Central Park at Stapleton

     Colorado is becoming well known as a place where the green revolution is a way of life. Stapleton is an award-winning master planned community on a former airport site just outside of Denver. It was designed as a sustainable community. It is planned to accommodate 12,000 homes and 13 million square feet of commercial space over the next 15 years. When the airport closed, local officials, developers, community members and environmentalists met to discuss the best use for the site. They concluded that the ideal project would illustrate the concepts of sustainable development and environmental preservation while serving the economic and social needs of its residents. From a series of discussions, the plan for the community of Stapleton was born.

     The community also wanted to create space for residents who were low-income. The Central Park development is both green and made to address social justice. Central Park at Stapleton Apartments does just that. It provides affordable units for households making less than 50 percent of area median income, while also incorporating principles of sustainable design and green building standards. Although this is a new housing construction project, the site is part of the old Denver Stapleton Airport redevelopment, a “sustainably designed” planned community that has received local and national awards for its plan and development. The project consists of two buildings housing 18 units, including five three-bedroom / three-bath apartments and 13 two-bedroom / one-bath apartments.

     The Cental Park development is the first of the Northeast Denver Housing Center’s projects lined up to achieve all possible green certifications. It is the first LEED gold certified multi-housing project in Colorado. It is also the first to be certified by Enterprise Community Partners in Colorado. Even better, the Central Park Development has also won the first Governor’s Excellence in Renewable Energy award for its solar power applications. Each unit is equipped with solar arrays producing up to 55 percent of needed electricity-net metering. Other green features include:

     • Solar Photovoltaic for each unit producing up to 55 percent of electrical needs

     • Five-Star Plus Energy Star rating

     • Sustainable floor coverings – bamboo and carpet, padding and rubber flooring made with recycled materials

     • Landscaping with irrigation and native plants to minimize water usage

     • Low-flow bath and kitchen fixtures

     • Low and no VOC paint and adhesives

     • Energy-efficient lighting