Aria Denver: New Neighborhood Spotlight

On a 17.5 acre site just minutes from downtown, there’s a new neighborhood taking shape called “Aria Denver”.  A wide variety of housing is under construction on the former Marycrest campus, just east of Regis University, near 52nd and Federal. This part of Northwest Denver, as well as Berkeley, Chafee Park, Sunnyside and Highland, has many assets that will contribute to its growth in the years ahead.  The area nearby feels like being in the country, for example, even though it’s just eight minutes to downtown by car. There’s also easy access to Boulder and the western suburbs. The new RTD light rail Gold Line will include stops nearby, on Federal and Pecos.

Aria Denver isn’t far from great restaurants like Cafe Brazil, Duo and Taquería El Trompito. It’s close to the Clear Creek Bike trail and near Rocky Mountain Lake, Jim Baker Reservoir and quite a few parks. With the new Gold Line nearby, even more parks, restaurants and other amenities will be close at hand . Commuting will get even easier.

Construction has begun at Aria Denver

Construction began with new housing for the Sisters of St. Francis, who will continue to live on the site. Designed by famed architect Michelle Kaufmann, the Sister’s contemporary prefab housing shows how interesting and unique Aria Denver will be. Kaufmann’s blog includes some fantastic photos of the housing as it was placed on the site and what the award-winning housing looks like now. Ms. Kaufmann is a wonderfully talented architect whose work adds to the unique and special quality of the new neighborhood. Casa Chiara, the Sister’s housing, won the Colorado Sustainability award in 2012.

Aria Denver will include townhomes and condominiums, as well as co-housing and senior housing. Phase One is under construction now. 13 townhomes, priced at $290-$425K and designed by Michelle Kaufmann Studio and Humphries Poli Architects will be available this summer. Phase Two will include another 13 townhomes and co-housing units for sale. These should be available in October 2014. The community will also include apartments for rent and retail space. Construction is estimated to be complete in 2017.

Aria Denver will follow Enterprise Green Communities standards. Developers aim to “integrate green building materials and principles into a project that promotes environmental quality, economic vitality and social benefits for all facets of the development.” Besides creating a more healthy living environment,  the community will strive to be energy efficient, to conserve water and to use materials like renewable bamboo and beetle-kill lumber, which are more beneficial for the environment than many traditional building materials.

Renowned developers Urban Ventures and Perry-Rose have partnered to create Aria Denver.  Urban Ventures is known for re-developing the former site of Elitch Gardens, not far from Aria Denver. That neighborhood – Highland Gardens Village – has become one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in Denver. I expect Aria Denver will be an exciting addition to the city, too. Wonderland Hill Development Company, with over 20 years experience, will help create Aria Denver’s co-housing. Co-housing originated in Denmark and encourages social contact between residents. It’s been growing in popularity in the United States since the 1980s. Wonderland Hills developed Hearthstone, a co-housing community within Highland Gardens Village.

I’m intimately familiar with Northwest Denver and this area in particular. I lived in a home that borders the Marycrest campus for seven years and still own that home, which is now one of my rental properties. If you’re interested in learning more about a home in the Aria Denver neighborhood, contact me.

If you’re interested in Aria Denver, you may also want to consider the new single-family homes at Midtown Denver.