JNS, Alliance celebrate topping out of West Denver affordable housing project

Alliance Construction Solutions recently topped out the Sheridan Station Apartments, an eight-story affordable housing project in west Denver. Designed by Johnson Nathan Strohe, the $29 million project is being developed by Mile High Development and Brinshore Development.

Located at 5330 W. 11th Ave., the Sheridan Station Apartments include 133 homes, including 92 one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom units. The 129,274-square-foot project is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2021.

“Affordable housing projects require a high level of creativity and efficiency in order to create spaces that are both functional and beautiful for the individual and community,” said Cassie Turbow, JNS associate and project manager on Sheridan Station Apartments. “Utilizing Sheridan Station Apartments’ incredibly efficient structural system, we designed a unique architectural feature on the exterior while creating bright, open living areas for residents to enjoy.”

The Sheridan Station Apartments is the culmination of a 10-year effort to bring affordable housing to the Sheridan Light Rail Station on Regional Transportation District’s W line, which opened in 2013. Adjacent to RTD’s W Line at 13th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, the project includes 114 homes for families whose income is below 60% of the area median income, eight homes for incomes below 40% AMI and 11 homes for incomes below 30% AMI.

RTD leased a portion of Sheridan Station’s 800-space parking garage to Mile High Development, which helped reduce the number of parking spaces needed in the building, maximize the number of units and optimize the building’s footprint to keep the project in budget.

Regarding challenges that have had to be overcome for this project, Dan Farrar, Alliance project superintendent, referenced not only the uncertainty of COVID-19 but also building during one of Colorado’s hardest winters seen in several years, keeping safety at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts as well as the procurement of materials coming in a timely manner to keep the project on schedule.

“At Alliance Construction, we believe in order to build healthy and stable lives, it is important to start with affordable housing,” Farrar said. “We’re proud to help provide new housing opportunities for low-income community members who are struggling to maintain housing during this uncertain time. We take pride in being part of the remarkable team bringing the long awaited Sheridan Station to fruition.”

Sheridan Station Apartments is part of an Urban Land Conservancy community land trust, which protects the long-term affordability on the site for at least 99 years.

Published in the May 6-13, 2020, issue of CREJ.