Planning board approves 144-unit Folsom redevelopment with conditions on bike charging and street access

The City of Boulder Planning Board approved a site and use review for the redevelopment of 1840 and 1844 Folsom Street, a mixed-density corridor project that will replace two low-rise office buildings with a 144-unit residential development and ask that several conditions be met before final approvals.

Staff presented the project as a 1.49-acre redevelopment in a BR-1 zone that requests a height modification to allow up to 55 feet, setbacks and bike-parking modifications, and vested rights. Allison Blaine, planning staff, summarized the proposal: “The proposal includes the demolition of 2 existing office buildings and proposes 144 units, including Studio, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units totaling 124,749 square feet.”

The applicant’s design places building mass close to Folsom Street, screens parking within the building footprint, and proposes two elevated courtyards, a roof deck, private balconies and grade-level open spaces. The applicant reduced parking from an earlier concept and now proposes 126 vehicle parking spaces and 288 bike parking spaces; the team described a transportation demand management package that includes eco-passes for residents, a…