On May 22, AC Development broke ground on the CoorsTek headquarters building representing the first phase of the development of Clayworks, the large-scale redevelopment that will transform a historic five-block site in downtown Golden into a dynamic mixed-use district.
The groundbreaking ceremony marked a celebratory milestone for the project, highlighting the commencement of major construction activities that will include state-of-the-art office spaces, a boutique hotel, urban apartments, exceptional dining options, and beautifully designed new public spaces.
In announcing the groundbreaking, AC Development president Dan Cohen said, “After years of effort and the collaboration with an amazing team of designers, engineers, advisers, and financial partners, we couldn’t be more excited to finally be underway on bringing our collective vision to life. It is only through the leadership of the Coors family and the exceptional talent of the ACD team, including David Wells, Dan Konecny, and Sarah Marvez that we have arrived at this milestone day.”
The property was originally purchased by Adolph Coors in 1884 to operate as a glassworks in support of the burgeoning brewery located a few blocks to the southeast. CoorsTek (formerly Coors Porcelain) was subsequently founded on the site in 1910 and continuously operated its technical ceramics manufacturing and research facilities there until the operations were relocated to newer facilities nearby and the site was shuttered in 2022.
In mid-2020, in anticipation of the soon-to-be-vacated multi-block industrial property located at the intersection of Washington Avenue/Ninth Street, the Coors family launched AC Development to establish a vision and implement a plan for the next chapter in the life of this important property. Subsequent to an extensive community outreach effort and land use entitlement process lasting nearly 18 months, the 12.5-acre property (then expanded by the acquisition of four adjacent small parcels) was rezoned by a unanimous vote of the Golden City Council in the summer of 2022.
The site’s new zoning was crafted to facilitate redevelopment of the property as a holistic mixed-use district oriented along new streets and open spaces that reintegrate the formerly industrial superblock into the surrounding city fabric. The zoning includes significant and innovative commitments by AC Development regarding publicly accessible open space, sustainability, public realm art, workforce housing, urban and architectural design, parking & mobility, and historic preservation. The visionary master plan is now known as Clayworks.
The first building at Clayworks will be a four-story, 181,500-square-foot commercial building that will serve as the new global headquarters for CoorsTek as well as other smaller tenants, including AC Development, the Adolph Coors Company, and at least one other unrelated tenant. The building includes three ground-floor restaurant/retail spaces for tenants who cannot yet be announced.
“The innovative and unique design that Tryba Architects and team has collaborated with us to create for this best-in-class, flagship headquarters building is something that we are proud will anchor the Clayworks district and will contribute to downtown Golden,” said Sarah Marvez, AC Development’s director of commercial development.
Acknowledging the impending new move to back to where the company was founded, CoorsTek Co-CEO Michael Coors noted that “Golden is a dynamic ecosystem honoring the past while looking to the future. The kind of place you wear cowboy boots while designing and building the next lunar rover or advanced semiconductor processing equipment. CoorsTek is excited to bring its headquarters back into the heart of the city and continue the legacy of innovation.”
Design & Engineering Team
Architect: Tryba Architects
Landscape Architect: Wenk Associates
Retail Architect: Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
Civil Engineer: Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers
MEP Engineer: ME Engineers
Structural Engineer: KL&A Engineers & Builders
Building Commissioning: McKinstry
Parking & Mobility Engineers: Kimley-Horn
Geotechnical Engineer: Kumar & Associates
Environmental Compliance: Arcadis
Land Use and Real Estate Attorney: Polsinelli
Construction Team
General Contractor: Holder Construction
Demolition Contractor: JKS Industries
Financial Partner:
Construction Debt: UMB Bank
