Push to save Denver's historic Zuni Steam Plant heats up
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A rendering of the redevelopment of Denver's Zuni Steam Plant. Image: Courtesy of Historic Denver
A fight to stop the demolition of Denver's more than century-old Zuni Steam Plant is heating up.
Why it matters: The coal-turned-gas power plant, owned by Xcel Energy and decommissioned in 2019, is one of the city's last industrial relics — and sits on prime redevelopment turf in Denver's Westside.
Driving the news: Thursday marks the end of a 30-day public sale window Xcel initiated last month. If no buyer steps forward, the utility has signaled it will seek a demolition permit.
- Tech entrepreneur Danny Newman submitted a $1 million offer last week, but Xcel rejected it for unclear reasons, BusinessDen reports.
- No listing price is given for the property, but Newman said Xcel's broker Tyler Reed is asking $7.5 million for it. Reed didn't respond to Axios Denver's request for comment.
The latest: Last Friday, preservation nonprofit Historic Denver, with support from Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood groups, filed for landmark designation — a move that freezes demolition plans.
- One day earlier, all 13 members of Denver City Council sent a letter urging Xcel to pursue an adaptive reuse strategy instead of tearing the building down.
What they're saying: The plant, built in 1901, "is a hugely important building to the story of Denver's growth. It powered the expansion of the city into the metropolis that it's now become," Historic Denver CEO John Deffenbaugh tells Axios Denver.
- There's a "clear precedent illustrating that adaptive reuse is not only possible but completely feasible" for such industrial buildings, he added.
- He points to examples like REI's Denver flagship — itself a former power plant — and similar redevelopments in Austin, Texas, and Savannah, Georgia.
The other side: The high cost of environmental and structural remediation has deterred the city from buying the plant and is a key reason Xcel is leaning toward demolition.
- Xcel spokesperson Tyler Bryant tells Axios Denver the company is "willing to work with interested buyers and developers who have the requisite experience to potentially redevelop the building."
- Bryant also noted the company would consider an offer beyond the 30-day time frame.
What's next: The landmark application now heads to Denver's land use committee, followed by a full City Council vote.
- Deffenbaugh hopes the formal process can be avoided altogether — if Xcel agrees to work with the city and private developers to save the building.