Press Release
Denver Union Station Named Winner of Urban Land Institute's 2015 Global Awards for Excellence
October 7, 2015
Media Contact
Cynthia Langhorst
Global Head of Communications
DENVER, CO – East West Partners, Continuum Partners, Union Station Alliance and Trammell Crow Company announced today that Denver Union Station has been named a winner of the 2015 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence competition. Widely recognized as one of the land use industry’s most prestigious award programs, the ULI Global Awards for Excellence selected 10 global winners from among a broad mix of exemplary projects from around the world, including five in the U.S., three in Europe and two in Asia. A full list of the 2015 award recipients is available here.
“The result of a visionary collaborative effort, Denver Union Station brings an exemplary transformation of downtown through a complex mixed-used project,” said ULI Global Awards for Excellent Jury Chair Michael Covarrubias. “The project not only makes progress ahead of the initial plan but already turns the rail yard into a viable community/work space.”
Now in its 37th year, ULI’s Global Awards for Excellence recognize real estate projects that achieve a high standard of excellent in design, construction, economics, planning and management, and is viewed as the centerpiece of ULI’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development.
“The ULI Global Award for Excellence is the most prestigious award in our industry and it is an incredible honor to have won for our work on the Union Station Neighborhood,” said Mark Smith, Principal of East West Partners. “This award is in recognition of the extraordinary effort put forth by the entire Union Station team as well as the impact that this project has had on the neighborhood and the entire City of Denver.”
This is the second Global Awards for Excellence win for both East West Partners (Riverfront Park, 2011) and Continuum Partners (Belmar, 2006).
“The Union Station development is one of the most challenging projects we have ever taken on,” said Mark Falcone, Founder and CEO of Continuum Partners. “To create such an ambitious master plan that was built in a single continuous phase with the development activity happening simultaneously and then execute it on time and on budget, despite the Great Recession, took incredible leadership, fortitude and cooperation. To have that effort recognized by the Urban Land Institute is immensely gratifying.”
The 2015 winners were announced at ULI’s Annual Fall Meeting on Tuesday, October 6, in San Francisco. Representatives from Continuum Partners and East West Partners (master developers of the Union Station Transit Hub and Neighborhood); Trammell Crow Company (owner representative for the Denver Union Station Project Authority); and Union Station Alliance (developer of Union Station Historic Building) were recognized with a certificate during the presentation.
“Denver Union Station created a shift in downtown Denver when the heart of the city became the Union Station Neighborhood. The historic building has been restored to its original intentions, serving as a bustling 24 hour community gathering place,” said Walter Isenberg, President and CEO of Sage Hospitality and partner in the Union Station Alliance. “Speaking on behalf of our entire group including Larimer Associates, McWhinney, REGen, LLC, Sage Hospitality and Urban Neighborhoods, the Union Station Alliance is grateful for this global recognition.”
Criteria for the award include leadership, contribution to the community, innovations, public/private partnerships, environmental protection and enhancement, response to societal needs, and financial viability, all of which the Denver Union Station project have met. The 10 winning projects were selected from among 22 finalists by an international jury of ULI members representing a multidisciplinary collection of real estate development expertise, including finance, land planning, development, public affairs, design, and other professional services.
“The challenges presented by redeveloping a rail yard and creating a multi-modal transportation center, all during a recession that required unique financing partnerships were no match for dedicated developers, cooperative jurisdictions at all levels of government, a talented design and construction team, and a committed group of community volunteers that oversaw a unique public-private partnership,” said Bill Mosher, Senior Managing Director of TCC’s Denver office. “Denver has truly re-defined its regional land use patterns with the completion of this innovative project.”
Honors for the Denver Union Station project include East West Partners and Continuum Partners, equal partners in the Union Station Neighborhood Company, the master developers of the project; Union Station Alliance as the developers of the Historic Union Station Terminal Building; Trammell Crow Company as the owner representative for the Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA); and the full integrated design and construction team led by Kiewit, and including AECOM, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Hargreaves Associates.
“On behalf of the Denver Union Station Project Authority Board of Directors (DUSPA), we are honored to receive this prestigious award from the Urban Land Institute,” said Hon. Elbra M. Wedgeworth, President of the Board of Directors of the Denver Union Station Project Authority. “These civically minded volunteers have dedicated themselves to complete this private/public partnership as a transportation legacy for the people of Denver and Colorado and for future generations. Completing this $500 million project before time and under budget, we are very proud to have accomplished that goal, not many can say that. Denver Union station is a national model for transportation.”
About East West Partners
East West Partners is devoted to building, selling, managing and supporting high-quality real estate. Since 1986, the firm has developed and sold over $3 billion of residential and commercial real estate. Their most recognizable local project is Denver’s Riverfront Park, a 25-acre development that transformed the Central Platte Valley into Denver’s hottest new community. East West Partners is also responsible for the renaissance of downtown Denver’s city center, taking the lead on the development of the Union Station Neighborhood. For more information on East West Partners, visit www.ewpartners.com.
About Continuum Partners
Continuum Partners, LLC is a progressive development firm specializing in building urban mixed-use developments that create successful pedestrian environments and integrate effectively with the surrounding urban fabric. Founded in Denver, Colorado in 1997 with a deliberate mission to create sustainable human habitats of extraordinary character and enduring value, Continuum Partners has established itself as a national leader in urban, mixed-use, large-scale projects. Learn more at www.continuumpartners.com.
About Union Station Alliance
The Union Station Alliance team consists of Colorado companies Larimer Associates, McWhinney, REGen, LLC, Sage Hospitality and Urban Neighborhoods. The representatives of these companies were awarded a 99-year lease of the historic transit building and tasked with revitalizing the downtown landmark with a $54 million renovation. Known today as "Denver's Living Room," Denver Union Station now features the 112-room Crawford Hotel and an eclectic mix of 13 local restaurants, shops and bars. Denver Union Station also serves as the transit center for the city and in Spring 2016 will welcome the first commuter rail line from Denver International Airport, connecting the city to the world. To learn more, visit www.unionstationindenver.com.
About Trammell Crow Company
Trammell Crow Company (TCC), founded in 1948, is one of the nation’s leading developers and investors in commercial real estate. The Company has developed or acquired nearly 2,600 buildings valued at nearly $60 billion and over 540 million square feet. As of June 30, 2015, TCC had $6.0 billion of projects in process and $3.7 billion in its pipeline.
Trammell Crow Company’s teams are dedicated to building value for its clients with professionals in 16 major cities throughout the United States. The company serves users of and investors in office, industrial, retail, healthcare, multi-family residential and mixed use projects. For those who occupy real estate, TCC can execute the development or acquisition of facilities tailored to meet its clients’ needs. For investor clients, the company specializes in joint venture speculative development, acquisition/re-development ventures, build-to-suit development, or providing incentive-based fee development services.
TCC is an independently operated subsidiary of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, and the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (in terms of 2014 revenue). For more information visit www.TrammellCrow.com.
Trammell Crow Company
Trammell Crow Company (TCC) is a global commercial real estate developer and wholly-owned subsidiary of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas. Founded in 1948, TCC has developed or acquired nearly 2,900 buildings valued at $75 billion and over 655 million square feet. As of September 30, 2024, TCC had $19 billion of projects in process and $13.4 billion in its pipeline. With 575 employees throughout the United States and Europe in 26 offices, the company serves users of and investors in office, industrial/logistics, healthcare, life science, data center and mixed-use projects, as well as multi-family residential through its operating subsidiary High Street Residential. For more information visit www.TrammellCrow.com.