Denver City Council votes to approve Ball Arena redevelopment plan
KDVR Fox 31
DENVER (KDVR) — Downtown Denver's skyline will look different thanks to a new project that Denver City Council voted to approve on Monday.
The project will redevelop over 55 acres of land surrounding Ball Arena, with plans to transform the area with high-rise housing, retail spaces, parks and open spaces and other downtown staples. On Monday, the council voted to approve various rezonings of the area, which allows the plan to move forward.
Last week, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment signed an agreement with a committee of over a dozen neighborhood and community groups that would be impacted by the plans. The agreement came after 15 months of negotiations as the groups fought to ensure the best future for the project.
“We ended up with an agreement that I think we’re proud of as a community and that KSE is proud of as well,” said Sue Powers, co-chair of the Ball Arena Community Benefits Agreement Committee, at a news conference announcing the agreement Wednesday afternoon.
One major impact of the project is Denver's skyline: The plan calls for high-rise housing, including affordable housing, which could allow Kroenke and the project's partners to skirt the city's code that limits housing to five-story buildings. The plan would also include parking garages, to replace the acres of parking lots that currently surround Ball Arena.
“Thanks to tonight’s decision by the Denver City Council, it is an honor to share that Ball Arena will not only continue to be home to our wonderful teams, but also will serve as the anchor of an entirely new neighborhood. This development will create thousands of jobs and new opportunities for many and will be part of the vibrant transformation we see across downtown Denver," said E. Stan Kroenke, owner of KSE, in a statement released after the city council vote.
Residents voiced concerns during a September community meeting that the mountain view from various points downtown is an important aspect of the city they'd like to see maintained. The city has promoted an initiative to limit the width of buildings, which would also limit the buildings' heights.