This is Part 1 of a two-part final update on the 16th & Wewatta Hotel/Office project next to Denver Union Station. Today we focus on the Hotel Born, a new 200-room Kimpton hotel that opened a couple of weeks ago. In Part 2, Ryan will take a look at the hotel’s companion office building—1881 16th Street—which opened earlier this summer. Our announcement post on this development was back in March 2014, followed by numerous updates.
The Hotel Born anchors what was known during the Union Station planning era as the “A” Block, an L-shaped parcel that wraps around the end of the Union Station commuter rail platforms and includes the 21-story Platform apartment tower in addition to 1881 16th. The Hotel Born is the last building to be completed at the corner of 16th and Wewatta and shares the intersection with 1900 16th Street, the Triangle Building, and 1601 Wewatta.
We have a lot of photos for you today, so let’s get started with these views from across the intersection of 16th and Wewatta:
Looking northwest from near 16th and Wynkoop:
The view of the Wewatta side of the hotel and the porte cochère entry:
The final side of the Hotel Born faces the Union Station “train hall” area under the white canopy:
The Hotel Born has an attractive sidewalk presence on all four sides of the 12-story structure. Here we see restaurant patio seating for Citizen Rail along the 16th Street Mall and pedestrians crossing the porte cochère entry along Wewatta. The project architect, Semple Brown Design, incorporated beautiful polished wood on soffits and other building elements throughout, complementing the dark brick exterior.
A pedestrian passage separates the Hotel Born from its adjacent office building and provides a direct walking path from Union Station’s platforms to the 16th Street Mall. The L-shaped porte cochère passes under the second level with egress to 16th Street.
In addition to a pedestrian entry on 16th, a second entry via the porte cochère provides access from the transit platforms. The Tavernetta restaurant overlooks Union Station’s signature white canopy.
Landscaping and public art enhance the pedestrian spaces around the hotel. Dig Studio did the landscape and public realm design.
Let’s wrap up this post with one final photo of the Hotel Born—an excellent addition to Downtown Denver’s Union Station district!
Stay tuned for Part 2 and our final look at the Hotel Born’s sister building, 1881 16th Street.
There is an additional deck of below grade parking reserved for “public parking.” Do you have any photos of the entryway?
The entry to that parking is via the alley between the south wing building and 1881 16th.
Anyone see this Ram truck commercial?
https://youtu.be/0j6BiEGjQfo
Pretty sure that’s the Born at 16 seconds in. Last view is definitely Folsom field below the Flatirons. Sko Buffs!
Also love this building, one of my recent favorites.
Yeah I’ve noticed Denver in many car commercials recently.
Whenever I transport my hay bales, I usually try take them right down 16th Street.
The “farmer/rancher” in the Ram commercial is a friend of mine who lives in Parker.
You may recognize him from his days as the driver for Coors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocg8CGE2ZoE
Last year they had Wewatta St blocked off between 15th and 16th to Film that commercial for a good part of the day. Work along the road, so got to watch it all happen.
I love this one, just wish it had a roof top bar, this would be a prime spot for one.
I agree about the rooftop bar, unfortunately I don’t think any of the new buildings have one planned.
I agree. AFIK, none of the hotels in the Union Station area will have one. However, the Le Meridien/AC dual hotel has an open roof bar on the 20th floor.
Beautifully understated. Elegant use of materials. Is a pleasant experience to walk along at street level. Not too big. I wish there were more buildings like this in Denver.
My only regret is this building didn’t extend further back so as to help hide the “common wall” (blank wall) of The Platform… Otherwise this building is quite effective in it’s restrained yet modern design and use of high quality materials. The street presence is very pleasant and the overall liveliness of the area has already taken off in a big way since this building opened. Great project IMO.
Nicely done project…love the hay bales line?
I like it. At first I wasn’t sure the window treatment and the utter rectangularness of the building would work, but I’m happy to see how nice the final product turned out. I’m still amazed every time I walk around this part of downtown, especially remembering what it used to be like not that many years ago….