Cherry Creek North Design Guidelines - City and County of Denver

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2 Cherry Creek North is unique. It has character or a feel that is different from any other part of Denver. The character of a place can be defined as the quality of the relationship between the place and the observer, whether motorist or pedestrian. Character is developed in the mind of the observer out of his/her interaction with the objects of the landscape: including masses of buildings, trees, open spaces, street furniture, details, materials, colors, the relationships between these objects, and the rhythms and sequences of their placement. This publication is concerned with these objects of the landscape as they appear in Cherry Creek North to create the area’s sense of place. If the District’s character is well defined, both in terms of physical appearance and market niche, Cherry Creek North will be able to compete with large single-entity retail developments like the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and other retail districts such as the Sixteenth Street Mall. As private properties redevelop it is essential that they respect and reinforce the District’s character and contribute to the way we perceive its sense of place. It is our hope that, as a result of the streetscape projects and these guidelines, in the years ahead the public will see the Cherry Creek North District as having a unified image, greater in impact and higher in quality than would otherwise have been achieved by a collection of individual projects, each with its own competing and disconnected image. CHERRY CREEK NORTH Context The streetscape project completed in October of 1989 in Cherry Creek North represents more than a coordinated system of streetscape elements. It represents a joint venture of district property owners, retailers and the City to create a retail center of the highest quality. The District and the City together spent $9 million to refurbish and place utilities underground and to design and build streetscape improvements and a pedestrian plaza that will firmly establish the District’s identity and enable it to compete with any similar shopping district in the nation. The District’s character was defined, and designs were produced that embody it. Design elements were then placed throughout the district to reinforce that character and to set the direction for the future. It is recognized that the success of the district could also mean the erosion of its character if speculation and insensitive development were allowed unchecked. To protect this investment, the City now requires that all projects be reviewed by the Design Advisory Board before a building permit is granted. History The redevelopment of Cherry Creek Shopping Mall was a center of controversy for over 15 years until 1984 when the City, under newly elected Mayor Peña, established a comprehensive neighborhood planning committee. A steering committee of representatives from each neighborhood association in the area was formed and, with the City’s help, spent the next two years drafting the Cherry Creek Neighborhood Plan. At the
URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES same time, the Taubman Company prepared, with review by the steering committee, a plan for the successful redevelopment of the shopping center. Recognizing the threat to the viability of the Cherry Creek North Stores, the Taubman Company funded the creation of a design concept for the Cherry Creek North streetscape project. Out of this plan grew the impetus to form a local improvement district to build the streetscape project. The idea was to renovate the shopping district at the same time as the shopping center was being built and to have both projects come together in one giant stroke. The streetscape was completed in October 1989. In 1988 the Design Advisory Board was established by ordinance, and a draft version of the Design Guidelines was prepared. In 1989, the Cherry Creek North Design Zoning Advisory Committee was formed to develop new zoning regulations. Out of this effort the Design Advisory Board’s Design Guidelines were pushed toward their final form. The purpose of these guidelines is to alert architects and developers to community concerns, and to guide the Design Advisory Board in their review process. Any project proposed for Cherry Creek North whose cost is more than $10,000, is subject to design review by the Design Advisory Board and the City’s Planning staff. Before a project is issued a building permit, it must be reviewed by the Design Advisory Board and city planning staff, whose recommendations are sent to the Zoning Administrator. The Zoning administrator approves or denies the project. An appeal process of the administration’s decision is provided for in the ordinance. The Review Process The design review process applies to all zone lots within the Cherry Creek North zone district boundaries and will also be required for all Planned Unit Development amendment applications for zone lots contiguous to the Cherry Creek North District. The design review process can be initiated by contacting the Denver Planning and Community Development Office to schedule a pre-application meeting. Project designers are strongly encouraged to request a pre-application conference in the conceptual or even discussion stage of the design process. The pre-application process provides an opportunity for informal discussion of the specific circumstances of the project and how the guidelines might affect its development. At this meeting the applicant will be given details of the review process and submittal requirements. There are two review procedures, depending on the estimated cost of the project. They are as follows: 3
Page 1: D ESIGN GUIDELINES for C H E R R Y
Page 4 and 5: ii CHERRY CREEK NORTH Signs . . . .
Page 8 and 9: 4 ■ Process when Exterior Improve
Page 10 and 11: 6 The guidelines generally address
Page 12 and 13: Buildings Retail Continuity at the
Page 14 and 15: Buildings 10 Storefront Design Arca
Page 16 and 17: Buildings 12 Sidewalk Cafes Handica
Page 18 and 19: Buildings Street Wall Amelioration
Page 20 and 21: Parking 16 Parking INTENT ◗ CHERR
Page 22 and 23: Plazas Plazas Landscaping Paving Tr
Page 24 and 25: Plazas 20 Seating Pedestrian Lighti
Page 26 and 27: Plazas 22 Telephone Booths Litter R
Page 28 and 29: Signs 24 Business Signs INTENT ◗
Page 30 and 31: Streetscape 26 Street Trees Pedestr
Page 32 and 33: Streetscape 28 Intersection Markers
Page 34 and 35: Streetscape 30 Newspaper Dispensers

Cherry Creek North Design Guidelines - City and County of Denver

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