National architecture and design firm KTGY has announced the substantial completion of a new master-planned community in Superior, Colorado — Origin at Downtown Superior. The mixed-use design concept is centered on the newly built Main Street and focuses on active mobility to build on the existing sense of community in the ever-growing town.
This complex integrates three-story apartment buildings and mixed-use buildings with residential units above ground-floor retail and live-work spaces. A four-story, mixed-use wrap building encompasses a combined 469 residential units and nearly 70,000 square feet of civic, commercial, parking, retail and restaurant space. Independently designed townhomes border the south side of the site, creating a pipeline to ownership within the new community.
The master plan was unanimously approved in 2019 but was delayed due to both COVID-19 and the Marshall Fire, which destroyed many homes in the town. Ranch Capital, Morgan Holdings, Carmel Partners and KTGY are partners in this energetic urban community.
“We are proud to have been trusted with developing such a vital component of the town of Superior,” said Carmel Partners senior vice president, development, Jeff Panek. “Our partnership with KTGY and the city will not only result in a high-quality, well-designed architectural showpiece but will create a community space that meets the current and future needs of town residents. We are excited to see Origin thrive.”
As the acting urban designer for Origin, KTGY guided the implementation of the plan, partnering with landscape architect Dig Studio on the plaza and pedestrian paseo to the sports complex. This collaboratively derived concept began with 156 acres of undeveloped, raw land and a desire to create a new sense of community in an expanding neighborhood where residents can enjoy interconnected mobility as well as a gathering space that brings people together for events, concerts, movie nights and farmers’ markets.
“As we looked for design inspiration, we drew from Superior’s rich history with its deep ties to the coal mining industry. To honor this, we embraced traditional and timeless forms in the architectural design, choice of materials and use of dark colors,” said KTGY associate principal Sarah Hunter. “The materials we chose were earthy and substantial, layered to evoke the natural striations found in the landscape. Our vision was to create architecture that felt as though it had evolved over time, with each building offering its own distinctive element. We focused on human-scale design to create an environment in which people feel invited to pause and stay for a while.”
Origin features the latest amenities and boasts active streets with local color. In the wrap building, a rooftop pool and courtyard with a mezzanine clubhouse offers spectacular views of the Flatirons mountains. The mix of traditional and modern designs in brick and metal features extensive glazing, enhancing the relationship between inside and out. The quality of materials, scale, connectivity and composition create a place poised to become a beloved part of town, embodying the next chapter in Superior’s development.
