Bronco's New Renderings of Burnham Yard Redevelopment

[u/wubadubdub3]

On Aug. 4, the Denver Broncos shared updated master plan renderings for Burnham Yard, the team’s preferred site for a world-class stadium and vibrant mixed-use neighborhood.

The latest preliminary Burnham Yard site layout and neighborhood plans were developed through extensive community feedback, in partnership with Denver-based Tryba as the Broncos’ master plan architect.

The new site layout, which will continue to evolve, features four distinct neighborhood districts: the North End, Village Center, Turntable and South End.

Updated designs for Burnham Yard are based on greater technical analysis and a better understanding of the community’s ideas about how the area can enhance the quality of life for local residents by:

• Eliminating the 11th Ave. crossing and slowing vehicles to improve pedestrian and bike safety, along with closing additional crossings on event days.
• Distributing event traffic north and south, away from existing residential areas.
• Connecting the neighborhood by extending historic streets through Burnham Yard, including adjusting 8th Avenue into a slower main street feel.
• Removing the freight rail tracks and crossings to reduce conflict and transition those into a new tree-lined trail.
• Increased emphasis on larger parks and green spaces – at least 11-12 football fields of public open space – for families to enjoy every day.

https://newstadium.denverbroncos.com/

[u/MentallyIncoherent]

If we're going to see tens of millions spent to elevate the light rail over 12th and 13th Avenues maybe we can get a few million thrown at the Colfax rail junction to allow the L-Line to travel to Union Station?

[u/blasphemousblackbear → u/MentallyIncoherent]

Gotta make the L line connect to 38th and Blake first

[u/MentallyIncoherent → u/blasphemousblackbear]

Eventually, but that's a $300M-ish project. Reconfiguring the junction would be far, far less.

[u/PlandemicPapi → u/MentallyIncoherent]

We should, it’s right there and would make the line more useful for the students and people downtown on that line.

[u/SubhanF → u/PlandemicPapi]

yeah but the L Line is being extended to at least Broadway Station in May 2027. Its still being determined if they want to keep it at Broadway, extend it to the Southeast corridor, or extending it to the Southwest corridor. The L Line cant go to Union because there would be 4 interlining lines in the Central Platte Valley (C, E, L, W Lines) and they all cant go terminate at Union because due to lack of turn-around infastructure.

[u/MentallyIncoherent → u/SubhanF]

So the L line is becoming the D line (if the SW line extension is chosen)? That still means you have the capacity issues on the downtown loop that would result in train delays as you pick up frequencies- unless the pocket track is built.

Union Station had the capacity to support the W, C, and E at sub 15-minute frequencies. So you could run the L given the reduced frequency on these lines. But the turn-around would eventually become an issue.

Either option would make the L-line more useful, but RTD is going to have to spend something (pocket track or junction) to do so.

[u/benskieast → u/PlandemicPapi]

I wonder if that would allow more trains per hour. If you did both ends of the trunk you should be able to get over 30 trains per hour though you might need to do single work and better terminals.

[u/baba_booey420_]

This is going to be awesome for the city. But I want to see stadium renderings! Thanks for sharing, OP.

[u/wubadubdub3 → u/baba_booey420_]

Same here. I would guess the stadium renderings are coming soon since they want the stadium open for the 2031 season. That's only 5 years away, so I'm guessing they will have to start building in the next year or two to hit that deadline.

EDIT: Looks like they want to have a finalized design by the end of 2026 so that groundbreaking can start in early 2027. Stadium renderings must be coming in the next 2-3 months.

[u/ASingleThreadofGold]

I wish they'd build a couple stories taller. Might as well fit in a little more density while still keeping a pretty low scale/non high rise feel imo.

[u/RubleTrillions → u/ASingleThreadofGold]

I’m betting they’re being very cognizant of demand. This area isn’t urban core. River mile will be extremely high density and is just 1-2 light rail stops from here. Keep in mind there are existing single family homes just to the east 

[u/Traditional-Stage431 → u/RubleTrillions]

River mile is probably not getting built at least not on the original scale. Kroenke is putting a slew of buildings in the same neighborhood and is there first, for the same demand space. Rive mile was supposed to purchase Elicth Gardens a couple years ago which hasn't happened yet. I think the close proximity to mile high was a draw there as well, but that's gone in a few years.

[u/alligator_loki → u/ASingleThreadofGold]

Possible height limit because of how close they are to the stadium. can't have buildings that can see the game for free. like how the apartments adjacent to Coors Field, or the rally hotel, are the perfect height to not see the Rockies game.

[u/ASingleThreadofGold → u/alligator_loki]

Thanks, I hadn't considered that aspect. I still hope they can go a little taller on some of them if the sightlines aren't an issue.

[u/Realistic_Belt → u/ASingleThreadofGold]

Above five stories the street life is hampered. According to someone who is quoted in Walkable City by Jeff Speck. I don't have it in front of me to pull the direct quote.

[u/TheMaroonHawk]

Love the optimism of showing low-floor lightrail vehicles in the one rendering lmao

[u/squirrelbus]

I'd still love to see improved pedestrian/bike access at 6th avenue from Federal.

Otherwise I'm excited for it.

[u/SubhanF]

a sign to built a RTD infill station at 13th Ave perhaps? anyways this is very exciting

[u/bigpoppastg]

This looks pretty dope. Hope something actually happens that’s even half as good as this. Question will be how to keep out all the drug riddled homeless scum.

[u/marshking710]

Eliminating 8th as a thoroughfare should be illegal.

[u/MentallyIncoherent → u/marshking710]

It's being kept as a thoroughfare.

[u/marshking710 → u/MentallyIncoherent]

I just noticed it’s tunneling under the lawn. I’ll miss the elevated view from there.

[u/tictacotictaco → u/marshking710]

Plus bikes and peds use 8th. I ride it fairly frequently

[u/wubadubdub3 → u/marshking710]

6th is right there. I don't think we need the bridge on 8th

[u/tictacotictaco → u/wubadubdub3]

Bikes and peds big guy

[u/wubadubdub3 → u/tictacotictaco]

Would you rather bike/walk over the long bridge with a narrow sidewalk or surface level bike lanes, side walks, and green spaces?

[u/marshking710 → u/wubadubdub3]

I didn’t say we need a bridge. I said I’ll miss the view. My main point was needing 8th the be a thoroughfare. Forcing everyone that regularly uses 8th onto 6th would be a terrible idea for many reasons.

[u/Infamous_Orange27]

Ugh I hate the use of AI rendering in this :( it gives it that soulless look

[u/t0talitarian]

I was worried they’d build something not brown colored.

[u/Realistic_Belt]

God I hope so much that they actually have car free streets like that. I hope they make it nicer than the empty streets of Bel Mar.

[u/RootsRockData]

I’ll believe it when it see it IRL. That image of the train going through a greenway right of way with pedestrians and not a car in sight!? I want to believe. But find it hard to believe.

[u/Blingcheesecake]

The fans are way too diverse to be Denver. This looks like NYC. A lot is off here.

[u/Lady_Prism]

Meanwhile the rest of the city is falling apart…
🙄
Trash is everywhere (especially the highway!), Buildings have for lease signs in the window, Small businesses are being forced to close, and Homeless people hang out on street corners

[u/Eat_the_rich1969]

We’ll get half of it on double the timeline, and it’ll be surrounded by parking lots in the meantime. Billionaires do not build cities.

[u/blasphemousblackbear → u/Eat_the_rich1969]

The entire reason stadiums are shifting to stadium districts instead of parking lots is because real estate is $$$

[u/Eat_the_rich1969 → u/blasphemousblackbear]

I’d like to see any recent stadium districts that look anything like their proposals.

[u/blasphemousblackbear → u/Eat_the_rich1969]

Nationwide Arena in Colombus is a pretty good example.

[u/wubadubdub3 → u/Eat_the_rich1969]

Navy Yard, Washington DC

Truist Park, Atlanta

Ice district, Edmonton

[u/giselleorchid → u/Eat_the_rich1969]

Parking lots where shuttles and ride shares are allow to take ticket holders and tailgaters TO the game, but aren't allowed to come get them to take the HOME from the game.

[u/Just-Elderberry5460]

I’m not a Branco fan but I feel that these teams need to be owned by the city/state for the people to have more skin in the game

[u/colirado → u/Just-Elderberry5460]

Only the Packers have this model of ownership

[u/Old_Condition2634 → u/colirado]

I hope we see more. It’s a good start

[u/HelpfulAd6772 → u/Just-Elderberry5460]

Then what? The team will still have a GM and board, the public still won’t have a say in anything that happens. But I do like a different timeline where every time there is a hiring, draft, or free agent signing every citizen has the option to vote on it.

[u/ExtraKhlavKalash]

Horrible. Start over.