Cherry Creek North Design Guidelines - City and County of Denver

URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES
GUIDELINES
◗ Because of the way the design of the parking levels are
◗ Parking lots should not be placed at the sidewalk edge because it
breaks the continuity of retail on the street, particularly if a parking
lot is placed on a corner lot.
◗ Buildings on corner lots should be designed to serve special
functions: they enclose the intersection and anchor the ends of
blocks, serve as landmarks, and are more visible than interior lots,
and therefore contribute more to the character of the area.
◗ Where parking is located on a site with a building, locate the parking
at the rear and/or to one side of the building (away from the street).
This will minimize gaps in the continuous building wall of the
block.
◗ If access to parking interrupts the continuity of ground floor retail
between multi story buildings on a block face, the upper floors
should be continued over the access drive to at least create
continuity of facades.
◗ The number of curb cuts should be minimized to reduce conflicts
between pedestrians and automobiles and increase the opportunities
for landscaping the planting strip between the sidewalk and the
curb. Where possible, and where cooperation exists, adjacent owners
should share curb cuts (driveways). Where possible, and where
cooperation exists, adjacent owners should share curb cuts
(driveways).
◗ Where a parking lot or parking structure is next to a public sidewalk
or visible from the public right-of-way, a landscape buffer 5 feet
wide or equal to the setback of the adjacent building must be
provided. This way the front edge of a parking lot or structure will
line up with the building facades on either side and a continuous
integrated with the storefront level in this facade, you
are hardly aware of the parking levels above.
setback line is maintained down the street. Plant this area with trees
spaced 20 feet apart and shrubs to reach a height of about 3 feet at
maturity, planted 5 feet apart. About half of the shrubs should be
evergreens.
◗ Landscaping and/or low walls, screens, etc. should be used to screen
views of cars and to soften the streetscape. (Refer to “Rules and
Regulations for the Landscaping of Parking Areas, City and County
of Denver, Revised May 10, 1989).
◗ Parking structures should be designed so that they are compatible
with buildings in the area: As a first step, the horizontal and vertical
elements of the parking structure façade should be similar to those
of adjacent structures. Also, the spacing and proportions of openings
in the façade should be similar to those of windows on adjacent
buildings. The same or similar materials and textures should be used
on the façade of a parking structure to match adjacent buildings.
◗ Parking structures should be designed with retail or other active uses
at the ground floor sidewalk edge. Design buildings with belowgrade
parking or by locating retail or personal service uses along the
street frontage with parking behind. Parking within a parking
structure at ground level at the street frontage is strongly
discouraged.
◗ The design of parking structures should be architecturally integrated
with the design and structure of the buildings they serve. Consider
ways of treating the façade of the parking structure portion of a
building to make it match the façade of the rest of the building.
Blank walls may even be covered with display cases.
17