Recently the Denver Infill blog finally got permission to write about a very exciting project that when completed will fill a very large void in Downtown Denver’s Central Business District.  999 17th Street is being developed by Shea Properties and will occupy half of an entire city block along Curtis Street between 17th and 18th adjacent to the Hotel Monaco and Residence Inn - Marriott.

Besides being a great project it is of interest to me because right after I returned back from college I worked at the U.S. Bank building right across the street and used to park on the very site of this proposed project.  I really hope this project goes forward as it will really shore up the street wall along Curtis and provide much need density to the core of our Downtown.

I took a walk down to the site this past Saturday to see it first hand.  All that is left of when I used to park there was the ATM building although it is now abandoned.  The former drive up bank building has been demolished and U.S. Bank has also vacated their former main branch location adjacent to the site.  When you are walking along that block it is really exciting to imagine what a change 999 17th Street will bring to this part of the city. 

Besides this important project, Two Tabor and 1800 Larimer are in very close proximity.  Add to that the complete demolition and remodel of the front plaza and lobby of 1001 17th Street - formerly the U.S. West/Qwest building - and you can see how much capital investment is happening in this part of Downtown.

Ling & Louie’s is coming to Downtown Denver.  Recently signage went up at the Tabor Center across from Writer’s Square indicating that the vacant former Casual Corner and Petite Sophisticate ground floor retail spots along the 16th Street mall will be the home for this new Downtown eatery.

This is not their first location in the City of Denver as they opened a location at the Shops of Northfield out by the Stapleton redevelopment about a year ago.  I ate at that location once before and it was pretty good - it was kind of like PF Chang’s or a Pei Wei Asian Diner but different.  A story about the founder of the chain out of Scottsdale Arizona gives insight as to how Ling & Louie’s is unique as well as their expansion plans can be found on their corporate website.

This location will be only the third in the United States that is corporate owned with ambitious plans for future franchises throughout the country.  According to their website they plan to change the menu regularly so there is always something to come back for.  It is interesting to me that while they have Asian influences they refer to themselves as a “neighborhood bar & grill”.

Regardless I think this is great simply because it fills up about 2,500 square feet of vacant retail space along the 16th Street Mall.  I think that with the Cheesecake Factory and ESPN Zone it will be a great tourist and visitor draw and help further activate this part of the mall.  With two other vacant spots next to it and the former Palomino space up the mall we need to get retailers into these spots!

Ling & Louie’s will open this summer.

After my recent field trip to check out the new Denver Sheraton I noticed some construction fencing around the Seal Pond in Civic Center Park. Upon further investigation I discovered three workers stripping off the tacky blue paint that has been coating the bottom of the pond for years.               

I suspect the work is one of the many projects currently underway in Downtown Denver to get the Mile High City ready for its close-up during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. It would be an understatement to say I was overjoyed at seeing almost a third of the paint gone. I really hope that once the paint is gone they will fix the fountain 100% and have it fully functioning again by this August.

Yet another project has commenced in anticipation of the Democratic National Convention coming to Denver in August.  If you happen to walk by 16th and California you will see a very big change - the entire stretch of sidewalk in front of the Denver Dry Building has been torn out and is being upgraded.

They are moving fast!  Since I started this entry they have already replaced the sidewalk portion of the streetscape project.  In the next phase will come granite planters similar to the ones found on the Hyatt Convention Center Hotel block.  The final step will be new landscaping and LED uplighting for the new trees and banners.  This will be a really nice upgrade for the Denver Dry block, DNC attendees and future convention visitors to Downtown.

Through work I was lucky enough to get two free tickets to one of the last performances of My Fair Lady which was at the Denver Center for Performing Arts through April 6th. Our tickets were for the 2pm matinee last Saturday afternoon. The last show I saw at the Buell Theater was when Wicked was in town.

Lisa O’Hare Applause Magazine Cover

I can honestly say that our performance was phenomenal.  We got great seats and Eliza Doolittle played by Lisa O’Hare was fantastic.  The set design was the best I have seen in a very long time.  My favorite set was Henry Higgins’ study which was two levels complete with actual furniture and had an amazing attention to detail.

All of the production numbers were great as was the lighting - I can only imagine how complicated things were back stage!  What really occurred to me was how alive the DCPA was even at this time of day - LimeLight Supper Club & Lounge was packed and there were tons of people milling about.  This performance changed my mind about matinees at the DCPA. 

I am certainly looking forward to the rest of their 2008 season of A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia!, Sweeny Todd, Avenue Q, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Jersey Boys.

We got up earlier than usual on Saturday and (once out and about) pondered the never ending question of “Where should we go for brunch?” We had planned to go back to Rioja in Larimer Square which I first wrote about on November 7th.  The homemade donuts made such an impression we were craving them again.

Well a quick Google search on my BlackBerry informed us that we were an hour out before Rijoa opened for brunch. To kill time we decided to drive up into the Highlands. Once there we drove past LOLA - 1575 Boulder St - and noticed a few people enjoying their patio and decided to circle back and check out their brunch.

We were seated right away and got the last table on the patio.  The view of the Downtown skyline was so beautiful and the weather was great.  We started with their Panitas which was an assortment of pastries.  The scone, banana bread and blueberry muffin we got were still warm and were the freshest baked goods I have ever had.  To top that off the Panitas came with honey, blood orange marmalade, and a devious mango butter.

For my entree I had their El Admiral which was two eggs that came with an asadero grit cake and smoked bacon.  My significant other chose their LOLA Bowl which was pork belly, bbq shrimp, grilled potatoes and a sunnyside egg served together in a bowl over black beans.  My grit cake was very good and I think I will go with a LOLA Bowl the next time we go.

They have a two sided bar on the patio as well as an entire club in the basement called BELOLA that we want to come back and check out for happy hour sometime.  Afterwards we walked down to the Highland Pedestrian Bridge and crossed over I-25 into Commons Park.  The bridge is gorgeous and the park was teeming with dogs and their owners.  It is easy to see why so many people like the Highlands.

Due to a cancelled reservation we were able to snag a table at Fruition - 1313 East 6th Avenue - last Friday night. I have been raving about this restaurant since we first went there last Summer. It continues to garner praise both locally and nationally.

For my entree I chose the Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast with Duck Prosciutto and Red Onion Marmalade that was served on a bed of Carnaroli Risotto.  I had never had Duck Prosciutto before and it was amazing.

We usually pass on dessert but decided to try their Blond Carrot Cake that came with Cream Cheese Ice Cream.  WOW.  What a way to end a meal.  Between the attentive staff, intimate atmosphere and phenomenal food I highly reccommend it (if you can get in).  We called this time but usually use Open Table.

I attended a promotional event for the first rental community being built in the Ballpark neighborhood in almost a decade last Friday afternoon (2008 Rockies Opener). Located right across the street from Coors Field, Twenty One|01 Market, is re-purposing the long vacant Piggly Wiggly warehouse located at 21st & Market streets - 2101 Market St..

When finished this phase of the development will have 226 apartments in an 8 story building that includes both new construction and rehabbed space. They have added two floors on top of the old Piggly Wiggly warehouse and that portion of the project will offer rental lofts. The rest of the project is brand new construction with two levels of underground parking.

Phase two (another 200+ units) of the project will be where construction staging is currently located along Blake Street between 21st and 23rd St.  I think it such a great re-use of an old historic structure.  Personally I have hoped for years someone would do something with the long vacant warehouse.  I got to meet some of their staff who were great and are very excited about their project.  I look forward to touring the community when it is finished.

Having previously worked across from Coors Field for four years I usually steer clear of that part of Downtown on the opening day for the Colorado Rockies. This year it turned out that I was invited to an event just one block away on Market Street so I planned to go to lunch with a friend at McCormick’s Fish House and then walk on down to the event afterwards.

Lunch was good - I had great shrimp and Portobello salad - and by the time I was walking down Blake Street towards Coors Field the game had just started so the crowds were starting to dissipate a bit.  Crossing 20th was an adventure but overall it was a great day and it was fun to share in the excitement of the new season.  I got to see both the F-16 flyover and balloon release.  I hope the Rockies make it to the World Series again this year (even though they lost the game)!

Last Thursday night I attended an open house event at the 1401 Lawrence Sales Center.  The crowd at the party appeared to be future or potential owners and was very lively.  I have blogged about this project a couple of times, most recently in November.  I did not take photos as there are plenty in my previous posts.

What made this event really enjoyable for me was that it was catered by The Capital Grille which is probably my favorite steakhouse in Denver located in Larimer Square at 1450 Larimer St..  They had a carving station with beef tenderloin which was perfectly cooked (it was so tender I was able to cut it with a table knife).  They also passed miniature versions of their lobster and crab cakes and other great appetizers.  I have only dined there once before a couple of years ago during Denver Restaurant Week but my experience was very memorable.

Every time I go through the 1401 Lawrence 2500+ square foot model residence I cannot get over how well they have incorporated storage space throughout the home.  I know that anyone lucky enough to snag one of these units will never have trouble reselling them.  Combine great design and views of Downtown Denver and you can’t go wrong.  I have said it before - 1401 Lawrence is bringing a whole new level of modern design to Downtown Denver and I certainly think it is about time.

I really hope they break ground sooner than the planned date in December.  It will be so great to walk down 14th St. from Larimer towards Champa and pass three skyline changing projects (1401 Lawrence, Four Seasons Private Residences Denver and SPIRE).  For now I will have to wait.