After making a few design updates and resubmitting to the Lower Downtown Design Review Commission, the redevelopment of 1962 Market St. and 1320 20th St. received unanimous approval on April 3, marking a major milestone in the project’s momentum.
With this approval in place, developer Monfort Cos. is now targeting a July 1 groundbreaking and actively pursuing DDDA funding to support the next phase of development.
According to the plans, Monfort Cos. will now partner with Denver-based 4240 Architecture on the project. Changes to the design plans include enclosing the courtyard at 1962 Market St. and replacing a one-story rooftop glass addition on 1320 20th St. with a full-story rooftop deck and canopy.
Monfort Cos. purchased the two properties for $5.38 million in 2022 and initially planned to tear down the historic jazz club El Chapultepec. In June 2024, Monfort announced its collaboration with Historic Denver to save the building at 1962 Market Street in Denver from demolition.
In June, Kenneth Monfort, executive vice president of Monfort Companies, said, “Though the building’s integrity poses significant safety issues, and many major elements of the structure remain impossible to save, we invested significantly in developing a solution that prioritizes the preservation of the building’s distinctive architectural elements. The new design bridges past and present, anchoring the building’s history through its most memorable design elements and representing the building’s original envelope and silhouette through a new glass structure. This will transform the previously dark, windowless building into a well-lit, pedestrian-friendly area for our Ballpark neighborhood.”
Moving forward, the project team is advancing through the final SDP process and working to submit a DDDA application.
