As we have been keeping you up to date with the extreme amount of infill going up in Denver, 1144 Fifteenth keeps climbing its way onto the Denver skyline and has now reached a major milestone: the core has topped out! For our twentieth update, we are exploring Denver’s newest skyscraper-in-the-making from various angles around Downtown Denver and talk about the progress of the tower.
With over five miles walked to capture this project, let’s begin our journey at Auraria. From here, you can see the broad side of 1144 Fifteenth, which will be a spectacular wall of glass once complete.
Before leaving Auraria, below is a panorama taken from the Tivoli Garage.
When looking up at tower, you are not greeted with just a straight wall of glass. 1144 Fifteenth has multiple setbacks, edges, and new-to-Denver geometry.
Even though the skies started clearing, the glass facade was still reflecting the clouds to the east giving the glass facade an icy, silver look. One neat element of having an all glass facade is that the tower will never be one solid color.
Now that we have a better view in regards to the height of 1144 Fifteenth, let’s talk about the core and overall height of the project. As you may have noticed in the photos, the black tarps on the core have been taken down and it looks like there is no more vertical work on the core to be done. Even though the core has topped out, the steel will rise approximately 35 feet higher for the mechanical penthouse, crown, and parapet.
So how does its height stack up to, say, its immediate neighbor, the Four Seasons? 1144 Fifteenth will top out at 603 feet, taller than the roof of the Four Seasons (565 feet) but shorter than the overall height (641 feet) when you include the spire. The photos below, taken by Ken with his wonderful view of the project, show that the core is close to the overall height of 1144 Fifteenth.
Continuing around Downtown Denver, here are some various views from Lower Downtown along 15th Street…
… and from Curtis Park, along with Cherry Creek.
Last but not least, let’s end our journey with one of the best skyline views around Downtown Denver, at Diamond Hill.
Of course we can’t end there. We have some bonus photos for you! First, here a panorama from Diamond Hill which really shows how much development is going on from Union Station to Downtown Denver.
Next up is the view from Sloans Lake which hasn’t really changed since the Four Seasons and Spire were built. Now, we can see 1144 Fifteenth nicely filling in a gap on the skyline.
Finally, here are two photos, stacked on top of each other, showing the amazing transformation of the Denver skyline over the span of eight years. The top photo was taken in the winter of 2009, the bottom on Sunday.
We hope you enjoyed our thorough journey exploring 1144 Fifteenth. We have many more updates coming your way this week!
Traveling south on Arapaho I’ve always liked how the Spire framed the D&F tower perfectly. Unfortunately, that view will be destroyed by 1144. 🙁
I really preferred the original design for this site – much more symmetrical and pleasing to the eye in my view, reminiscent of Cesar Pelli’s 777 Building in Los Angeles.
https://denverinfill.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2014-06-13_1100-15th-old1.jpg
I really doubt this building will age well, nor will it compliment the existing Post-Modern skyscraper dominated skyline of Denver.
The old rendering has a look and feel of something just short of iconic. I think of the Chrysler building without the iconicness that could be with the old rendering. I think the new rendering and what we see will have a much nicer modern work, but would agree it falls short of what is being built internationally.
We so appreciate the update and the character captured in the photography and summary.
I was downtown yesterday. This building is really making an impact on the skyline! I can’t wait to see the crown… finally an skyscraper without a flat top.
Looks like a beautiful building.
This building is looking great and adds excitement to our skyline. But, what’s up w/ the 13 story cinder block wall on the south side of this building. This is not good architecture.
If the planned second tower for Four Seasons ever gets built, that will be covered up.
Fairly standard for an interior wall like that to be blank.
I agree, it looks horrible. Hopefully the last parcel on the lot gets developed soon to cover that wall and the blank walls on the Four Season’s podium.
It’s a common wall that will eventually be covered up by the second Four Seasons tower, as others have said. Common walls are, well, commonplace in all big cities that have zero side-setback requirements.
Is there a post about any potential second Four Seasons tower? It seems like this small area could be the highlight of Denver with good architecture.
Having had some insider knowledge a couple of years ago, I’d say there are a few factors currently in play.
1.) The holding company that owns the building is from Mexico; and given the uncertainty of trade between our two countries, I imagine they’re reticent to begin a major real estate project.
2.) They got skittish and sold the remaining residential property at a discount when it wasn’t selling in 2011 or so, cutting deeply into their expected earnings. I don’t think the project was as profitable as they wanted. (And I’m sure they’re kicking themselves for not waiting a couple of years.)
Ken, are there any posts or even a rendering of the proposed second Four Seasons tower? (don’t mean to get off topic here, this is the first I’ve heard about a second tower there…)
From what I understand, there are no renderings of the second Four Seasons tower. I’ve heard though they’re waiting for the market to cool off a little and construction prices to go down before they supposedly build a 18 story tower of private residences with a rooftop pool.
Oh, nice… thanks for the info, Jorge.
I am across the street (14th floor at the Curtis). This is a magnificent building, especially for Denver. Indentations, bends, subtle angles and a great glass color (greenish?), reminds me of a lot of the skyscrapers in Toronto. They did a terrific job of hiding the parking. This is a statement building…as always great pictures.
I’m baffled by the amount of criticism for this building.
There are a few people who don’t understand what a common wall is, but I’m amazed at the number of people clamoring for a less dynamic, less interesting, and less iconic design.
The tower that is being built is interesting, modern, iconic, and stately. I’d say it’s this city’s first legitimate 21st century skyscraper.
The only thing about this building that warrants criticism is the excessive parking which will create city traffic and make rents more expensive.
Agreed, bunch of Debbie Downers here. I just wish it was taller.
Speaking of Taller, DW, from street level, it looks like the core goes almost to the top of the spire of the Four Seasons… with the crown rising several feet above that, does anyone know if plans changed in terms of the high in order to surpass the spire of it’s neighboring building? Or is it just my eyes? haha