Apartments With Gas Pumps Proposed in Denver

Having shops on the ground floor is a convenient plus for apartment residents, but how about a gas pump?

A triangular lot in Denver’s Lower Highland neighborhood currently home to a Conoco gas station could become a mixed-use building with retail and restaurant space — and, yes, gas pumps — the Denver Business Journal reported. Preet Bajwa of Hi Market, a local convenience store chain with eight locations including the one at the site, is listed as one of the project applicants, according to the Business Journal.

The proposal filed with the city calls for transforming the 2727 Zuni Street property but keeping some of the gas pumps. It would align with the city of Denver’s recently updated regulations governing where gas stations can be built, including barring new stations from rising within 300 feet of low-intensity residential districts. Existing fuel stations such as the Conoco on site are exempt from the rules.

Plans submitted to the government by Steve Farris of consulting company Real Estate Garage propose constructing a five-story, 15,000-square-foot building on the lot. The first floor would be retail space, the second floor would be a cafe, and the top three floors would contain a total of 28 housing units. The fuel tanks would remain underground at the back of the lot along with four fuel pumps. Ken Cilia of KCA Architecture is also listed as an applicant and created the concept plan for submission.

To make it happen, the plans call for demolishing the existing Hi Market convenience store and building a new structure with approximately 3,000 square feet per floor. The development, dubbed Zuni Highlands Hub, would boast a rooftop deck, landscaping and seven parking spaces and feature a largely glass exterior.

The Highland neighborhood is on the lower end as far as Denver rents go. Apartments rent for an average of $2,336 in the neighborhood, according to RentCafe.

Meanwhile, across the river from Lower Highland, the Ballpark District is in the midst of a transformation of its own. The Ballpark Denver General Improvement District was formed last November by local property owners with the goal of fundraising and developing the area. In June, the district brought on a new director with experience in building up Chicago’s ballpark district.

Further south, the Burnham Yard rail depot is shaping up to become the new home of the Denver Broncos. Limited liability companies associated with the NFL team have been buying parcels around the property, fueling talks of construction of a new home for the three-time Super Bowl champions. — Chris Malone Méndez