DENVER — OLC (Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative), an international architecture, interior design and aquatics design firm, is moving its Denver headquarters to the newly renovated historic STEAM on the Platte (STEAM) development at 1401 Zuni Street.
Named for the “still-cooking” steam plant to the south that evokes memories of the property’s heavy industrial past, the STEAM is a 3.2 acre, mixed-use project conveniently located downtown in Denver’s Sun Valley neighborhood along the Platte River. The location boasts a light rail stop, bike path, sports arena access and a peaceful riverside setting.
OLC’s space is located in the first phase of the project, a 65,000-square-foot brick and timber warehouse which was turned into a workspace for tech companies and creative businesses. STEAM will soon grow to include additional office space and residential buildings.
The development team for STEAM included Urban Ventures, LLC of Denver and White Construction Group of Castle Rock. They are putting life back into century-old architecture to help bring business to Denver’s Lower Downtown and River North neighborhoods. Their success shows by housing its first tenants at the STEAM: Lyft, NIMBL, Bold Beans Coffee Shop, and now OLC.
OLC is thrilled to be a part of the energy and life that is being put back into the Sun Valley neighborhood. The technological advancement of the new location will complement OLC’s advanced 3D modeling and virtual reality capabilities. The collaborative work environment and co-location of creative firms enhances OLC’s current working model and will allow the firm to continue to grow.
Beginning December 1, OLC’s talented architects, designers and aquatics professionals will occupy Suite 102. Bob McDonald, senior principal at OLC, has been with the firm since 1996. He’s extremely excited about the firm’s decision to move to STEAM and to make a positive change within this small urban community.
“OLC may be an international architectural firm, but we also do work locally and have local ties. Myself, I’ve really been looking forward to being a part of the revitalization of the Sun Valley Neighborhood. With its proximity to downtown, access to mass transit, and plans in place for sustainable mixed-use development, it will be a convenient, healthy and vibrant location for our business for many years to come.”
OLC has designed high-profile fitness, recreation and wellness projects worldwide and maintains additional locations in Orlando, Tokyo and Cairo. Locally, OLC is currently working on the new Estes Valley Community Center in Estes Park; Cordillera Pool Renovations in Eagle Valley; and most recently completed the Colorado Golf Club Pool and Bath House in Parker.
Photo: A large, disused industrial textile baler is centerpiece in a ground floor foyer at Steam on the Platte – a new and historic reuse space recently developed at 14th and Zuni streets – in Denver’s Sun Valley neighborhood. (Photo by Andy Colwell/Special to The Denver Post)
