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History of the One Boulder Plaza Project
The development roots of One Boulder Plaza started in 2000 when Paul Eklund and Art Kelton were considering purchasing the Bank One building at 1800 Broadway. In need of other development partners, they approached Bill Reynolds and Jerry Lee. That summer, the newly formed partnership of Vail Lizard LLC closed on the property. In October, they bought the adjacent parking lot that now houses the building at 1301 Canyon Blvd. And in April 2001, Reynolds and Lee purchased the Community First Bank building and surrounding property at 14th and Walnut streets. After a series of brainstorming sessions, the first phase of the project got under way in July 2001, concluding this past summer with the completion of new buildings at 1301 Canyon Boulevard and 1801 13th St. Of the 166,000 square feet of commercial space completed with these two buildings, 102,000 square feet has been leased. "One Boulder Plaza is the premier office address in downtown Boulder," Reynolds says. The four-story building at 1301 Canyon Boulevard was the first segment of the project, with construction starting in July 2001. The building includes 30 high-end condominiums, of which 29 have been sold. It also features a two-level underground parking structure with 180 spaces. The entire first floor is leased to Bank One. NetLynx Financial Advisors, financial firm Smith Breedan, and Solomon Design occupy space on the second floor. Construction of the approximately 100,000-square-foot building at 1801 13th Street started in June 2002. The building also features four floors and an underground parking lot with 180 spaces. Wells Fargo Private Client Services and advertising and brand strategy firm Sterling-Rice Group have leased space on the second and fourth floors, respectively. As Sterling-Rice approaches its 20th anniversary, President Rick Sterling says there was something symmetrical about making the move to One Boulder Plaza and creating a new, inspired home. Sterling-Rice is leasing the entire fourth floor, a space totaling about 26,000 square feet with stunning views. The expansion of Wells Fargo Private Client Services unit and the proximity of One Boulder Plaza to the downtown Boulder branch of the bank was the main reason for that firm’s move, according to Patrick Mercardante, regional market area manager for Wells Fargo PCS Boulder. Wells Fargo occupies 10,500 square feet or about half the space available on the second level and has the option to expand into additional space on this floor. Wells Fargo’s offices are on the east end of the building, looking out over an outdoor plaza that will provide a gathering place for employees, residents and visitors. The Reef Piano Bar & Grill, Cafe Sienna and the Tea Spot will share the ground level of the plaza. Additionally, a glass-enclosed pedestrian arcade, or walkway, will connect the plaza with the buildings at 1801 13th Street and 1800 Broadway. The walkway also will provide access from Broadway to the plaza. Renovation of the former Bank One building at 1800 Broadway started in September and is slated to be complete in April 2004. This building will feature three floors and a 35,000-square foot addition. In the future, part of the property at 14th and Walnut streets will be developed into a 100,000-square-foot mixed-use building that will include residential lofts, office and retail space and an underground parking structure. Construction of this building will begin in summer 2004. In addition, the exterior of the Community First Bank building will be refinished according to the style and design of the other buildings. " Developing a mixed-use project is always a challenge," Reynolds explains. "There are many different needs to consider, and sometimes it’s difficult to meet those needs. But despite the challenges, this is one project we’ve accomplished successfully." |
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