2025 Mayor's Design Awards Nominees

• Address: 3575 Chestnut Place
•  Property owner: Elevation Community Land Trust
• Architect: Studio Completiva
• Builder: Shanahan Development
• Project Partner: Brinkmann Constructors

The Burrell is a condo project with 49 permanently affordable one-, two-, and three-bedroom units in the Five Points neighborhood. The project was inspired by Charles Burrell, a legendary Denver musician, and the first African American to be a member of a major American symphony. Burrell had a pivotal role in shaping Denver's jazz scene in Five Points, and he continues to influence the Denver community at large. Engaging with the community and working with local artists, this project honors the black heritage of Five Points not only through art, but also the inclusive nature of the affordable project. All 49 units are reserved for households making 80 percent of the Area Median Income or less and are priced to be affordable to those within this income bracket.

The Burrell marks the culmination of a collaborative effort to provide affordable homeownership opportunities to Denver residents.

• Address: 2700 Wewatta Way
• Property Owners: Rivet Development Partners and Pennrose
• Architect: SAR+ Architects
• Builder: Milender White Construction
• Service Provider: TGTHR
• Commercial Social Enterprise Tenant: Redline
• Contemporary Arts Center Satellite Studio Program
• Muralist: Thomas Evans (Detour)

Nest 56 @Denargo Market offers 56 one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments for people ages 18-24 who are transitioning out of the foster care system or recently experienced homelessness. In addition to providing a home for young people, the apartment community provides support services—including mental health resources, education, life-skills development, financial literacy training, and career development—in partnership with TGTHR, one of Colorado’s leading service providers for youth experiencing homelessness. The 45,000-square-foot-structure also includes office and retail space and an artist studio and exhibition space operated by Redline Contemporary Art Center.

Reviewed by the city’s Affordable Housing Review Team, this project encapsulates how high-quality, thoughtful design can help provide housing solutions that lift up our vulnerable communities. 

• Address: 2660 W. Holden Place
• Property owner: Denver Housing Authority
• Architect: Shopworks Architecture
• Builder: Pinkard Construction

Thrive is a critical component of Denver Housing Authority’s Sun Valley neighborhood re-envisioning from a public housing development characterized by concentrated poverty to a mixed-income community with new housing, parks, commercial services, food markets, and residential services. By integrating a range of units across AMI levels, Thrive seeks to bring diverse individuals together to build community and reflect the best of Denver. Thrive’s design sought to respond to the unique challenges presented in a neighborhood filled with current developments, and future busy streets, as well as community interest in big windows, space for kids, grills, places for neighbors to interact and gather.

Thrive is a unique community that seeks to meet the demand for apartments in Denver, with one-third of the units offering 3 to 5 bedrooms. The dynamic and joyful building seeks to be an integral piece of the fabric of a re-envisioned Sun Valley neighborhood that will provide community for decades to come.

• Location: 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard
• Property owner: Continuum & Nine Co Blvd 2 Owner
• Architects: SAR+ Architects, Gensler, 4240 Architecture
• Planners and Landscape Architects: Dig Studio
• Builder: Saunders, Kiewit and Catamount Constructors

The 9+CO development repurposed the former medical campus into a vibrant, mixed-use community, reintegrating the campus with the scale and grid of the surrounding neighborhood, with streets scaled for walkability and comfort. Developed by Continuum Partners and CIM, the community combines a mix of residential, retail, office, and public green spaces and landscaped streetscapes, creating a highly walkable pedestrian and bicycling environment that blends into the scale and character of the adjacent residential neighborhood. The project encompasses twelve city blocks and features an iconic retail street with distinctive planters and special paving.

Highlighting the importance of open space and parks in every neighborhood in Denver, the community park serves as a social hub for the community, connecting to adjacent restaurants and mixed use and supporting surrounding residents with a vibrant community gathering space.

• Location: Brighton Boulevard from 29th Avenue to 44th Avenue
• Civil Engineer (Lead Firm): Jacobs
• Landscape Architect: Stantec
• Planting Design: Wenk Associates

For decades, Brighton Boulevard exclusively served its industrial users and consisted of four lanes of asphalt devoid of any pedestrian facilities, curbs, or drainage. As the only connection through the district, this created dangerous conditions for new pedestrians and cyclists as the residential population increased. Additionally, surface drainage flowed directly into the adjacent South Platte River, polluting a major river corridor in the city. With input from the community, the redevelopment of Brighton Boulevard transformed the roadway into the first complete street in Denver. The project integrated new pedestrian spaces with a raised cycle-track and low-impact water quality planters, resulting in an innovative streetscape that has become the home to the River North Arts District (RiNo), with a diverse mix of residences, businesses and art studios.

The redesign engages the physical, environmental and social challenges of a rapidly changing urban context and exemplifies how landscape architects can address complex urban challenges though the process and product of the design of the public realm.

• Address: 4700 E. 6th Avenue Parkway
• Property owners: Stacie Loucks and Marcus Pachner
• Architect: The Parkway Cow grazes at a house designed by renowned Denver Architect Victor Hornbein
• Original owner: Frank Guiffrida, Hilltop Steak House, Saugus, Massachusetts

Living along one of Denver’s great parkways filled the property owners with a sense of wanting to contribute to the public realm in their community.  The Parkway Cow is a gift to the street—a companion for drivers, walkers and cyclists who pass by daily.  Artfully gracing the 6th Avenue Parkway but with a slight turn toward home, the Parkway Cow is a constant beacon of celebrations throughout the neighborhood. From the first cow decoration, when a neighbor secretly adorned the cow with an “Eat Mor Chikin” sign, to the now monthly (and sometimes weekly) tributes, the Cow celebrates the sports victories, holidays, graduations and other creative concepts to be shared by everyone.

 “Dexter” is a neighborhood landmark celebrated on social media, news stories, neighborhood notes, honks and waves.  She has hosted hundreds of kids for pictures, neighborhood messages, sports enthusiasts and serves as wayfinding for our neighborhood.  In the owners’ words, “Life happens at the street, and we simply wanted to do our part with the Parkway Cow.”  

• Address: 3300 E. 17th Avenue
• Property Owner: 3300, LLC
• Architect: BOSS.architecture
• Builder: Chad Burk and Flux Partners
• Millwork: VonMod
• Electrical: High Country Electric

Previously a doctor’s office, glasses shop, and most recently a dentist office, this building had been left in disrepair after a failed renovation and years of neglect. The architects decided to take a light hand in their renovation, focusing more on removing clutter than adding new elements. The architects also restored the original planter and added several more planting features within the building to extend the adjacent City Park landscapes into the interior of the office. The original building was a testament to the timelessness of good design, and the renovation celebrates the impact of a restrained material palette and architectural simplicity, brought to life with natural lighting. 

In a neighborhood that mixes residential with small and large businesses, this project revived a corner along the busy 17th Street corridor and celebrates the area’s character in use and design.  

• Address: 1050 9th Street
• Property Owner: Auraria Higher Education Campus
• Architect: SAR+ Architects
• Builder: Kiewit

Originally belonging to a family forced out during the neighborhood’s acquisition through eminent domain, Centennial House, on the Auraria Higher Education Campus, dates back to 1876, with an expansion in the 1920s. Its renovation aimed not only to address safety concerns, but also to provide office space and flexible meeting areas tailored for engaging with the displaced Aurarians and their predominantly Latinx and Indigenous American descendants. The restoration focused on repairing the front porch for safe usage and maintaining its original charm while incorporating a vibrant, updated color scheme to warmly welcome the community. In its rebirth, the Centennial House not only safeguards the architectural treasures of Ninth Street but also symbolizes a commitment to acknowledging past injustices and fostering reconciliation. 

• Address: 576 N. Sherman Street
• Property Owner: Mainspring
• Architect: Gensler
• Builder: Sprung Construction
• Interior design: MSCD Studio

The Sudler was designed by architect James Sudler in 1959 for the Daly Insurance Company. Mainspring purchased the building in 2021 and removed all the later-year modifications, stripping the building down completely to its original shell and rebuilding back up with finishes appropriate to such an iconic building, including the reinstallation of exterior rings as a nod to Sudler's architectural “sunshades” which once wrapped the original building. The re-imagined building has been designed to meld mid-century clean lines, open spaces and luxurious walnut finishes. Steps from the State Capitol and the Central Business District, the Sudler has brought activity back to this corner of Capitol Hill by bringing architectural gem back to prominence. 

• Address: 2101 Arapahoe Street
• Property owner: Rocky Mountain Public Media
• Architect: Tryba Architects
• Builder: Mortenson
• Owner’s Representative: Les Wells
• Capital Campaign Chair: Mary Sissell
• RMPM Staff Project Lead: Doug Houston
• Project Partners: Buell Foundation and Dan Ritchie

The state-of-the-art 63,000 SF Buell Public Media Center establishes an exciting and innovative new concept for community engagement and the future of media, accommodating a highly diverse array of programming within a single structure. The building elegantly resolves the complicated interrelation between technology, energy-efficient building systems and spatial planning with a desire for public connection. Generous glazing at the street level differentiates the structure from typical broadcast facilities by providing views into and out of the performance studios, intentionally situated on the building’s perimeter to engage the public and showcase the programming within. The Buell Public Media Center sets a new precedent for broadcast facilities by engaging the public in educational and cultural productions and important societal conversations and offering ‘behind the scenes’ views into the building.

Situated at the nexus of several vibrant and diverse neighborhoods adjacent to downtown Denver, the Buell Public Media Center engages the surrounding community and expands public access to media services.

• Address: 1191 Larimer Street
• Property owner: University of Colorado - Denver
• Architect: Stantec Architecture
• Builder: JEDunn

The City Heights Residence Hall offers an on-campus dormitory for first-year students and was designed to support their transition to CU Denver. In addition to the seven-story residence hall, which includes two wings, the facility has a 30,000-square-foot Learning Commons, designed to enhance both student and faculty development. The 182,000-square-foot residence hall added approximately 555 beds to the center of the urban campus. The residential tower offers students mountain or downtown views, and the L-shaped configuration of the building’s upper floors flank a sunny courtyard space that will provide a new campus gathering place and connection between the CU Denver campus neighborhood and the Tivoli Student Union.

For a campus that has traditionally catered to a commuter population, the residence hall needed to supply an abundance of amenities and activation. The design enables a vibrant and supportive campus experience for residents, while creating a communal heart for all students. The LEED Gold certified facility is designed with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency, well-being, water conservation, and ecological sustainability.

• Address: 1980 Dahlia Street
• Property owner: Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
• Architect: Tryba Architects
• Builder: Colarelli Construction
• Project Partners: Heritage Committee - Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, LARRK Foundation, Alvarado Family, Members & Friends of Montview Church, State Historical Fund, History Colorado, Ann Wolff - Ann Wolff Glass Design, Geiler & Associates LLC, KL&A of Colorado, Martin/Martin, Norris Design, WSP USA

Involving both restoration and rehabilitation, along with new construction, this project brought new life and light into this historic Park Hill neighborhood landmark. An elegant addition transformed the entrance facing Dahlia Street and created a new mezzanine space above the lobby with a view of the street, the neighborhood and beyond. Already a well-known and frequently visited local gathering place, the work has revitalized spaces inside and out to ensure this house of prayer continues to serve all people for decades to come. 

• Address: 1290 N. Williams Street
• Property owners: Joe Vostrejs, Pat McHenry and Rod
• Wagner, City Street Investors
• Architect: Semple Brown Design
• Builder: Amiel Murphey, Murphey’s Hammer LLC
• Interior Designers: Eric Mandil, Stephen Hentschel and Sean Hughes, Mandil Inc.

A once “fashionable Denver mansion” is a fashionable space once again, inside and out, and with new purpose. Initially built as a personal residence 124 years ago, the designated city landmark became offices after a 1972 sale. Today, what was once home to a dining room the Denver Post proclaimed to be “one of the loveliest in the city” now hosts the offices of City Street Investors and Capitol Hill United Neighbors, situated to host community events in the once lauded dining room space, while providing a modern workspace.

Taking this respectful restoration a step further, the project team replaced an accessory building on the backside of the house and rebuilt it as Secret Garden Bar & Café. Facing Cheesman Park, the café’s interior and exterior presents a welcoming space for food, drink and conversation and has transformed and activated this edge of the park.

• Address: 1630 S. Acoma Street
• Property owner: Urban Peak
• Architect: Shopworks Architecture
• Builder: Deneuve Construction
• Development Consultant: BlueLine Development

Urban Peak redeveloped an aging and overcrowded shelter into a vibrant, thriving campus to address the complex needs of youth experiencing homelessness. The new building replaced its current shelter to offer integrated services and progressively independent levels of housing for youth. The project sought to improve functionality, increase durability, select warmer and more welcoming finishes, improve the design and layout, upgrade its systems and exterior spaces, and create a less institutional feel. The result is a facility that not only provides needed shelter, but more importantly empowers its community.

The Mothership gives young people a beautiful place to grow and thrive with dignity and one both residents and surrounding neighbors can take great pride in. 

• Address: 3631 Bruce Randolph Avenue
• Property owner: Doorkeeper Property Management
• Architect: Semple Brown Design, P.C.
• Builder: Middleton Homes

These two “build-to-rent” newly built homes in Denver’s Cole neighborhood take advantage of a seldom-used building form from the Denver Zoning Code: the tandem house, which allows for 2 full-size single-family homes, at the front and rear of the property. The design approach references the historic “Denver Square” form in planning and massing, and the two homes take on a nuanced difference in their architectural vocabulary, rendering the rear home in brick and parapet roof, as a surprising discovery while the front home is stucco and more true to the hipped-roof form of this historic precedent. 

The Bruce Randolph Homes showcase what housing diversity in residential neighborhoods can look like in Denver, taking a small step toward filling the “missing middle” of housing supply, and offering an alternative to rental apartment living, still near downtown and multiple transit sources. 

• Address: 3282 N. Tejon Street
• Property owner: Revesco Properties
• Architect: Davis Urban
• Builder: WE O’Neil Construction

The collaborations between Davis Urban and Revesco has transformed many forgotten LOHI corners into neighborhood gems over the last fifteen years. In this case, a compact and underutilized corner lot used for parking was transformed into a vibrant, mixed-used development with ground floor restaurant, Golden Hour, and 40 micro units above. The design achieved high visual impact on a modest budget, with multiple mezzanine style units on the fifth floor to add interest to the massing.

• Address: 4228 Kalamath Street
• Property owner: Palisade Partners and Stapleton Equity Partners
• Architect: OZ Architecture

The Ayden was conceived as a gateway project into one of Denver’s historic Northside neighborhoods, transitioning from low-scale industrial space into a TOD-centric residential district. On the site of a vacant parking lot servicing the adjacent manufacturing warehouses, the project was informed by community outreach, focused on appropriately scaling the development to its surroundings, while energizing the streetscape with a mixed-use ground floor. Drawing from the surrounding context, including the Horace Mann School and surrounding brick bungalows, the design stitches together a modern, stylish, three-story building announcing the burgeoning Sunnyside district.

• Address: 4882 S. Newport Street
• Property owner: Trammell Crow Residential
• Architect: SAR+ Architects
• Builder: Milender White

Filling the center block of a nine-block area plan, this 250 unit multi-family project is broken into three key masses that create a transition between the low rise architecture to the south along Belleview Avenue and the taller architecture to the north along the rail line and highway. A masonry base which aligns with the low buildings to the south tops out at an amenity deck with sweeping views of the mountains right above the rooftop level. Two towers rise above the base, one imbedded and marking entry, while the other floats above the podium to allow both maximum density and deck space. The project steps down from the strong urban massing of the towers to a human scale base designed to stitch into the pedestrian character of Newport Street.

Situated at the RTD Belleview Station, the project demonstrates the impact of well-positioned transit-oriented development.

• Address: 3400 Walnut Street
• Property owners: Jordon Perlmutter & Co.
• Rockefeller Group
• Architect: Tryba Architects
• Builder: Saunders Construction

Replacing an old warehouse in the River North Arts District, this project brought a sleek, elegant office space that nods to the neighborhood’s history. Its brick façade and factory-style windows respond to the industrial heritage of the area and provide abundant natural daylight and expansive views of downtown and the Rocky Mountains. As technology and changes to work culture have evolved, Paradigm’s high-quality design underscores the importance of investment in transformative office spaces and the role the can play in Denver’s economic vitality. 

• Address: 1580 Logan Street
• Property owner: Pennybacker Capital
• Architect: Gensler
• Builder: Rand Construction
• Mechanical Engineers: ME Engineers
• Lighting Design: Illume
• Construction Management and Property Management: Transwestern

Nestled between the two iconic and historical thoroughfares of Capitol Hill and Colfax, the repositioned Amp building reflects the rich history of these Denver communities and surrounding urban fabric of nearby cathedrals, theaters, jazz clubs and bars. The design team’s challenge was to transform the nondescript, enclosed and isolated ground plane into a welcoming and iconic destination to support Denver’s Uptown workforce community. Vibrant colors and warm, inviting spaces are design to encourage collaboration and human connection, focusing on user experience and delighting the senses. Unique pockets of discovery, neon lights, arches and intriguing textures create an inviting glow visible from the streetscape.

With its outdated design and low tenant occupancy, 150 Logan was primed for transformation. By incorporation playful design elements, optimizing group-floor spaces, and adding curated amenities, it has become a vibrant, forward-thinking model of workplace design at the intersection of hospitality and community. 

• Address: 476 S. Broadway
• Property owners: Paul Sparks, Sue Sparks, and Reed Sparks
• Architect: One Line Studio
• Builder: Jordy Construction

In BurnDown, the project team wanted to create something new from something old. It was important to highlight the history and unique features of the space. From the initial build out in 1947 to the fire it barely survived in the late seventies, the building had an incredible amount of potential and required an equally great amount of work to get it to where it is today. Bringing much-needed activity to the South Broadway corridor, the result of these efforts can serve as an anchor for the neighboring communities for decades to come.

• Address: 3821-3893 Steele Street
• Property owners: ScanlanKemperBard and Harbert
• Management Corporation
• Architect: Tryba Architects
• Builder: Hyder Construction

This 22-acre creative mixed-use commercial district reuses the historic brick buildings of the former Denver Medical Depot, re-imagined for contemporary manufacturing and local small businesses and retailers. The site’s WWII-era brick buildings, originally designed in 1942 by architect Temple Buell, have been transformed into modern, flexible spaces that can accommodate a variety of uses. The design re-introduced cohesiveness to the buildings—which had been altered piecemeal over the years—and sensitively opened the buildings to connect with the adjacent 39th Avenue Greenway.

The mix of retail, office, event space and innovation/fabrication brings a new vitality to the neighborhood while preserving the historic significance of the site. York Street Yards contributes to the identity of the Clayton neighborhood and sustainably reuses 550,000 square feet of existing built fabric, providing flexible and customizable spaces for a new generation of entrepreneurs, designers, and innovators.

• Address: 7150 Montview Boulevard
• Project owner: Archway Communities
• Architect: Shopworks Architecture
• Builder: Taylor Kohrs
• Landowner: Urban Land Conservancy
• Project partner: Denver Housing Authority

Originally the home of the Colorado Women’s College, established in 1909, and later the Johnson & Wales University Denver campus, this corner of the East Colfax neighborhood has once again adapted and evolved to meet the needs of the surrounding community. In partnership with Urban Land Conservancy (ULC), Denver Public Schools, and Denver Housing Authority to purchase the property, and with support from LIHTC funding, historic tax credits, and Denver’s Department of Housing Stability, Archway has converted the campus’ historic dormitory buildings into 154 affordable apartments. Today, Mosaic is home to more than 300 residents—individuals and families between 30 percent to 60 percent of the Area Media Income—as well as free on-site supportive services programming, community rooms, community kitchens, and a walkable central quad.

This project successfully weaves together the preservation of Denver’s history with a sustainable, community-focused approach to housing, serving and enhancing Denver’s East Colfax and Park Hill neighborhoods. 

• Address: 3144 W. Frances Walsh Place
• Property Owner: Pancratia Hall Partners LLC (a partnership between Hartman Ely Investments, Proximity Green, PNC Bank and Denver Housing Authority)
• Architect: William Brummett Architects
• Builder: I-Kota Inc
• Tax Credit Investor: PNC Bank
• Property Manager: Denver Housing Authority

Pancratia Hall Lofts is an adaptive use conversion of a vacant classroom and dormitory building at the heart of the historic, 72-acre Loretto Heights college campus in southwest Denver. Named after Mother Pancratia Bonfils, one of the key members of the Sisters of Loretto that founded Loretto Heights in the late 1800s, the building was designed by master architect Harry W. J. Edbrooke in 1927. The transformation of this important historic building created 74 deeply affordable apartments and an inviting courtyard. Half of the apartments are large 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom apartments for families.

The reuse of Pancratia Hall as affordable housing promotes sustainability and equity, and ensures the future of the Loretto Heights campus remains rooted in the campus’ treasured history.

• Address: 200 Clayton Street
• Property owner: Broe Real Estate Group
• Architect: The Beck Group
• Builder: GH Phipps

From project inception, the team worked to design 200 Clayton with a forward-thinking approach to sustainable building practices. To the team, this meant going above and beyond “looking green” by thinking critically through all aspects of building design, construction and operation.  As Colorado’s first Four Green Globes certified building, 200 Clayton sets a new standard for sustainable design, embodying a commitment to environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, and occupant wellness. Its innovative features, like all-electric systems, energy-efficient glazing, and air-purifying technology, create a healthier, more efficient workspace. Beyond sustainability, 200 Clayton enhances community life in Cherry Creek North, blending seamlessly with its surroundings and offering green transportation options. 

• Address: 4200 W. 17th Avenue
• Property owner: NAVA Real Estate Development
• Architect: Stantec Architecture and Munoz + Albin
• (Design Consultant)
• Builder: GH Phipps Construction
• Wellness Consultant: DELOS
• Art Consultant: NINE dot ARTS
• Furniture Consultant: TRIO

The pioneering Lakehouse project was the first to pilot the WELL Multifamily Residential Certification, while also pursuing a for-sale condominium model of development. The WELL Gold certified building is home to 196 residences that include 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, townhome, and penthouse units. The project focused heavily on its amenities and their direct impact on the health and well-being of the occupants. Each amenity and its associated programming were built to have a direct correlation to the physical and emotional health of residents living at Lakehouse. Additionally, with its watersense fixtures and energy star appliances, Lakehouse was a key contributor in helping to meet the requisites to achieve this LEED Gold ND Certification for the master plan development.

Lakehouse is a bold, new addition to the Sloan’s Lake neighborhood and opens the door to new ways of thinking about health and design. 

• Address: 240 14th Street
• Property owner: Urban Villages
• Architect: Studio Gang
• Builder: The Beck Group
• Interior Design Firm: Wildman Chalmers
• Hotel Operator: Aparium Hotel Group
• Interior Architects of Record: FOWLER Architecture & Design

The Populus Hotel is a remarkable new addition to Denver’s skyline, standing as a testament to innovative design and sustainable development. Located at the intersection of Civic Center Park, Golden Triangle and Downtown Denver’s bustling core, the 13-story structure occupies a unique triangular lot. Its sculptural facade, inspired by the bark patterns of Colorado’s iconic aspen trees, sets the building apart from any other structure in the city. This nature-inspired motif is woven into the hotel’s interior, where organic shapes and natural materials like reclaimed wood and mycelium-based reishi leather create a serene, immersive atmosphere. The rooftop terrace extends the theme, offering panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains. Populus blends the modernity of downtown Denver with a deep connection to nature, embodying the city’s unique identity. 

Along with being recognized as a winner in the Innovation category, Populus was the winner of The People's Choice Award.