Opening a new studio is a multifaceted endeavor that involves countless coffee dates, lunches, happy hours, panels, lectures, conferences, and even bocce ball tournaments and boxing fight nights – you name it.
When asked, “Why Denver?” my response begins with acknowledging that the city is home to many capable design firms. However, no architect shares our unique niche: Savannah. As North America’s first planned city, Savannah has stood the test of time with its seamless integration of mixed-use applications, lush public squares, and promotion of natural walkability and density. Savannah serves as a living, breathing case study for place, destination, and urban living, offering an authentic cultural experience for both its visitors and residents.
In contrast, Denver and many of its surrounding communities often lack the harmony of beautiful architecture, lush greenery, and connectivity that we see in Savannah. There is a significant absence of streetscapes that relate to the human scale and smart streets that promote inclusivity for pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles, and public transportation. The city faces a crisis in housing availability and affordability.
The city of Denver has been in an urban crisis since 1967 and the infamous Skyline Urban Renewal project – another community “redlined” to eliminate “blight,” displacing local communities and demolishing 27 blocks of rich, urban fabric from the late 1800s. As architects, developers, planners, brokers, stakeholders, city council members, and more, we have an opportunity, and maybe even an obligation, to reignite our urban core.
Our goals for Denver are ambitious yet essential: we aim to promote urban infill, increase density, and create streetscapes where people feel invited to be on the street, connecting seamlessly with indoor spaces. We are committed to developing affordable housing that accommodates mixed incomes and demographics, fostering places where people want to live, work, eat, and play.
Additionally, we are actively pursuing hospitality projects to boost tourism. Our goal is to instill a greater sense of pride in our city and warmly welcome visitors from around the globe.
A recent highlight in this journey was participating in a ULI Leadership Connections session with Laura Aldrete. Surrounded by 35 inspiring women, we discussed what it means to be female leaders in this city and our roles in shaping its future. I left the panel feeling profoundly inspired, knowing that there are many women in leadership who share our vision of missing middle housing, 15-minute cities, authenticity, and sense of place.
At GMSHAY, we are putting our stake in the ground and going into the trenches in Colorado, fully committed to creating meaningful and authentic architecture that reflects our diverse communities. Our mission is to bring the lessons learned from Savannah to Denver, enhancing the urban experience and fostering a vibrant, inclusive city.
On and Off Café . An excellent example of mixed-use application in Denver – an activated street-level with On and Off Café, 2-story housing above in the historic Weir Building. We need more spaces like this! Photo Credit: Weir Flats – 3211 Zuni Street - City Lights Denver
321 Habersham Street. A typical Savannah mixed-use application. Urban Deli Sandwich Stop at street-level with 2-story townhome above in Savannah’s Historic District. Photo Credit: Google Maps.
Fact Check Credit: The destruction and rebirth of 30 blocks of downtown Denver in six images (denverite.com)
Blog written by Jessica Moeslein, Architect and Director.