East West Partners Begins Demolition to Make Way for Cherry Creek West

13-Acre, Walkable Community that Connects the Neighborhood and Shopping Center Back to the Creek Moves from Vision to Reality

Denver, CO – March 12, 2026 – Denver-based real estate and community developer East West Partners and their partner Ascentris announced today that demolition and construction mobilization has begun at Cherry Creek West, the 13-acre mixed use redevelopment project that will connect the Cherry Creek neighborhood and shopping center back to the creek.

“After years of planning and preparation, Cherry Creek West is moving from vision to reality with work beginning at the site,” said Amy Cara, Managing Partner at East West Partners. “This is just the first step toward delivering our vision with the first three buildings and the most meaningful of the public spaces and connections coming to life by the end of 2029.”

Cherry Creek West will span four city blocks from University Blvd. to Clayton Lane and from 1^st Ave. to the Cherry Creek waterway. The new community will be the next chapter for Cherry Creek, by connecting and completing the neighborhood, embracing the creek and celebrating the outdoors with significant open space. Phase 1 of the project will deliver approximately 400 residences, 200,000 square feet of office and 50,000 square feet of retail. When complete, Cherry Creek West will offer approximately 840 residences, 600,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of retail, a reservoir of underground parking with over 2,000 spaces.

“Phase One sets the foundation for a resilient, people-focused development,” said Brian Fitzpatrick, Vice President and General Manager of Mortenson. “As we begin demolition and enabling work on the east side in early 2026, our focus is on creating places the community can enjoy as they come online: an 8-story office building, two 13-story for-rent residential buildings, a full-block underground garage, improvements to the Cherry Creek Trail, and connected open space. East West Partners has set an amazing vision for the team of BuildMark and Mortenson | Saunders JV as general contractor to execute in collaboration with design partners Gensler and GBD Architects.  Phased openings run through 2029, delivering visible progress and lasting value for Cherry Creek and the broader city.“

Demolition is anticipated to be completed by the end of summer, which includes the building where Elway’s, Brio and Container Store used to be and the building formerly holding Macy’s furniture and Boulder Running Company. The former Bed Bath & Beyond building will remain on the site initially and serve as a temporary construction office for Phase 1. Road and utilities work, above ground construction and creek improvements are expected to continue until late 2027 with the first building on the site being completed in Summer 2029. Site work and future construction is being conducted by construction manager and general contractor Mortenson | Saunders, a joint venture between two of Denver’s most respected construction firms.

“Cherry Creek West is the kind of project that motivates our teams—one built on strong partnerships, thoughtful planning, and respect for the surrounding community,” said Ryan Balakas, Vice President and General Manager of Saunders Construction. “Saunders has a long history working alongside both Mortenson and East West Partners, and that shared experience allows us to move forward with alignment and confidence. As construction operations begin, our focus is on being a responsible construction partner, which includes prioritizing safety, minimizing impacts, and setting a strong foundation for what’s ahead.”

East West Partners shares construction updates on the Cherry Creek West website to keep the community informed about what’s underway and what’s coming next. Updates are published monthly at https://cherrycreekwest.com/blog.

“We know there is a lot of interest in this project, and we look forward to sharing updates as Cherry Creek West begins to take shape.” said Cara.

About East West Partners

East West Partners is devoted to building, selling, managing and supporting high-quality real estate and life experiences with a focus on innovation, sustainability and community. Since 1986, the firm has developed and sold over $7 billion of residential and commercial real estate across the country. East West Partners is one of several companies to have received three Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for their projects – Beaver Creek Village in Beaver Creek, Colo.; and Union Station Neighborhood and Riverfront Park, both in Denver, Colo. For more information on East West Partners, visit www.ewpartners.com.

About Ascentris

Ascentris is a real estate private equity firm based in Denver, Colorado that manages a series of fully discretionary institutional vehicles targeting value-add, core-plus, and core investments across the major property types and geographic regions within the United States. Since 2003, Ascentris’ management team has relied on an investment philosophy and organizational structure for the purposes of getting its investors to opportunities ahead of the market and providing an unmatched level of service, transparency, and accountability. Ascentris is a privately held and management-owned SEC-registered investment adviser that maintains an unwavering commitment to put its investors’ needs first.

About Mortenson

Mortenson is a U.S.-based, top-20 builder, developer, and engineering services provider serving the commercial, institutional, and energy sectors. Mortenson’s expanding portfolio of integrated services helps its customers move their strategies forward, ensuring their investments result in high-performing assets. The result is a turnkey partner, fully invested in the business success of its customers. Founded in 1954, Mortenson has operations across the U.S. with offices in Chicago, Denver, Fargo, Iowa City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, and Seattle. For additional information, visit www.mortenson.com.

About Saunders Construction

Saunders serves the commercial building industry as a full-service general contractor, design-builder and construction manager. A leader in the Colorado construction industry since its inception in 1972, Saunders’ experience includes a wide range of project types. Saunders is one of the region’s largest general contractors and is the recipient of more than 100 industry awards for its construction excellence, employee achievements and community contributions. In addition, Saunders is a member of the Citadel Group – an alliance of seven regional construction-related companies with operations in 19 cities. For additional information, please visit www.saundersinc.com.

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