By Katie Rapone
Just outside of bustling downtown Denver, in the Sloan’s Lake neighborhood, an urban sanctuary will open its doors to residents this fall. Designed to foster a balanced lifestyle, Wilder blends bold architecture inspired by Modernist and Art Deco with the outdoorsy soul of the Denver community. Inspired by notes from nature and created with modern lines, Wilder adds quality to the Denver real estate scene for laid-back living.
Designed by Davis Partnership Architects and built by Saunders Construction, the vision behind Wilder comes from the brother duo of Kevin and Jon Ratner, co-founders and managing partners of The Max Collaborative. Also known for the skyline-defining project, One River North in Denver’s RiNo Art District, which most notably features a canyon running through the building’s facade. Following in the Ratner family legacy, the brothers are on a mission to build distinctive real estate that creates and sustains communities across the U.S. The Ratners worked with Denver-based real estate developer and investment firm NAVA Real Estate Development (NAVA) to create Wilder.
Located at 1521 Hooker Street, Wilder’s design features sweeping curves with linear and geometric accents — an ode to the West Colfax neighborhood’s 1950s heyday. Rising nine stories high, the complex offers 196 residential units in four different apartment styles, ranging from 523 to 1,118 square feet. A multi-level rooftop with a plunge pool, and indoor-outdoor lounges overlooking the Front Range and city skyline, are available for residents’ use. The community lounge equipped with a kitchen, and collaborative co-working spaces allows the residents to foster and grow their network while the state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio provide a place to be active. With a central West Colfax location, there is quick access to Downtown, the Highlands, Edgewater, Sloan’s Lake Park, and beyond.
“We are excited to introduce Wilder to the Denver community. Denver has a deeply rooted culture and the West Colfax District has a rich history, this project really celebrates the natural area surrounding the city. We want to merge these two identities, creating a space that celebrates the new and old traditions of the area, but remains a testament to what Denver has to offer,” says Kevin Ratner, co-founder and managing partner at The Max Collaborative.
Additionally, the interior space features 350 pieces of art curated by the local, women-owned consultancy NINE dot ARTS. NINE dot ARTS shares a similar passion and belief that the space you create impacts how you interact with your environment and equipped Wilder with pieces that enhance the space.
“We are proud to be a part of the important revival for Denver’s West Colfax neighborhood. In all of our projects, we want to create a space that focuses on the residents’ and community’s well-being, allowing both groups to flourish over time,” says Jon Ratner, co-founder and managing partner at The Max Collaborative.
In the process of building Wilder, The Max Collaborative pursued a Fitwel certification — verifying the building’s commitment to providing residents with a space that supports well-being and healthy habits. This includes spaces that focus on resident safety and accessibility to nutritious foods. The certification also verifies the building’s dedication to the health of those in the surrounding community, not just tenants of the building.
The Max Collaborative approaches every project with integrity and intention. They are set on creating places that become homes and build every project with such in mind. They understand the importance of community and community health and are dedicated to deepening this vision in Denver. They also understand that the best way to connect people with communities is through shared values and they weave these values into their projects.
Wilder is now pre-leasing and set to open this fall. The Max Collaborative’s other work can also be seen in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, and many cities throughout the U.S.
