A citizens group in Denver, Friends of Union Station, has narrowly endorsed a redevelopment plan for the station that would bring light-rail trains to the depot underground and allow construction of a 45-story high-rise in the area.
The vote was 6-5 to support the plan of Union Station Partners, led by developer Cherokee Investment Partners.
In a statement, the Union Station support group said the Cherokee team’s plan is preferred because it “keeps all transit connections on the Union Station site” and promotes high-rise development and public spaces that complement each other.
The five-member minority on the Friends board of directors favors an alternate redevelopment plan for Union Station that calls for the light-rail platform to stay at street level, about two blocks – roughly 500 feet – west of the station. It also calls for less-dense development with lower building heights.
That plan was developed by Continuum Partners and East West Partners.
Officials of RTD, Colorado Department of Transportation, city and county of Denver and Denver Regional Council of Governments are expected to select the winning Union Station development team in the coming weeks.
Under the Continuum/East West plan, light-rail riders who want to transfer to underground commuter trains at Union Station have two options – take shuttle buses or moving sidewalks to travel the 500 feet.
Continuum/East West officials say some commuters arriving on underground light rail under the Cherokee scheme will be walking nearly as far or farther if they want to move from one train to the other, or from train to express bus.
The Cherokee-led plan costs about $100 million more than the Continuum/East West proposal.
