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nitial work — grading, installation of water mains, storm water, sanitary sewers and construction of new roads — is underway at Boulevard One, the Lowry neighborhood under development that was once the tail end of the historic Runway One at the former Lowry Air Force Base. Work was barely started when the Lowry Redevelopment Authority Board did an about face on plans to increase the amount of parking in the development. Instead of increasing parking to either two or 1.5 spaces per unit, the new code now only requires 0.75 or one space per unit. LRA also voted to include several “conditions” that will further modify the new development. They include an increase in lot coverage; an increase in heights; a decrease in setbacks plus decreasing the amount of parking.
The Lowry Redevelopment Authority is grading the Boulevard One site to create new roads and lots in the first phase of the residential site, south of First Avenue from Magnolia Street to Oneida Court. Five new streets are being graded and will connect to First Ave. They are Magnolia Street, Niagara Street, Newport Street, Oneida Street and Oneida Court. The First Avenue berm is being removed to accommodate the new streets.
Beginning in August overhead utilities on the south side of First Avenue will be removed, and new utilities buried. Then the south side of First Avenue will be improved, with a new sidewalk, street trees and bicycle lane.
The LRA is transplanting a number of mature trees from the First Avenue berm to the south side of First Ave. and to a new park within the Boulevard One site. The varieties include honey locust and Austrian pines. A full-time contractor is hand-watering existing trees throughout the Boulevard One site, including lindens, ash, crabapples, ponderosa pine, blue spruce and scotch pines. These trees will be either transplanted or kept in place. More than 2,500 new trees will be planted in parks and lawns at Boulevard One.
Approximately 130,000 cubic yards of soil is being graded and stockpiled near the center of the Boulevard One site. The stockpiled soil will fill the hole left by the former Defense Finance & Accounting Service Center building. A pavement-recycling program was started in April. There are about 24 acres of roads, parking lots, tennis courts and tarmac on the site. About 54,000 tons are being recycled near Lowry Blvd. and reused as road base and parks materials. More than 16 tons have been recycled to date. Finally, approximately 80 lots for single-family detached homes are being created. Information: 303-326-7102.