Call: (970) 224.5828
236 Linden St Unit A, Fort Collins, CO 80524
600 Park Dr | Lyons, CO
Located in the heart of Lyons, Colorado, Meadow Park was devastated by the 2013 floods. Ripley Design was hired to complete the park master plan, gain public approval and produce the construction documents. Based on the community’s preferences, the park is a reflection of Lyons with creative use of stone, stream features, gathering places and multi-use ice rink/spray park. The goal of the park was to create a distinctive Lyons aesthetic.
250 Jefferson St | Fort Collins, CO 80524
CHALLENGE
To create a vibrant social gathering place that draws people from across a state highway while saving as many mature trees as possible.
When the owners of the Union put a contract on the property, it was an abandoned piece of land next to the Union Pacific Railroad lines. For several years the City of Fort Collins had leased the site for a park. However, that changed when the railroad put a restriction on the property’s use which made the park no longer viable. The amenity that was left behind was a beautiful, mature, urban forest. The site also acts as the gateway to the City’s relatively new River District. The City had high expectations for this corner property which as it serves as a connecting link to Old Town Square accross Highway 14.
SOLUTION
Ripley Design’s in depth knowledge of the Land Use Code and public policies served was kept the project moving forward through every design and political hurdle of the development process. In order to save the trees, the site had to forgo a parking lot. Ripley Design successfully developed an Alternative Compliance strategy to show how the site could function with the existing parking resources available in nearby public parking lots. Additionally, the code requires buildings to be built fronting streets and intersections. However, in order to properly memorialize the gateway corner of Linden and Highway 14, Ripley proposed a vibrant patio space which became the hallmark of the restaurant. Working closely with City staff and the design team, Ripley design provided a solution to connect the historic core of Old Town to the trendy, modern feel of the River District through the use of brick walls and industrial lamp posts. This enabled the patio design to carry the architectural feel towards the gateway intersection while leaving the space open for the large patio space. It was crucial to see the activity on the large patio from Old Town to entice pedestrians to cross the highway and be a part of the fun.
RESULTS
Even though it is just outside the boundaries of Old Town, today the Union Bar and Soda Fountain is one of the most successful restaurants in Fort Collins. Even in the winter months, the patio is full of patrons enjoying the space and its multiple amenities. Moreover, the project has successfully created a gateway entry, and link between, the historic core of Old Town and the up-and-coming River District.
301 Main Street | Windsor, CO 80550
CHALLENGE
Take a derelict and damaged historic resource and turn it into a dynamic destination featuring a mix of restaurants and offices.
The Windsor Mill was a historic anchor to the Main Street of Windsor. After being damaged by fire and tornadoes, Blue Ocean Real Estate saw the potential of this historic structure. They hired Ripley Design to create a site and landscape plan that ties into the historic downtown and creates vibrant modern spaces for multiple restaurants. In particular, how could the design team best utilize the grain silo on site.
Additionally, the building has been a landmark for the Town for over 100 years. Managing the entitlement and public approvals had its complications.
SOLUTION
Embrace the silo. Ripley worked with VFLA Architects to relocate the silo and position it as a stage and centerpiece of the sites largest patio. With the silo placed the site design flowed form that element. Various levels, and amenities radiate out from the silo connecting it to the renovated building. That agricultural element also lead to the aesthetic along the street frontage. Bands of plantings compliment the architecture and relate back to the buildings agricultural roots.
With VFLA’s strong architecture and the complementing site design, the approvals (although complicated) flowed smoothly through the entitlement process.
RESULTS
A successful redevelopment of a cherished and important community building and a great place to eat and laugh with friend and family.
5552-5564 Ziegler Road | Fort Collins, CO 80528
CHALLENGE
Help design the next crown jewel of the city’s park system
Ripley Design assisted another landscape architectural firm (Civitas) and worked closely with Fort Collins Park Planning & Development Department to create the next community park in the city’s system. Twin Silo Park is a 54-acre site that centers on McClelland Creek adjacent to Fossil Ridge High School. Although the area was historically used for crop production, orchards, and sheep grazing, the Fort Collins community has now grown significantly to envelop this once agrarian landscape with new neighborhoods, schools, and more intensive land use. The City’s goal was to deliver a sleek and modern take on a traditional farmhouse complex as the social heart of the park and provide an experience that surpasses the normal park visitation.
SOLUTION
As the local design firm, Ripley Design was involved in the overall park design and specifically in charge of the active recreation components, as well as the land use approvals. The active recreation components included pickle ball, softball, basketball courts and the playground. Ripley Design collaborated heavily with entire design team, which was comprised of over 63 separate companies and city departments. By having strong relationships with the planning staff, they were able to adjust designs mid-way through land use approvals without significant delays. Once a very custom design was idealized for the playground Ripley Design brought Cre8play on board to develop the design team’s dreams into reality.
RESULTS
Pride. Over 63 companies and city departments worked on this park and each one is proud of the results. Community Park design is a team sport and each person has a valuable contribution. Today, the active recreation opportunities provided at Twin Silo engage people to participate in the town’s agricultural heritage through play. Worthy of celebration, the park’s Urban Design Award underpins the conceptual design for Twin Silo Park, its materiality and its sense of place.
1208 W Elizabeth Street | Fort Collins, CO
CHALLENGE
Gain land use approvals and create an elevated living experience for students
EdR (Greystar) and Dino DiTullio reached out to Ripley Design to lead the land use approvals and site design for the first five-story building along West Elizabeth Street near Colorado State University. Additionally, EdR (Greystar) and Dino DiTullio wanted this project to offer their high-end product, so Ripley Design was charged with creating amenity areas and a street presence that surpassed local competitors. The existing properties along Elizabeth Street ranged from one to three stories and several community members were hesitant to change that character of the corridor. That hesitation eventually manifested itself in an appeal of the land use approval, which was heard before City Council.
SOLUTION
A picture speaks a thousand words and Ripley Design created numerous graphics to sell the concept to City officials, neighboring property owners and the public to generate support for the project. Furthermore, Ripley’s ability to navigate and negotiate through the nuances of the City’s Land Use Code facilitated the successful land use approval for the five-story building, with a bonus clubhouse and amenity space on the roof. This not only provided maximum bedroom count but also provided unbeatable views to the mountains and stadium from the pool and hot tubs located six stories up. Ripley also crafted a detail-oriented strategy and presentation for the land use appeal hearing, which they presented in front of City Council to gain unanimous approval to deny the appeal.
RESULTS
Union on Elizabeth has a street presence that is impossible not to notice. Curvi-linear walls and a water feature lead patrons into the ground floor retail space. The real wow factor hits on the sixth floor with the outdoor kitchen area, stainless steel pool and hot tubs, fire pits, hammock chairs and plantings to soften the edges. Providing the amenity space on the roof saved valuable land area while providing a private area for residents to relax. The city recognized this innovative approach and in turn adopted new Land Use Codes to allow its use in the future on all multifamily projects. Several negotiations and compromises with city staff and neighboring businesses and landowners provided opportunities to improve the project from the original concept. The project provided a mid-block pedestrian connection via a “paseo”, or an enhanced alley-like drive where pedestrians and vehicles coexist. It also provided underground detention and nearly doubled in size from the original concept. Being the first project to push the boundaries in an area is never easy, but in this case it was worth it.
5401 20th Street | Greeley, CO
Conceptual site design/master planning for the east campus and future welcome center
Aims Community College reached out to Ripley Design Inc. to provide some preliminary site design alternatives for a possible future welcome center/public assembly facility. “The Ripley team did an outstanding job working through detailed discussions regarding the needs of the site design and overall value to Aims,” said Michael Millsapps, Executive Director, Facilities and Operations at Aims Community College.
We worked through a challenging design effort due to the lack of program information at the start. The project was early in the programming phase and the Ripley team was able to put together a site design that provided a springboard of ideas moving the project forward.
According to Millsapps, “Ripley has also provided solid, experienced guidance with the land development entitlement process on multiple campuses for Aims, including working with multiple municipalities and regulations with a seamless ease approach.”
Ripley Design’s ability to navigate and negotiate through the development entitlement process, along with meeting code requirements, ROW, easements, etc. for the many different communities Aims serves, was a core element of this project. “Ripley’s ability to facilitate and present the best site design has been the pinnacle of their success,” Millsapps stated.
We like to think that our candid, all-in approach, brings everyone together for the best possible outcome. And the overall experience translates to Aims Community College students, faculty, and staff winning, along with all of the communities Aims Community College serves.
“Working with Ripley Design is like a one-stop-shop for Aims Community College,” said Millsapps. “They are always thinking in the best interest of the overall design. And they are a great firm to work with, regardless of the project and challenges that await.”
Ripley Design has been part of a number of very successful projects with Aims Community College. Whether the project was design-only, asking for initial conceptual design for a possible project, or designing and implementing a strong site design through an entire project, Ripley hit it out of the park on each and every project. There is a sense of comfort knowing that the team at Ripley has everything covered.
—Michael W. Millsapps, CFM, Executive Director – Facilities and Operations Aims Community College
40 North Subdivision | Lafayette, CO
CHALLENGE
Design and entitle an innovative new Planned Unit Development to address attainable housing needs in Boulder County.
Markel Homes, a local and family owned builder, had an ambitious dream to offer a wide range of housing choices, civic, cultural, and recreational amenities to Lafayette’s population. The goal was to strengthen Lafayette’s economic and social diversity and to complete a vital in-fill opportunity zone for the Baseline corridor. To do so, the builder designed innovative multifamily, townhouse, single family, and cottage products to be mixed throughout the roughly 78-acre site. The property did not come without its own unique set of challenges, however. With a historic homestead, regional water delivery line, two historic ditches and an established community surrounding the property, creative design was a must. Ripley Design provided land planning, landscape architecture and entitlement services to guide this unique project through Lafayette’s zoning and development approval process.
SOLUTION
Ripley Design was an integral part of keeping the development moving forward through many design, policy, and political hurdles of the entitlement process. They were able to accomplish this with several key supportive elements.
RESULTS
Ripley Design helped keep the design team on track and organized to ultimately receive approval for a trailblazing new development in Boulder County from a contentious board while also designing nearly five acres of imaginative public parks and open spaces for the future community.
– “Sam was the planning lead; his team came up with great creative solutions for the problems presented and was the key to getting over the hump and getting preliminary approvals.” – Jason Markel, Markel Homes
