Denver’s Highlands neighborhood is poised to get 15 townhouses that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient.
Dorado Developments starts construction this week of Flats 15 at 33rd Avenue and Shoshone Street.
“East Highlands is the newest and hottest place,” said John Chavez, co-owner and partner of Dorado. “We’re piggy-backing on what’s happening in LoDo and Riverfront Park. There are a lot of bars and restaurants moving into the Highlands area.”
The project is being built with Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF), which are made with a recycled by-product of oil production. The ICF installation process produces little to no waste material. It also saves up to 30 trees per project. ICF adds less than 15 percent to the construction cost but reduces energy bills by about 40 percent.
Townhouses will range in size from 1,950 square fee to 2,400 square feet and cost $450,000 to $600,000.
While the Highlands is an up-and-coming neighborhood, the asking prices for the townhouses seem to be a little on the high side, said Ron Herdt, broker/owner of Cityscape Real Estate LLC. But the improved access to downtown makes the area desirable.
“It’s Vespa distance,” Herdt said. “I can see people living in a place like that and riding a scooter downtown.”
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-820-1473 or at mjackson@denverpost.com
