Highlands' Garden Village
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Project Summary
| Client: | Affordable Housing Corporation (Denver, Colorado) |
| Type: | Neighborhood Plan; Design Guidelines |
| Program: | Adaptive reuse of 27-acre site, formerly an amusement park | 291 units | walkable retail village |
| Status: | Residential completed 2002 | Commercial completed 2007 |
| Links: | http://www.highlandsgardenvillage.net/ |
The community of Highlands' Garden Village, located 10 minutes northwest of downtown Denver, occupies the former site of the amusement park Elitch Gardens. The 27-acre site has been transformed into a mixed-use neighborhood with diverse community amenities, new open spaces, and a variety of housing opportunities. The community’s pedestrian-friendly design provides safe and convenient walking paths, with connectivity to primary areas of interest.
Housing at Highlands’ Garden Village is both diverse and contextually responsive. A wide range of rental and for-sale housing types help mix different income groups and family structures, fostering increased socio-economic integration and yielding a realistic balance of housing types for the balance of nearby jobs. Single-family homes at the site’s perimeter complement the character of the neighborhoods they face. Buildings constructed at Highlands are designed using a community-based design review process, cornerstone in soliciting public input.
Important cultural amenities at Highlands’ Garden Village include a school, a walkable retail village, and an historic theater renovated by a local non-profit. A network of gardens, plazas, and open spaces creates a vibrant, friendly neighborhood with ample public meeting space. Tree-lined streets form an attractive public armature for new development, while a restored urban creek, the preservation of mature trees, and incorporation of historic features help uphold the unique character of Highlands’ Garden Village.
