WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2023: A LETTER FROM THE PARTNERS

Welcome to 2023,

As we round out the first quarter of the new year, the JNS Architecture + Interior Design team is looking forward to seeing a variety of projects move toward completion.

ARTSTUDIOS will be a great (not to mention much-needed) addition to downtown Denver, providing 194 apartment units for members of the workforce seeking downtown proximity with a unique feel and amenity set.

This office to multi-family conversion is a pioneering project, leading what is looking to become a trend in an environment of high office vacancy rates and continued housing shortages, particularly for lower and middle income earners.

We are also excited about this adaptive re-use in the context of an elevated public conversation about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), where both E and S are considered, in saving an existing building from the landfill, and providing homes at more attainable cost, looking forward to similar opportunities to come.

Art Studios is a collaboration with Nichols Partnership, developer of the equally pioneering turntableSTUDIOS delivered in 2017. Sprung Construction is the general contractor whom we collaborated with on the Ramble Hotel. 

Another impactful urban-infill project is VIM, a 154-unit attainable housing project in Colorado Springs, and the start of construction for the second phase of residential units, known as VIM2.

Envisioned to be “Colorado Springs’ 16th Street Mall,” Vermijo Avenue will be flanked by VIM on the east and the “Residences at Park Union” just west of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum.

Both VIM and VIM2 are intended to provide offerings for first-time renters and urban dwellers in Colorado Springs and are sure to contribute to the transformation and revitalization of downtown.

Norwood’s vision for a vibrant and thriving downtown in Colorado Springs inspires the vision for these three projects and we are honored to partner with their team to bring these projects to life.

Additionally, we are excited about the final phase of one of our longstanding mixed-use efforts in Oceanside, California, working on the final 2 lots of a total of 5 projects, together with our development partners at GF Properties and our contractor partners, Ryan Companies.

On the hospitality forefront, we are looking forward to the upcoming opening of Junto in Columbus Ohio. Located at the heart of a mixed-use masterplan development on the Scioto peninsula across the river from downtown Columbus, this boutique hotel includes multiple F&B outlets including a rooftop bar with expansive views of the city. This one is sure to become a draw in the neighborhood, developed by our friends at Rockbridge Development, and operated by Make-Ready. We look forward to the multitude of food and beverage offerings, unique meeting spaces, and inspiring guest accommodations, setting the stage for great celebrations, inspiring meetings, and deeper conversations. 

Our hospitality work also takes us to the east coast with a boutique hotel concept in Portland, Maine. An urban infill project at the site of a vacant storage building and surface parking lot in the heart of the city, adjacent to city hall, at 385 Congress Street.

Our client, Fathom Companies, is envisioning a unique lifestyle hotel offering, including nine luxury condominiums, and our Planning Submittal was approved on Valentine’s Day.

 In collaboration with MasterPlan Developer Reger-Dasco, and partner architects CBT, this project will share a public court amenity space, sure to help re-invigorate this part of the city.

We also expect an uptick in hotel renovation opportunities - also one of our core areas of expertise - as PIPs (property improvement plans) can no longer be delayed.

Last, but not least, the Foothills Golf Clubhouse is under construction, which will provide an amazing new amenity, tee’d up to enrich golfers and non-golfers alike.

We are honored to be working with our enthusiastic client, the Foothills Park & Recreation District (ask them about gingerbread golf clubhouses), and our contractor, Adolfson and Peterson, to bring this beautiful and unique mass timber structure to life.

And on the organizational side of things, we are excited to announce that, through August 31, 2023, we will be conducting a pilot program evaluating a 4-day work week. JNS recently began operating on a 4-day work week with Monday – Thursday being in-office days with Fridays off. Having learned a lot about similar programs through-out the world, we believe this to be the future of improving work/life balance, and allowing us to make clearer distinctions between family/leisure, and work times. We appreciate our partners in design, development, and construction working with us on this new direction. Stay tuned for updates as we learn more.

As we embark on new opportunities in 2023, in the context of an ever-changing - at times challenging - development environment, we remain - more than ever - focused on creating meaningful places, relying on our decades-long niche expertise in mixed use, hospitality- and housing-design, while continually improving our skills, and integrating expanding environmental, social, and gubernatorial parameters.

Come talk to us about what excites you, what challenges and opportunities we might be able to help you with.