Page 24 - CCD Magazine-Spring 2019

Downtown’s Independent Plaza Gets Lobby Makeover
Kieding, a Denver-based interior architecture and design firm has completed the renovation of the 8,700 square foot Independence Plaza lobby. Completed in 1972, the Class A LEED Gold Certified building spans 25 floors at 1050 Seventeenth Street.
The expansive lobby is large and open with a dramatic circular soffit dominating the whole of the space.
At the center of the soffit—sometimes referred to as “the mothership” by management-- is the new elevator feature. Kieding’s design called for back-painted glass panels wrapping around the structure, which measures eleven feet on each side and 34 feet high. LED strip lighting behind the panels lends a low-impact glow to the entirety of the tower. The elevator’s location near the back of the lobby is a natural gathering space where a variety of seating choices are available for both work and leisure.
Vertex, the general contractor had to build temporary walls with graphic signage around the work area to keep out noise and dust without closing off elevator operations during the remodel period.
Cathy Harris, vice president and project manager with Denver’s JLL, provided oversight for the renovation. “The final project matched the design vision of the asset manager exactly” she noted. “The renderings clearly communicated the vision and the project was executed and delivered with no surprises.”
Adolfson & Peterson Construction Celebrates Groundbreaking of the New Hayden Secondary School Project
Hayden students and staff, Adolfosn & Peterson Construction (AP) recently broke ground on the new Hayden Pk-12 School, a project partially funded by a Colorado Department of Education BEST Grant.
The new school, designed by Cuningham Group, totals 136,500 sf with the addition and renovation. The 99,000- sf addition will include new middle and high school classrooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, kitchen and administration offices. Renovations to the existing
school, totaling 37,470 sf, will include safety and security upgrades and the reconfiguration of spaces to maximize programming needs.
“We look forward to improving this facility for the students and staff of Hayden,” said AP Superintendent Rick Sorensen. “We know how these buildings shape the people that use them, and we can’t wait to contribute.” The school is anticipated to open at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year and is on the CHPS program.
RTD Launches 15L East Colfax Route Improvement Project
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) will launch the 15L East Colfax Route Improvement project to upgrade 37 bus stops between Broadway in Denver and I-225 in Aurora to include enhanced shelters with lighting, security cameras and benches. Six stops will have programmable information display systems installed as part of a pilot program. Other improvements such as queue bypass lanes, bus bulbouts (curb extensions) and expanded boarding areas will be added in key locations along the corridor.
The 15L East Colfax Route Improvements project is the first significant investment made to the 15L route in 30 years. The 15 and 15L routes combined carry approximately 24,000 passengers on weekdays, which is comparable to the southwest light rail corridor (C and D lines combined).
The Regional Transportation District celebrates 50 years of service this year. The transit agency develops, operates and maintains a public transportation system that meets the need of close to 3 million people within an eight- county service area in the Denver Metro region.
24 | Colorado Construction & Design
Project Updates