Stapleton, Colorado

Stapleton International Airport

The airport opened on October, 17, 1929 as Denver Municipal Airport. It was later renamed the Stapleton International Airport. At the time of its opening, the airport was herald as the most modern facility in the country (Freeman, 2009). The airport was in service for 65 years. However, its glory was over when the last flight took off on February 27, 1995. The Stapleton Airport could no longer meet the needs of an ever-growing population.

Redevelopment Plans

Planning began in 1989 shortly after plans began on building a new international airport for Denver. The Stapleton Redevelopment Foundation was formed, and work began on redevelopment plans for the upcoming abandoned airport.

It is believed that the redevelopment will take 30 to 40 years to complete.

Many people have been involved. Credit is given to elected officials, local and national technical consultants, public and private organizations, and citizens.

Over 100 community presentations and meetings were held to insure community-wide participation and input (Stapleton Development Plan, 8).Stapletons Green BookRedevelopment Plans

The Stapleton site will be a network of urban villages, employment centers and significant open spaces, all linked by a commitment to the protection of natural resources and the development of human resources (Stapleton Development Plan, 8). Design Principles

The site is 4,700 acres.

Want to have a strong connection with surrounding Denver communities.

Consist of eight districts that each have a center and are at walkable scale. Schools at each neighbor center.

Developed land will be 1,200 acres with 54% dedicated to employment use.

1,600 acres of parks, trails, recreation facilities and natural areas.Redevelopment Plans

To take this siteAnd make it look like thisMore Design Principles

Create an urban agriculture center and equestrian facility

Have zero net contribution by having a resource recovery village by the means of recycling and reusing (Stapleton Development Plan).

Create 30,000 to 35,000 jobs and bring in 25,000 residents.

Estimated cost is $288 million. Funds will come from infrastructure fees, local taxes, private capital, state and federal transportation funding, grants, general municipal revenue, and tax incentive funds.Residential

ResidentialStapleton is still Colorados top selling community (Discover Stapleton).

Home InformationCurrently there is five neighborhoods constructed.All homes are built to Energy Star qualificationsHomes for singles, couples, families, empty nesters, and seniors.Price Ranges$100,000 to $1 Million +

Affordable LivingParkside Apartments, a Mercy Housing Community, and Central Park Apartments, built by Northeast Denver Housing Center, both qualify for low-income housing.Clyburn Village is a senior living community.There are also homes that qualify for low-come housing.Clyburn VillageParkside ApartmentsCentral Park Apartments

Schools

William R. Roberts ElementaryOdyssey Charter SchoolWesterly Creek ElementaryAnchor Center Denver School of Science and TechnologySix schools have been built within Stapleton.

William R. Roberts Elementary School runs off geo-thermal power.

Anchor Center is a school for blind children

Have not fulfill the objective of a school in each neighborhood center. Future schools are in the near future.

Business

Attractions to Bring In Business15 minutes from Downtown Denver15 minutes from Denver AirportFuture commuter rail along business areasHappier Employers with a healthier environment.Easy access to interstatesBuilding Options

High Rise Urban6-12 StoriesMid-rise Boulevard4-6 StoriesFreeway Adjacent2-4 StoriesBuildings come with structure parking or parking lots

Commercial

Community offers local and small shops, along with national stores.

Some of the well-known stores are Target, Macys, Eddie Bauer, and Bass Pro Shop.

There are many options for restaurants, from Subway to Chipotle Grill (a very good organic chain that originated in Colorado). Farmers Market

Market held every seasonal Sunday Colorado Grown Fruit and VegetablesBaked Goods and Gourmet Food ItemsCulinary HerbsSeasonal GreensGreen Spaces, Parks, and Public Spaces

No Matter where you are in Stapleton, youre never more than five minutes from a park - and in most cases, one is in your backyard (Discover Stapleton).

25 miles of walking and biking paths3 public pools80-acre Central Park, 3rd largest in Colorado24 Parks

Wildlife Refuge and Nature Center

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Refuge and Bluff Nature Center have been integrated into the Stapletons community.

Bluff and Nature CenterThis site was originally an airport buffer. It was decided to make it a Nature Center during redevelopment. The center is 123 acres and serves as an outdoor classroom for the young and the old. In one year, nearly 5,000 area elementary students visit Bluff Lake as part of one of our formal education programs (Bluff Lake).

The center has:A Seasonal LakeWetlandsShort-Grass PrairieA Riparian ZoneWetland Woodland

Community

There is a lot of community activity in Stapleton. From barbecues in the greens to a food drive for the needy, there is always something to participate in. The Front Porch Newspaper is a monthly publication that keeps residents informed of up-coming events, clubs and groups within the community, and provides educational articles on how to live sustainable. Under the Stars, a free movie and concert seriesActivities in Central ParkSweet Miller MarketFresh Food Drive for the NeedySummer Block PartyCommunity

Stapleton has made many accomplishments. They have the highest recycling rate in Denver at 90%. The residents have also established a community garden and have high participation in the community. There are plenty of green and gathering spaces and there are areas set aside for wildlife. There are options to bike or walk to work or to shops, and many are enticed to go spend more time outdoors. Stapleton has made steps to become more sustainable.However, there are still downfalls that need attention. The automobile is still a major source of transportation. Also, overcrowding of the classrooms is a major problem. Town meetings have been held to solve this problem. It has been decided that funds used to construct the next park will be used instead to build new schools.Works Cited

Bluff Lake Nature Center. 2008. http://www.blufflakenaturecenter.org/

Freeman, Paul. Stapleton International Airport (DEN) Denver, CO. 01 May 2009. Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Colorado. 19 Oct. 2009. http://www.members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/CO/Airfields_CO_Denver_NE.htm

Stapleton Development Plan Green Book. Stapleton Foundation. 2001-2009. Viadesto. 19 Oct. 2009. http://www.stapletonfoundation.org/

Discover Stapleton. 2008 Forest City. 19 Oct. 2009. http://discover.stapletondenver.com/#/discover

Stapleton International Airport. 2009. http://aviationphotographs.net/StapletonAirport/stapletonairport.html

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