New residential buildings have been rising in the working-class West Colfax neighborhood -- especially near Sheridan Station, on the border of Denver and Lakewood.
The latest land being eyed for development: A plot of weedy land near 14th Ave. and Sheridan Blvd. The tract is currently surrounded by graffitied fencing.
Concept plans, the first step in any new project, were turned into the city's planning department by Kody Cronan of Pivotal Architecture, a Denver firm, on behalf of Fish Investments, LLC. Cronan did not respond to requests for comment.
Here's what the new apartments would look like.
If built, the structure would be made of bricks or blocks and rise six stories, including a ground-level concrete podium, according to the application. The units would be for rent -- and at least some would be income-restricted.
The ground floor would include 44 parking spots and some amenities, the second and third levels would include a gym, storage and a conference room, and the rest of the building would be residential.
On top of the building would be a roof-top deck, and on the second floor there would be a landscaped dog run around 3,700 feet.
In the application, Cronan described the plan as an "enhanced affordable housing project."
While all new developments are required to include income-restricted housing under the city's new Expanding Housing Affordability rules, developers who add extra units get perks when it comes to things like height and parking allowances.
Sheridan Station, which is on the RTD's W Line, has already seen growing density since the lightrail line was built in 2013.
That includes the nearby Sheridan Station Apartments, which were built by Brinshore Development and the Urban Land Conservancy, bringing 133 permanently affordable housing units to the neighborhood.
On nearby blocks, there is a mix of older single-family housing and ritzy duplexes and two-story single-family homes on split lots.
