High expectations: with hype finally giving way to ground breaking, residential towers spark high demand near Downtown Denver.

• Author: Titus, Stephen
• Position: Who owns Colorado?

FIRST THERE WAS THE LOFT: The ubiquitous mid-rise commercial buildings common to the Denver area that were converted to trendy vertical residential neighborhoods.

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They were, and still are, the hot property in Downtown Denver. Developers are now taking the next vertical step with residential high-rises, most more than 30 stories tall, with the luxury amenities found in private health clubs and names like Donald Trump on the roster of builders.

Threats and hype over who would be first to get out of the ground have been slung about for more than a year, but finally someone has done it.

The first to dip shovel in dirt is Eric Osborn of Osborn development. His 32-story project at 20th and Lincoln streets was more than two years in the design and entitlement process with $7.5 million of Osborn's cash on the line before he knew the project would go. But once the sales office opened, it was clear that his money was well spent. Fifty percent of the 184 units either sold or were put on hold in just two days, he said.

"We believe that Denver is ready for this," Osborn said of the high-rise genre. "So we bet the ranch on it."

Osborn's betting instincts have been sharpened by 15 years of residential and commercial infill development, including Diamond Lofts and an office project, 16 Inverness Place, where he partnered with former Denver Bronco Terrell Davis.

Osborn isn't alone in his quest for skyline greatness. Big-city development celebrity Donald Trump has lent his name and considerable prestige to a proposal for a 61-story residential tower on Sherman Street between 17th and 18th streets. Wes Becker and Martin Wohnlich originally proposed that project in 2000 with plans for 42 stories. They managed to get the zoning changed to accommodate a high-rise building up to 715 feet, but terrorist attacks put a damper on high-rise financing and the project stalled. Trump is now negotiating to purchase the land, and the all-important rezoning entitlements for his own project that, if built, would be the tallest building in Denver, outstretching the Republic Plaza by one foot.

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In the design and dream stages is the North Broadway tower. Developer DGA Properties did not return calls for comment on its project. Published reports list the building, designed by Honolulu-based RIM Architects, at 34 stories with 170 units and slated for construction on Sherman Street between 17th and 18th streets.

Ken Schroeppel, an urban...