Young, professional, competitive and male. That’s who Andy Clay, managing director of development for Alliance Residential, envisions living in Denver’s new Broadstone Blake Street property, being built directly across the street from Coors Field.
Although Blake Street is located in a historic city district where developers have traditionally shied away from street-level access to units, architect Harsh Parikh, president of Parikh Stevens Architects, decided to take a different approach. “In our minds, this more urban, younger demographic has fewer security concerns and more of a desire to engage with the street,” he says. “I can see some residents jumping out their front door and getting on their bikes for work or exercise, and on game days, opening their doors and letting the noise and energy enter in.”
That game day energy translated to other design considerations for the building as well, as Blake Street features the same exterior brick as the stadium, and is built in-scale with the rest of the neighborhood. It will feature a rooftop deck where residents can enjoy a view onto the field, and some of the mezzanine units look directly down into the stadium. Other amenities include a putting green and massive fitness center with cross fit training options.
“What we want to do is strike a good balance,” Clay says. “Generally [these amenities] appeal to men, but are attractive to women as well without alienating potential female residents.”
Koi
Alliance is thinking about Gen Y renters in Seattle as well, but has another target renter in mind with its newBroadstone Koiproperty. Located on the eastern edge of the Ballard neighborhood, one of the hottest rental markets in Seattle today, Koi residents will settle into a prime location with a straight route to the University of Washington or downtown to work, says architect Brandon Nicholson, principal at Nicholson Kovalchick Architects.
And because it's Seattle, many potential residents work at Google or Amazon. For that reason, Alliance wants the building to be as high-tech as possible. Entryways in each unit will have a built-in iPod/cell phone charging station. There will be connectivity stations in the lobby, similar to airport kiosks, where residents can pay their rent and have access to an internal Craigslist to sell and buy furniture. The leasing office will utilize iPads to show potential renters around the property.
“The most important thing for renters today is to be in touch at all times,” says Suzi Morris, Alliance’s director of development for the Pacific Northwest Division.
The building will also be LEED silver certified and will feature large courtyards and a green rooftop deck. The project is expected to be completed next year, while Blake Street is expected to be completed in early 2014.
