Denver committee advances rezoning of former Montessori site
The Community Planning and Housing Committee’s 7-0 vote moves the proposed 2246 N. Federal Blvd. rezoning toward a City Council hearing, but no building plan has been approved.
The Denver City Council’s Community Planning and Housing Committee voted 7-0 Sept. 15 to advance a proposed rezoning of the former Montessori school site at 2246 N. Federal Blvd. toward the full council. The committee’s action does not approve the rezoning or a development project.
The committee minutes show that members approved Council Bill 26-1302 for filing. The bill would change the 73,110-square-foot property from a three-story mixed-use district to a five-story Urban Main Street district while retaining Design Overlay 8 requirements.
The committee chair identified Oct. 19 as the date for a full City Council public hearing. During the meeting, Councilmember Sandoval said members were deciding the zoning entitlement, not a specific project: “We don’t get to opine on the project.” Any future development would require additional review.
The city’s rezoning presentation describes a possible multifamily building with ground-floor commercial space after the Montessori school relocates to a planned new building in Lakewood. The presentation does not establish a relocation date or redevelopment schedule.
The zoning change would allow a base height of up to five stories. Under the area plan’s incentive-height provisions, part of the property could reach seven stories if a future development provides the affordable housing required by Denver’s housing rules. No unit count or affordable-unit count has been established.
The applicant told the committee that discussions were continuing with Jefferson Park United Neighbors and the Federal Boulevard Business Improvement District. Potential topics included ground-floor commercial space, design transparency along Federal Boulevard, 22nd Street and 23rd Street, and community-meeting space. The committee meeting recording does not establish that the discussions produced a finalized or legally binding agreement.
The site is near a planned Federal Boulevard bus rapid transit route that city materials say is targeted to begin service in 2030. The retained design overlay includes active-ground-floor and design standards along Federal Boulevard.