More details emerge for the Silos project – sister to the Post District – in north Granary

by Luke Garrott | Nov 27, 2024

Developers recently provided the city with refined design details for the first big residential building planned for the block just west of the Post District.

The Silos is a nearly 8-acre assemblage that sits on the block bordered by 500 and 600 S, 400 and 500 W that we’ve been following since January nearly two years ago.

The Silos’ latest site plan. Courtesy MVE + Partners

At the block’s southwest corner, developers Lowe Property Group, along with Blaser Ventures and Catalyst Opportunity Funds, are poised for planned development review at City Hall for the latest stage of the Silos development. Lowe and Blaser (a BSL advertiser) are also partners in the Post District, which is just coming into mixed-use life on the block adjacent to the east.

The area is zoned Commercial General (CG), which is a flexible but outdated auto-oriented classification.

The European Treasures antiques building, also known as the Miller Building, at 500 W and 600 S. Photo courtesy Google Earth.

The site from the southwest. The Post District, upper right. The adaptive use project, bottom right, and the Silos South building, vacant lot, center. Image courtesy Google Earth.

The Silos project gets its name from the flour mill and grain silos that front 500 S that will remain as part of the redevelopment of the block.

While not formally part of the Granary District as defined by the city, it might be best called north Granary, as it sits between Pioneer Park and the Granary proper.

This stage of the Silos development involves two structures. The first, at the northeast corner of 600 S and 500 W, will be an adaptive reuse of a two-story masonry building, constructed in 1945, that used to house European Treasures antiques and is currently a parking garage. Called the Miller Building, it is likely slated for two floors of retail.

Immediately to the north, a 275-unit residential building called Silos South (aka Building 2) will provide 1160 sf of retail space plus 100 studios, 144 one-bedrooms, and 31 two-bedroom homes – and 425 parking stalls in three levels of concrete podium.

“Building 2 is an important component of the overall block as it will include the majority of the parking for the block as well as the bulk of the workforce housing for the block,” the developers wrote.

It is unclear from documents submitted to the city what the affordability levels of the Silos South building will be.

The Miller Building and Silos South seen from 500 W. Image courtesy MVE + Partners

Silos South and Miller Building, left, seen from 600 S. Image courtesy MVE + Partners

Silos South (right) and the Miller Building from the mid-block street, looking west. Image courtesy MVE + Partners

Both buildings will sit across 500 W from Sunrise Metro, a permanent supportive housing project that just applied to the city for a 100-home expansion.

The Silos South and the Miller Building development team worked with Irvine, California-based MVE + Partners, which also designed the Post District and has worked on several other Lowe Property Group projects.