Tribeca Flats Appeals to Socially Conscious Urbanites
The facelift experienced by Central Denver's housing landscape over the past 20 years is nothing less than spectacular. The warehouses, tenements and industrial complexes that used to typify some of the city's older neighborhoods have been converted or renovated into smash-hit lofts and apartments, and worse-off buildings have been replaced with fresher, cleaner creations.
The newest trend to characterize Denver's redevelopment may also be the longest lasting: eco-friendly building materials. And it's a response to discovering what ticks with today's buyers.
Back in the 1980s, Grant Barnhill was simply looking for a great place to rent near downtown Denver. Nothing was unique, clean and cool enough to capture his interest, and Barnhill founded Boutique Apartments with a mission to rescue and renovate neglected Capitol Hill buildings. Barnhill soon discovered a relationship between building better places to live, and building better places for the planet. His business blossomed into one that not only places high value on beautiful, quality construction, but on eco-friendly building materials too.
Recently, Barnhill and his partner Zvi Rudawsky were inspired to start Boutique Flats, a subsidiary addressing the condominium market, to help them build more efficiently and keep prices affordable. The concept of efficiency fit perfectly with the duo's philosophy about energy savings and environmental friendliness.
But the idea behind Boutique Flats also enabled Barnhill and Rudawsky to further build upon a vision firmly focused on sustainability. From partnering with conscientious brokers and suppliers, to offering perks that socially- and environmentally-conscious condo buyers care about, Boutique Flats has thought of every detail.
Take its newest condo building, for instance. Tribeca Flats is in its final phase of renovation at its home on 1231 Downing Street. Featuring bamboo floors supplied by vendors that adhere to sustainable forest practices, Energy Star appliances, and a host of other money-saving, eco-friendly elements such as 100% reclaimed bathroom tiles, carpets made of 100% recycled fibers, designer lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs and fixtures, and recycled wheat straw doors - Tribeca Flats are models of eco-friendliness. Even the Web site (
www.boutiqueflats.com) has a section dedicated to sustainability, complete with links to other green sites.
Like all buildings refurbished by Boutique Apartments and Boutique Flats, Tribeca is characterized by a unique theme: "A little slice of New York in Denver." Picture this: Stairwell landings adorned with New York City manhole covers and giant streetscape photographs, antique subway tiles mounted into the bamboo floors, Gargoyles at the entrance, and an overall likeness to the exterior of the art-deco PowellBuilding in TriBeCa (short for Triangle Beneath Canal Street).
Perhaps the most unusual attribute of Tribeca Flats and the Boutique line of living spaces is the founders' desire to foster community through some fairly unique perks. The developers have been known to rally their residents for park clean-up initiatives, and provide them with discounts to yoga classes, passes to movies like "The Inconvenient Truth," and tickets to a PeaceJam conference where 12 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates gathered to present their teachings. A percentage of the homeowners' association fees are donated to local nonprofits. Up for consideration next year are memberships in organic food co-ops or community supported agriculture groups (CSAs).
The combination of these features is what drew Chris Bohannon to Tribeca Flats. Having recently moved to Denver from New York City, Tribeca was a dream come true. "The minute I walked in the door I knew it was for me - the concept, layout, green materials, price, New York theme. It was a complete package from top to bottom. And I know that everyone else who moves in here will share common values and a lifestyle similar to mine. It's great to immediately have a connection with your neighbors," he says.
Like Bohannon, most buyers are compelled by the idea of community-mindedness - and the ability to "buy green" at a competitive price. Tribeca Flats start at only $125,000, making them an attractive alternative to other downtown living. And they are going quickly."If the rate at which these flats are selling is any indicator of what people value and want, this condo concept is smart," says Bobby Verenna, a real estate broker with Mackstaller & Co. According to Verenna, one-third of the flats have already been sold, and the doors haven't even opened yet. Barnhill knows a thing or two about creating sustainable living options. He also knows it's an evolving process, if not downright fun. "
As the whole green movement gets more sophisticated, we're learning things our predecessors might not have dreamed of - for instance, how having less impact on the environment can also have less impact on your budget. How you don't have to feel as though you're sacrificing quality of life for quality of air. And, how it's pretty darned easy - and fun - to live this way."
This article first appeared in the North Denver News, May 31, 2007.