How Denver’s One River North Puts Nature at the Forefront
The Max Collaborative's first project showcases biophilic elements. Managing Partners Kevin and Jon Ratner reveal their goals.
The Max Collaborative is the present and future of the former Forest City Enterprises. The name of the company was chosen to honor Max Ratner, the Polish immigrant who founded Forest City alongside his siblings in the late 1920s and built projects like The New York Times headquarters in Manhattan and the Barclays Center sports arena in Brooklyn, and redeveloped the Washington, D.C., waterfront, among others.
The new generations of Ratners inherited the passion for real estate from their ancestors, but are set on creating their own identity by taking architecture, sustainable initiatives and community to the next level, as Kevin Ratner told Multi-Housing News.
And it’s through its architecture that their first project stands out. One River North in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood opened last month, rising 16 stories high and featuring 187 units, with private terraces and walls of glass, encased in a unique façade inspired by biophilia. The building features a carved-out core, resembling a slot canyon, encompassing more than 13,000 square feet of open-air amenity environments. Of course, we were curious, so we asked The Max Collaborative Managing Partners Kevin and Jon Ratner to reveal details about their vision and future ambitions.
With legacy comes great recognition but also a lot of responsibility…

J. Ratner: Yes, there is a 100-year history behind us, which is definitely motivating. However, I don’t think any of us feel any pressure or necessarily feel like we have to meet any specific expectations that may exist. We’re taking our relationships and building upon them to create real estate that serves the community it lives in. And that’s what it really boils down to for us.
We recently completed an exercise to create a purpose statement for our organization, which—when taken in combination with our core values—creates what we refer to as our ‘culture compass.’ It defines what we do and why we do it.
Our purpose statement is: ‘We create distinctive places that deliver sustaining value and thriving communities.’ So long as we stay focused on this, the legacy part will take care of itself.
To understand why you chose Denver for your first project, tell us a bit about the metro’s multifamily market. What are its strengths and weaknesses?
J. Ratner: Denver’s strength lies in the quality of life. People get off the plane and look out over the Rockies and it’s over, they want to move there. And that’s irreplaceable and will always endure. So, the job of our community of placemakers is to deliver quality housing options that meet the potential resident needs, and these are wide and varied.
The weakness, I would say, is in the lack of options. There is a lot of a certain type of housing—think very traditional and rectangular—and with One River North we are working to expand the options. The biophilic design of One River North is at the center of this for us.
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What’s the vision behind One River North and what does this project represent for The Max Collaborative?
J. Ratner: One River North is our example of the real estate we want to build. It’s in a distinctive neighborhood, the RiNo District, and represents everything we love to do at The Max Collaborative.
We’re enhancing this neighborhood for good, bringing in breathtaking architecture from MAD Architects & Davis Partnership, to connect our residents directly with Denver’s environment, providing a one-of-a-kind living experience that goes beyond a home.
Biophilia is literally central to this design because we agree with the theory that humans are innately happier and healthier when connected to nature. We wanted to foster emotional connections for our residents to the surrounding nature. Each layer of the canyon façade represents a different biome of the Colorado Mountains.
One River North is the first project that we’ll be delivering as The Max Collaborative, and we’ll continue to strive to build real estate that goes beyond just the traditional, rectangular multifamily projects that you see every day.
Tell us more about your collaboration with MAD Architects and Davis Partnership. How did they influence the project’s vision?
K. Ratner: As developers, exploring who we can partner with is exciting. MAD really drove the vision and Davis added the much-needed local context to help develop an overall concept of the project that puts nature at the forefront of the building. The Davis Landscape team used the architecture and the local topography to develop a landscape design for the canyon, bringing the greenery to life with native plants.
With the project located in Denver’s Art District, are there artistic installations or features within the building itself? What role does art play in the overall ambiance of One River North?
K. Ratner: Absolutely. For us, art needed to be top of mind for One River North, so we brought in an extensive art program. Many local artists have pieces in the building. In addition, we worked with local art consultant Sweeney Art Advisors to develop a program for the building that is influenced by its location and architecture. Our projects must fit within the context of the community, so art played a major role in doing so.
What do you like most about this project and why?
J. Ratner: The canyon. Stretching from the sixth floor horizontally along the facade of the building to the ninth floor, and then vertically up to the 16th floor, the canyon is the most interesting and magical part of the building. I can say this with certainty, it is the most interesting apartment amenity in the city.
What was most challenging about this project? How does this project balance aesthetics, functionality and practicality?
K. Ratner: The most challenging part as the developer was to demystify the design. Many aspects of the building are very regular in terms of their construction. To be able to communicate that to the construction team was critical in making the project financially viable.
We believe that good design and interesting architecture can deliver a unique and inspiring living experience. However, the building also needs to function as a residential space with all the necessary spaces and amenities. It’s really form over function, and determining where you come down on that scale. The form is critical, but the art of development is in finding that balance.
Who is the targeted resident for One River North?

J. Ratner: It’s no secret that One River North is a luxury building. Whether you’re an executive of any kind, a retiree, looking for your second home, or just want to be surrounded by a visionary-built environment, then One River North could be the perfect place for you. Having said that, the ‘back bar’ of the building offers more traditional apartment homes at a range of price points, so the targeted resident is really anyone who desires this biophilic living experience.
Do you have other projects in the pipeline? What else is in store for the company for the upcoming year?
J. Ratner: Currently, we have five projects that are set to deliver within the next 12 months. Wilder, which is located on Colfax between Federal and Sheridan in the Sloan Lake area of Denver, is currently under construction in partnership with Nava Real Estate Development. It’s 196 units that emphasize the health and wellness of tenants.
Another is A34, a 467-unit multifamily project based in Los Angeles in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood—we’re building the foundation. We’re also completing the second phase of our Van Aken District project, an 18-story apartment development in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Van Aken is a multi-use project with office, retail and multifamily space that was awarded ULI’s Award for Excellence upon opening of its first phase in 2019.