Sun Valley Block 3 Hard Hat Tour

This is a members only tour. DAF Membership will be verified upon ticket purchase. Click here to become a DAF member

About the tour: Join Denver Architecture Foundation, Shaw Construction, and OZ Architecture for a tour of Block 3 of the Sun Valley Development for Denver Housing Authority! The tour will start inside of Joli, one of the buildings on the site. The group will tour a staged unit before walking through the sky lounge and rooftop deck on Level 5. After heading through the south courtyard to the food incubator, the tour will move to Flo and highlight Phase 3 of the development before touring the inside of the building.

About Sun Valley Block 3: The Denver Housing Authority’s Sun Valley Block 3 project, designed by OZ Architecture and constructed by Shaw Construction, integrates affordable housing with community-focused spaces. Key features include 358 affordable units, structured parking, live-work spaces, a rooftop garden, and a food incubator to support local businesses. The development also includes age-restricted housing, townhomes, and an accessible riverfront park. The phased project ties the neighborhood to the river through a series of connections and emphasizes sustainability and neighborhood regeneration, with completion targeted for 2025.

DHA JOLI is a 207,752-sf, 126-unit, eight-story concrete and steel affordable housing complex. The building includes an 84,000-sf parking garage and a 6,900-sf food incubator. Located in the Sun Valley neighborhood, this project was designed by OZ Architecture.

DHA FLO is a 188,000-sf, 133-unit age-restricted concrete and steel affordable housing complex that includes 133 units. This project connects to Joli through the parking garage and was designed by OZ Architecture.

About the tour guides: Nick LaFollette | Construction Manager, Shaw Construction: With over 15 years of experience in the construction industry, Nick brings strong leadership, analytical insight, and a deep understanding of complex project delivery. Formerly a Preconstruction Manager at Shaw, he has played a key role in delivering high-performing multifamily, senior living, and other technically demanding projects. Nick is known for his ability to unify teams through clear communication and collaborative problem-solving. As Construction Manager, he leads the integrated project team through preconstruction and construction, overseeing planning, scheduling, budgeting, and subcontractor selection. Nick is a dedicated client advocate, committed to risk management, quality control, and driving projects to successful completion. He holds a B.S. in Construction Management from California Polytechnic State University.

Brian Lopez, AIA | Principal, Oz Architecture: With over 16 years of professional experience, Brian brings a diverse skill set and a specialty in multi-family projects to OZ. Past project experience includes mixed-use, higher education, medical, office, and multi-family which includes luxury resort condos, student housing, workforce housing, and apartments. Brian contributes strongly to all phases of a project from concept design through final project completion.

Andrew Lyons | Project Manager, Shaw Construction: Since joining Shaw in 2018, Andrew has established himself as a trusted Project Manager for the company’s most complex and high-profile multifamily developments. With a consistent track record of delivering projects on time, within budget, and to the highest standards, Andrew excels at balancing client goals with project constraints. He brings strong leadership to all phases of construction, from early planning and value engineering through execution and closeout. As Project Manager, Andrew leads project scheduling, budgeting, constructability reviews, and subcontractor prequalification. During construction, he oversees contract administration, permitting, quality control, document management, and coordination of all project activities to ensure a seamless delivery. He earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Rick Petersen, FAIA, LEED AP | Principal, Oz Architecture: Rick engages communities from Denver to Antarctica to create enriching environments that promote efficiency and well-being. In doing so, he applies his highly collaborative approach to inspire and discover synergies between experts and stakeholders. An active mentor and educator, Rick is constantly investing in the profession’s next designers. In addition, Rick provides leadership to design review boards, schools and not-for-profit organizations like the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

Accessibility: All of the buildings on this tour are fully accessible. We will be across sidewalks and grass around the campus and between buildings for the tour. There will be minimal opportunities for seated rest.

******* IMPORTANT *******

This is an active construction site and anything can happen. PPE (hard hat, safety vest and safety glasses) is required for a portion of this tour. DAF will have loaner sets available for use, but if you would prefer to bring your own, please do so.

For safety purposes, attendees’ clothing must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Close-toed sturdy shoes: Boots do not have to be steel toe. Hiking boots are permitted if they are durable and at least ankle high. Tennis shoes, high heels, sandals, flip flops, and fashion boots are not acceptable footwear for the tour.
• Full-length pants or jeans: Pants must be long enough to touch the top of your shoes. Shorts, capri pants, skirts and dresses should not be worn.
• Shirts with minimum four-inch sleeves.

Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.