Reve Nearing Completion

Nothing is better than witnessing challenging projects come to fruition. After a multi-year planning and entitlement process, Southern Land Company’s Reve development project is in the final stages of construction. Last month, The Trestle team along with the City’s new Planning and Development Services director, was fortunate enough to walk the construction zone and view the amazing units and quality of development this project provides the Boulder community.

Trestle Strategy Group guided Southern Land Company and the project team through a rigorous entitlement process involving rezoning, conceptual planning, site review, and multiple other foreseen and unforeseen hurdles along the way. Strong relationships and communications channels were nurtured with key city staff employees and decision makers to ensure the project was a success for both the Tennessee based development company and the City of Boulder.

The 6-acre project features 244 units and over 130,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, while straddling the Left Hand Ditch. The ditch is a key focal point of the design, drawing people into the center of the development where they will be immersed into one of the City’s most activated places. Be sure to check it out soon!

University Hill Hotel - A Revitalizing Project

Since 2014 the City of Boulder has been studying various opportunities for reinvestment and economic revitalization for the University Hill Commercial Area. After additional studies, Nichols Partnership has proposed to redevelop a key area of the hill and transform it into a mixed use development featuring a hotel, retail space, and various restaurant/cafe spaces. This key area was identified by the City as an ‘opportunity site’ and a catalyst site’ having the potential to stimulate the stagnant commercial neighborhood.

Over the past year, Trestle Strategy Group has been guiding the University Hill Hotel redevelopment project through the City of Boulder’s entitlement process. With concept review completed in Q1 2020, the project is in the middle of a site and use review with the goal of progressing to the next step in Q1 2021.

Situated on 1.43 acres, SAR Architecture and the project team has designed a 55 foot tall development including over 180 hotel rooms and nearly 10,000 SF of commercial space, while maintaining 30% open space. Two connected plazas flow into the project and are designed for day to day gatherings and for larger events. These plazas are intended to be the center of public-life for the Hill.

This vibrant mixed-use development will revitalize the University Hill Commercial Area by stabilizing a year-round economy through the creation of a destination focused on the visitor experience. Additional community benefit generated by the project includes energy efficient buildings, a tenant relocation program, transportation demand management practices, and partnerships with CU including student opportunities.

Renderings provided by SAR Architecture.

Partner Feature - JVA

JVA and Trestle guided the Reve project through multiple challenges.

For more than 7 years now, we have had the pleasure to work closely with JVA Consulting Engineers. The engineering firm consists of highly skilled professionals who understand civil, structural, and environmental complexities and can transform challenging problems into real life solutions. JVA is a smart and well connected company that can communicate complex scientific and technical issues in an intelligible, sensible, and accessible manner, which is always appreciated by project partners and communities. They remain committed to meeting design objectives while always smiling and laughing throughout the development process. More specifically, we enjoy working with Charlie Hager for his leadership, Sharon Procopio for her technical skills and responsiveness, and Cody Gratney for his commitment and knowledge. 

Trestle and JVA have partnered on a number of large scale projects in the Boulder area, creating value for our clients and the overall community. A few of these projects include  upgrading the Boulder and Left Hand Ditch into a community amenity for the Southern Land Company’s Reve project, creating a unique infrastructure replacement and robust community engagement program for the City of Boulder’s Ponderosa Community Stabilization project, and working within PUD and wetland requirements to construct a unique facility while expanding an existing facility for Emerson Micro Motion. Currently, the two firms are guiding Nichols Partnership through complex entitlements, varying topography, and challenging infrastructure constraints for the future University Hill Hotel. 

We look forward to continuing to work with JVA in the years to come. Congrats to Cody Gratney on his recent promotion!

City of Boulder Development Review Process Still Possible

Photo by Nathan Dumlao

Even during these uncertain times, the ability to work through the City of Boulder’s development entitlement processes has not stopped. While City offices remain closed, the municipal engine hasn’t stopped. The City of Boulder’s Planning and Development Services department (among other departments) remains operational and continues to review development and redevelopment projects. Additionally, the City is now (and finally) accepting 100% electronic applications; no more paying hundreds to thousands of dollars in professional printing fees and wasting countless reams of paper. With new City process come new stepping-stones and requirements that Trestle has been navigating on a number of projects.

The ability to work remotely has enabled City employees and our dedicated project team to maintain virtual communications. All of our projects are steadily progressing to full entitlement and/or technical documents approval. While new application and resubmittal processes exist for projects in the early to middle entitlement phases, projects nearing final approval will face Planning Board and City Council meeting changes. Under these uncertain times, all City Board and Council meetings are now being held remotely with all persons participating via zoom; no in-person gatherings are permitted. The public still has the opportunity to weigh in and contribute to these key discussions.

The City’s standard 3-week submittal timeline breaks from its standard routine as we near the holidays. There are only two concept, use, and site review application opportunities remaining in 2020. These key dates come at the end of October and November and may burden the City with multiple new applications from various project teams striving to submit before the end of the year. The City’s 2021 submittal dates have not yet been published. We will keep you posted on upcoming dates as we find out. As always, if you are exploring a project on Boulder, please reach out to us. We love to be involved in early stage due diligence, design, and strategy.

Nature Conservancy’s Early Real Estate Planning Results in Wonderful Office

Last year, the Nature Conservancy in Boulder was forced to take immediate action while questioning their office space. Their staff was becoming increasingly sick due to an unknown mold issue within their building. Once aware of the situation, the entire staff grabbed their belongings and bolted for a temporary office location in South Boulder. With an unsafe office and no clear path forward, hypothetical questions started arising about the future.

Trestle Strategy Group was hired to conduct a space needs assessment where we analyzed the situation, provided preliminary costs estimates, reviewed suitable relocation markets, and analyzed various buy, sell, lease, and renovate scenarios in order to provide the Nature Conservancy a clear path forward. While analyzing complex inter-company finances, entertaining the idea of a move to Denver, and touring state-of-the-art offices in Golden, it wasn’t until realizing the Nature Conservancy owned their office out-right that a decision was made. Within a very short time-frame and by navigating a very complex decision making body, Trestle encouraged the Nature Conservancy to reinvest in their loved location. 

One year later, the Nature Conservancy has successfully transformed their dark and dreary office filled with very tall cubicles into an employee’s dream office that truly represents the organization’s mission. Not only did Trestle’s preliminary scenario analysis result in the office renovation, but it prevented potential employee turnover and illustrated leadership’s commitment to its existing staff, their emotional and physical well-being, and their real estate asset.