Envisioning an Urban Gateway Destination

Led by multiple generations of the Bansbach, Dake and Warren families, the landowner and developer Front Range Land & Development Co. envisioned Belleview Station from the start as both a destination and a gateway. The goal was to create a well-designed place that could nurture a sense of community, honoring the deep connection that this family had felt with the land for generations, since the Bansbach pioneers had first begun farming winter wheat here in the 1870s.

With a passionate purpose at its core, this 51-acre site had multiple physical advantages including direct freeway access, a light rail station, and sweeping views of nearby downtown Denver and the mountains. A transit-oriented, mixed-use urban neighborhood would not only become an active and engaging hub of its own. It would also present the opportunity to get anywhere in the region without a car.

For example, Gensler is the architect on One Belleview Station, a 16-story, mixed-use building at the heart of the development. FitzGerald has designed a 22-story multifamily building. The Beck Group has led design and construction on another high-rise tower combining upscale residential units and a hotel. Integrated among Belleview Station’s 7 parcels, each of these examples illustrates the ongoing collaboration with multiple design firms and developers to ensure the district feels unified but not homogenous. The masterplan empowers these unique architectural expressions across each block and within each building, with a public realm that knits each development together into a singular Belleview.

Centered on Newport Street and Layton Avenue, a grid of streets and blocks distribute both vehicular and pedestrian circulation throughout the development. Parking is contained within buildings, and the streetfront architecture creates direct connections between the buildings and streets while prioritizing the pedestrian experience. The central spine of the neighborhood is a mixed-use ‘main street’ environment along Newport Street that provides a rich, inviting urban experience.

Restaurants, retail shops and other ground floor pedestrian-active uses line the street, with residential, hotel and/or office space located above with step-back frontages. Wide sidewalks accommodate outdoor dining and landscaping and create pedestrian amenity zones with special streetscapes and lighting. Civitas’ designs and design guidelines for the public realm include rich details for the streetfront furnishings and materials that are not only scaled for comfort but also selected for durability and timelessness.

The site slopes down from east to west, so the master plan places taller buildings on the higher, eastern portion of the site to provide views from their higher floors and rooftops across the development. This approach creates a layered experience and aesthetic, and numerous terraces and roof decks offer expansive views of the city and mountains. On the sidewalks, steps, bench installations and landscaping also help to level the slope.

Open space and parks are integral to the health of the community, and the developer has been committed to set aside a minimum of 10% of the land area for such use, and to link the site’s pedestrian and bike access with regional trails. A large transit plaza is planned for civic uses and events in the site’s northeast corner parcel, adjacent to the light rail station. Additional open spaces are already activated with a popular dog park, beer garden and farmers market featuring local fare.

The region’s long-term resilience is a priority at Belleview Station. Public spaces feature sustainable, indigenous landscaping including waterwise plant and tree species, as well as low-power LED lighting. Every completed building within the district has achieved some level of LEED certification for energy efficiency and use of safe materials, and future construction will seek the same.

What’s made this development a success is the developer’s long-term vision and their desire to take a slow-and-steady, thoughtful approach to build a strong community foundation. With a goal to create a more urban and more interesting neighborhood, these owners have been motivated to make the public realm as engaging as possible, paired with unique and enticing architecture that hosts a variety of uses. The strategic blend of commercial, residential, retail and recreational space keeps Belleview Station active from morning to night, and this vibrant energy continues to draw more tenants to the mix.