A mostly empty parking lot at The Shops at Northfield in Central Park could be covered in homes, shops and more after the Denver City Council approved a rezoning on Monday.
The 16-acre tract of land on the northeast side of the mall was previously zoned for multi-unit housing, which allowed for tall housing developments but not ground-floor retail.
Under the new zoning, Stockdale Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm, can move forward with plans to convert the space into what they’re calling a “15-minute city.”
The developers hope to build about 1,500 residential units above ground-floor commercial stores. At least 10 percent of the units will be reserved as affordable housing for people making less than 60 percent of the area median income, according to the rezoning application.
The property is bounded by 47th Avenue and Northfield Boulevard and Verbena and Willow streets.
Local opinion on the rezoning has been split.
While city council and city planners supported the rezoning, concerns about the proposal have split nearby residents.
In feedback collected by city planners, residents who supported the development said it would breathe new life into a struggling commercial area. Those in opposition said the new development would strain traffic in the area. Feedback was split about 50-50.
However, at Monday’s public hearing on the rezoning, most, if not all, of the speakers were in support of the rezoning.
“I honestly think it's just going to raise the game as opposed to a surface parking lot — positive for the businesses in the area and just levels up everything from the schools to the places that we recreate,” said Oliver Miles, a Central Park resident.
Councilmember Shontel Lewis, who represents the district, asked developers to address concerns about increased traffic.
Chris Vogelsang, who did traffic analysis for the contractors, said they did numerous studies and found that due to the area’s growth, increased traffic will be inevitable. However, he added that roadways in the area are designed to handle more capacity.
Ultimately, Denver City Council voted unanimously to approve the rezoning.
