Campus Stewardship: Information Gathering and Discovery 2022

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Contents 1. Foreword

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2. Introduction

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3. Process

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4. Context

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5. Project Summary

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6. Next Steps

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Foreword Our Cathedral Campus Stewardship and Revenue Planning Task Force has been meeting regularly with Tryba Architects to focus on the sustainability and resiliency of our Cathedral Campus and properties moving into the future. Our conversations have been informed by past Cathedral Campus planning initiatives, including previous master plans, legal agreements, vision documents, reports, and assessments so that we’re not starting from scratch, but rather building on the foundation of what has come before. What we’ve uncovered is a deep desire to carefully steward our resources, generate sustainable revenue streams, and create a sense of community while also serving the many needs of those in Capitol Hill and Denver.

This missional work has long been a priority for Saint John’s Cathedral, but it has grown in intensity in recent years. When the church was closed to the public in 2020 during the pandemic, there was an encampment of more than 100 people on the sidewalks surrounding the cathedral. Through that experience, our staff and clergy learned that our neighborhood here in Capitol Hill has a variety of opinions about people experiencing homelessness, which is not exclusive to this neighborhood or this city.

During this time, the importance of having a mix of housing options in this neighborhood, including low-income and affordable housing, was made even more apparent. We also learned that everyone in the neighborhood, including the people who live in nearby apartments, business owners, and non-profits in the area, are very disconnected and isolated from one another, and the pandemic has only exacerbated this sense of isolation and disconnection.

Prior to the closure, we heard from one of our parishioners who rented an apartment here and described that period of his life as being lonely because Capitol Hill didn’t feel like a neighborhood and there was no sense of community. Though this anecdote is only one person’s experience, we believe it holds a grain of truth, and that truth helped us start to think about how the cathedral’s grounds and potential community partners could help better connect our neighbors with one another and with the place and people of Saint John’s.

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Figuring out how to accomplish this all effectively is still in process as we continue conversations and research. We’re glad to be working with Tryba Architects on this plan because they are very interested in building connections and engaging with the neighborhood in a variety of ways.

In addition to strengthening the fabric in our neighborhood and how we can further be in relationship with those in need, the Task Force realizes that we must generate a sustainable source of revenue for the future. We hope to achieve this by maximizing the use of the Roberts Building for income potential during the week and providing project design options for adjacent parcels. We know we must do this now because the Finance Committee and the vestry spend significant time each year reviewing a five-year financial plan.

Although the outcome has improved greatly in the last few years by a mix of expense cuts, growth in the endowment, and amazing growth in pledges, we still see projected deficits five years out. So, we’re looking at a balance of both short and long-term strategic moves that align with the cathedral’s values and mission which we will pursue in tandem to generate income streams to support the cathedral’s work in the larger world.

Leigh A. Grinstead Senior Warden

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Introduction In 2019 Saint John’s Cathedral selected Tryba Architects to assist with a study on HVAC systems improvements for the Cathedral Nave, the Dean Paul Roberts Building, Saint Martin’s Chapel, and Dagwell Hall. This effort led to the execution of a construction project to upgrade the HVAC systems within the Cathedral Nave, Saint Martin’s, and Dagwell. Additional systems upgrade work to the Roberts Building was excluded from this project and put on hold for a later date when Saint John’s could manage further study of the Cathedral Campus as a whole.

In 2021 the vestry of Saint John’s was ready to focus on strategic stewardship and revenue enhancement opportunities and the Cathedral Campus Stewardship & Revenue Plan was developed.

This document represents a summary of the initial Information Gathering and Discovery phase of this process. It also captures the efforts of the Consultant team and Task Force to understand the diverse range of past planning efforts carried out on the Cathedral Campus, the history of site development, the current forces shaping the Cathedral Campus context, and the principles and goals that will drive the planning effort toward a sustainable, vibrant, and connected future for the cathedral and the surrounding neighborhood.

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Process Task Force Charge Since its founding in 1860, and completion of the current cathedral fifty years later, Saint John’s has continually grown and expanded. Several Cathedral Campus Master Planning efforts were undertaken during the past thirty years, although only a small percentage of proposed changes were ever implemented. Today, many of the same challenges such as circulation, security, revenue generation, and neighborhood connections still need to be addressed.

The Cathedral Campus Stewardship and Revenue Planning Task Force was formed to work in collaboration with Tryba Architects to develop and refine goals, an approach, and process for the cathedral to maximize the use of the Roberts Building for income potential and increased utilization during the week, and to provide design options for adjacent parcels. Task Force members were selected by the vestry from across the congregation for their various skillsets and levels of professional expertise.

The Task Force fosters a culture of inclusiveness by encouraging the sharing of ideas at all levels. This includes communicating openly and facilitating productive collaboration within the Task Force, with clergy, with the Director of Operations, and the broader Saint John’s community.

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Our Core Values The core values of the Task Force align with the mission of Saint John’s as it relates to the physical and financial goals for the Cathedral Campus and surroundings: •

Joyous celebration of God’s love through worship, music, and art in the Anglican tradition

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Open doors inviting all to join in Saint John’s Eucharistic community as living witnesses to the good news of God in Christ

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Offering a community where people of all ages know each other by name and are supported through education, fellowship, and pastoral care

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Putting faith into action by ministering to the needs of the sick, the bereaved, the poor, the homeless, and those most in need in our community

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Being faithful stewards of the cathedral’s past, present, and future through gifts of time and treasure

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Honoring the dignity of all persons and embracing diversity as essential to the body of Christ

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Seeking common ground with each other and those of other faiths and working toward a society of justice where God’s love is reflected in the healing and restoring of relationships

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Our Guiding Principles The Task Force has focused on developing a series of Guiding Principles as a framework for this plan. These Principles are intended to ensure alignment around our goals and objectives, to facilitate decision making, and to enable considered and effective prioritization of projects and initiatives.

Stewardship

We will be ever mindful of our historic Cathedral Campus, buildings, and the neighborhood’s fabric and scale.

We will strive to ensure the Cathedral Campus always remains vibrant and relevant.

We will look for the highest and best use of all buildings, spaces, and land.

Sustainability

We will focus on revenue generation for long-term financial sustainability.

We will pursue effective use of land and resources with efficient and environmentally responsible energy performance improvements.

We will ensure utilization for future generations within the community.

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Neighborhood Integrity

We will strive to enhance our role as a civic, social, and community anchor in the neighborhood.

Productivity and Innovation

We will aim for elegant, practical, functional, and realistic solutions.

We will facilitate and work to improve connections within the Cathedral Campus and the community.

We will focus on a market-driven approach.

We will pursue strategic partnerships.

We will use well-considered phasing and sequencing to implement plans.

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Our Goals Building on previous master planning efforts, the Task Force’s overarching goals and objectives include understanding potential opportunities and constraints on and around the broader Cathedral Campus, which roughly includes the area between Colfax Avenue on the north, Washington Street on the west, 13th Avenue to the south and Clarkson Street on the east. This meant that the Task Force focused on exploring planning and programming concepts to connect the Cathedral Campus more strongly into the existing neighborhood; identifying options to enhance the edges and thresholds of the Cathedral Campus to celebrate the experience of entry, arrival, safety and welcome; maximizing the use of the Roberts Building and existing Cathedral Campus spaces for additional activities and revenue generation; and testing scenarios for the potential development of both adjacent and Saint John’s owned parcels on the main Cathedral Campus and Cathedral Square North.

Related to these goals, the Task Force also discussed financial planning, neighborhood outreach, and how the Cathedral Campus interfaces with citywide and neighborhood planning documents.

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The Stewardship and Revenue Planning Process This document summarizes the findings of the discovery phase of the Cathedral Campus Stewardship and Revenue planning process and was completed between October of 2021 and February of 2022. It is anticipated that the next three to five months will be spent reviewing the findings of this document with key stakeholders, testing the initial concepts proposed, and entering into discussions with potential development partners to understand market interest and support.

Following this Vision Development and Partner Outreach period, we would anticipate entering into a Plan Development stage to enable projects and concepts to be further refined and documented for budgeting and prioritization. This effort would likely be followed by the creation of a phased implementation plan for fundraising, which would then lead to full design, documentation, entitlement, and procurement of selected projects.

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Information Gathering and Discovery Vision Development and Partner Outreach Plan Development

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Information Gathering and Discovery A series of key tasks were identified and completed as part of this initial phase and are intended to inform next steps in the development of the Cathedral Campus Plan: •

Assembly of Task Force

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Process Definition and Communication Plan

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Review of past Cathedral Campus Planning and Development Proposals

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Review of Kimberly Apartments Conditions Assessment (ongoing)

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Key Stakeholder Identification

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Definition of Neighborhood Outreach Strategy (ongoing)

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Define Initial Goals and Aspirations

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Establish Draft Project Wish List

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Preliminary Use and Programming Study (ongoing)

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Expand Existing Building and Site Documentation

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Zoning Review and Initial Yield Study

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Existing Site Context

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Context For over 100 years, Saint John’s Cathedral has served the Capitol Hill community as a spiritual and social center. As the vestry acknowledged in 2020, when we think about these places, we should remember the 48 contemporary tribes with historic ties to the state of Colorado. We recognize these Indigenous peoples as the original inhabitants of this land and that when we gather together – whether it is to live, worship, or simply share a meal – we are doing so on Indigenous land.

Founded in 1860 as Saint John’s Church in the Wilderness, the parish relocated to 14th Avenue and Washington Street in 1911 after their earlier, downtown cathedral was lost to fire. The Cathedral Campus has grown and evolved with the neighborhood that surrounds it and has continually offered a place of celebration and solace, support and community throughout periods of complex social change and growth in Denver. As a house of prayer, worship, music, art, education, and outreach, the Cathedral Campus supports the church’s mission to share the loving presence of God in Christ with all who walk through its doors. Saint John’s also serves as the cathedral for the Episcopal Church in Colorado, which encompasses the entire state.

In addition to serving the Capitol Hill community, Saint John’s draws from across the Denver metropolitan region. Longstanding, loyal members and new seekers alike have made Saint John’s their spiritual home because of its longevity and the sense of welcome, fulfillment, and community it provides. Far beyond serving just its immediate congregation, Saint John’s is a significant anchor in the community, providing numerous services to assist those in need.

A key challenge for the cathedral, however, is the transient and disconnected character of the immediate neighborhood. To address this challenge Saint John’s is looking toward ways in which our plans can catalyze a renewed sense of community; broaden the cathedral’s impact; facilitate transformational change within the surrounding context; and connect people to each other, to God, and to place.

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Our Neighborhood This Stewardship and Revenue planning process is focused on the physical assets of the Cathedral Campus, including how they can be positioned to better serve the neighborhood in fulfillment of the congregation’s mission and goals.

We are focused on the revenue-generating opportunities presented by potential partnerships to develop adjacent parcels under Saint John’s ownership, and through programming opportunities within the existing buildings on the Cathedral Campus.

The planning process will explore options to ensure that the infrastructure exists to support worshippers and visitors who arrive at the Cathedral Campus from near and far, while connecting meaningfully into the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The site is surrounded by a one-way street network which presents challenges for the streetscape character and pedestrian experience. Colfax Avenue has its own particular influence on the site, and this will continue to evolve in the long term as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is implemented, promoting urban density along the corridor.

Regardless of how this area changes due to the BRT project, Saint John’s is committed to the partnership with Saint Francis Center Apartments at Cathedral Square and is interested in exploring a mix of housing options on its Cathedral Campus.

The immediate neighborhood is transitional and transient due to the majority rental population and fractured ownership. The impacts of homelessness exacerbated by COVID-19 continue to be experienced in the public realm. We continually seek to address the demand that our unhoused neighbors have on our facilities in myriad ways while also acknowledging and addressing the larger issue of homelessness in our city.

Additional challenges and opportunities include Saint John’s relationship with the neighboring Morey Middle School and connecting with and enhancing the established retail environment along the 13th Avenue corridor.

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Construction of Saint John’s Cathedral took more than two years.

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Cathedral Campus Development History As part of the discovery process, the Task Force and Tryba Architects examined documents dating back as far as 1955, which provide context on previous master planning and development efforts.

Saint John’s Cathedral at 14th Avenue and Washington Street was constructed in 1911, designed by architects Tracy and Swartwout. In mid-century, several new buildings were added to the Cathedral Campus including the Roberts Building (Fisher & Fisher, 1955) and the Parish Hall and Dagwell Hall (Fisher & Davis, 1963).

The Cathedral Nave (including the mid-century additions) is a registered Denver Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The first major master planning effort occurred in 1988, which included structural evaluation of the Cathedral Nave and Campus buildings, all of which were found to be in good condition. Ten years later, HooverDesmond Architects prepared a detailed Master Plan Report. This diagrammatic plan included recommendations such as space improvements, security needs, circulation, parking, energy efficiency, and openness to the neighborhood – all issues that are still under discussion in 2022.

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Tryba Architects’ involvement with Saint John’s dates back to 2004, when the firm was hired to develop a new Master Plan. This was followed in 2012 by a Master Plan prepared by Humphries Poli Architects. Each of these plans envisioned a number of ideas that were not implemented, likely due to cost.

Saint John’s has, however, undertaken significant preservation work on the historic Cathedral Nave. $355,000 in State Historical Fund (SHF) grants were obtained in 2000 to perform a three-phase renovation which included accessibility updates, circulation improvements, fire protection, and structural work on the windows and limestone facade.

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In 2007 SlaterPaull Architects was hired to perform a preservation assessment, also funded by an SHF grant, for the property following concerns from the Building & Grounds Committee over deferred maintenance. As part of their assessment, SlaterPaull issued an update to HooverDesmond’s 1998 plan, including a space plan for the Roberts Building.

The utilization of space in the Roberts Building is one of the major goals of the Task Force and has been a challenging issue for several decades.

In the late 1980s, architects Anderson Mason Dale were hired to study the space needs. It is unclear if any of their findings were ever addressed.

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Area Planning Context As part of the planning process, the Task Force met with Principal City Planner Curt Upton and examined three documents that provide directions and recommendations for Denver’s growth and development: 1) Blueprint Denver, 2) the Denver East Central Area Plan, and 3) the Colfax Avenue BRT TOD Continuum Analysis.

Blueprint Denver, adopted by City Council in 2002 and updated in 2019, is a citywide land use and transportation plan that addresses the unique needs and growth patterns of Denver’s neighborhoods. The plan focuses on growth and development, urban design, equity and inclusiveness, transportation, zoning, and related considerations. Blueprint Denver recommends promoting and incentivizing growth in areas close to transit, particularly with regard to affordable and mixedincome housing; Saint John’s Cathedral is located one block south of the East Colfax Avenue transit corridor.

Blueprint Denver also recommends practices for environmentally responsible design and construction. Courtyards, green roofs, and related programming are possible considerations for the Cathedral Campus in this regard. Blueprint Denver classifies Capitol Hill as part of the city’s East Central Area and the site is defined as ‘general urban’ and an area of higher density.

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The East Central Area Plan examines the area in greater depth and includes specific recommendations for the Capitol Hill sub-area surrounding Saint John’s.

One of the major focus areas of this plan is safer streets. Under consideration is conversion of one-way into two-way streets, with the goal of calming traffic and T providing better access for bicyclists and pedestrians. If implemented, this plan ! ( would directly affect Saint John’s in many ways. Calmer, safer streets would enhance safety around the Cathedral Campus and provide an environment more conducive to community uses of the lawn spaces. With membership distributed throughout the Denver Metro area, however, this plan could directly affect parking and access for suburban parishioners. An implementation plan and timeline for two-way street conversion has not yet been finalized. Conversion of parking-heavy north-south streets (Washington and Clarkson) is likely to be more attainable than the eastwest arteries (13th and 14th), which support significantly higher traffic volumes.

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Denver’s plan for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along East Colfax Avenue, expected to be implemented within 3-7 years, will directly impact the Cathedral Campus. The Colfax Avenue BRT TOD Continuum Analysis calls for replacing two lanes of traffic on Colfax with bus-only lanes to encourage a more walkable ‘main street’ and increase transit ridership. Whether or not BRT and one-way streets are implemented, parking continues to be a strong consideration for Saint John’s and a significant item of discussion among the Task Force.

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Neighborhood Relationships and Opportunities Saint John’s has a long history of neighborhood partnerships and cooperation. Since 1968, the parish has leased parking spaces to Argonaut Wine & Liquor, which provides a source of revenue. Potential future development on the site could affect this arrangement and require negotiation around lease terms.

Another Saint John’s partnership is the Saint Francis Center Apartments at Cathedral Square, which provides 49 units of permanent supportive housing for adults transitioning out of homelessness and poverty. Saint John’s leased the land for the building and collaborates on service and community with the residents of the apartments, which has proven to be an important community benefit and mission opportunity. Integrating and enhancing the setting of this building will be critical to any development.

On 13th Avenue, a small community of retailers has found success despite the unique character of the street and the speed and quantity of traffic. There is opportunity to enhance the 13th Avenue frontage of the Cathedral Campus to engage further with this neighborhood retail. The enclosed Xcel substation presents a challenge to street edge activation on the corner of 13th and Washington.

General patterns of ownership within the neighborhood are complex and diverse and tend to comprise more transient rental apartments. This can present a challenge for community building and the Task Force recognizes the role that Saint John’s should play in bringing a sense of ownership and stewardship to the immediate neighborhood and providing a heart and gathering place for the local community.

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To the east is Morey Middle School. Although a great neighborhood activator during the day, the school is relatively inactive at night and on weekends, which contributes to the sense of quietness and perceptions around safety in the immediate environment. The Task Force is interested in furthering the relationship between Saint John’s and Morey Middle School, not only regarding parking but potentially through joint programs with the school.

As part of the planning process, the Task Force brainstormed other potential community involvement ideas that would further activate the Cathedral Campus and the Roberts Building more specifically, such as: •

Daycare

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Car sharing

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Weekday farmer’s market on the West Lawn

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Practice studios for local musicians

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Kitchen rental

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Food, music, and arts programs

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Senior programs

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Co-workspaces

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Business incubator center

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Rental of parking lot during neighborhood events

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Community support services refugees, clinical, legal, mental health, etc.

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Retreat center

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Health and wellness uses

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Education

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Performance spaces

Within the Cathedral Campus, spaces must be healthy, safe, stimulating, and truly fit for purpose. In addition, these spaces should reflect the fundamentally sacred nature of the work at Saint John’s and promote a sense of awe, wonder, and connection to community, to the neighborhood, to art, to nature, to light, and to spirituality.

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Study Areas In order to facilitate analysis and discussion of the Campus as a whole, a series of study areas have been identified: Cathedral Square North Within Cathedral Square North, the Task Force has examined a variety of future redevelopment scenarios that build on past studies and respond to the likely future condition of Colfax Avenue and other adjacent development sites. With increased focus on the Colfax corridor for transit and higher mixed-use density, the current 8-story zoning over this parcel presents opportunities for development partnership or land sale that could generate significant revenue for the cathedral. This must be balanced, however, by the mission-driven role of both the Saint Francis Apartments and the Kimberly Apartments to provide affordable and transitional housing opportunities within the neighborhood. Equally, any development on these parcels must address the architectural character and setting of the cathedral and enhance the sequence of outdoor spaces and landscapes that frame the arrival sequence to and from the Cathedral Campus.

Cathedral Grounds Within the immediate cathedral grounds, studies have focused on stewardship of historic buildings; activation and enhancement of built edges; enhancements to the arrival and welcome sequence; programmatic activation and revenue generation within the Roberts Building; and further definition of thresholds, edges, and gateways within the landscape. In addressing the latter, it is important to understand that thresholds do not imply walls or barriers but instead create well-defined spaces that are safe, comfortable, and welcoming.

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The Kimberly Apartments The Kimberly, an apartment building located across 14th Street from the cathedral and owned by Saint John’s, presents both opportunities and challenges. In 2013, the building was leased to the non-profit Wartburg College for student housing. Issues with plumbing immediately became apparent, and in 2014 Saint John’s paid the cost of re-piping the third floor. Two years later, problems with water pressure necessitated further work. Wartburg eventually moved out and the Kimberly Apartments became naturally occurring affordable housing. While the Kimberly Apartments has provided valuable revenue to Saint John’s and a mission complementary provision of affordable housing to the community, rising maintenance costs require a careful assessment of next steps for the building.

In 2020 Saint John’s began exploring opportunities for the redevelopment of the Kimberly Apartments and the adjacent parking site currently leased to Argonaut.

A large and respected affordable housing developer provided a proposal that envisioned an 8-story mixed-use apartment building along with retaining the Kimberly Apartments. Although Saint John’s came close to an agreement with the developer, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and with concerns over how this development would fit within a broader vision for development, this proposal was ultimately rejected by Saint John’s.

As part of this Information Gathering and Discovery phase, Tryba Architects and their supporting consultant team prepared a conditions assessment of the Kimberly Apartments and developed a scenario-based budget narrative to test different strategies for the maintenance and adaptive re-use of the building. A conceptual rough order of magnitude budget was prepared by General Contractor Fransen Pittman to assist in decision-making moving forward. As a next step, the Task Force, the Finance Committee, and the vestry will continue to assess the options for investment in the Kimberly Apartments in the context of the potential for future redevelopment of the site and the mission and goals of Saint John’s. A summary of the strategies explored is included on the following page and the full study is included in the Appendices to this document.

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The Kimberly Apartments Challenges: •

Very low net revenue due to ongoing expenses

•

Revenue not maximized as a number of units are empty

•

Ongoing maintenance issues present challenges

•

Responsibility to provide safe, healthy, and affordable housing options

•

Potential for future redevelopment

•

Any future deal is likely at least a year away

Scenario 1A: Minimum Improvements – 133K hard cost 27K soft cost = $160K

Scenario 2A: Minor Refresh – 700K hard cost 140K soft cost = $840K

•

Base repairs of roof, fire, and life safety

•

•

Ensure units are habitable and safe

Invest minimally in amenities and common spaces

•

Does not address plumbing system upgrades

•

Minor mechanical upgrades

•

No revenue improvement

•

Scenario 1B: Minimum Improvements – 270K hard cost 54K soft cost = $324K

Look for minor increases in rent over next 2-3 years

•

Does not address plumbing system upgrades

•

Ensure units are habitable and safe

•

•

Does not address plumbing system upgrades

Could look to incrementally enhance units (47K per unit)

•

Accept revenue with very minor improvement on existing

•

Convert vacant unit to amenity

•

Doesn’t solve vacant units, other than above

•

Loss leader based on future redevelopment of site

•

Target studio rent: $1,000-$1,050

•

Revenue comes at sale or partnership

Scenario 2B: Minor Refresh – 795K hard cost 160K soft cost = $955K

•

Doesn’t solve vacant units

•

•

Target studio rent: $895-$995

Scenario 2A plus additional fire alarm upgrade

•

Look for minor increases in rent over next 2-3 years

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Notes: •

Current studio rent range is $895-$995

•

Similar studios in the zip code are ranging between $850-$925

•

Remodeled studios in the area are ranging from $950-$1100

•

Comp new build market rate units in neighborhood pro-forma at 3.20-3.30 PSF

Scenario 3: 5-year plan – 1.1M Hard Cost 220K Soft Cost = $1.3M ($3.1*)

Scenario 4A: 15-20-year plan – 3.8M Hard Cost, 760k Soft Cost = $4.6M

•

Make a larger investment to get 5 years of increased and sustained revenue

•

Full repositioning to get 15 -20 years from building with max revenue

•

Does not require vacation of building

•

•

Does not upgrade plumbing system

Vacate building for 8-10 months for construction

•

Does not solve vacant units

•

•

Phased upgrade of units as they become available

Market input to understand ceiling for revenue

•

Upgrades to all major building systems

•

Requires negotiation of increased rent over time

•

Rent upgrade is immediate on re-lease

•

Target studio rent: $1,200-$1,300

Target studio rent: $1,100

Scenario 4B: 15-20-year plan – 4.6M Hard Cost, 930K Soft Cost = $5.5M

•

*Cost with all habitable units upgraded at 47K per unit

•

Scenario 4A plus VRF system for cooling

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Dean Paul Roberts Building The Roberts Building, constructed in 1955, anchors the eastern edge of the Cathedral Campus. Originally known as the Education & Music Building, it houses classrooms, large multi-purpose/conference rooms, youth gathering spaces, and the nursery. Connecting the Roberts Building with the Cathedral Nave is the All Souls’ Walk columbarium (1961).

In the late 1980s, Kazon and Anderson Mason Dale Architects were hired to study the Roberts Building space utilization and provide recommendations. Their plan called for increased storage space, security upgrades, and circulation improvements.

In 1999-2000 Stantec completed a basement and first floor remodel, which included circulation improvements and addition of a new choir practice area.

Space utilization in the Roberts Building has been a continuous issue over the intervening years. During the current planning phase, the Task Force has expressed a desire to improve entry and arrival to the building. Currently, visitors are often confused as to how to enter the building. The goal is to make entrances more welcoming and suitable for community purposes, while also clearly delineating sacred and secular uses. Finally, opportunities for revenue generation through the reprogramming of spaces within Roberts for commercial use or events that generate rental income will be further explored as part of the next phase of the planning effort.

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3

Project Summary This section provides a summary of an initial analysis of opportunities and constraints on the site and preliminary thoughts on potential projects that may warrant additional investigation.

A conceptual site plan has also been developed in order to solicit feedback from key stakeholders and enable initial discussions with potential development partners on sites within the Cathedral Campus.

These ideas are initial and conceptual in nature and will be subject to development and change through the process of consultation with cathedral leadership, the congregation, community stakeholders, and private sector partners.

Importantly, this is the beginning of a process of exploration and thinking, and there will be extensive study, discussion, testing, and prayer required to finalize the next steps in the life of the Cathedral Campus.

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COLFAX AVENUE

24

22

20

EMERSON STREET

CLARKSON STREET

WASHINGTON STREET

PEARL STREET

23

21

11

18 19

17

14 TH AVENUE

16

15 14 13

12

12

5 2 10

1

11

3 4

3

9 7 8

13 TH AVENUE 46

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8

6

Opportunities & Constraints 1

Enhance arrival and welcome experience with new central open space

2

Reprogram Roberts to maximize use and revenue opportunities

3

13

Enhance West Lawn as a green amenity for the neighborhood and place of community gathering

14

Enhance columbarium landscape as sacred space and processional route

15

Acknowledge and address impact of neighboring properties on perceptions of safety and comfort on the street

16

Enhance pedestrian crossing experience

17

Improve gateway experience on 13th connecting to neighborhood retail street

Explore renovation and development options for the Kimberly Apartments

18

Enhance garden edge to 13th to promote community interaction

Enhance open space environment as an amenity for the cathedral and residents

19

Explore purchasing site for redevelopment

Enhance street environment through traffic calming, two-way conversion, street edge improvements

4

Investigate new entry for tenants in Roberts

5

Enhance physical and programming connections to Morey Middle School

6

7

8

Engage neighbors to promote street edge enhancements and activation of 13th Street as a neighborhood Main Street

20

Engage residents of Saint Francis Center Apartments at Cathedral Square into a broader community of housing and support

9

Acknowledge challenge of Xcel facility and its impact on street edge activation

21

Explore development partnership opportunities

10

Explore mixed use development to provide edge definition, activation, and security within the Cathedral Campus

22

Understand constraints of existing Argonaut leasing agreements

23

11

Explore integrated below grade parking

Test future development scenarios for sites facing Colfax

12

Enhance site edge conditions to provide clear conditions of transition and threshold

24

Explore future opportunities provided by the Colfax BRT program

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14

TH

AV E N

UE

C L A R K S O N S T R E E T

Existing Site Context 48

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WA

SHI

NGT

ON

FA L O C

STR

X

EET

E V A

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Initial Thoughts Through an open process of collaboration and discussion facilitated by Tryba Architects, a series of ideas and thoughts for the physical planning of the Cathedral Campus were explored in sketch form.

This effort solidified the concept of a series of well-defined, safe, active, and engaging outdoor spaces within the Cathedral Campus that provide a variety of sacred and more secular landscapes and gardens, help re-frame the historic image of Saint John’s Church in the Wilderness, and provide spaces for the community to gather together.

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COLFAX AVENUE

LINE OF GARAGE BELOW

PARKING ACCESS

RESI 7 8 PARKING ACCESS

FUTURE RESI

PARKING BELOW

RESI

9 12

13

ENHANCED CROSSING

4

COLUMBARIUM 5

LAWN

6

HALL BELOW?

PARKING ACCESS

13TH AVENUE 52

ENHANCED STREETSCAPE + TWO WAY CONVERSION

ENHANCED STREETSCAPE + TWO WAY CONVERSION

SQUARE

3

RESI

EMERSON STREET

10

11

14TH AVENUE

CLARKSON STREET

WASHINGTON STREET

PEARL STREET

POTENTIAL FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

ENHANCED CROSSING

1 2

COMMUNITY CLOISTER

ENHANCED HIGH STREET

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MOREY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Conceptual Site Plan A conceptual site plan was developed from the initial sketches in order to solicit feedback from key stakeholders and enable initial discussions with potential development partners on sites within the Cathedral Campus. The plan examines parcels both on and adjacent to the Cathedral Campus to assess how potential future developments might inform our approach.

1

New uses and programming within Roberts to activate underutilized spaces, support mission, and generate revenue.

8

A new square provides amenity for residential and an enhanced landscape foreground for the cathedral

2

Enhanced entry to Roberts from Clarkson Street.

9

3

Potential retail activation with cafe/bookstore draws people onto the Cathedral Campus and activates street edge.

Below grade parking supports residential and cathedral uses

10

Any future development of the Argonaut site by its current owners is likely to utilize the full allowable zoning envelope and require both above and below grade parking.

11

The Square provides an enhanced setting, amenity, and further opportunities for connection to the Saint Francis Center Apartments at Cathedral Square.

4

Edges to lawn enhanced to provide a safe comfortable, controllable space for events and as a green amenity for the neighborhood.

5

Edges to columbarium enhanced to provide thresholds and reinforce sacred character.

6

Community Cloister provides a new, welldefined outdoor space to gather and strengthens experience of arrival and welcome.

12

New residential development provides a diversity of housing options to support both revenue and mission-focused goals.

In this scenario the Kimberly Apartments is demolished and the site incorporated into a new development

13

The Capitol Hill Apts site (similar to the Argonaut, is not owned by Saint John’s) could be developed in the future to take advantage of the fully allowable eight-story zoning envelope.

7

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4

Next Steps The Cathedral Campus Stewardship & Revenue Plan will be developed as a roadmap to guide decision-making for the Saint John’s community into the future.

As a first step in that process, the Information Gathering and Discovery Phase presented an opportunity to learn about past planning efforts on and around the Cathedral Campus; understand current issues, opportunities, and constraints; and provide initial thoughts on future projects and development opportunities.

Our next steps will be to pause and listen. The conceptual materials in this document will be distributed and discussed both internally within the congregation and externally with potential private and/or sector partners, city agencies, and key neighborhood stakeholders. This is an important step in testing the viability of the concepts and ensuring there is the support necessary for successful implementation of next steps.

We hope and believe that the work that went into creating this document will serve as a valuable resource and tool for the Saint John’s community moving forward. As we move into the next stages of Vision Development/Partner Outreach and Plan Development, we trust in God’s spirit to guide us with the generosity and wisdom necessary to ensure a vibrant future for our Cathedral Campus, our congregation, and our community.

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SaIN SaINT JoHN’S CaTHEDRaL 1350 N Washington St, Denver, CO 80203 sjcathedral.org