Kimpton Hotel’s progress marks milestone in Belleview Station development

The topping-off ceremony Wednesday for a Kimpton Hotel being built at the Belleview Station development in southeast Denver included rides on a construction lift to the 19th floor, where a rooftop restaurant, bar and music venue will provide a sweeping view of the mountains.

While much of the Front Range was hidden by clouds and light snow, the rooftop was a good vantage point to see the buildings that have been completed in the mixed-use development and the progress on other buildings. The roughly 35 acres under development just west of Interstate 25 and on the north side of Belleview Avenue was once part of a farm owned by the Bansbach family.

“As a youngster, I rode around with my grandparents when they were harvesting dryland wheat with a combine. For them to see what’s evolved after all these years, it’s hard to imagine. They couldn’t dream of something like this,” said Louis “Dutch” Bansbach.

Bansbach is president of the family-owned Front Range Land and Development, the master developer of Belleview Station. He and his daughter, Brooke Bansbach Maloy, the company’s vice president, were both at the event marking the placement of the building’s final steel beam.

The hotel is expected to open during the first quarter of 2024. The 190-room boutique hotel will be Kimpton’s third in the Denver area. The others are Kimpton Hotel Born at Union Station and Kimpton Hotel Monaco in downtown Denver.

“The city of Denver has been so gracious to Kimpton over the years,” said Mike DeFrino, CEO of the San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants. “We’ve been great fans and had great success here.”

Several of the project’s investors, the contractors, architects and developer joined Front Range Land and Development on the second floor of the hotel, which will include a ballroom, meeting rooms and a patio when completed. Charlie Kercheval, president of Alpine Bank, also part of the project, said along with Denver’s Cherry Creek, Belleview Station is a focus of “energy and vibrancy” in the area’s real estate market.

The hotel is owned by DTC Hospitality Investors. The developer is Cypress 16 in conjunction with McClurg Century Investments. KGD Architecture is the architect and  Harvey Cleary Builders is the general contractor.

Belleview Station has been in the works since 1999, when the city of Denver approached the Bansbach family about developing the land. The city was planning a light-rail station at the spot and pitched a mixed-use development as part of the transit point.

“We thought it was the right time to do it,” Maloy said.

After construction of Interstates 25 and 225 split the family farm in half and whittled away at the acreage, the Bansbach family sold some of their land to the developers of the Denver Tech Center.

The family leased the land west of I-25 for several years to a private country club and golf course. When the country club declared bankruptcy, the family operated a public golf course at the site before the property was rezoned.

“We came to the conclusion that the market was strong enough that development could begin to occur;” Bansbach said.

The first residences and retail businesses opened in 2012. Vectra Bank, Western Union, Newmont Mining, DCP Midstream and Modivcare have moved their corporate headquarters to  Belleview Station. More residential buildings have opened or are in the works. When fully built, the site will include more than 2,000 residential units.

“We’re pretty mindful and aware that we can’t bring online 2,000 units all at once. There’s definitely an absorption period,” Maloy said.

Front Range Land and Development works to attract local retailers and a mix of stores and restaurants, Maloy continued. When the pandemic hit, there was a slowdown, she said, but the team kept meeting and supporting building owners.

“I’m comfortable with where we are,” Maloy said.

The developers believe Belleview Station is in a prime location as the metro area continues to grow.

“The Denver Tech Center, having as many employees as it has out here, this is a great central area,” Maloy said.

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