UP|USA West http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/forums.html Sat, 17 May 2008 04:22:43 -0500 30 UP|USA West http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/forums.html Honolulu Metro Construction Projects Rundown

220ft. - 176-unit condo planned by 2010

Half of the fee-simple condominiums will be designated affordable

Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin

Developer THM Partners is proposing to build a new 176-unit residential condominium near the intersection of Kalakaua Avenue and Beretania Street.

A rendering of Holomua, an upcoming residential condo. Completion date is scheduled for 2010.

]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 11:21:55 -0500 urbanguy SF Pictures of the Day II

















Happy Nurses & Nursing Home Week at Kaiser French Campus, The Avenues




















]]> Thu, 15 May 2008 12:40:03 -0500 Zahc Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Thu, 15 May 2008 10:36:26 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Wed, 14 May 2008 22:39:25 -0500 RestedTraveler SF Pictures of the Day II



















Project Open Hand, Red-brick building, 2nd Floor, Polk Street at Ellis


California Culinary Academy, Polk Street


Market Street Office Building at Civic Center




Office Building and National Hotel


Market Street (between 7th & 8th) at Civic Center/UN Plaza








]]> Wed, 14 May 2008 12:10:20 -0500 Zahc Colorado Photo of the Day
QUOTE (Zahc @ May 13 2008, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Breathtaking!!!


That's really the only word I could ever use to describe Colorado. They should use it for a tourism campaign if they haven't already done so. I can't wait to move out there.]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 14:50:04 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Photo of the Day
QUOTE (RestedTraveler @ May 11 2008, 10:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Photo Attribution under Creative Commons



Breathtaking!!!]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 14:45:53 -0500 Zahc SF Pictures of the Day II

Before Sunrise, Four Seasons Hotel & Spa San Francisco, Market Street


The Marriott, Mission at 4th Street


the new Mint Plaza, 5th Street


Abercrobie & Fitch's "Beautiful People" window display








SF Centre (Westfield) window display, Market Street


Powell St. Station Entrance, Market at 5th Street


Coming to The Orpheum, Market Street at Hyde




Pink house & green bug, 5th Ave near Fulton
]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 13:16:42 -0500 Zahc Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 12:31:36 -0500 RestedTraveler MGM CityCenter Project Mon, 12 May 2008 14:04:05 -0500 MJLO Colorado Springs Discussion
downtown80903 is the downtown partnerships website, and gives a pretty good idea of the work they do.]]> Mon, 12 May 2008 12:12:28 -0500 Front_Range_Guy IN PROGRESS: USOC Headquarters newsblab.com. You may have to scroll down some as new content is added. The guy who runs Newsblab is taking issue with the fact that one of the signs is on the City Admin Building. I don't see what the BFD is? It's a major economic boon for downtown, why shouldn't they flaunt it? I don't think he supported the incentives package either... but guess what... had they not come up with that incentive package, we would have lost the USOC and potentially the training center. Today's business world is based on greed, not fairness, and if Colorado Springs isn't willing to play the game, other city's will, and we will get left in the dust.]]> Mon, 12 May 2008 12:03:30 -0500 Front_Range_Guy SF Pictures of the Day II

Great Fire Escapes, North of Market
























MUNI 2Sutter, Clement Street


]]> Mon, 12 May 2008 11:09:24 -0500 Zahc SF Pictures of the Day II







The Presidio




Flower shop, The Avenues


St. Monica Catholic School








St. Monica Catholic Church


















Clement Street and Bridge


]]> Sun, 11 May 2008 19:12:16 -0500 Zahc Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Sun, 11 May 2008 11:11:15 -0500 RestedTraveler Future green hub in city Future green hub in city

Source: Honolulu Advertiser

Here's some pretty good news, although it's only a small step forward in eco-friendly technology, hopefully this will start a trend in Hawaii.

Plans call for turning Makiki park building into model of sustainability

As part of a push to promote environmental sustainability in the urban core, the city plans to convert an old Makiki building into a model for energy efficiency and a hub for learning about eco-friendly technologies.

The building at Makiki District Park will feature a "green roof," solar panels and a wind turbine, along with a place for schoolchildren to learn about energy conservation.

By the end of the year, the city hopes to have converted the recently renovated building into a showcase for the newest energy-saving technologies. Within a year, they hope to be inviting busloads of kids to the center to see a host of exhibits and working projects.

The center is being billed as a first step in the massive effort to transform the urban environment in Honolulu from an energy-draining concrete jungle into an expanse of more eco-friendly buildings.

The city also sees the center, a first for the city, as a way to test emerging energy-saving technologies. The different systems installed in the building will be monitored, and the data collected will be used to figure out the energy- and cost-saving possibilities for other buildings.

That data could have immediate applications, officials say, as residents and businesses search for simple ways to reduce their carbon footprint and slash their electricity bills.

"As energy costs go up, people are looking for a way to get out from under that," said Keith Rollman, who is on the mayor's Energy and Sustainability Task Force and is helping to start up the center.

"It (the building) will be a constant work in progress."

The city has budgeted $305,000 in start-up costs for the Makiki Sustainability Center in its fiscal year 2009 budget, and also plans to seek grants and partnerships to cover the costs of installing energy-saving technologies and bringing in personnel to man the center.

The city has partnered with the University of Hawai'i's Sea Grant College program, which runs the education program at Hanauma Bay, to kick off the public outreach portion of the project and for the expertise to oversee and monitor the energy-saving systems.

Stephen Meder, director of the Center for Smart Building and Community Design at the Sea Grant College, said the Makiki center has a slew of possibilities — from a test bed for new technologies to a learning center for architects and engineers interested in incorporating energy-saving concepts into new or existing buildings.

"It's got so much potential," he said, adding he hopes to get graduate students into the center to run tests and monitor the progress of the energy-saving systems.

"This could be a venue of focus on how some of these solutions could be implemented," Meder said.

The city recently finished a $2 million project to renovate the Makiki Community Library and the future home of the sustainability center. The first floor of the building will continue to house the library. The center will be on the second and third floors.

Rollman said the building was constructed in the 1940s or '50s.

It used to house a research station for pineapple production.

Early city plans envision exhibit and lecture space and a community meeting room on the second floor of the building. The third floor will have computers and a demonstration area.

On a large portion of the roof, the city will put in plants — for the "green roof" concept — that deflect heat and decrease runoff. The roof will also house solar panels and a test windmill for energy generation.

The center is part of the city's recently released Sustainability Plan, which also includes increasing recycling, decreasing the energy usage of city buildings and using technology to identify ways to conserve.

City officials see the Makiki center eventually being linked with Hanauma Bay and the Hawai'i Nature Center, each one meant to underline the importance of environmentally friendly practices in three vital areas — the ocean, the forests and the urban core.



MAKIKI SUSTAINABILITY CENTER

• City seeking $305,000 for start-up costs

• Center will be a first for the city

• Billed as a place to test energy-saving technology and raise awareness

• Building is at Makiki District Park, and first floor is occupied by Makiki Community Library

• Technology featured will include a "green roof," with plants and a water catchment system that will cool the building and decrease runoff, solar panels and a wind turbine
]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 13:54:50 -0500 urbanguy Colorado Photo of the Day
from springsgov.com

QUOTE
Monument Valley Park was among General Palmer's most treasured gifts to the people of Colorado Springs. Between 1904 and 1907 two miles next to Monument Creek became a "park for the people" with elegant gardens, winding walks, bridged ponds, a tennis court, playgrounds and an arboretum displaying Colorado tree and shrub species and Palmer's Colorado Wildflower Garden.
]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 12:38:38 -0500 Front_Range_Guy DENVER: New Colorado History Museum
]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 12:29:46 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Photo of the Day Nice! Is this a park in COS? Sat, 10 May 2008 12:23:08 -0500 RestedTraveler DENVER: New Colorado History Museum Sat, 10 May 2008 12:19:11 -0500 RestedTraveler DENVER: New Colorado History Museum


]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 12:07:44 -0500 Front_Range_Guy DENVER: IN PROGRESS: Two Tabor Center http://www.callahancp.com/taborII.htm

News Article: http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stori...13/daily14.html


The new metal and glass building, which already has a foundation, is expected to start construction some time in Q2 or Q3 of 2008 and be completed in Q1 of 2011. On April 21, Callahan Capital Partners, the new owner of Tabor Center, submitted a building permit application to the city for Two Tabor Center.

Two Tabor Center is to be LEED Gold certified!

Renderings courtesy of DeverInfill.com:


Edit: Changing Title from "PROPOSED" to "IN PROGRESS" since everything I'm reading about this one says that it's a sure bet to get done, come hell or high water.]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 12:03:33 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Discussion
"I agree, we should make downtown better, as long as it doesn't cost us anything."

Despite the city and county governments collapsing under their own weight, the extreme conservative majority here are convinced they are over taxed, and refuse to be taxed any further. It's one of my biggest frustrations. Why all of these people think they can move here from other states to escape high taxes, and not be expected to pay for the infrastructure that we had to build to support their being here is beyond me. When did moderation and rational thought go out of style?

So... it's really up to the private sector right now. The city council is helping where they can, but in a town of libertarians who think the government is out to get them at every turn, the city's hands are largely tied.

The Downtown Partnership has entertained the idea of a pedestrian mall. They say you have to have a certain critical mass of people living and working downtown for that to work, and our downtown doesn't have it.]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 12:02:06 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs Discussion ... To open it up to two-way traffic is OK...but from my experience, Tejon wasn't all that exciting to me...nor was any part of downtown COS, really. It's missing some pedestrian energy (and trees). I have an idea. Why not close Tejon off to vehicle traffic altogether between Colorado and Cimarron and make it a pedestrian mall of sorts - kinda like Pearl Street in Boulder or the 16th Street Mall in Denver? Just a thought.

Perhaps Colorado Springs could follow in the footsteps of so many cities around the country and send some city officials over here to Greenville (I bet the tax payers would love that) to study first-hand what Greenville has done to revitalize its downtown. Couldn't you imagine the sidewalks along Tejon in Downtown Colorado Springs looking like Main Street here in Greenville?]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 11:49:30 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Discussion
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ May 10 2008, 10:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Oh... a local television station reports Colorado Springs economy is in the worst shape it's ever been in... at least since they started keeping records. That's nice.


well the funny thing there is that the worst ever in CS is still better than most other cities at their best.

There is still lots of construction, and proposals etc.

I am sure there is still job growth as well.

Hartford is light years ahead of where we were in the 90s but we are still not doing as well as CS or most cities outside of the4 North East for that matter.]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 11:48:36 -0500 The Voice of Reason IN PROGRESS: Southwest Downtown Urban Renewal
Rendering from gazette.com


Below are photos of the Continuum Fountain in America the Beautiful Park. These photo's are from The City of Colorado Springs website at springsgov.com.




The developer of the proposed Pikes Peak Place also has a stake in Southwest Downtown. Nor'wood is planning a development called "Palmer Village" for the area. There is a rendering of their rather ambitious plans of the area on their website. It should be noted this rendering is close to a decade old now, and should be viewed as entertainment more than anything else.

]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 11:39:46 -0500 Front_Range_Guy IN PROGRESS: Cornerstone Arts Center
Rendering from the Colorado College Website. Credit also to the Architect, Antoine Predock.

]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 11:22:20 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs Discussion

Anyway, I don't know if I've mentioned 2-way Tejon on here yet. Our desperate downtown partnership decided one way to bring more shoppers into downtown would be to switch Tejon Street from a 1 way street to a 2 way street. It had been 1 way since the 70's, and last month they made the switch. I'm fairly indifferent... I don't think this type of change will help downtown business any. I don't think people are saying "oh boy, I can't wait to go drive in 2 DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS on Tejon Street! REVOLUTIONARY!." That said, it is nice to be able to exit I-25 at Tejon and drive northbound through downtown, rather than having to weave my way east to Nevada or west to Cascade. Anyway, people on the Gazette's comment section are predictably beotching. They claim it is causing extra congestion. A... I doubt it. B... take Nevada or Cascade if you don't like Tejon, and C... you're downtown, of course there will be some traffic... unless the city is completely dead. Whiners.

The state democratic convention will be at the Colorado Springs World Arena next weekend. About 10,000 delegates are expected to attend. It should be a nice boost to the economy, but we'll see if any protestors cause trouble. After the St. Patricks Day parade debacle in 2007, you never can tell.

Oh... a local television station reports Colorado Springs economy is in the worst shape it's ever been in... at least since they started keeping records. That's nice.]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 10:44:13 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Photo of the Day
]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 22:03:23 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Photo of the Day
Side note -

There is actually a study planned to explore the impacts of moving the tracks east of the I-25 corridor. There have been past proposals to use the tracks for passenger rail between Fort Collins and Pueblo. Read between the lines. I don't necessarily see that it's necessary, though I would use it... but it seems the idea is getting some real consideration.

They need to do something about I-70 between Denver and the ski resorts first.

Anyway, here's a website for the primary group pushing for passenger rail on the Front Range. Looking at the map, it seems their plan has become more ambitious since I last checked in.
]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 21:16:35 -0500 Front_Range_Guy IN PROGRESS: USOC Headquarters Fri, 09 May 2008 21:09:33 -0500 Front_Range_Guy IN PROGRESS: Bancorp Plaza
]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 21:06:12 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs Photo thread
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ Oct 28 2007, 11:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>


Hahaha! Take the purple pill! I had recently suggested a sponsorship from Nexium and a purple paint job for the re-branding of our transit system here in Greenville (needless to say, that's not what was implemented)...but it's along the same lines as this.

"Got heart burn from traffic and gas costs? Take the purple pill!"]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 12:13:43 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Photo thread
The view out my hotel window (Residence Inn off of Interquest):


Some of those famous "rooftops" that the retailers are following out to the Powers Blvd. area. I, too, was guilty of following them back in 2004 and 2005:


Some of those guilty retailers at First & Main Town Centre:


I found this quite refreshing...most airports charge you for the service:


Until I saw this while departing COS, I didn't realize the USAF had F-14's in their inventory:


Peterson AFB:


Some of that sprawl east of Powers:


This is kinda off-topic, but was in the same series of photos...talk about an organized mess - this is Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport ... perfectly designed to incur delays (unlike Denver International):
]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 11:55:21 -0500 RestedTraveler DENVER: New Colorado History Museum
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ Apr 4 2008, 10:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sweet. Right in the Civic Center Park area across the street from the art museum. I'm not sure where the current history museum is located, but I love that Denver is clustering all of it's top cultural attractions in one area.


I'm not sure exactly where the current Colorado History Museum is either, but from the article, it sounds as though the new location will literally be right around the corner from the current one.

I have to agree with you 100% in that I, too, love it when cities cluster the cultural attractionsn together in one "cultrual district." This is one of the many things that is really attracting me to Denver.]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 11:42:21 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Photo of the Day

Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 08:29:17 -0500 RestedTraveler The Club creative commons)).

I've had some situations where photographs into which I had put a great deal of time and effort were "borrowed" without any credit being given even though the photos were very clearly marked as copyright protected (all rights reserved). Architectural Renderings, I would suspect, should have a copyright notice somewhere on the rendering itslef. Otherwise, I *think* it's public domain. I'm not an expert either, but if it's not very clearly marked as copyrighted material, it's game.

Now, that being said, UrbanPlanet does have more strict rules and regulations regarding posting of any material that could even remotely be considered as copyrighted. They do this to protect themselves from any nasty legal ramifications resulting from registered users posting such material, and I cannot blame them.]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 00:30:37 -0500 RestedTraveler IN PROGRESS: Bancorp Plaza
The only bad thing I could possibly say is that its a shame its not 3 stories. That architectural style looks far better on 3-4 story buildings than 2 story. But any HQ is a good HQ.

looking at it from Virtual Warth, I see construction and a crane on the SW corner of that intersection. whats going on there?


This is a very active area with Pikes place/cooper just 1 block North, the USOC HQ 1 block west, and that crane I mentioned across the intersection.

Nice activity going on out there!!

]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 21:45:52 -0500 The Voice of Reason The Club
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ May 8 2008, 08:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Do you guys have any personal guidlines for posting renderings. I used to do it all of the time, but then I got... well... scolded by the artist of one of the renderings I posted for not clearing it with him first. I don't really see the problem with using a rendering for our purposes as long as we credit the source. It's not as if anyone is making any money here. Still, I'm uneasy everytime I link to a rendering.

Thoughts?


I am certainly not an expert or anything, but I do know you should always link the source you used. this way you are always giving credit.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 21:21:27 -0500 The Voice of Reason IN PROGRESS: USOC Headquarters http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&...1&encType=1

Quite a nice scale building for that block though.

Some of the buildings near by will dwarf it, and their architecture is almost surburban office park offensive. But this building will add to the strength of the other nicer buildings around. and with a resonable scale as I said.

the only real shame is that its not being put on an empty lot.

Anyhoo, I love the USOC because I love Olympics. Park city was a Blast!!
and my cousin is competing this year for the US in China.

]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 21:18:47 -0500 The Voice of Reason IN PROGRESS: Spire
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 21:06:11 -0500 Front_Range_Guy The Club
Thoughts?
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 20:44:30 -0500 Front_Range_Guy The Pueblo Discussion Thread I was in downtown Pueblo three weeks ago, and downtown is abuzz with construction. I will have to do a photo update very soon. The riverwalk area is BOOMING. Thu, 08 May 2008 20:39:18 -0500 Front_Range_Guy IN PROGRESS: Bancorp Plaza Central Bancorp. The more jobs downtown, the more demand for housing and other services. It also represents a major makeover for the northeast corner of Nevada and Colorado.

This rendering is from Cenral Bancorp's website. YOW architects should also be credited.



The site was formerly home to a 2-story office building called One City Centre. The below photo, taken last fall (by me), shows demo work as Bancorp Plaza got underway.



The project is nearing completion. I'll have to get some updated photos soon.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 20:33:59 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs: Cooper Tower

Reworked Cooper Tower


A revised 22-story Cooper Tower development plan was approved by the city's planning department reviewers and by City Council.

Following multiple public meetings and a complex entitlement process, Realty Development Services announced that its residential condominium sales office will open at 28 N. Tejon Street during the first quarter 2008.

A three-level above-grade parking garage, nine stories of hotel, amenity and meeting facilities and another nine floors of residential condominiums selling for about $400 per square foot are planned. The total cost for the project is just under $100 million, said RDS vice president Steve Boyette.



here
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?id=15458

It seems it was news from Q4 2007


and this from 12-7-2007
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?id=15369&...r%20and%20tower

the article is very optomistic. it is 5 months old, but I have not found any coffin nails yet
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 20:29:52 -0500 The Voice of Reason Colorado Photo of the Day
Colorado Springs, Fall 2007
Photo taken by me.

]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 20:18:45 -0500 Front_Range_Guy IN PROGRESS: USOC Headquarters
rendering from gazette.com


Currently, a vacant 2-story building stands at the site, and there is work underway to gut the building from the inside out, which is why I consider it to be in progress. Plans call for the 120,000 square foot building to be LEED certified.

This photo I took last fall shows what the site currently looks like.




Website ]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 20:13:10 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs Discussion This article in this weeks Independent caught my eye.

I have mixed feelings. This stretch is on the southern edge of downtown. It's one of the few parts of town that feels urban with an eclectic mix of businesses and low income housing options, bright flashing lights, and people walking up and down the streets 24-hours a day. It does have a lot of crime... and it does probably look seedy to out of towners. My biggest fear is that this will be yet ANOTHER case of a developer coming in and closing down a business with big promises, only to have the project not go forward. As bad as it is now, a corridor of empty buildings would be so much worse and it's a situation we are starting to see in some of the city's other "urban renewal" sites.

In fact, I'd say I'm downright gun shy when it comes to grandios proposals. I'd much rather hear about plans for a modest project that has a chance in hell of getting built than another pie-in-the sky fantasy.

There is, by the way, a big crane hovering over the south part of downtown. I'm not postive, but I'm fairly certain it's just there to work on the expansion of the county garage. Which is funny, because the county is 8 million dollars over budget for the year. The people in this county aren't willing to pay taxes. We get what we pay for and in the coming years, I'm afraid we are going to be getting a lot less out of local government. I'm prepared to deal with it, I hope the whiners who aren't willing to fund government but expect five star service are.



]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 19:54:29 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs: Cooper Tower Thu, 08 May 2008 19:49:57 -0500 Front_Range_Guy DENVER: IN PROGRESS: Four Seasons
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 19:45:36 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Springs Discussion Thu, 08 May 2008 19:41:16 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Potential mass transit stations identified
UH-West Oahu will get transit station

Council approves 34 stations total; option in place for airport





The City Council yesterday approved the locations of 34 transit stations along the planned 26-mile commuter rail route stretching from West Kapolei to the University of Hawai'i-Manoa and Waikiki.

As part of the decision, the council agreed to put a train stop within a five-minute walk of the future UH-West O'ahu campus. Prior plans called for that station to be about a quarter-mile away in the new Ho'opili residential and commercial development.

The council also approved stations along a route running through the Salt Lake neighborhood and an alternative route, which may be built in a later phase, that runs next to the Ho-nolulu International Airport.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann hopes to begin construction on the $3.7 billion elevated commuter train late next year.

The change in the location of the UH-West O'ahu station means users will only have to walk about 300 feet to get to campus. That's about 1,000 feet less than the prior plan. The change followed an agreement announced yesterday allowing the city to place a transit station and park-and-ride facility on state land.

"I think we've reached a consensus with everyone in the area," Gene Awakuni, chancellor of UH-West O'ahu, told council members yesterday. "We think it's in an ideal location."

Under current plans, UH and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources will enter into a joint agreement allowing the university to develop housing and commercial projects on a 105-acre state parcel fronting Farrington Highway and North-South Road. The UH-West O'ahu station would be on the diamondhead side of North-South Road. A pedestrian bridge will allow students to more easily cross North-South Road en route to campus.

"It has always been my goal to have a rail station located on, or adjacent to, the new campus, and I'm confident this station will serve the campus very well," Hannemann said in written statement yesterday.

Yesterday's council decision allows the city to proceed with preliminary engineering and the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement, said council member Todd Apo. The exact locations of the stations could vary slightly depending on how those processes develop.

"Based on the information that comes from those two processes, you may end up moving them some," Apo said.

The station locations were approved on a 7-2 vote by the council, with Barbara Marshall and Charles K. Djou opposed.

Rail options still open

In other business yesterday, the council advanced bills that would allow the use of rubber-tire and magnetic levitation technology in the proposed mass-transit system. Those bills face an uphill battle in garnering the council votes needed to pass or override a likely Hannemann veto.

The council has been debating for months whether the transit system should use steel wheels, rubber tires or magnetically levitated vehicles. Council members deadlocked last month in several votes on the technology issue. Hannemann favors steel and has said he will veto any bill that advances another technology.

"We've had extensive discussion of the different technologies already," said council member Gary Okino, who voted against both bills yesterday. "I don't think we need to go spend another eight-hour committee session to go over the same things."

Hearing May 15

Marshall disagreed. "I think it's worth any amount of time we can devote to it because it's the largest public works project that we've ever done," said the council chairwoman.

Marshall missed the transit technology votes last month. She said yesterday she was in Florida following the death of her mother.

The new transit technology bills, introduced by council members Donovan Dela Cruz and Ann Kobayashi, now go to the council's Committee on Transportation and Public Works.

Council member Nestor Garcia, who chairs that committee, said he'll hold a May 15 hearing on non-steel-rail technologies.

"We'll have a hearing on technology other than steel on steel," he said. However, "Unless I hear some new evidence that tells me we should choose something other than steel on steel (technology), I'm going to recommend these bills don't pass out of committee."
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 18:27:15 -0500 urbanguy DENVER: IN PROGRESS: Four Seasons
QUOTE (RestedTraveler @ May 8 2008, 01:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think there had been a previous rendering (50-story version). Perhaps that is the one you had seen?

This project, like the Spire, went through some financing issues and re-design, from what I've read.


that could be it.

I might be confused with another project also.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 15:01:43 -0500 The Voice of Reason <![CDATA[DENVER: IN PROGRESS (for now): "The Peak"]]>
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/...28/daily33.html

Highlights:
  • Installation on the 20,000-square-foot tent made of white vinyl began this week across 15th Street from the Hyatt Convention Center Hotel, the HQ for the DNC.
  • It will open on June 1st.
  • The structure will be equipped with flooring, lighting, air conditioning and restrooms and seat 1,500 to 2,000 people.
  • It will be removed in early fall.
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 14:58:34 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs: Cooper Tower ]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 13:14:09 -0500 RestedTraveler DENVER: IN PROGRESS: Four Seasons
This project, like the Spire, went through some financing issues and re-design, from what I've read.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 13:10:34 -0500 RestedTraveler DENVER: IN PROGRESS: Four Seasons
QUOTE (RestedTraveler @ May 8 2008, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>



I thought I had seen a more earth toned rendering.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 12:28:47 -0500 The Voice of Reason Colorado Springs: Cooper Tower
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ Nov 4 2007, 11:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
According to a posting by a local nimby that I stumbled across...
There is a public meeting tomorrow night to discuss Cooper Tower's request to have it's height increased from 23-stories to 26-stories.
I can't wait smile.gif

I've wanted to start getting active in the community again after a few months focused on job promotions and buying a house. This affords me the perfect opportunity.

I'm not worried. I've heard developers say that as long as you have the support of your neighbors, you'll be fine. Cooper Towers neighbors are Pikes Peak Place and City Hall. Cooper is golden.


Any news on this project?

I absolutely loved the origonal rendering and can not stand the new one. how sad.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 11:55:18 -0500 The Voice of Reason DENVER: IN PROGRESS: Four Seasons http://www.fourseasons.com/private_residences/denver/

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/...23/daily34.html
After years of planning and negotiating, a new 45-story Four Seasons Hotel & Residences is coming to downtown Denver -- and it's being hailed as a five-star boost to the city's reputation.

Completion is scheduled for fall or winter of 2009.

]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 11:53:05 -0500 RestedTraveler The Club
QUOTE (MJLO @ May 17 2007, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
What do we have to do to increase traffic a little more so that CO can take off? I'd love to see us have a CO Springs and a Denver subforum. FRG, I'm amazed at the progress we've made here with the work you've done. Mad Props


Hello Gents,

I am a development nerd, favor UP over all of the other options even though they have much more traffic. I noticed the tiny spark of life here in Colorado, and am game to help plump things up a little bit since new in Hartford is kind of slow right now.

FRG, since you keep trying to quit SSP you should try what I did. Just ust it as a source some times and if you see something over there that is not here use google find the source and post it here.

If you see the two threads I recently started here you should just replicate that.

There are a ton of Projects in the major Colorado Cities. you should just create a new thread for each one. organize them the way other regions do.
Each of these new threads attracts people searching on google etc, and you will gain members as your regions content grows.

so I suggest you just spend some of your idle finger tapping time looking up known projects and creating threads for each of them. as new news pops up its added in as replies. as the status changes from "concept" to "proposed" to "in progress" to "completed" a moderator can edit the thread.

That new Hotel I just posted about should have a thread title change as it progresses and more info comes out. a rendering added as they are revealed etc

if you build it they will come...]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 11:36:51 -0500 The Voice of Reason Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 10:47:54 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Discussion
Here in Greenville, hospitals don't relocate, they just expand and open new locations or new "campuses." I can't imagine a hospital moving altogether.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 10:41:45 -0500 RestedTraveler Developers respond to idea for downtown Denver hotel http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stori...25/story11.html

Denver-based Focus Property Group wants to build a 22-story hotel on what's now a surface parking lot at 14th and Stout streets, across from the convention center.

The surface lot would be replaced by a seven-story, above-ground parking garage with 7,500 square feet of retail on the first level, making the entire structure 29 stories.

Focus Property Group owns the 25,000-square-foot surface lot and has hired Hospitality Real Estate Consultants (HREC) to find a developer to build the 400-room, $100 million upscale hotel.



Recent projects along 14th Street include:

  • The Curtis Hotel -- a redevelopment of the old Executive Tower Inn -- opened in January 2007 at 1405 Curtis St. The pop-culture hotel has 336 rooms, 19,000 square feet of meeting space and a new ground-level restaurant called the Corner Office. Sage Hospitality LLC owns and operates it.
  • Ground broke last September on a 45-story, 230-room and 102-condo Four Seasons Hotel & Residences at 14th and Arapahoe streets. The $350 million project is being built to meet five-star, five-diamond standards -- a move that its developers, Jeff Selby and Michael Brenneman, say will boost the city's reputation.
  • Two blocks away, a 41-story, $175 million condo project called Spire is under construction at the corner of 14th and Champa streets.
  • The Hilton Garden Inn-Denver Downtown at 14th and Welton streets opened last July. Englewood-based Stonebridge Cos. owns the 221-room, $35 million hotel.
  • The Oceanaire Seafood Room at 14th and Arapahoe streets opened July 10, 2007.



]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 00:06:44 -0500 The Voice of Reason IN PROGRESS: Spire http://www.spiredenver.com/
this site has a web cam

http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stori...21/daily33.html
Developer Randy Nichols finally has the new financing he has sought for several months to resume construction on his stalled 41-story, $175 million Spire condo project in downtown Denver.

Lender Hypo Real Estate Capital Corp. of New York backed out of the project's previous $160 million construction loan in August 2007, bringing the construction to a halt.

The project's general contractor, JE Dunn Rocky Mountain Inc., plans to resume construction on Thursday. Dunn expects to have the project ready for occupancy in December 2009, six months after the original date.




This project if completed (and it looks like it will be) should add a large number of residents to downtown. I love residential towers, but it seems the trend lately has been super luxury super elite and really, super wastefull. Adding over 500 upper middle class residents to downtown goes much further than adding 200 filthy rich residents. Besides those filthy rich ones are usually 2nd/3rd/4th homes. I also think this is a pretty good looking building. Its not a skyline stand out or anything, but it is the important kind of building that will add a great deal to the mass of the skyline during the day, but stand out at night with its lighting. Based on the renderings I am not completely pleased with how it interacts with the street, but it is hard to balance the needs of the tenants and the need for retailers. The rendering is a bit harsh and too modern for the street. I suppose part of the utilitarian look is due to the projects relatively low cost. 41 stories 503 units for 175M is seemingly on the cheap side these days.]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 00:02:02 -0500 The Voice of Reason Colorado Springs Discussion
There has also been an insane amount of development northeast toward Falcon and in the tri-lakes area... but yes, Powers is really the problem area right now.

Another example is the Penrose-St. Francis hospital system. I was born at St. Francis Hospital downtown in 1983. It closed and moved east to Penrose Community Hospital on Academy Blvd. That's where my sister was born in 1987, and where my nephew was just born. Now, Penrose Community is being shut down in favor of a brand new hospital, St. Francis Medical Center, at Powers and Woodmen. It's a text book study for "cancerous sprawl." The growth spreads, thrives, sucking away all of the areas resources, then moves on, leaving death behind it. I'll give city council credit for actively working to fill in the gaps. Hopefully it isn't too little too late.


In other news that I find entertaining, the El Paso County District Attorney is in a bit of hot water.]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 18:41:23 -0500 Front_Range_Guy The Club
It's fair to say we had our first widespread thunderstorm event of the season today. Denver reported flooding that shut down the offramp on I-25 at 6th avenue, the hail piled up so deep that Manitou Springs called out the plows. Manitou recorded nearly 2" of rain today, and Elbert County east of Colorado Springs was under a tornado warning for a time.

I'm a bit of a weather nerd, and I am darn glad to see the winter come to an end.

I planted a couple of plum tree's in backyard this weekend. I think the threat of hard freeze has passed, though I wouldn't be surprised if we get down to 32 one or two more times.

]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 18:20:20 -0500 Front_Range_Guy SAN FRANCISCO POPULATION TOPS 800,000 San Francisco has attained the highest population on record with a population of 824,525 on January 1, 2008. This continues the significant upward trend in growth that began in 2006. The city grew by 1.5 percent this year.

The Bay Area climbed to 7.3 million people!

The City of Los Angeles, California's largest city, has a population of 4,045,873, which makes the city more than three times the size of the state's second largest city, San Diego, which now has an estimated 1,336,865 residents.


The 2008 report lists 478 California Cities, of which 439 gained population, 2 experienced no change, and the remaining 37 lost population. Compared to last year's report, more cities gained population and fewer cities lost population.

San Joaquin in Fresno County was the state's fastest growing city, increasing by 17.4 percent. The next four fastest growth rates were Beaumont in Riverside County (11.3 percent), California City in Kern County (9.6 percent), Imperial in Imperial County (8.3 percent), and Dublin in Alameda County (7.7 percent). All these cities added a large number of new housing units relative to their overall population sizes.


]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 17:40:05 -0500 Zahc MGM CityCenter Project http://www.courant.com/business/hc-natbizd...0,2468750.story

apparently this project was in some jeapordy, but MGM will push forward with all its projects despite its recent poor performance.


MGM recently opened its new casino in CT. or rather it is in the process of opening certain parts of it.]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 15:10:28 -0500 The Voice of Reason SF Pictures of the Day II







Downtown Entertainment, O'Farrell at Polk Street


]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 11:59:44 -0500 Zahc Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 08:08:52 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Discussion
QUOTE (RestedTraveler @ May 6 2008, 01:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've only been here in Greenville, SC a short time (going on 8 years), but I've witnessed the same thing here. When I had first moved here, it was obvious that the "big box" retailers and all that follow had moved off of Laurens Road here and over to the Haywood Road area, around the Haywood Mall. Then, over time, as more and more residents poured into the southeastern suburbs of Greenville, these big-box retailers migrated toward Woodruff Road, leaving behind empty strip malls on Haywood and Laurens both. If I had to guess, the big migration in Colorado Springs has been toward Powers and away from Academy? Is that correct?


Right. First it was Circle, and now Academy. I'm guessing 10 years from now Banning Lewis Ranch Parkway will be the new hot spot. Assuming the trend continues...

]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 18:13:45 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Photo of the Day
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ May 6 2008, 01:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If I didn't have my suburban minded friend who wanted to go to Park Meadows Mall with me, I could have spent all day taking in the city.


I'm the same way, although Mrs. RT is more suburban-minded than I am. This is one of the reasons that Stapleton is looking so attractive to us...it's a nice blend of both.

This photo is a composite of a few different elements (multiple exposures for HDR and also the inset of the full moon), but it's still pretty cool.

I thought I'd start posting some photos to get this thread moving and I plan to try to keep it up. I'm being very careful to select only photos available under Creative Commons license. I know how protective photographers (such as myself) can be of their work, so it's nice to see a few photogs out that way who offer their work up under CC with no strings attached. I may do the same thing with some of my own photos once I've relocated...I've just had problems with them being "borrowed" without permission too often here, for whatever reason, so I've got my own work locked down for now.]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 14:27:13 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Discussion
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ May 6 2008, 01:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Los Angeles based Rancho Liborio has opened a store in Colorado Springs. In addition to providing service to an underserved market, this store is also good because it brings new life to one of dozens of dying strip malls in the east central part of the city. Colorado Springs is scrambling to fill empty shopping centers as businesses "follow the roof tops" east and north, out of city limits, taking tax revenue with them. Yes, city council, there is a down side to unchecked suburban sprawl.


I've only been here in Greenville, SC a short time (going on 8 years), but I've witnessed the same thing here. When I had first moved here, it was obvious that the "big box" retailers and all that follow had moved off of Laurens Road here and over to the Haywood Road area, around the Haywood Mall. Then, over time, as more and more residents poured into the southeastern suburbs of Greenville, these big-box retailers migrated toward Woodruff Road, leaving behind empty strip malls on Haywood and Laurens both. If I had to guess, the big migration in Colorado Springs has been toward Powers and away from Academy? Is that correct?]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 14:21:06 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Springs Discussion
Anyway, let's see what's worth mentioning out of Colorado Springs today.

Los Angeles based Rancho Liborio has opened a store in Colorado Springs. In addition to providing service to an underserved market, this store is also good because it brings new life to one of dozens of dying strip malls in the east central part of the city. Colorado Springs is scrambling to fill empty shopping centers as businesses "follow the roof tops" east and north, out of city limits, taking tax revenue with them. Yes, city council, there is a down side to unchecked suburban sprawl.

They... whoever "they" are... have hung a sign up on the I-25 bridge as you cross under the interstate from Downtown Colorado Springs to the west side, welcoming you to Old Colorado City. I'm not sure what the implications are... Old Colorado City doesn't actually start for several miles west of Downtown. The West Colorado corridor is old, historic even... and very eclectic. One of the only legitimately urban areas in Colorado Springs. I'm not sure what the ultimate goal is in lumping it in with Old Colorado City? Maybe a scheme to attract tourist dollars?

Still no movement on Cooper Tower or the Embassy Suites. With the economy in the crapper, that's no big surprise. We should see a 10-story hotel rising in the far north suburbs this year... possibly very soon. We should start to see work on the Olympic offices accelerating now too, with that deal inked.

]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 12:43:56 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Colorado Photo of the Day
This must be a fairly recent pic, based on the progress on 1LP on the left side of the image.

I can't wait for the Four Seasons to start rising above most of the rest of the skyline!

I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art last week. They have a deck on the roof that over looks the construction site of a 20 something story office building. It was amazing. If I didn't have my suburban minded friend who wanted to go to Park Meadows Mall with me, I could have spent all day taking in the city.

]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 12:25:14 -0500 Front_Range_Guy Sooo...
QUOTE (teshadoh @ Apr 30 2008, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Don't let living in the suburbs make you feel guilty, it isn't where you live but how you live that determines how much of an environmental impact you make. A lot of people that live in central Denver drive to work & especially for shopping. There are even people that live in central Denver & drive to the suburbs to work so if you ever hear them speak bitterly about suburbanites be sure to call them a big filthy hypocrite.


Wow, it's nice to finally hear someone say that.

I've never been to Stapleton, but I've only heard good things. I have been to southlands, and I don't like that area at all. I'm not necessarily an anti-suburb person... I live in a suburb... I just prefer older suburbs like the one I live in. My house is 52 years old. I feel like older areas have more history and character, and I like the mature trees.


]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 12:10:21 -0500 Front_Range_Guy A New Downtown South of Market
QUOTE (The Voice of Reason @ May 5 2008, 04:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have generally not been a fan of adding absurd height to SF skyline, but from this angle it does look reasonable. I Guess I have to have faith in the good people out there that created such a nice city to continue to protect what they created.

is transbay a definate?

how sure are these projects?



The proposed 1000 foot Transbay Terminal Tower is not a definite...The Tower will probably have its share of difficulties being built like the Transamerica Pyramid, which was supposed to taller and slimmer...but it was scaled down because neighbors in Nob Hill complained it blocked their views...Although, SF looks perfectly fine w/o tall buildings; I don't necessarily agree but understand the City's point to create a more dynamic skyline in keeping up with Jones...

Ken Garcia, a SF Examiner columnist, likes the new vision and notes San Francisco's poor track record of not selecting architectural gems when building tall like Chicago or New York. Speaking of Chicago, I love the SPIRE they're building there...What a fantastic looking building!]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 11:21:40 -0500 Zahc SF Pictures of the Day II

]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 10:54:40 -0500 Zahc Sooo...
...and don't tell the peeps back in the SC thread - but even the best SC school districts only match up to the average suburban Denver school districts. Education is taken a lot more seriously here, I'm fortunate that we're raising our daughter here rather than back home in Atlanta or SC.]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 10:21:55 -0500 teshadoh Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 07:56:31 -0500 RestedTraveler Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons]]> Mon, 05 May 2008 21:32:21 -0500 RestedTraveler Sooo...
The shopping seems to be on the periphery, but that's not so bad compared to what we face now (driving 15-20 miles or more to get to the shopping areas). The Northfields and Quebec Center areas seem quite adequate for what we would ever need. Also, I seem to have gleaned that Whole Foods is the last remaining missing retailer from the Northfields shopping center, too...seems that the merger between Whole Foods and Wild Oats delayed development of the store. That'd be convenient for us. The RTD Stapleton Transfer station will (in a few years) be a light rail station, too, from what it appears...so that'd be extra convenient.

I think the Expeditionary Learning that the K-8 school in Stapleton offers would be perfect for my daughter, too. She's very smart and is (quite frankly) not being challenged nearly enough here in SC...so she gets bored and acts up and gets in trouble a lot (but makes straight A's - usually 100+ on most everything). If we could get her into a school like that, it'd do wonders for her behavior, I have no doubt.

I've been over to Atlantic Station a few times and I don't really see much similarity between it and Stapleton? There appear to be a ton of single-family homes in Stapleton, for starters...more than condos and townhouses and apartments. Also, the high rise component (aside from the old air traffic control tower) is missing...I guess you could compare the air traffic control tower in Stapleton to the old smokestack in Atlantic Station. :-)]]> Mon, 05 May 2008 21:23:32 -0500 RestedTraveler A New Downtown South of Market
QUOTE (Zahc @ May 5 2008, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Core of downtown S.F. would move south under new plan for giant skyscrapers near Transbay Terminal
Robert Selna,John King, Chronicle Staff Writers

Thursday, May 1, 2008

A cluster of skyscrapers rivaling the Transamerica Pyramid would rise around the West Coast's tallest tower in an ambitious proposal that would shift the heart of San Francisco's downtown south of Market Street.


I have generally not been a fan of adding absurd height to SF skyline, but from this angle it does look reasonable. I Guess I have to have faith in the good people out there that created such a nice city to continue to protect what they created.

is transbay a definate?

how sure are these projects?]]> Mon, 05 May 2008 17:44:06 -0500 The Voice of Reason A New Downtown South of Market Robert Selna,John King, Chronicle Staff Writers

Thursday, May 1, 2008

A cluster of skyscrapers rivaling the Transamerica Pyramid would rise around the West Coast's tallest tower in an ambitious proposal that would shift the heart of San Francisco's downtown south of Market Street.

The zoning plan, unveiled tonight at a packed public meeting, would allow as many as seven new skyscrapers to surpass the current 550-foot height limits in an area surrounding the planned Transbay tower- a high-rise of roughly 1,000 feet adjacent to a new Transbay Terminal at First and Mission streets.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...=006&sc=589


]]> Mon, 05 May 2008 17:21:28 -0500 Zahc SF Pictures of the Day II















]]> Mon, 05 May 2008 10:50:36 -0500 Zahc Sooo...
Any negative comments I could think of? The neighborhoods surrounding Stapleton suck, the retail part of Stapleton was not done well but at least from the Stapleton side it isn't too bad. I think that is all - I do believe the big mall like retail part is or will be connected by a bike trail on the north side of the freeway & long term RTD plans is for transit connection to the airport.

Yes, the wife & I thought we would move there years ago b/c it was similar to Atlanta's Atlantic Station which we like.]]> Mon, 05 May 2008 10:36:10 -0500 teshadoh Colorado Photo of the Day
Photo Attribution under Creative Commons

Going to post some photos that are available from flickr under Creative Commons from time to time since I'm not currently there to snap any of my own...just to keep this thread going.]]> Sun, 04 May 2008 19:14:44 -0500 RestedTraveler 2007 Estimates by Race and Hispanic origin
There's some interesting growth trends for both states; the Black and Hispanic populations have grown quite a bit since 2000 and shows no signs of slowing.

Since 2000 the Black population in Hawaii grew by approximately 14,000 and in Alaska by approximately 6,000. The Hispanic population in Hawaii grew by approx. 18,000 and in Alaska by approx. 14,000 and Native American population in Hawaii by approx. 2,900 and Asian population in Alaska by approx. 6,000.


]]> Sat, 03 May 2008 12:47:56 -0500 urbanguy Sooo...
QUOTE (Front_Range_Guy @ Apr 26 2008, 12:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Why not Central Denver?


There's a new development on the "RT relocating to Denver" front. My wife discovered Stapleton today (I had briefly looked at it previously and wrote it off as "probably way too expensive for us due to the prime urban location" ... this, of course, was based on my experience with Baldwin Park in Orlando).

At any rate, we started looking into it more this evening. It looks very promising...so maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that we'd be more urban than suburban afterall. That'd be nice as it's where my heart truly is. The schools look to be alright (more research is going to be required though) and there's plenty of shopping and parks and trails, which we love...looks that there's even a Whole Foods planned for the Shops at Northfield...also (and this is a huge plus) it looks like the RTD East Corridor is going to go right through Stapleton...in about 7 years or so...hopefully gas won't be $10/gallon by then. Denver City Park and the Zoo and MoSN are not far away. Downtown Denver is less than 10 miles. I'm liking this...will keep you posted.

If anyone has anything to say about Stapleton (good or bad), I'd love to hear your thoughts.]]> Sat, 03 May 2008 00:02:21 -0500 RestedTraveler <![CDATA[Recent Photos of San Juan's CBD]]>