Back in March 2007, I broke the news about a new hotel project proposed for Block 066, the site of the historic Cable Railway Building (currently the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant) at 18th and Lawrence. The project, envisioned by Central Development LLC, would preserve the historic Cable Railway building, built in 1889 to house the power plant and maintenance facilities for Denver’s cable railway system, while redeveloping part of the site with a new 18-story hotel.

The initial concept for the tower looked like this:

After many months of review and negotiation between the developer and the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission, a new design has evolved. One of the important issues with the LPC was the preservation and visibility of the historic brick smokestack. The current location of the smokestack makes the layout of the tower difficult. So, a new design approved by the LPC looks like this (image courtesy of Ivins Design Group and Central Development):

Under the new plan, the project design incorporates a more pronounced mix of brick and modern elements, as well as approves the relocation of the historic smokestack closer to Lawrence Street, which increases the smokestack’s visibility and improves the layout for the new tower. Who knew you could just up and move an old brick smokestack like that!? Apparently, firms like International Chimney are up to the task.

The project’s approved building program incorporates 164,000 SF in the new tower and 55,000 SF in the historic structure for a total full-service hotel space of 219,000 SF and approximately 229 rooms, with flexbile space on the ground floor for retail or hotel meeting space.

Central Development is currently marketing the project either for sale or for a development partner. Given the project’s zoning and LPC approvals, moving this project forward is mostly a matter of market timing and waiting for the national credit/lending crisis to settle down so that a financing deal can be arranged. With 1800 Larimer under construction next door and Two Tabor planned for a block away, a hotel at this site seems to me to be a solid long-term proposal.