Denver’s Theater District has more history than many of us might be aware of. It’s an area of town that is usually filled with high spirits and great energy. The core of the district is the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Here you will find multiple stages and venues filled with music, dance and theater. But today, it is almost a sad place to be. Walking through the DCPA you will see signs referencing “coming back in May,” and posters of plays that won’t take place this year. The energy is definitely gone, but just for today. Denver has embraced this area since the late 1800’s, when theaters outnumbered schools. It’s only a matter of time before the doors open again and Denver steps up to support the arts at the DCPA.
Continuing through Theater District, you will find historic office buildings as well as new modern builds. This is one of our favorites, the historic Telephone Building, build in 1929 and was home to Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph. This building brought modern architecture to the city. Read more here.
Theater District Convention Center Station was the perfect addition to the area in 2004. The lightrail stops between DCPA and the Colorado Convention Center, which opened in 1990 and is now awaiting a large expansion that voters aporved in 2015. It is located near 10,000 hotel rooms, 300 restaurants and the 9 theaters of DCPA.
But the neighborhood is also home to some of our favorite condo developments providing over 1,100 homes to Denver residents:
- Brooks Tower: Built in 1967 as the first residential luxury high rise and converted to condos in 1996, Brooks Tower is 42 stories high with 566 condos. 1050 15th Street. “The Old Prospector, commanding the attention of all in the front garden. This 12′ copper statue, which dates back to 1891, serves both as a tourist attraction and as an homage to the site’s storied past.” ~ Brooks Tower web site
- Spire: Built in 2008, 42 stories high with 493 condos. 891 14th Street
- Four Seasons: Built in 2008, 45 stories high with 100 condos. The first 24 floors belong to the hotel, while the upper 24 floors are privately owned suites. 1111 14th Street
Today may seem sad walking around this neighborhood that is usually filled with artistic energy, but it’s still a great way to look closer at the buildings and businesses that many of us quickly pass by in our busy lives. And, before we know it, the streets will be filled with visitors and locals flooding to the Convention Center and DCPA. There are a few restaurants open, so you if you make it to this area, check them out! Our favorite re-opened last week, Edge Bar & Restaurant at Four Seasons, where Denver High-Rise Living began.