In 1995 when the opening of Denver International Airport meant the closing of Stapleton International Airport, Denver had the unique opportunity to transform 7.5 square miles of runways, concourses and terminals into a beautiful new community. It would be the largest urban in-fill redevelopment in the country and, to this day, one of the largest in-fill projects ever.
The building of Stapleton started as a collaborative effort by business leaders, civic officials and citizens who wanted to have a say in how Denver should grow. They spent countless hours and much of their own money creating what became known as the Green Book, the guiding principles for the redevelopment of Stapleton. In 1998, the city of Denver selected Forest City to be the master developer for Stapleton and to make the vision of the Green Book a reality. In May 2001 the redevelopment began.
The idea was to take the best things about Denver’s classic neighborhoods – parks, welcoming front porches, ally-loaded garages, architectural diversity, tree-lined streets, more parks – and continue those urban patterns into new Denver neighborhoods. While applying some new thinking in the process. Like the use of water-wise landscaping and energy-efficient building standards on everything from homes to commercial spaces. Affordable housing, both for rent and sale, fitting seamlessly into the neighborhoods. And perhaps the most sustainable idea of them all: a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environment with everything you need a short walk or bike ride away.
Two decades later, Stapleton stands as a model for urban redevelopment worldwide.
Buzzing with bike races, farmers markets and concerts in the park, Stapleton now thrives at a grassroots level thanks to residents and business owners each adding their own touch. It has become a place that’s far better than anyone could have planned.
Over 10 years of public and private corporate cooperation has culminated in the creation of the Lane Field development opportunity in conjunction with the realization of the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan.
The Lane Field development site is bound by West Broadway to the south, Harbor Drive to the west, Pacific Highway to the east, and the US Naval Facilities Engineering compound to the north. The site has been utilized as a surface parking lot for cruise and general public parking since the 1960's and prior to that was the location of a baseball stadium known as "Lane Field" which was the home of the Pacific Coast League Padres from 1936 to 1957.
The Lane Field development team is working with the Port to redevelop an approximate 5.69 acre parking lot into a dual-branded hotel in a single building on the northern portion of the site fronting Pacific Highway and an approximately 2-acre public park on the western portion fronting Harbor Drive.
The Lane Field development located at 900 West Broadway will be downtown San Diego's premier waterfront destination. Lane Field is perfectly positioned in relationship to the Embarcadero waterfront attractions, museums, and Cruise Ship Terminal and is within walking distance of all of downtown San Diego's demand generators: San Diego Convention Center, Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, Horton Plaza, Downtown office buildings, and the Ballpark District.
*Multiple phases completed for Oxbow Design Collective and Civitas Inc.