For just the second time in its 105-year history, the top five floors of the
D&F Tower are up for sale with an asking price of $4.5 million.
The Denver Landmark building at 1601 Arapahoe St. offers panoramic city views and space for more than 100 people in a total of 2,838 square feet. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the D&F Tower is one of downtown Denver's most recognizable icons, with its four lit clock faces rising 250 feet from the street and measuring 16 feet in diameter.
"This could be the most expensive property ever listed on a per-square-foot basis," said Phil Ruschmeyer, president and chief executive of The Ruschmeyer Corporation, which is listing the property. "But what you get is incredible."
It also could be the last opportunity to rent the space for an event. Owner Holly Kylberg is continuing to book events in the space and will honor any bookings after the property is sold.
"The next owner may not open it to the public," she said. "It might be your last chance to get up there and enjoy the space. It's very special -- it's like a fairytale."
Kylberg also is creating a program called "A Time to Give" in which she will donate the space each month to a nonprofit organization to host a gathering.
Built in 1911 as a dry goods store, the D&F Tower was the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River with a height of 325 feet. It later became one of Denver's most prestigious department stores until it was vacated in 1958 after the D&F Company merged with May Company and relocated to a new store at Courthouse Square.
When urban renewal and redevelopment swept across Denver between the 1950s and 1970s, the tower was in danger of being demolished. But advocates for historic preservation voiced concern over its loss an the tower was spared, though the store was razed.
The Italian Renaissance-style building was turned into condominiums in the early 1980s, with the individual floors of the tower belonging to people who use them as office space. In recent years, the top five floors have been used as event space, hosting everything from weddings to holiday parties to board retreats.
"This is an opportunity to own a piece of Denver history," Ruschmeyer said. "It's a great central location in the heart of downtown that is an ideal office setting or entertainment space."
Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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