Buckley Annex Public Comments

More than 300 people attended the Buckley Annex public comment meeting on Nov. 14, which marked the end of the task force process that started in February. Click here for the meeting summary that includes all spoken public comments. Click here for all written public comments. A summary of spoken and written comments from the Nov. 14 meeting is posted below. The comments have been modified, condensed and categorized for clarity and consistency.

Comments from the Nov. 14 meeting will be included in the final redevelopment document that the LRA submits to the Air Force.

General Comments

This is an appropriate infill site for mixed-use & higher density development. It is consistent with Blueprint Denver. The mix of uses proposed will allow families to raise children in a safe environment and for people to continue to live independently as they become older.

This is not a typical Blueprint Denver “Area of Change” because it is not a large site, does not have mass transit access and is adjacent to “Areas of Stability.” The surrounding Lowry neighborhoods should also be considered “Areas of Stability.”

The plan has evolved in a fair and public manner. The design team made changes based on task force and public input. The Buckley Annex plans can achieve success with a top developer that is concerned with enhancing what Lowry has become.

The plan has not evolved in a fair manner. Public concerns were not listened to, and major changes were not made to the plans. The public was not encouraged to participate in the process.

If the plan incorporated the Lowry Design Guidelines, the community could be reassured that this development would follow the same standards that have made Lowry an award-winning community.

Since the Lowry Town Center was built, residents’ quality of life has improved. After the Buckley Annex is built-out, quality of life will improve further.

It’s good to see that this area will be developed. It is good that the DFAS building and surface parking will be going away.

The plan needs to focus more on maintaining the character of the surrounding neighborhoods. The proposed plan is thoughtful and appropriate.

Density/Housing

The proposed density is fair for the site and in line with what the city of Denver proposes for urban infill.

Low density living quarters with open spaces and parks will keep the Lowry neighborhood special.

Greater views from taller buildings come at the expense of existing home owners.

Buckley Annex should follow the Lowry guidelines with regard to existing density and height restrictions. What happens with the Buckley Annex plan could have implications for other development in Lowry and that does not protect area property values.

Make the residential density no more than the Lowry West neighborhood.

The proposed housing provides a broad spectrum for the needs of future residents and achieves an appropriate balance.

The additional housing could reopen the neighborhood school, Whiteman, due to increased school enrollment. Density can have its advantages.

The density of this plan is too high and will only compound the intense traffic congestion, noise and pollution in surrounding neighborhoods.

It is not appropriate to compare the density of the Buckley Annex to the Town Center because the Town Center does not have any single family homes.

The proposed density will support retail and physical amenities for everyone to use, and it will support the existing Lowry Town Center.

Development should be kept to a maximum of 4 stories with no more than 500 units.

Six to seven stories is too high. Three or four story buildings would fit better with the character of Lowry. The Market Study does not support taller buildings.

Taller buildings should not be close to existing neighborhoods. Transitions from the taller buildings to existing neighborhoods are too small.

Developers have built 3-4 story buildings at Lowry in the past so why does this plan need to have taller buildings?

It is hard to see taller buildings such as the Hangars and Crestmoor Downs when you are driving around the Lowry area.

Some people prefer or are not concerned by 6-7 story buildings.

The Steam Plant Lofts in Lowry are approximately the same height as a 6 story building.

The density is too high next to Crestmoor Park. This does not represent “mirroring.” There needs to be a better transition from Crestmoor Park to the Buckley Annex.

In Lowry, you can build a 7-story building with the current guidelines through a variance with the zoning board for aesthetics and impacts to the surrounding area. The plan should be approved using the current design guidelines with the possibility for a variance for 7 stories with public input.

The Buckley Annex would be a good location for senior cohousing.

Density will not increase property values.

There is nothing taller than 2 stories south of Lowry Blvd today, and it should stay that way.

Commercial Development/Retail

The Buckley Annex could offer alternative retail and needs not present in the Lowry Town Center.

Retail should not be close to existing neighborhoods.

Traffic/Connectivity

In order to add safe library parking and reduce 1st Ave. to more local traffic, 1st Ave. should be re-routed from Poplar or possibly Pontiac to curve further south to connect to Quebec. This action would provide adjacent parking and room to expand the library, while making 1st Ave. less accessible and more of a local street than Lowry Blvd.

Traffic is bad now and can only get worse. Residents don’t currently use public transportation and probably won’t use it in the future.

The traffic in and around Lowry is already very congested and the original Lowry redevelopment has not been built out. The Final Plan will only make traffic worse and cause more pollution as congestion increases.

Adding more density to the Air Force area will only increase traffic, speed, and danger to Crestmoor residents.

Place “no through traffic” signs around Crestmoor, remove center line painting & install traffic calming barriers, planters, and rises to discourage cut-through traffic.

The traffic on Monaco Pkwy. with the proposed plan will be awful, especially when combined with other development in Lowry. Monaco will become the next Colorado Blvd. with gridlock 24/7.

The added traffic on 1st Ave. (which turns into Krameria crossing Monaco) will turn Krameria into a freeway. The heavy, speeding traffic (50 mph+) will increase and make the street unsafe for everyone, especially kids.

The added traffic from the proposed plan will go through the Lowry SW neighborhood. It is helpful to have traffic dispersed rather than from a single access point as it is now.

The plan was revised and improved to address the neighbors’ request not to connect to Poplar St.

There are too many proposed intersections with 1st Avenue compared to the number of proposed intersections on Monaco Pkwy or Quebec St.

Higher density development increases the benefits of transit.

Parking on 1st Ave is not a good idea because the road is used by the community to reach their destinations.

Environmental/Open Space

Increasing the green space to 12 percent is a good idea.

There is not enough park area for the density proposed.

We need an outdoor pool for Lowry residents in the Buckley Annex property.

Please leave the berms and the beautiful trees on the berms where they are.

There has not been enough attention paid to pollution and toxics on the Buckley Annex site.

Keep the detention pond on the east side of the property.

Homeless Housing

Why are 4 of the 5 choices for affordable housing on the West side?

Library Parking

Safety is a concern for library patrons crossing 1st Ave. from the parking structure.

Please be sure that developers follow through with the dedicated parking for the library.

The new library parking should be designated only for the library and not combined with other uses.