The University Building sits along the 16th Street Mall, on the corner of Champa Street. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
A 12-story structure along the 16th Street Mall that has historically been a hub for jewelers is the latest downtown office building proposed for residential conversion.
The plans regarding the University Building, which sits at 910 16th St. at the corner of Champa, were submitted to Denver in late May, records indicate.
The plans, drawn up by Shopworks Architecture, call for 106 units in all, between eight and 11 units per floor starting on the building’s second level. They would be restricted to those making between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income.
The approximately 110,000-square-foot building has been owned for decades by The Robert L. Naiman Co., which is based in Denver. Robert Naiman declined to comment on the submission.
Office-to-residential conversion has been a hot topic in major cities, which are looking to bring back foot traffic to downtowns in the wake of the pandemic.
The University Building is the sixth — or seventh, depending on what you count — building in downtown Denver where conversion has been proposed since the pandemic began.
The University Building dates to approximately 1910. In addition to traditional office tenants, its upper floors have been home to a number of retail jewelry shops. Signs for Musselman Jewelers, Jay Feder Jewelers and William Crow Jewelry are displayed on windows, although Jay Feder moved out several years ago and William Crow ceased operations before the pandemic.
Those traversing 15th Street behind the building will notice another hallmark feature: A decade ago, its former smokestack was painted to resemble a giant pencil.
Numerous windows bear advertisements for jewelers, although some of them no longer operate in the building. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
A different use for the University Building has been envisioned for years. In January 2020, Denver received plans calling for the structure to be converted into a hotel. But the arrival of COVID a short time later battered the hospitality sector.
The latest submission means that residential conversion has been proposed for three of the four structures at the corner of 16th and Champa. Plans for 1600 Champa St. and 820 16th St. were both submitted in 2022.
The intersection accounts for half the downtown conversion proposals. The others are the Petroleum Building at 110 16th St. and the tower at 475 17th St. Some office space within the Denver Dry Goods building is also poised to be turned into residences.
It’s unclear how many local residential conversions could ultimately become reality. Developers are watching to see what government incentives might be offered. Last year, Denver launched an “adaptive reuse pilot program” for Upper Downtown and paid Gensler $75,000 to give a conversion “compatibility score” to a host of downtown office buildings.
Tied for first on that list? The University Building.
The University Building sits along the 16th Street Mall, on the corner of Champa Street. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
A 12-story structure along the 16th Street Mall that has historically been a hub for jewelers is the latest downtown office building proposed for residential conversion.
The plans regarding the University Building, which sits at 910 16th St. at the corner of Champa, were submitted to Denver in late May, records indicate.
The plans, drawn up by Shopworks Architecture, call for 106 units in all, between eight and 11 units per floor starting on the building’s second level. They would be restricted to those making between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income.
The approximately 110,000-square-foot building has been owned for decades by The Robert L. Naiman Co., which is based in Denver. Robert Naiman declined to comment on the submission.
Office-to-residential conversion has been a hot topic in major cities, which are looking to bring back foot traffic to downtowns in the wake of the pandemic.
The University Building is the sixth — or seventh, depending on what you count — building in downtown Denver where conversion has been proposed since the pandemic began.
The University Building dates to approximately 1910. In addition to traditional office tenants, its upper floors have been home to a number of retail jewelry shops. Signs for Musselman Jewelers, Jay Feder Jewelers and William Crow Jewelry are displayed on windows, although Jay Feder moved out several years ago and William Crow ceased operations before the pandemic.
Those traversing 15th Street behind the building will notice another hallmark feature: A decade ago, its former smokestack was painted to resemble a giant pencil.
Numerous windows bear advertisements for jewelers, although some of them no longer operate in the building. (Thomas Gounley/BusinessDen)
A different use for the University Building has been envisioned for years. In January 2020, Denver received plans calling for the structure to be converted into a hotel. But the arrival of COVID a short time later battered the hospitality sector.
The latest submission means that residential conversion has been proposed for three of the four structures at the corner of 16th and Champa. Plans for 1600 Champa St. and 820 16th St. were both submitted in 2022.
The intersection accounts for half the downtown conversion proposals. The others are the Petroleum Building at 110 16th St. and the tower at 475 17th St. Some office space within the Denver Dry Goods building is also poised to be turned into residences.
It’s unclear how many local residential conversions could ultimately become reality. Developers are watching to see what government incentives might be offered. Last year, Denver launched an “adaptive reuse pilot program” for Upper Downtown and paid Gensler $75,000 to give a conversion “compatibility score” to a host of downtown office buildings.
Tied for first on that list? The University Building.
