The Joli is the latest Sun Valley development to open its doors to residents.
The debut of the eight-story apartment building at 980 Bryant St. signals the beginning of the final stage of the $450 million redevelopment of the neighborhood.
Sun Valley used to be a community of brick townhomes and single-family houses, one of the economically poorest and culturally richest in the city and filled with public housing.
Several years ago, the city tore down most of the old homes, demolished parks, relocated longtime neighbors and set out to build a mixed-income community.
Neighbors who had been living in affordable housing were given relocation assistance and are the priority applicants in the new buildings.
Community gardens and in-unit laundry
The project, designed by Oz Architecture and funded by the Denver Housing Authority, includes 126 units ranging from one to five bedrooms. They include apartments and townhouses, and 86 are designated as affordable.
Residents started moving in this week. The affordable units went fast, with a 700-person wait list for a spot, though market-rate units are still available for just under $2,000 a month.
Residents will enjoy community garden containers on rooftop patios and outdoor ping-pong tables. Units boast in-unit washers and dryers.
The project will eventually include a 6,900-square-foot food incubator and an 84,000-square-foot parking garage.
A Sun Valley native is helping her displaced neighbors find their way into these new builds
Alexandra Carrillo, whose family was displaced when the city demolished the neighborhood, has returned to another building near the Joli.
“It was well overdue for Sun Valley to get redeveloped,” she said.
She’s now working as a community connector for the Denver Housing Authority, helping old Sun Valley neighbors return to their neighborhood.
While the neighborhood's changes are startling, Carrillo is looking forward to the mixed-income community it is designed to serve. She believes that bringing people together across classes will lift everyone up.
The biggest perks she sees in the new construction are the functioning air conditioning, the healthy market, gyms, and other modern amenities that were missing in the old townhomes.
Yet she misses the tight-knit community of the old Sun Valley, and says it’s harder to connect with neighbors in the apartment buildings. The one time people come together is when there are official events.
And at least for now, there are fewer playgrounds for children. While there is a play area in her building, Carrillo says the parents don’t connect like they used to.
Carrillo looks forward to a new park opening next to the South Platte River at the end of 2026 and hopes it helps bring people together more regularly.
