Denver Mayor Mike Johnston discusses the DDA’s plan to acquire the Pavilions mall in September. (BusinessDen file)
A lot happens in a year.
Yesterday we shared a handful of themes that emerged from BusinessDen’s reporting this year.
Below are some additional notable moments as we look back on the past 12 months.
La Loma split and (partial) reband
In March, BusinessDen broke the news that the Brinkerhoff restaurant group, best known for its Mexican spot La Loma, had been split in two following the divorce of William and Renee Brinkerhoff.
Renee Brinkerhoff was given ownership of Caldero, a restaurant in downtown’s McGregor Square, and two La Loma locations that were then under construction south of Denver.
She subsequently turned Caldero into La Loma, despite her ex-husband’s protests. And she got the other two restaurants, in Parker and Greenwood Village, up and running.
William Brinkerhoff retained ownership of Sierra, a restaurant in Lone Tree, as well as La Loma restaurants in Castle Rock and at 1801 Broadway in downtown Denver.
In September, however, he walked away from the La Loma name, leaving it to his ex-wife. He renamed his Castle Rock and downtown restaurant Savina’s Mexican Kitchen.
Financial House at 205 Detroit St. in Denver. (BusinessDen file)
Palantir to move to a booming Cherry Creek
Downtown Denver has struggled since the pandemic. And Cherry Creek has boomed.
In September, BusinessDen broke the news that publicly traded Palantir, which moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to downtown Denver in 2020, will move again, this time to Cherry Creek.
The firm has subleased space at 205 Detroit St. from MarketOnce, whose CEO told us Palantir “needed some short-term space while they await the completion of one of the new offices in Cherry Creek.”
The DDA goes to the mall
Denver’s Downtown Development Authority has $570 million in bond funds to spend on revitalizing downtown.
The city affiliate began accepting applications this year for possible spending.
In September, BusinessDen was first to report that spending would include buying Denver Pavilions, the struggling downtown mall, for $37 million.
“In my view, we have to do something right now. … We believe in Upper Downtown as a new neighborhood. And Pavilions is the anchor of that,” Denver Chief Projects Officer Bill Mosher subsequently told us.
The purchase closed Dec. 19. The DDA has also purchased the parking lots along 15th Street behind the mall.
Office to residential conversions get closer to reality
Ever since COVID hit, people have been talking about converting office buildings to apartments.
One such project got underway this spring in the Denver Tech Center.
Work has yet to begin on an office conversion downtown. But in the second half of the year, the aforementioned DDA did approve partial loans for three projects, at the University building, Symes building and Petroleum building.
Work could begin in 2026, although the owner of the Symes building has a legal issue it likely needs to resolve first.
Christina Eisenstein’s family owns the 1300 Adams St. apartment building and has had three of its units test positive for methamphetamine. (BusinessDen file)
More notable reads
January: Curtis Park residents say homeless shelter eyeing expansion is ‘not a good neighbor’
May: More than Big Macs: Inside the illicit market at one local McDonald’s
September: Isenberg asks Denver to negotiate so Barth can be restored to a hotel
December: Maui wildfire victim, newly widowed, struggles to keep 16th Street Mall shop going
December: Formerly homeless tenants with housing vouchers terrorize Congress Park apartment
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston discusses the DDA’s plan to acquire the Pavilions mall in September. (BusinessDen file)
A lot happens in a year.
Yesterday we shared a handful of themes that emerged from BusinessDen’s reporting this year.
Below are some additional notable moments as we look back on the past 12 months.
La Loma split and (partial) reband
In March, BusinessDen broke the news that the Brinkerhoff restaurant group, best known for its Mexican spot La Loma, had been split in two following the divorce of William and Renee Brinkerhoff.
Renee Brinkerhoff was given ownership of Caldero, a restaurant in downtown’s McGregor Square, and two La Loma locations that were then under construction south of Denver.
She subsequently turned Caldero into La Loma, despite her ex-husband’s protests. And she got the other two restaurants, in Parker and Greenwood Village, up and running.
William Brinkerhoff retained ownership of Sierra, a restaurant in Lone Tree, as well as La Loma restaurants in Castle Rock and at 1801 Broadway in downtown Denver.
In September, however, he walked away from the La Loma name, leaving it to his ex-wife. He renamed his Castle Rock and downtown restaurant Savina’s Mexican Kitchen.
Financial House at 205 Detroit St. in Denver. (BusinessDen file)
Palantir to move to a booming Cherry Creek
Downtown Denver has struggled since the pandemic. And Cherry Creek has boomed.
In September, BusinessDen broke the news that publicly traded Palantir, which moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to downtown Denver in 2020, will move again, this time to Cherry Creek.
The firm has subleased space at 205 Detroit St. from MarketOnce, whose CEO told us Palantir “needed some short-term space while they await the completion of one of the new offices in Cherry Creek.”
The DDA goes to the mall
Denver’s Downtown Development Authority has $570 million in bond funds to spend on revitalizing downtown.
The city affiliate began accepting applications this year for possible spending.
In September, BusinessDen was first to report that spending would include buying Denver Pavilions, the struggling downtown mall, for $37 million.
“In my view, we have to do something right now. … We believe in Upper Downtown as a new neighborhood. And Pavilions is the anchor of that,” Denver Chief Projects Officer Bill Mosher subsequently told us.
The purchase closed Dec. 19. The DDA has also purchased the parking lots along 15th Street behind the mall.
Office to residential conversions get closer to reality
Ever since COVID hit, people have been talking about converting office buildings to apartments.
One such project got underway this spring in the Denver Tech Center.
Work has yet to begin on an office conversion downtown. But in the second half of the year, the aforementioned DDA did approve partial loans for three projects, at the University building, Symes building and Petroleum building.
Work could begin in 2026, although the owner of the Symes building has a legal issue it likely needs to resolve first.
Christina Eisenstein’s family owns the 1300 Adams St. apartment building and has had three of its units test positive for methamphetamine. (BusinessDen file)
More notable reads
January: Curtis Park residents say homeless shelter eyeing expansion is ‘not a good neighbor’
May: More than Big Macs: Inside the illicit market at one local McDonald’s
September: Isenberg asks Denver to negotiate so Barth can be restored to a hotel
December: Maui wildfire victim, newly widowed, struggles to keep 16th Street Mall shop going
December: Formerly homeless tenants with housing vouchers terrorize Congress Park apartment
