What Will Happen to Downtown’s Empty Office Buildings?
With construction on the 16th St. Mall now set to last through 2025 and many office workers happier working at home, the Denver Post reported this week that Mayor Mike Johnston has reversed a major Hancock-era plan for downtown. Instead of allowing city employees to work from home while the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building is being renovated, he has leased space in Republic Plaza, one of downtown’s emptiest office buildings. Could that help revitalize downtown? Or are all those empty offices destined for a different fate entirely? Like housing? Or… demolition? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi sought answers last summer from Brad Segal — urban planner, real estate economist, CU Denver professor (and Bree’s former boss).
For more, Denverite recently reported on the city of Denver’s study of the potential residential conversion of office buildings downtown, which found 16 that are reportedly “good fits.”
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