Following years of advocacy to Xcel Energy and the City and County of Denver, community members in the Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhoods, in coordination with Historic Denver, have filed a landmark designation to save the historic Zuni Steam Plant from demolition. This effort comes after Xcel Energy notified community members on February 25, 2025, that the building had been put on the market for sale for 30 days. If a purchase agreement is not signed within those 30 days, Xcel has previously stated that they will seek a demolition permit from the City and County of Denver.
For over a century, the Zuni Steam Plant, located at 1349 Zuni Street, fueled Denver’s growth, shaping both its physical and social landscape. Built in 1901 on the city’s western edge, it was strategically placed to power expansion, supply energy to homes and businesses, and would come to support Mayor Speer’s vision of Denver as the “Paris on the Platte.” It lit up the city’s thriving theater district and kept pace with a booming population—growing from 134,000 in 1900 to 415,000 by 1950. Through continuous modernization until 1953, it placed Denver in a league with other major US cities, fueling its transformation into a modern metropolis.
But this story is not just about infrastructure, it is about community. The surrounding Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhoods housed generations of workers who built and operated the plant, yet they also bore the environmental burden of its operation. Jeanne Granville of the Sun Valley Community Coalition, said, “As one of Denver’s last remaining early power stations, Zuni represents not only the city’s industrial rise but also its complex legacy of environmental justice. Other power plants have been dismantled, but this site endures, offering a rare opportunity to acknowledge both the achievements and long-term impacts of industrial development on historically underserved communities. In an area feeling the impacts of significant development, Sun Valley is committed to the retention and reuse of Zuni as a community and cultural asset at the heart of our neighborhood.”
These sentiments are echoed by David Griggs of the adjacent La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood: “Although the Zuni Steam Plant is at the edge of our neighborhood, it is central to the story of La Alma Lincoln Park.The Steam Plant employed residents for many years and has become a recognizable local landmark. I am excited about the potential to reuse Zuni and, with a little creativity, it could become a one-of-a-kind space that is respectful of the past and accommodating for the future.”
John Deffenbaugh, president and CEO of Historic Denver, said: “We recognize that reequipping a large industrial building for the modern world is a complex task, but this is not uncommon and has been done before, across the country and around the world. A diverse range of cities including Savannah, Austin, Beloit, Wisconsin, Columbus, Ohio, New York, and London know that historic industrial buildings can be repurposed to serve their communities whilst also generating significant city-wide economic benefit. Denver had the vision to do this before. The REI flagship store is a hugely successful example of adaptively reusing an industrial building— indeed, one that powered Denver’s early streetcar network. If all parties come together to figure out an approach for retaining and transferring Zuni to the private sector, this could be done again.”
Deffenbaugh continues: “Preservationists are often accused of being reactive, but in this case, community members, Historic Denver, and the City and County of Denver have been working for years to convince Xcel Energy of the importance of Zuni Steam Plant. It is disappointing that Xcel has adopted a simplistic approach to the disposal of the Steam Plant that goes against the wishes of the local communities. The timescale of 30 days to agree to a sale is completely unrealistic. We requested this be extended to 180 days and did not receive a response from Xcel. The steam plant was originally constructed to break the monopoly held by Denver Consolidated Gas and Electric Company. It is ironic that the modern monopoly of Xcel Energy now appears determined to demolish the building and erase its story.”
A letter from 10 members of Denver City Council dated, November 3, 2021, stating: “As members of Denver City Council, we write to express our commitment to the Sun Valley and La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhoods, and to seeing the adaptive reuse of the Xcel Zuni Generating Station.” A subsequent letter from Laura Aldrete, former executive director of city agency Community Planning and Development, dated May 31, 2023 states: “Community support for a forward-looking repurposing of this complex is especially poignant given that, for over 100 years, the adjacent Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhoods, both with among the lowest incomes in Denver, have suffered the negative environmental impacts imposed by coal-burning power generation.”
Most recently, a letter from all 13 members of Denver City Council was sent on March 20, 2025, encouraging Xcel to continue to progress a pathway towards adaptive reuse of the Steam Plant.
Zuni Steam Plant was placed on Colorado Preservation Inc.’s (CPI) list of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places in January 2024. Executive Director of CPI, Jennifer Orrigo-Charles said: “The Zuni Steam Plant is a cornerstone of Denver’s industrial history and a testament to the city’s resilience and innovation. For over a century, it powered the city’s growth and shaped the communities around it. Now, we have a rare opportunity to reimagine this space—not as a lost relic, but as a vibrant asset for the future. Preservation isn’t just about saving buildings; it’s about honoring the past while creating spaces that serve communities today and tomorrow. CPI stands with Historic Denver and the residents of Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park in urging Xcel Energy and city leaders to embrace a visionary approach that retains Zuni as a cultural and economic driver for generations to come.”
All parties remain committed to working with Xcel Energy to find a mutually agreeable solution that safeguards the future of this historic building and respects the wishes of the surrounding communities.
