In March, Historic Denver and two Denver residents, including former city council rep Elbra Wedgeworth, filed a non-owner application for historic designation of the structure that had housed the legendary jazz club before its current owner, the Monfort Companies— led by executive vice president Kenneth Monfort, son of Rockies co-owner Charlie Monfort — could demolish it, as called for in a draft plan for the corner by Coors Field.
The daughters of Jerry Kranz, who'd run the club until his death in 2012, had pulled the plug on music at the club in December 2020, but El Chapultepec's legendary reputation remained. It even somehow survived a disastrous remodel by former Beta owner Valentes Corleons, who leased the building before it was sold to the Monfort Companies.
Historic Denver wanted to preserve that legend, as well as the composition of the corner that boasted buildings that predated the twentieth century.
After considerable consultation between the two sides, on June 18, Monfort and Historic Denver head John Deffenbaugh shared the news that they'd come up with a new concept. "We got in a room, planned next steps, launched a fact-finding mission," Monfort said. "We took time to seriously explore designs."
They came up with a serious winner that preserves both the triangular shape and two walls of El Chapultepec, with a new glass building on Market that flows into a project that includes the renovated historic building on 20th that currently houses the Giggling Grizzly and emphasizes its 130-year-old brick exterior.
Their collaborative conclusion was submitted to the Lower Downtown Design Review Committee, along with this note from Monfort:
Collaborating closely with our project partners and the Lower Downtown Design Review Commission (LDDRC), we are thrilled to advance the 1962 Market and 1320 20th Street projects through the LDDRC approval process.
The designs we’re unveiling represent a thoughtful, modern interpretation of 1962 Market, honoring the original building's scale and silhouette while preserving and reconstructing substantial portions of the original brick structure. The new design seamlessly blends these historic elements with a modern glass façade, including fritted glass that adds a contemporary touch while respecting the building's heritage.
Our updated project renderings also highlight detailed designs for key aspects of the site, such as historically replicated ground-floor windows on 1320 20th Street and a supported rooftop structure. This addition not only enhances modern usage and capacity but also complements the historic character of 1320 20th Street while showcasing the innovative redesign of 1962 Market.
We believe this exceptional design result is the product of close collaboration with our project partners. We will continue to engage with our community stakeholders, incorporating their feedback into the final design. We look forward to delivering a project that both honors the past and enhances the future of this vibrant neighborhood.
But not so fast: Those plans were not approved at the September 5 Lower Downtown Design Review Commission meeting.
While commission members praised the portion of the project involving 1962 Market Street, the roof terrace addition on the Giggling Grizzly was hit with criticism, as did the abundance of glass.
"We still believe this is a win-win-solution, and with some minor modifications, it will receive approval shortly," says Deffenbaugh. "We still believe it will be a transformational project for this corner."
in the meantime, it's back to the drawing board for the Monfort Companies.
