What Is the Blake Street RiNo Project?
The Blake Street RiNo project is a 16-story, 275,608-square-foot mixed-use development in Denver’s River North district. It will add 310 Class-A apartment units directly across from the 38th and Blake A-Line station.
It is being developed by Formativ, with The Weitz Company serving as constructor. Davis Partnership Architects is leading both architecture and interior design. The project celebrated its topping out on March 6, 2026, marking completion of the structural concrete phase.
The project brings together residential and commercial uses in one transit-oriented property. Its housing mix includes studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments designed for attainable urban living. The timing also aligns with a Denver market shaped by rising inventory, giving residents and investors more housing options citywide.
The development is positioned to expand housing supply for downtown Denver residents seeking walkable, rail-connected access. Its planning reflects current design trends and attention to neighborhood character.
The project also emphasizes community partnerships through integration with the surrounding RiNo Art District. It includes public-facing spaces that connect with the neighborhood.
Where the Denver RiNo Apartments Will Rise
At 3850 Blake Street, the 16-story apartment project is set to rise in Denver’s River North Arts District, directly across from the 38th and Blake A-Line Station.
The site occupies a prominent corner near 38th Street, extending through the Walnut-to-Blake corridor in the center of RiNo.
It stands within an arts-focused district shaped by industrial heritage, with nearby public art reinforcing the neighborhood’s identity.
Its position places residents beside a major transit hub. The A-Line offers a four-minute trip to Union Station and about 30 minutes to Denver International Airport.
Protected bike lanes, South Platte River trails, and quick links to I-70 and I-25 add regional access.
The broader setting includes transit plazas, mountain views, and a growing Formativ-led corridor intended to anchor north RiNo through multiple phases.
Like other communities managing large-scale redevelopment, officials elsewhere are weighing open-air redevelopment strategies to improve visibility, access, and long-term neighborhood appeal.
What the Blake Street Development Includes
Roughly 310 apartments are planned for the 16-story Blake Street development, a fully entitled Class A project spanning 275,608 square feet. The mix centers on studios plus one- and two-bedroom layouts.
Residences average 563 square feet and emphasize efficient design, in-unit laundry, full-size kitchen appliances, and ample storage.
Resident amenities total 12,000 square feet, including a 6,000-square-foot year-round deck with a pool and mountain views.
A rooftop pool is framed by skyline and mountain backdrops. Coworking zones are designed for focused daily routines.
The project also includes an indoor-outdoor fitness center with flexible workout areas. Residents will have access to a lounge, game room, and active lobby setting.
The corner site at Blake and 38th offers immediate transit access via the A-Line. It links Union Station in four minutes and Denver International Airport in 30 minutes.
Fast transit connections are supported by nearby rail, bike lanes, highways, and trails.
How Affordable the RiNo Units Will Be
Affordability in RiNo remains constrained by a neighborhood rent profile that generally sits near or above the Denver average.
Average rents cluster around $1,920 to $1,933 monthly, with half of listings falling in the $1,501-$2,000 band.
| Type | RiNo Rent | Denver Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,493 | $1,574 |
| One-bed | $1,920 | $1,976 |
| Two-bed | $2,813 | N/A |
| Three-bed | $6,782 | N/A |
These figures suggest the project’s market-rate units will fit higher affordability tiers more than entry-level budgets.
NOVEL RiNo pricing reinforces that pattern, with studios starting near $1,634 plus fees and one-beds from $1,660.
Some relief exists through subsidy options.
The property is offering 23 apartments for households below 80% AMI, while RiNo overall has 37 low-income units.
Applications typically require forms and two months of paystubs.
When the Denver RiNo Project Opens
Pricing pressure is only part of the story. The RiNo project now has a defined opening window that will shape when residents and visitors start to see meaningful change on the ground.
The timeline centers on Phase I delivery in Q3 2025. That follows groundwork that began with the September 2023 groundbreaking.
Horizontal improvements are also expected by then, including remediation and utility work. Those upgrades would open more than four acres of public amenities.
What Q3 2025 Could Look Like
- A revamped dog park at 28th and Brighton
- A half-acre green lawn beside new pedestrian routes
- A splash pad and nature-based playground for families
- Large-scale interactive public art across the site
- Community garden beds linked to Denver Urban Gardens
The first multifamily building is planned to break ground later in 2025. That would extend the project’s decade-long build-out.
Assessment
The Blake Street RiNo project marks a significant shift for a fast-changing Denver district.
Its mix of market-rate and income-restricted apartments reflects mounting pressure to add housing near jobs, transit, and entertainment.
As construction advances, the development is positioned to reshape a prominent RiNo corridor while testing how effectively new projects can address affordability demands.
Its opening will be closely watched by residents, developers, and city officials tracking growth, displacement risk, and housing supply in central Denver.
