Skip to main content

Spotlight on Community: Metropolitan Homes at Boulevard One – On the Boards

On The Boards:

Boulevard One is a new community in Denver’s award-winning Lowry neighborhood, formerly the end of Runway One at the Lowry Air Force Base.

Consilium Design is pleased to be working again with Peter Kudla, CEO at Metropolitan Homes, on their contribution to this new community. We appreciate his commitment to creating such high quality, alluring neighborhoods.

Within Boulevard One, Metropolitan Homes has developed a stunning luxury condominium district, with secured underground parking and a park-like setting.  Contemporary, sustainable designs offer a unique blend of an urban vibe and a family environment. The area plan also features trails that surround outdoor gathering spaces, bike and pedestrian paths, locally-commissioned art, easy access to Lowry cafes and shops, and is only a short distance from downtown Denver and Cherry Creek.

By developing Boulevard One, Lowry has thoughtfully expanded the neighborhood’s variety and created this sustainable, forward-thinking community that consists of single-family homes, rowhomes, attached homes, luxury condominiums and apartments. Boulevard One and Metropolitan Homes are bringing people together in beautiful living spaces, indoors and out.

Project Spotlight: Cloud City Farm

Cloud City Farm sits on a two-and-a-half-acre property within walking distance from the Community Field and every 3rd through 12th grade classroom in Lake County, Colorado.

The complex includes: a 1,300-square foot growing dome, a 2160-square foot high tunnel, outdoor raised beds, community gardens, and composting facilities (see below).

This project will make fresh local produce available to the Lake County community through community-supported agriculture farm shares, a third of which are reserves for low-income families.

Workshops will be held at the farm to teach gardening skills. Other educational opportunities include: internships for high school student, and partnerships with school and summer programs.

The logistical phase of the project started with Lake County School District allowing us to use the land. Barnabas Kane of Consilium Design (also a C4 Board member) and the Cloud City Conservation Center (C4) worked together to assist with planning and layout of the farm operation.

This project has been nearly 3 years in the making. C4 has previously implemented energy-efficiency and recycling programs to the county and saw the need to build the capacity within the community to be able to grow even a small portion of their food locally and teach future generations how to grow food as well.

The Consilium Interview Series – Craig Karn

For our first installment of the Consilium Interview Series, we will be conducting staff interviews to give you a chance to meet some of the incredible members of our team. We recently conducted the following Q&A with Craig Karn, Principal of Consilium Design.


Where did you grow up?

Richmond, Indiana and Grand Haven, Michigan.

Were you influenced at an early age by architecture, landscaping, etc.?  If not, what or who WERE you influenced by?

I have been an outdoor person my whole life. I have been a gardener since grade school. I spent many of my grade school summers in summer school at the Hayes Arboretum near my home, learning about bugs, trees and critters of all kinds. As a Boy Scout, I learned about stewardship of the natural environment and living in the great outdoors.

What was your path to becoming a LA?

My path to landscape architecture is different than most. Many people I know found their way to landscape architecture while they were in college pursuing another degree. I learned about the profession from my high school guidance counselor after he quizzed me about my interest in art, gardening and science. Then he told me I could go to landscape architecture school at Michigan State University. The rest is history-go green!

How did you end up in Colorado?

I took the long way. After struggling to find and keep work in the profession in Michigan after graduating in 1980, I moved to Houston, Texas where I knew I could find work in the boom town. I came to Denver in the fall of 1982 to visit a dear college friend. After a trip over Berthoud Pass in a snow storm and a hike into Rocky Mountain National Park the next day, the deal was done. By the spring of 1983 Denver was home.

Where were you before joining CD?

Before Consilium Design was founded, I worked at Nuszer Kopatz Urban Design Associates.

What do you like/love about what you do?  What gets you passionate about a project?

The thing that makes me like “a pig in mud” is drawing and creating something from nothing. It’s like a puzzle with all the pieces, but no picture to guide you. My passion comes from challenging the status quo. The truly great places in this world are great because they exist nowhere else. It is the anomaly in a pattern of sameness that stands out, not the pattern. In the modern city squares and straight lines serve their purpose, but I am always looking for opportunities to draw circles.

Do you have a favorite project that you have worked on?

After 37 years of practice, picking a favorite is tough. I would say my favorite project of late is probably Sun Kingdom. Not so much because of the work itself, but the life experiences the work afforded me. I may never do work in China again, but I will always remember the place and will always have the friends I made half way around the world.

Advice for people just starting out in LA?

Don’t get discouraged by the difficult times you may find yourself in getting started. When I graduated from MSU in 1980, I thought that was a “great recession”, but then 2008 and “The GREAT Recession” came along. None the less, there has been a few challenging times among many years of success and growth. It’s hard to value the good times if you don’t have some tough times.

Now some fun questions:

Dog or cat?

Yes. Often many.

His/her name?

Cooper and Molly. Past ones – Hey You, Hey You II, Wacko, Layla, Blackie to name a few. 

Favorite song?  (yes you have to pick just one)

In My Life, John Lennon

Counterpoint: The color green and being ‘green’

This article was printed in the Colorado Real Estate Journal on January 23, 2018. Click here to read the original article.


With the passage of the Denver Green Roof Initiative, it has become very clear to me that those of us in the business of building sustainable cities have some work to do in educating the public about the difference between the color green and being “green.” The green movement is hardly a new thing. Let me drop a few names that predate even me:

  • Aldo Leopold (A Sand County Almanac, 1949)
  • Rachel Carlson (Silent Spring, 1962)
  • Ian McHarg (Design with Nature, 1969)

These brilliant people and many others laid the groundwork for the sustainability/green movement long before you and I could Google it. Sustainable methodologies have been integral to my career as a landscape architect for more decades than I care to count, and I would like to address a few items within the Denver Green Roof Initiative.

According to its website, green roofs:

  • Clean our air;
  • Reduce building energy consumption;
  • Are a best practice to manage storm water;
  • Create biodiversity for bees, birds and other insects; and
  • Reduce the urban heat island effect.

None of these items is untrue in and of itself, but let’s touch on the details of each.

Clean our air. Green roofs don’t clean our air. Plants, green or otherwise, do. If they are a part of the green roof design, they will help improve air quality. However, they won’t do that any better just because they are located on the roof. In fact, in our arid environment with the intense sun, plants will struggle to survive without intensive maintenance and supplemental irrigation on a roof versus a landscape area on the ground surrounding the building.

Reduce building energy consumption. A green roof, of the green plant variety, can provide cooling for the building below and reduce the demand for air conditioning, but so can other roofing systems. The reflectivity, insulative value and proper ventilation of the roof system can reduce air-conditioning demand as much as a plant roof, with much less weight, cost and maintenance.

Best practice to manage storm water. The initiative’s website states: “In fact, Green Roofs retain and release storm-water so well that is was named as a Best Management Practice for infiltrating and detaining runoff by the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District.”

Yes, the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District named green roofs as a best management practice. What it did not do is name it as the best management practice. I am a firm believer that storm water and water quality management begin where the raindrops hit the ground or the roof, but it certainly does not end there. Many storm and water quality systems are being designed, developed and constantly improved upon for infill and redevelopment sites throughout the urban core and elsewhere in the metropolitan area. And they aren’t all on a roof.

Create biodiversity for bees, birds and other insects. A biodiverse landscape is of benefit to bees, birds and other insects. It’s good for people, too. If you could ask a bee, he would probably tell you it doesn’t matters to him whether the dandelion is on the roof or on the grass. If people want to help birds, bees and people, a larger, more consolidated and diverse landscape within the urban environment is more important than pieces on roofs.

Instead, what if we reduced pavement, concrete and impervious surfaces, and returned the 30 percent of downtown Denver that is surface parking to consolidated, naturalized landscape areas? We could use native plants that benefit wildlife and don’t need oodles of pesticides and fertilizer, which is what kills bees. Our community should quit designing with concrete and asphalt and start designing with nature, as McHarg suggested back in 1969.

Reduce the urban heat island effect. Green roofs can contribute to reducing the urban heat island effect, but so can many other things. Plant more trees in parking areas, along streets and pedestrian routes. Everywhere, really. They will benefit air quality and biodiversity as well.  Parking lots shouldn’t have a tree every 90 to 150 feet along a parking bay, which is the typical standard – they should shade over 50 to 100 percent of the entire parking area.

Where it might seem counterintuitive that a lifelong environmentalist and sustainability professional is questioning the Denver Green Roof Initiative, it comes from the heart. And my heart holds a more expansive definition of “green.”

The public understanding of sustainability must evolve. I love a good tree hugger, I am one myself, but our collective mindset needs to move from thought into action – the action of creating a culture of sustainability, a culture of regeneration would be even better, but baby steps. For example, low-flow plumbing fixtures and appliances don’t mean much if we’re still using over half of our potable water on our yards. We all need to be participants in the physical environment we live within. Walk the walk, literally.

I understand the intention of the initiative, and even why it passed. People want to feel good about being green, even if they are unsure of what that truly means. The initiative itself demonstrates that being green is not being colored green or simply using green plants. That’s why solar energy collection constitutes a “green” roof.  However, The Denver Green Roof Initiative does little to engage the public in a culture of sustainability. And that’s what I’m after. It’s our city – builders, developers and citizens, alike. We all need to do our part to understand sustainability and learn to live it.

Perhaps I will feel better when we are ready to implement the Denver Green City Initiative.


This article was printed in the Colorado Real Estate Journal on January 23, 2018. Click here to read the original article.

News from the International Builders Show 2018

Back from the freeze-in Florida!

While it turned out to be a sunny and warm week, the 2018 IBS started out much like last year in Orlando — cold! My service on the Land Use Committee, Land Use Policy Subcommittee takes me to the show early, but it was warming up by Sunday morning. Here’s some key topics of discussion at our meetings:

  1. Inclusionary Zoning
    The outstanding staff at HAHB has been creating an Inclusionary zoning calculator tool to help builders make an objective analysis of the costs of an inclusionary housing development for working with jurisdictions and other stakeholders. We’ve made great progress and staff plans to have a draft for public release at our mid-summer meeting in Portland.

  2. Small footprint, “tiny” homes and neighborhoods
    This is an exciting trend in the industry. Not RVs made to look like cabins, but permanent homes on foundations, just smaller. This will be an important market trend to meet the growing need for affordable housing.

  3. Accessory Dwelling Units “ADU”
    Homebuilders are creating new pathways for building ADUs-another opportunity to meet the need for affordable housing. Design guidelines for siting new ADUs on existing single-family lots and use by right zoning for ADUs were key discussion topics.

  4. Impact Fees
    In North Carolina, industry advocates have been successful in pushing back on unreasonable impact fees. Jurisdictions and their utility and service providers are now required to include existing rate payers in the cost of system expansions.

  5. Cluster Mailbox Discussion with USPS
    While cluster mailbox mail collection may seem routine to many, it’s still emerging as a development issue in much of the US. A representative from the USPS in Washington DC participated in a lively discussion with the committee and other attendees about reasonable transition from single address service to clustered service, cost implications and maintenance responsibility.

If you would like to know more about any of these topics, please give me a call. I will be attending the mid-summer meetings in Portland for the Land Development Committee as well as the Design Committee Education Subcommittee that I am now a member of. I always try to join the Environmental Issues Committee meetings as well, since their work is so closely related to both land development and design.

If you have an issue you would like to have addressed at the national level, let me know and I will bring it up at the meetings.

Now, let it snow-in Colorado!

Spotlight On Design: Ferguson Farm, On The Boards

Consilium Design, in partnership with Real Earth Design, is honored to be a part of the renovation of EarthDance Organic Farm School. This is a special project that allows us to apply our expertise in storm water management, rainwater strategy and land planning.

As an ever-growing peri-urban agriculture organization, Earth Dance Organic Farm School requires a greater capacity for accommodating people.  The popularity of the Farm School has increased, as well as their ability to host larger events, offer after school programs, field trips and other community programs.

Car parking volume is an integral part of the improvement plan. Through our design, new parking areas are integrated into the ecological function of the farm watershed, in addition to the social capacity that allows for more inclusive, on-site parking.

Roads, fields and buildings that were once subject to flooding from storm water runoff are now part of an extensive rain garden that absorbs, channels and utilizes the flow for potable uses such as irrigation of crops, growth of the newly implemented parking lot shade trees, flood protection and local water quality.

As visitors and aspiring farmers meander along with farm roads, paths and runoff, the agroecological work that happens here will be evident upon first step.

We are excited to begin construction of this beautiful project in Spring of 2018.

Consilium Design’s use of sustainability principles at Stanley Marketplace are featured in Building Dialogue Magazine

This article was included as the Inside & Out(side) feature in the December 2017 Edition of the Colorado Real Estate Journal’s Building Dialogue Magazine, Colorado’s Premier Commercial Development, Design and Construction Magazine.

1

2

3

We were part of the innovative design team tasked with the transformation of the 140,000-square-foot Stanley Aviation building and 22-acre site into Stanley Marketplace, a mixed-use community destination that houses local retail and restaurants, co-working office space, a community garden and an event center, among its diverse tenants.

Consilium Design formulated a concept for Stanley Marketplace to create an inviting, attractive and functional landscape that accomplishes environmental, cultural and economic sustainability principles.

In keeping with our goal of uncommon respect for people, planet and purpose, we identified native landscape zones and prioritized preservation and restoration with additional xeriscape plantings that reduce watering needs.

The reduced impervious surfaces throughout the site and the reuse of salvaged materials from previous structures mitigate the overall impact of construction.

Our team prepared a site master plan that includes a 6-acre parklike open space, event terraces and urban market plazas that will further establish Stanley Marketplace as a neighborhood destination. By accommodating multimodal transportation, we see increases in circulation and ease of access to the venue.

We were part of the innovative design team tasked with the transformation of the 140,000-square-foot Stanley Aviation building and 22-acre site into Stanley Marketplace, a mixed-use community destination that houses local retail and restaurants, co-working office space, a community garden and an event center, among its diverse tenants.

Consilium Design formulated a concept for Stanley Marketplace to create an inviting, attractive and functional landscape that accomplishes environmental, cultural and economic sustainability principles.

In keeping with our goal of uncommon respect for people, planet and purpose, we identified native landscape zones and prioritized preservation and restoration, with additional xeriscape plantings that reduce watering needs.

The reduced impervious surfaces throughout the site and the reuse of salvaged materials from previous structures mitigate the overall impact of construction.

Our team prepared a site master plan that includes a 6-acre parklike open space, event terraces and urban market plazas that will further establish Stanley Marketplace as a neighborhood destination. By accommodating multimodal transportation, we see increases in circulation and ease of access to the venue.

3

Stanley Marketplace is the cornerstone redevelopment for the Westerly Creek Village Urban Renewal Plan in Northwest Aurora, Colorado. The landscape design is reflective of the site and its cultural, historic and physical context within Westerly Creek Village and Stapleton.

Consilium Design and the team accomplished these impressive sustainability goals:

  • Preservation and restoration of the native landscape.
  • Adaptive reuse of salvaged materials and structures.
  • Minimization of impervious surfaces.
  • The reduction of the urban heat island effect.
  • The enhancement of water quality.
  • Xeriscape design.
  • The encouragement of multi-modal transportation.

Project Team:

5

6

IMAGE: From the Hip photography

  1. Outdoor dining areas encircle the entire marketplace, each with mindful and colorful xeriscape and repurposed salvaged materials from the original building.

IMAGES: Consilium Design

  1. Beer Garden with salvaged concrete decorative wall
  2. Cherry Circle, a showcase entrance, demonstrates the pedestrian – focused connections to surrounding neighborhoods and open space.
  3. Salvaged concrete encased in steel are used through the site as a screen for parked cars and to define pedestrian entrance ways.
  4. Repurposed Stanley Aviation signage demonstrates the preservation and restoration of this iconic historical business; more outdoor seating is featured here.
  5. Site plan

Consilium Design Office serves as a drop off location for HomeAid Essentials Drive.

There are nearly 18,000 homeless men, women, and children on any given night in Colorado.

From now until November 16th, Consilium Design’s office will be proudly serving as a drop-off location for the HomeAid Essentials Care Kit Drive. We invite you to stop by and drop off any unused, travel size toiletries (see list below).

Consilium Office (Click For Directions):

7353 South Alton Way, Suite 135
Centennial, CO 80112

Essential Items Needed:

  • Soap
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Lotion
  • Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Socks & Foot Cream
  • Feminine Products
  • Washcloths
  • Deodorant
  • Q-tips
  • Mouthwash
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Razors & Shaving Cream
  • Wet Wipes

Items will be assembled into Essentials CareKits and will be distributed to those in need during the week of November 11-19 for National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week.

A kit is about more than the amenities inside, it’s about providing hope and a clean start. Please give much needed hygiene products to those who are struggling to meet their family’s most basic needs.

To learn more about HomeAid Colorado and their Essentials Care Kit Drive, visit their website at www.homeaidcolorado.org.

Consilium Design names Kim Ketchel as Director of Business Development

Centennial CO – Consilium Design is proud to announce the hiring of Kim Ketchel as their new Director of Business Development. Kim brings a breadth of talent in all aspects of business development, marketing and client relationship management to the team.

Kim has 20 years of experience in a variety of industries including real estate, media, education, digital advertising, and holds a B.S. in Journalism from University of Colorado, Boulder. She has served in various executive roles including nearly 10 years as Vice President of Marketing at the former Jones Media Group, and most recently, as Director of Client Services at the Colorado Real Estate Journal.

“Kim is a business development and marketing expert and a true professional! We are excited at the experience she brings, she has great ideas and high energy, and will take our development efforts to a new level.” said Craig Karn, Owner of Consilium Design.

Please feel free to reach out and welcome Kim to the team! kketchel@consiliumdesign.com

###

Consilium Design, located in Centennial, CO, is a landscape architecture, land planning and urban design firm performing work locally, nationally and internationally. Specializing in master planned communities, mixed-use, parks, office and institutional facilities. For more information, visit www.consiliumdesign.com.

Media Contact:
Kim Ketchel, Consilium Design
303-224-9520 x23
kketchel@consiliumdesign.com

How does effective landscape design improve your ROI?

How does design translate to dollars? The value of design commences at the origination of the project, not at the middle or the end.

Dollars – Hard costs, soft costs, impact fees, development fees, square foot costs etc. – they drive the entire project from land acquisition to design team selection, construction and construction administration. Development costs are continually measured in square foot costs – what is included in that number? How can ROI’s be measured? Could it be by the number of units sold? The velocity and quantity of home sales? The success of the development?

Design – Why does it matter? Quite simply, because it will increase your ROI, increase your velocity of sales, and increase your buildable square footage if done properly. Thus, quality Design can and will translate into Dollars. The site, the project, the subdivision, and the resulting neighborhood becomes the measurable fabric of success. Community. How is that measured by the square foot? A common bond with your neighbor, a sense of place, a place to call home – sure they are design buzzwords, but they ARE tangible benefits to every community, albeit difficult to quantify and measure.

A new neighborhood starts with a place that is “nowhere” to most people and evolves into a community that people call “my home” and “my neighborhood”. It requires a talented team of professionals to collectively put their best foot forward to create this new community. So as you are sharpening your pencil to trim your square foot costs on your next land acquisition, new home, or community amenity ask yourself – what am I building and how is it relevant?

Hey, we all want to make a buck to enhance our lives as well as our families’, but when was the last time you put a price on “Community?” What is your ROI on that?

So, remember that the value of design commences at the origination of the project. Get your landscape architect on board sooner rather than later and he or she will translate good design into hard dollars in your pocket.

For more information on how to save money on your next project, call Blake Williams at 303.224.9520 or email him at bwilliams@consiliumdesign.com.