A form-based code, a plaza next door and a lot with no room for a laydown yard: that is a downtown Casper job, and it is why we plan these projects block by block. The downtown core runs on a tight street grid, and the Old Yellowstone District next to it is the city's urban renewal area, governed by the 2002 Casper Urban Renewal Plan, a 2007 Redevelopment Master Plan, an updated 2016 Urban Renewal Plan and a form-based code. A builder who has not read those documents will draw a good building that fails review.
We build infill: renovations of older masonry buildings, new mixed-use and office space on tight lots, restaurants and storefronts, hotel and parking work and public space. Most of this work happens next to neighbors who stay open, on streets where deliveries share the curb with customers.
Getting the logistics right is as important as getting the drawings right. A street closure, a crane permit or a shared wall can control the schedule more than any structure.
Downtown scopes usually start with an existing building. We open walls, find out what the structure really is, and then decide what to keep. Typical work includes renovation and adaptive reuse of older storefronts, restaurant build-outs, upper-floor conversions to offices or apartments and new infill buildings on vacant lots.
Each of these needs a tight set of preconstruction questions: what is the foundation and floor structure, where are the utilities, how will we protect adjoining buildings, what does the fire and egress path look like and what is the plan for deliveries? We answer these in writing before we give a guaranteed number. The result is fewer change orders and fewer surprises for the neighbors.
The Old Yellowstone District uses a form-based code, called OYDSPC zoning, so what a building looks like, how it meets the street and where parking goes are regulated as much as use. Design teams should review it before schematic design. We help by checking each concept against the code, by flagging items likely to need review and by talking to city staff early.
City permit requirements apply as well. The City of Casper lists the 2024 International Codes with amendments in Title 15 of its municipal code, and commercial permits often require a life-safety plan, engineered building and site drawings and Planning/Zoning approval. An issued permit is good for 180 days. Because downtown projects often involve changes of use and existing buildings, we also plan for the code's existing-building provisions.
Downtown schedules are driven by access. We reserve curb space, coordinate with neighbors on noise and dust and sequence deliveries so trucks arrive when the street can take them. Crane lifts, concrete pours and rooftop equipment moves that need street closures are planned weeks ahead and coordinated with the city.
David Street Station, the downtown plaza on the edge of the Old Yellowstone District, held the grand opening of its first phase the week of August 16, 2017, with a large performance stage, a synthetic turf lawn and vendor areas. Events like these affect nearby construction; we keep a calendar of downtown activity and avoid scheduling disruptive work against it. Winter still decides what can be poured outside, so we aim to close in buildings before cold weather.
Tight sites cost more per square foot of building. Limited laydown, hand-carried materials, shoring, protection of adjoining buildings and off-hours work all add cost. We show these as line items. Owners who prefer a lower-cost approach can choose to accept a longer schedule or a smaller phase.
For larger private projects, financing may matter. The City of Casper Industrial Revenue Bond policy, adopted by City Council on December 16, 2025, considers bonds only for projects over $2 million that create employment, expand the tax base and promote Wyoming products, with committee review taking about two months. We cannot advise on financing, but we can give an early budget and schedule so your financial advisors can evaluate whether the timeline for such a review fits the project.
Downtown work often links to other services. Mixed-use construction puts retail below and apartments or offices above. Hotel construction serves visitors and workers. Owners of older buildings often come to us for tenant improvements as leases turn over.
I-25 Business serves downtown Casper, splitting from the Interstate at the junction where US 20, 26 and 87 leave I-25 at Beverly Street (exit 186), and rejoining at exit 188A. That routing matters for deliveries and for visibility. If your plans include a site elsewhere in the city, the Wyoming Medical Center campus and the Platte River Commons have different conditions.
Downtown buyers include commercial real estate developers repositioning older buildings, hospitality groups serving travelers and events, and public agencies investing in the district. Each wants something different: a developer wants a clear pro forma, a hospitality owner wants an opening date and a public agency wants documented procurement.
We shape our proposals to the buyer. For developers, that means a budget in the format a lender expects. For hospitality owners, a schedule built backward from opening day. For public agencies, a bid package that follows their rules.
Send the address and what you want it to become. We will review the code, the structure and the street, and tell you what is feasible, what it costs and how long it takes.
It is the city's urban renewal redevelopment area next to the downtown core. It is governed by the 2002 Casper Urban Renewal Plan, a 2007 Redevelopment Master Plan, an updated 2016 plan and a form-based code. A project there must comply with that code, so we check concepts against it early.
An issued permit is good for 180 days. Downtown projects with long lead items should hold the permit until materials are lined up. We coordinate that with the building division.
The city's policy, adopted December 16, 2025, considers bonds only for projects over $2 million that create employment, expand the tax base and promote Wyoming products. Committee review takes about two months. We can provide budget and schedule information for your financial advisors.
With a logistics plan: curb reservations, delivery windows, protection of neighbors and a crane and laydown approach agreed with the city before we start. We also coordinate with adjoining owners on noise and access.
It depends on the structure. We open the walls and check the foundation and floor systems before giving you both numbers. Sometimes adaptive reuse saves money, and sometimes a rebuild is simpler once hidden conditions are priced.