Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_448397

Page 8 - March 5-18, 2025 www.crej.com F rom the constructionof tene- ments in the 1800s to thehigh- rise steeland concrete luxury residential towersbuilt today, for-renthousinghas comea longway.Butone constant is the useofwood tobuild rentalhous- ing.Over theyears,architectsand engineershavepushed the limitsof continueddemand forhousing,esca- lating construction pricesand theabil- ity toachieve even higherdensities under the recent IBC,wedon’tantic- ipate thenumber ability todesignapodiumbuilding basedon theoverallbuildingheight. Podiumbuildingswillno longer be restricted toonlyone levelof podium structurebelow thepodium deck. This givesdesigners theability to designa seven-story,midrisebuild- ingwith five levelsofwood-frame outof the ground to save the costof building subterranean,which is typi- cal in traditionalpodiumdesigns. Anotheroptionwouldbe to leave the subterraneanparking,which allowsanadditional levelof residen- tialunitswithin the concretepor- tionof the structure, thus increasing density.Bothoptionswill change Photography©BradNicol The2015 InternationalBuildingCodeofferswood-frame construction theability todesignapodiumbuildingbasedon theoverallbuildingheight.Podiumbuildingswillno longerbe restricted to only one level of podium structure below the podium deck. October 2015 New wood-frame codes allow for more flexibility NathanSciarra, 1536 Cole Blvd., Building 4, Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80401 | 303-623-1148 | www.crej.com Jon Stern Publisher & Founder x 101 jstern@crej.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the publisher’s prior written permission. All contributed articles published in the Colorado Real Estate Journal represent solely the individual opinions of the writers, and not those of the Colorado Real Estate Journal. REPORT AN ERROR IMMEDIATELY (ISSN 1060-4383) Vol. 34 No. 5 www.crej.com EDITORIAL CONSULTANT: Jill Jamieson-Nichols PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN: Heather Lewis ext.108 hlewis@crej.com CREJ CONFERENCE SERIES: Jon Stern ext.101 jstern@crej.com ADVERTISING: Lori Golightly ext.102 lgolightly@crej.com CUSTOMER SERVICE: Jolene Wollett ext.103 jwollett@crej.com EDITORIAL Avalon Jacka, Reporter Sales, Lease and New Development Projects: Office, Industrial, Multifamily, Retail, Health Care, Senior Housing, Hotel, Land Finance Transactions ext.107, ajacka@crej.com Kris Stern Associate Quarterlies Publisher: Office & Industrial Properties, Retail Properties, Multifamily Properties, Property Management, Health Care, Senior & Life Sciences Editor: Construction, Design & Engineering News; Property Management News; Who’s News; and Expert Articles, including Law, Accounting and Finance Publisher: Building Dialogue ext. 109, kostern@crej.com MARKETING Lori Golightly, Director of Client Services Advertising: Print & Digital Conferences: Exhibitor/Sponsor Information ext. 102, lgolightly@crej.com Office by Avalon Jacka DENVER – A national law firm will relocate its down- town Denver office one block northeast after occupying its current space for more than four decades. Ballard Spahr signed an 11-year lease for 19,000 square feet of office space on the 22nd floor of the 1800 Larimer build- ing. The firm will move its 60 local attorneys and business professionals into its new office in August. “This lease prepares us for continued local growth and demonstrates the firm’s com- mitment to remaining part of the Denver community from which we have served local and nationwide clients for over 43 years,” Ballard Spahr Denver office Man- aging Part- ner Damon Barry said. “With a strong economy, a well-educated workforce, and its centralized location providing easy access to business hubs across the United States, Denver is a criti- cal location for the firm.” JLL’s Janessa Biller and Tim Bourdelais represented Ballard Spahr in the lease transaction, while landlord Beacon Capital Partners was represented by Newmark’s Jonathan Tilton and Jeff Castleton. Ballard Spahr currently occu- pies approximately 28,000 sf at 1225 17th St. The firm opted to downsize its space to use its footprint more efficiently, including having similar sized offices for its attorneys rath- er than having bigger corner offices for partners. “We’ve been in that build- ing since 1981, and practicing law is much different than it once was,” Barry said, not- ing COVID played a part in that shift. “We are much more efficient with our space uses. We're focusing not on the offic- es, but more on the common areas where we have clients, and we can throw events in our space. So, we're using our space differently today.” After looking “diligently” throughout the metro area in neighborhoods like Union Sta- tion, Cherry Creek and River North Art District, Ballard Spahr felt it was best for its attorneys, business profession- als and clients to stay in the downtown area, Barry said. “We believe in being a part of the community, and we think having our office downtown continues to let everybody know that we believe in the direction downtown is going, and we want to be a part of the growth of the downtown mar- ket,” Barry added. Downtown’s mass transit options and the building’s proximity to where many employees live were primary factors in staying in the neigh- borhood, Additionally, the building had the amenities that the firm’s young attorneys are looking for. “We work differently as law- yers today,” Barry said. “Some- times we don’t just sit in the corner office behind our desk and our computer. We want to give opportunities to lawyers to go work in a different space, and this office also gives us the opportunity for staff to leave the office without leaving the building, but having fresh air, going outside, eating outside, taking phone calls outside, and enjoying the space. We are looking to make sure we can provide a work environ- ment that is more conducive to today's work office space than we have in the past.” The firm’s build-out for its space at 1800 Larimer, which will be consistent with its nationwide design strategy, will be designed by FCA Archi- tects. The space will feature glass walls to provide natu- ral light throughout, efficient and modern individual offices, hoteling options, a windowed café with mountain views, and flexible conference room walls to accommodate a variety of uses. Attorneys and business professionals will have access to 1800 Larimer’s building ame- nities, including an indoor/ outdoor workspace and terrace on the second floor, conference rooms, a fitness center, a tenant lounge, and bike parking and electric vehicle charging. The lease provides Ballard Spahr with the ability to grow into additional space in the building if needed. Barry said the firm believes the new space will drive its recruiting and retention and “opportunistic” growth plans. In 2024, the firm added nine new lawyers and several additional staff mem- bers; Ballard Spahr hopes to see similar growth this year and beyond. The 22-story 1800 Larimer building is one of the most recently built skyscrapers in Denver. The Ballard Spahr team was attracted to the building’s “modernization” and ameni- ties, including its advanced LEED-platinum design, unob- structed mountain views, floor-to-ceiling windows, state- of-the-art airflow and lighting systems, secure access, and conferencing, collaboration and entertaining options, a statement from the firm said. The building offers convenient access to highways and tran- sit systems within downtown while remaining within Den- ver’s music, theater, sports and culinary scenes. Marking its 140th anniversa- ry this year, Ballard Spahr has more than 750 attorneys across 18 offices following its recent merger with Lane Powell. The firm represents clients across numerous industries in litiga- tion, transactions and regula- tory compliance. The Denver Ballard Spahr leases 19,000 square feet in downtown move Newmark Ballard Spahr’s new lease in the 1800 Larimer building marks a 9,000-square- foot downsizing of its current footprint and allows for future growth within a newer building. Damon Barry Please see Ballard Spahr, Page 10