The Downtown Denver Awards celebrates those who are making our center city more Distinctive, Diverse, Green, Walkable, and Prosperous.
Learn how our finalists have been doing just that.
FINALIST
Developed by a joint venture comprised of Patrinely Group and USAA Real Estate and completed in June 2021, Block 162 is a 30-story, 596,300 square foot, Class AA speculative office building in downtown Denver that boasts state-of-the-art office space and amenities to provide tenants a true 21st century work environment. Designed by Gensler and built by Swinerton, Block 162 includes 20 floors of office space on Levels 11–30. The façade is comprised of a highly energy-efficient all-glass curtainwall system, providing access to natural light throughout the building and offering views of the Front Range from every office floor through 10-foot-clear windows.
AWARD WINNER
Located on the Auraria Campus in the heart of Denver, CU Denver’s City Heights Residence hall houses 270 housing units for 555 first-year, new-to-campus student residents, as well as a dining hall and three-story Learning Commons facility housing co-curricular academic and faculty development support programs for the campus. The residential tower, a variety of study and lounge spaces, catered toward academic and social engagement, were incorporated throughout each floor—the highlight being a light-filled, multi-level central lounge that mixes students from different floors and encourages community building.
AWARD WINNER
Currently in its 129th year of serving the Mile High City, the Denver Art Museum opened its unified campus to the public in fall 2021. This was the culmination of years of strategic planning and fundraising to be a more welcoming center for creativity and community connection in downtown Denver. The project, contributing to the iconic architecture of the museum and the Golden Triangle, also created an opportunity to be a calling card for Denver as an arts beacon for locals and visitors alike.
AWARD WINNER
Gateway at Sun Valley is a 4-phase project consisting of two multi-family apartments totaling 187 units, six Row Homes, and a grocery market-community space. The project, located along West 10th Ave at Decatur Street also included the substantial right of way and infrastructure improvements to the Sun Valley neighborhood. This is a unique and multifaceted project that serves the residents of Sun Valley and will continue to build a strong community in Denver.
FINALIST
The Link renovated an existing 1960’s era 12-story telecom office tower into a creative, modern, mixed-use office building featuring increased access to daylight, an active ground floor, energy efficient façade, and modernized building systems throughout. By adapting an existing building, the Link achieved the goals of a 21st-century building at a fraction of the embodied carbon cost—around 68% less GHG (greenhouse gas emissions)–than an equivalent new build.
FINALIST
Market Station comprises almost an entire city block, bounded by 16th, 17th, Market and Blake Streets. The 370,000 square foot project, developed and delivered as a joint venture with New York-based Clarion Partners, LLC, combines 82,000 square feet of retail, 95,000 square feet of office and 225 residences. Given the size of the property and its prime location, Market Station provided the opportunity to create a retail program of a size and scope not seen elsewhere in LoDo.
AWARD WINNER
The 860,000 SF McGregor Square project is a vibrant mixed-use development located adjacent to the Colorado Rockies Coors Field in downtown Denver. This fast-track construction project showcased Hensel Phelps’ expertise at managing a project while collaborating with the architect, Stantec, to deliver a landmark project and fulfill the vision for the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club, Ltd. This "Gateway to the Ballpark" includes three towers (office, hospitality, and residential) and a two-story below-grade parking garage, as well as retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.
AWARD WINNER
Meow Wolf, company opened its third permanent exhibition, Convergence
Station, in Denver on September 17, 2021. This exhibit is our largest to-date and fully realizes our company’s ability to create the most immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. Grounded by our mission to inspire creativity through art, exploration, and play, we thrive on the notion that imagination will transform the world. Meow Wolf Denver is truly about bringing people together through art and utilizing art to create social change.
AWARD WINNER
The new RiNo ArtPark in the Five Points neighborhood is a powerful example of community collaboration and advocacy in action. The $4.5 million, three-acre adaptive reuse project is the result of years of advocacy by RiNo Art District and a series of first-of-their-kind public, nonprofit and private partnerships aimed at addressing community need. Working with Denver Public Library, Focus Points Family Resource Center, RedLine Contemporary Art Center, and Denver Parks and Recreation, RiNo Art District envisioned the adaptive reuse of two City-owned buildings slated for demolition and the creation of much-needed green space on a stretch of neglected space along the South Platte River.
Winner Video