion of micro-housing developments popping up near downtown, Curtis Park, and Uptown. Clem Rinehart, owner of Treehouse Brokerage and Development, an exclusive broker for S*Park said, “We see people living downtown in these expensive, luxury apartments as a big market we plan to target.” He also noted, “We think a lot of people living in downtown apartments will be more interested in buying than renting.” Then he continued, “And the relatively small size isn’t necessarily a turn-off for professional millennials.” Curtis Park Group purchased the Sustainability Park
By Jason McKinney Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. June 19th celebrates the day in 1865 when Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with the news that the American Civil War had ended and that black Americans were now free. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, the number of Union troops was minimal in terms of enforcing the new Executive Order. Juneteenth has since become a Black American celebration in Denver that embraces a large festival in Five Points every summer. Traditionally, Juneteenth celebration might include live concert performance, rodeos, fishing, BBQs and baseball, which are just some of the activities that have been popular in the past. Juneteenth also almost always focuses on education and self-improvement. Thus, often guest speakers are brought in and the elders are called upon to recount the events of the past.
property from the Denver Housing Authority for $7 million just recently, and DHA has reportedly already earmarked the funds for redevelopment of a 45-unit senior housing facility in West Denver’s Mariposa District. Sustainability Park has recently been the home of events and festivals such as “The Big Wonderful” weekly summer festival that held its last event in May. The Big Wonderful has now moved to the Stanley Marketplace. Construction will begin this summer. For more information on S*Park please visit www. liveatspark.com.
Food is typically abundant since everyone participating usually prepares a special dish. Fashion is also an important consideration as well, since during slavery, there were laws passed that kept slaves from wearing fine clothing. Juneteenth enjoyed a resurgence in the popular consciousness during the civil rights movements of the 1960s and it became a Texas state holiday in 1980. Today, Juneteenth celebrations are held all over the nation, with Denver having one of the larger ones drawing record numbers of festival-goers and participation. Now in its 27th year, the focus of this year’s festivities is the youth and the day-long celebration will be held on Sat, June 18. The annual Juneteenth parade, which commemorates the historical significance and freedom of enslaved persons in the U.S., will begin at Manual High School (26th & Gilpin) at 10 am and proceed down Welton, heading through continued on page 16
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