Construction is officially beginning on a major redevelopment project next to Denver’s popular Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Developers East West Partners and Ascentris announced that demolition has started on a 13-acre site that will eventually become a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood known as Cherry Creek West.
The vision for the project centers around creating a “15-minute city,” where residents and visitors can live, work, shop, and relax within a short walk of everything they need. The development is also designed to better connect the surrounding Cherry Creek neighborhood to the nearby creek while introducing more public gathering spaces and green areas.
The current entrance into Cherry Creek from downtown is dominated by large parking lots, leaving little room for public gathering. The new plan focuses on creating welcoming spaces that connect Cherry Creek North with the areas to the south and provide easier access to the creek itself.
Cherry Creek West is located at the intersection of First Avenue and University Boulevard. The project will transform the existing parking lot bordered by University Boulevard, First Avenue, Cherry Creek North Drive, and the shopping center.
Demolition work now underway includes removing several former retail buildings that once housed restaurants and stores such as Elway’s, Brio, The Container Store, Macy’s furniture store, and Boulder Running Company. The former Bed Bath & Beyond building at 2500 E. 1st Avenue will remain temporarily and serve as a construction office during the early phases.
The project will be built in two phases. Phase one is expected to include approximately 400 residential units, 200,000 square feet of office space, and 50,000 square feet of retail space. This phase will feature an office building along with two multifamily residential buildings that will include retail space on the ground floor.
Initial construction will focus on the eastern portion of the site, where much of the project’s public amenities will be located. Plans call for new green spaces, a market square, playground areas, and improved pedestrian access to the creek. These community-focused spaces are being prioritized early in the development process.
The first phase will also include about half of the project’s total underground parking, which will ultimately provide more than 2,000 spaces serving the entire development.
The full Cherry Creek West project represents an estimated $1.8 billion investment. Retail within the development is expected to complement the existing businesses in the Cherry Creek North district, with a focus on restaurants, dining, and service-oriented businesses rather than traditional retail shops.
When fully completed, the development will include about 840 residential units, 600,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of retail, and an underground parking structure with more than 2,000 spaces.
The project was first announced in 2021, with rezoning approval granted by the Denver City Council in 2024.
Following demolition, the next visible step will be infrastructure work along Clayton Lane and Cherry Creek North Drive. Excavation for the underground parking structure is expected to begin by December. Developers anticipate returning to street-level construction by the end of 2027, with the first buildings expected to be completed in 2029.
East West Partners has been active in Colorado since 1986 and played a key role in redeveloping major Denver destinations such as Denver Union Station and Riverfront Park.
Construction management for Cherry Creek West is being handled through a joint venture between Mortenson and Saunders Construction.