Colorado Real Estate Journal -

Designs on Denver: Post plant gets life

A multifaceted design center drawing from Colorado and surrounding states will be created at the former Denver Post printing facility at Interstates 70 and 25.

Ascendant Development Corp. will turn the 318,000-square-foot building it bought five years ago into showroom space for residential and commercial design companies, a conference center and event venue, as well as space for design studios, offices, retail and restaurants.

The approximately $75 million project, called 25/70, represents a new generation of design center, similar to the Dallas Design District or La Cienaga Design District in Los Angeles.

“Showrooms are going onto the street, and they are mixing with restaurants, galleries and other design oriented uses,” said Graham Benes, Ascendant Development president and CEO.

“From the beginning, we imagined this campus as a destination with design as the common thread among all the seemingly different elements. A lot of amazing design is happening in Denver, and we want to call attention to it and give the world a place to come and see it. By conducting a national search for a lead design firm, we are making a statement about the importance of design to this project.” Brad Cloepfil’s Allied Works Architecture in Portland, Ore., is the lead master planning and architecture firm. Its portfolio includes the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver. Nationally recognized design center consultants Steve Nobel of Nobelinks and Nancye Green of Donovan/Green helped develop the 25/70 concept and are involved in programming the showroom, retail and public spaces. The team also will encompass locally based firms, including interior architects and Saunders Construction.

Future phases of the high-profile project will include construction of new office/flex/showroom space and multifamily development.

“We have owned it over five years and we’ve seen a whole range of potential uses for the existing building, as well as the land site,” said Benes, who bought the property in 2008 for $17 million. A group of design industry leaders approached Ascendant Development two years ago about creating a large, cohesive environment that promoted design and where they could locate their businesses to serve the next generation of consumers, Benes said.

We’ve had a
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“It emanated from some existing industry people who said there needs to be something new and exciting … I just got amazing feedback from prospective tenants,” he said.

A focal point of the design center will be an existing three-story, approximately 40,000-sf, 60-foot high atrium providing public and event space, as well as stunning views of downtown. Smaller rooms will be available for industry events and other gatherings, while adjacent office and studio space will be offered on the second and third floors.

“It’s pretty dramatic space,” said Benes.

Design, master planning, programming and preleasing are under way. Renovations are expected to begin late this year for occupancy in fall 2014.

“We’re very excited to be working on it. It’s been a long time coming,” said Ascendant Development Vice President Pete Tobin.

“We’ve had a number of discussions with users that are looking for a space like this. We feel there’s a very strong demand for it, and we think it will serve a multistate region. We think this is an opportunity to help revitalize the neighborhood and bring something to Denver that we don’t have.”