The Freight Residences were constructed on the former site of the Dugan Truck Line company. The 49,200 square feet multifamily apartment project makes efficient use of what was once an urban brownfield site that is situated between the train tracks and the South Platte River in RiNo. Freight on the River is part of TAXI, a 20-acre project that has transformed what was once an industrial brownfield site into a bustling mixed-use campus.
The site contained several environmental concerns which included oil, grease, coolants and other petrochemicals. Also, a variety of organic materials, including decomposed matter, timber and bricks was found in the soil that were causing release of methane gas.
The Colorado Brownfields Program offered assistance to the developer by providing tax credits, revolving loans and environmental site assessments. Through performing Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCUP) environmental remediation of the contaminated property, the developer was eligible for state income tax credits referred to as Colorado brownfields tax credit.
In addition, the developer was able to tap into the Colorado Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund, a public-private partnership, for additional financing of $567,000 for three years. Managed by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), the fund offers financing with reduced interest rates and flexible loan terms to assist with the cost of approved VCUP environmental projects.
The project is a first-of-its-kind apartment community that caters to the growing number of families with young children who want to live close to downtown. It incorporates amenities tailored to that clientele such as a building lobby that serves as a children’s art area, a lawn area adjacent to the building where children can play in view of parent’s residences, an early childhood education center and outdoor family film nights. Additional site amenities include TAXI’s signature shipping container pool, a dog park, a community garden and a café.
In 2016, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Brad Buchanan, Executive Director of Denver Community Planning and Development awarded the 2016 Mayor’s Design Award to Zeppelin Development in the category of “Density by Design” to the Freight Residences.
