Highlands' Garden Village

Highlands' Garden Village (HGV) is a mixed-use, transit oriented development on the site of a former amusement park, in what was a transitional neighborhood and is now one of Denver's most desirable areas. The community's extraordinary range of housing types and price points demonstrate that smaller, infill sites can accommodate diversity, and also enhance economic and social viability. HGV's network of gardens, pocket parks and pathways, coupled with community programming in the public spaces, connect the diverse community physically and socially.

The village's edge conditions and street grid are designed to integrate with the surrounding neighborhood, thus further expanding the community. Three edges are residential and the fourth edge combines office and retail on a commercial street, allowing residents to live, work and shop within a few minutes walk of each other. This mixture of uses has brought the first national retail tenants to the immediate commercial corridor.

HGV is an early example of the extensive use of green building techniques. The single family homes exceed the Colorado's Built Green and EnergyStar programs requirements. All of the buildings incorporate recycled materials, LOW- VOC products, energy efficient windows and more. The neighborhood's roadbeds are constructed from concrete recycled directly on site from the demolition of the amusement park. The landscaping consists of waterconserving native plants and special efforts were made to keep many of the site's existing trees. The historic carousel building was converted to an outdoor pavilion that features a contemplative labyrinth. The historic Elitch theatre, located at the center of the community, is being renovated by a non-profit organization as a community resource and a center for performing arts. All of the community buildings are powered with alternative energy sources.

The Sunflower Market retail building at HGV Green Commons was recently designated as the first LEED core and shell Gold Supermarket in the United States.