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Curated Condos
Marieta Uptown
A 35-unit Uptown oasis by Generation Development is under construction along 17th Avenue’s Restaurant Row and is expected to welcome residents in summer 2024. The project’s boutique size allowed the local design team to create 18 unique floor plans for the one- and two-bedroom units, which will be priced from the mid-$400,000s. According to Chris Lonigro, Generation Development’s president, thoughtful design was the primary driver of the project. For example, the building’s facade, which is based on a masonry grid, not only allows for protected outdoor terraces but also respects the character and scale of the neighborhood. The residences’ European-style layouts and finishes (think: built-in refrigerators concealed by seamless cabinetry panels) lean modern, and all of Marieta Uptown’s residents will enjoy the four-story light well that slices through the center of the building. “When you get off the elevator, you look into this glass-walled light shaft [that has] a reflecting pool at the bottom,” Lonigro explains. The detail is a nod to the building’s namesake, Mexico’s Marietas Islands, where a mystical-looking sunken crater filters sunlight onto a hidden beach. It’s also emblematic of Generation Development’s attention to detail. Says Lonigro: “We are trying to provide a look that is elevated above the standard.”
Responsible Renting
Return To Form
Set to break ground on an industrial infill lot in RiNo in 2024, this 12-story apartment project designed by Denver architecture firm Tres Birds will be the country’s second-tallest mass-timber building. What is mass timber, you ask? The relatively new engineered-wood construction product comprises small wood pieces (in this building’s case, North American Douglas fir) bonded together with durable, weatherproof adhesive or nails. Mass-timber designs have less embodied energy and a smaller carbon footprint than their steel or concrete counterparts. And rather than relying on large, old-growth trees, mass timber makes use of farmed trees that regenerate in about eight years.
With 84 units available for lease (prices TBD), including four penthouses with private roof decks and mezzanines, the all-electric Return To Form building celebrates a back-to-nature approach to construction. Says Michael Moore, founder and principal of Tres Birds: “The warmth of being surrounded by wood, the amber light that comes off the material at night—people absolutely love it.”
Master-Planned Marvel
Westerly
Front-porch living, walking trails, killer Front Range views, an indoor/outdoor fitness space, a resort-style pool, and shops and eateries are among the amenities slated for Erie’s in-progress, master-planned Westerly community by Tennessee-based Southern Land Company. Home sales launched in March 2023, and at full build-out, around 1,200 homes by multiple builders (McStain Neighborhoods, SLC Homes, and Brightland Homes) will occupy 400 acres of land, more than a quarter of which will remain open space. With prices starting in the high $500,000s, Westerly offers a variety of residence types (paired villas, single-family homes, townhouses) and floor plans. Some homes will incorporate “BeWell” features including tankless water heaters, fresh air intake and pre-installed solar energy systems, and all-electric functionality. Healthy living through wellness and social activities is another focus. “We have a full-time lifestyle manager on staff at Westerly,” says Jenna Lefever, Southern Land Company’s director of public relations. “Community engagement and connectedness are core tenets of all [our] communities.”