Koppers Denver Wood Treatment site, now Quantum 56
quantum56denver.com

Industrial wood treatment operations began on this site in 1927 and continued through 2020, when Koppers officially ceased operations and began decommissioning of the site and demolition of all structures. Wood treatment primarily comprised of pressure treating railroad ties and telephone poles, and involved the use of creosote, pentachlorophenol, copper naphthenate, chromated zinc-chloride, and copper-chromated arsenic. These activities allowed for the accumulation of chemicals from the treated lumber onto the ground surface, as well as wood fragments and splinters over the course of the operating lifetime. As a result, the site became subject to both an Environmental Covenant (reception # 2007000106406) and a Compliance Order on Consent Number 13-07-26-01 for the Site dated August 9, 2013, between Koppers Inc. and Beazer East, Inc., and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Quantum 56 Phase I LLC (Q56), a joint-venture between EFG-Denver and Hines, acquired the property October 2021 with careful attention to what liabilities would remain with the Seller / Responsible Party, and what Q56 would step into.

Q56 spent 2021 negotiating a Corrective Active Order on Consent (CAOC) with CDPHE which would govern the activities of Q56—creation of clean utility corridors, raising the site to ensure all utilities would be at least 2’ above groundwater, and capping the site to ensure storm water no longer comes in contact with historic site soils—and make clear what remains the responsibility of the Seller, putting in place PLL insurance policy, rezoning the site, processing engineering plans, and initiating the creation of a metropolitan district.

By concurrently negotiating the COAC and entitlements, Q56 was able to close and immediately start work November 2021. Site work started with High Energy Impact Compaction, an alternative to over-excavation to achieve compaction needs, and rolled into earthwork and infrastructure construction March 2022. By starting with earthwork, we were able to keep moving while awaiting final plat and engineering approvals spring 2022. Conditional Certificate of Completion was granted March 2023 and building construction is set to commence summer 2023.