Three years after developer Buzz Geller unveiled his vision for an iconic tower at Speer Boulevard and Larimer Street, the Lower Downtown Design Review Board on Thursday rejected the design.
Rejection of the slender condominium tower marking the gateway to Lower Downtown means the site likely will be developed into a low-rise retail and office building.
The board contended that many of the floorplates would be larger than the 7,500 square feet originally envisioned. Part of the concern was over spaces within the units that are double-high, adding 18 percent in volume. Board member and architect Joe Poli voted against rejecting Geller’s project.
Geller said that anything less than spectacular on the site would not sell, making it economically unfeasible to develop.
“Unless this is a special building not only on the outside but on the inside, this building isn’t going to get built and we’ve wasted our time and your time,” he said. “There has to be as much drama on the inside of that building as the outside.”
Geller, who has spent $1 million on the project over the past year, said his team was following guidelines set forth by the city’s planning department.
At a meeting a year ago, the planning department said the building conformed with its guidelines.
“We walked away from that meeting with the distinct impression that we had a green light,” said Ned Kirschbaum, principal and technical-design director at Fentress Architects.
City Councilman Charlie Brown, chairman of the city’s economic-development committee, said he was disappointed in the board’s decision and hopes a compromise can be reached.
Margaret Jackson: 303-954-1473 or mjackson@denverpost.com
