‘Build the Canopy’ Grants Available to Property Owners in Downtown Denver
The third round of Urban Forest Initiative ‘Build the Canopy’ grants launched on July 29, 2020. This grant program, created by the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, and City and County of Denver, with funding support from private donors, has the goal of building a robust tree …
Water Conservation and Sustainability Initiative Launches at Centerra
McWhinney, a master-planned developer and investment firm, has launched an official Water Conservation and Sustainability Initiative for its Centerra community in collaboration with environmental nonprofit High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), to enhance water conservation and sustainable practices in northern Colorado. Over the course of the next year, Centerra, HPEC and local community stakeholders including the …
Using Drones as a Tool to Drive Public Engagement
By Sara Egan and Maddie Clark Landscape architects and planners have relied on Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAVs or drones) for site analysis, monitoring construction progress and benchmarking projects in recent years. Data and birds-eye imagery from drones can even enhance storytelling to bolster community engagement and deepen the clarity and …
Unico Properties Completes Platte Street Plaza
Unico Properties, a subsidiary of Unico Investment Group LLC, recently completed Platte Street Plaza, a community amenity space at the base of the Highland Bridge. The project was made possible through a public/private partnership between Unico Properties LLC and the City & County of Denver, with the $1.7 million in …
Understanding Sustainable Design: Different Practices Return Different Results
By Clif Dayton, PE, R&R Engineers-Surveyors, Inc. Though sustainable design practices have been around for centuries, in the last twenty-five years, sustainable design practices have been more prevalent in building codes. The 21st century phrase, & “sustainable design” is best defined by what it does: It reduces the negative impacts on the environment, while …
The Benefits of Denver’s Urban Forest Initiative
By Chris Geddes, associate at Design Workshop. With Earth Day upon us, Wednesday, April 22 – it’s a good time to share how the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP), the City of Denver, and community leaders are working to be more sustainable and earth friendly. As landscape architects, Earth Day is every day …
AIA Practice and Design Conference: Designing for a Healthy Future
By Katie Rapone, editor The annual AIA Practice + Design Conference gathers more than 600 architects and design professionals from across the state for education and networking. This year’s event, held October 31-November 2 in Breckenridge, explored the future of architecture through AIA’s theme, Future Forward. Rapid changes in the environment, …
Environmental Designs Receives 2 National Awards of Excellence
Environmental Designs, a landscape company that serves clients throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, has been awarded two Awards of Excellence – Silver for Landscape Management and Silver for Design/Build by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. The Design/Build award-winning project, Bell Summit at Flatirons, an apartment community in Broomfield, featured a …
Tourism & Population Growth Shift Ski Country Development
By Elena Scott, LEED AP — Norris Design principal, Frisco office. Colorado has seen a consistent boost in tourism growth since 2009 and 2019 is shaping up to exceed the record once again. The Colorado Tourism Office boasted a record 86.2 million travelers and $22.3 billion in traveler spending in …
Transforming a Complicated Site into Improved Guest Experiences
By Becky Zimmermann, president of Design Workshop. From a real estate and construction perspective, the redevelopment of the Zephyr Plaza at Winter Park Resort doesn’t get much more complicated. The plaza was originally constructed in 1999, as part of the base area development that included the Zephyr Mountain Lodge (230 condominium units) and …