Washington Park Neighborhood Evolution

Aesthetic Plague or Financial Bonanza?

The urban redevelopment occurring in Denver and, more specifically, in the Washington Park neighborhood comes as a surprise to no one. But unanswered questions about this transitional process have left residents unsettled. Questions include:

What will Washington Park look like in the future?
What is the source of the pressure to change?
What are the tools available to control what seems to be uncontrollable?
And, finally, will these investments have a positive financial impact on my home?

Denver's development trends are complex and are very apparent in metropolitan neighborhoods such as Jefferson Park, the Highlands, Congress Park, Cheesman Park, Capitol Hill, City Park, Hilltop, Belcaro, Bonnie Brae, Cory-Merrill, Platte Park and Washington Park.

Urban redevelopment in Denver is an ad-hoc process not necessarily coordinated by local government. Denver's zoning code, implemented in 1956, has been amended and adjusted over decades in response to development pressures, resulting in a complex document meeting no one's needs. Denver is addressing this issue by comprehensively redesigning the zoning code to match the future vision of our city known as "Blueprint Denver."

Washington Park Neighborhood Residents Are Apprehensive About What The Future Holds

Loss of a neighborhood's character is the biggest worry. Some neighborhoods have begun to address these concerns in varying degrees. Platte Park is one neighborhood that has gotten organized and put some thought into the issue from all perspectives.

Platte Park has undergone an accelerated process of redevelopment, leading Washington Park. Residents formed a committee to define the neighborhood's character by creating a pattern book - a compilation of neighborhood elements composing its character. Platte Park's pattern book contains a street map, shows street width, sidewalks, trees, alleys, setbacks, architectural styles and construction materials. It is an invaluable tool that helps the neighborhood in its dialogue with the city, builders, and homeowners.

Washington Park Has No Pattern Book...

The Washington Park neighborhood should strongly consider creating one. A diverse neighborhood with single-family homes, duplexes and even triplexes (74 lots of multi-family units!), Washington Park has many original small bungalows, huge new construction (known as "infill"), pop-tops, and pop-tops with rear expansion. The neighborhood boasts a broad mix of architectural styles including Craftsman, Tudor Revival, Norman Cottages, Denver Square, Southwestern, and Post 1950's-Modern.

South Gilpin Street can be considered a microcosm of the entire Washington Park neighborhood. Of 219 lots on the street, 11 of them hold duplexes (5%). Twenty-nine homes have been scraped with infill replacements. There are 45 pop-tops, and 7 homes have been otherwise expanded. Only 58% of the original single-family home construction still exists on the street.

So what is the "character" of South Gilpin Street in Washington Park that so many of us are concerned with maintaining? Is it the 89 remaining original bungalows? Is it the lot layout? The alley access? Does its character come from the mature trees lining the street? Is it consistent setbacks from the street and the adjoining lots? Or is it a mix of all, old and new, small and large?

Is the character of the Washington Park neighborhood our concern because of our lifestyles, the aesthetics that soothe our weary souls? Or, rather, is some of it financial? Are we concerned about our investments in the Washington Park neighborhood?

From a financial perspective, whatever is happening in Washington Park seems to be working. From 2006 to 2007 the average home sales price increased by 9%. The following chart compares Washington Park with surrounding neighborhoods. Note the number of units sold in Washington Park exceeded all others.

Neighborhood	% Price Increase	Average Price	Number Sold
Platt Park	19.6%	$384,000	178
Cory-Merril	18.3%	$518,000	139
Hilltop	17.9%	$816,000	153
Country Club	14.8%	$870,000	81
Washington Park	11.1%	$602,000	201
Congress Park	8.7%	$419,000	186
Washington Park West	4.2%	$394,000	186
Belcaro	4%	$852,000	84
Cheesman Park	-12.3%	$570,000	139

*The average price decreased for the entire Denver metropolitan area by 2%. Average sales price was $306,000.

As zoning code revisions occur behind closed doors, homes are being scraped, pop-tops are rising above the tree line, and additions continue unabated, increasingly occupying open space. Yet homes are selling at appreciated prices. Denver's redevelopment is following the natural rules set by supply and demand. However, the redevelopment process is in great need of improvement. Our Washington Park community should begin a robust dialogue with all involved parties. Without this dialogue the process will continue, following a path determined by ill-defined and obscure influences.

Related Articles:

Washington Park Traffic Chaos Part 1

Washington Park Traffic Chaos Part 2

"Washington Park Cares," or Does it?

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