A nearly 120-year-old building in Denver’s Ballpark neighborhood could soon begin a new chapter as a boutique hotel, restaurant, bar and entertainment destination.
Real estate investor Matt Van Sistine, who owns the property at 2100 Larimer Street, is moving forward with plans to transform the historic building, which originally opened in 1908 as the Western Hotel Denver.
Van Sistine told WhatNow Media Group that he and a partner Blair Gifford, purchased the property just over a year ago with approved plans for a restaurant, bar and additional levels of office space. But, they decided to reimagine the building for hospitality uses.
“When I bought it, I bought it with approved plans for restaurant, bar, and then added levels of office space, but office space is not in demand now. It was to reimagine it into other uses,” Van Sistine said.
Over the past nine months, work has focused on restoring the building’s brickwork inside and out. Van Sistine said plans are being submitted this week for the building’s core and shell structure as the project moves closer to construction. The new vision calls for a restaurant, bar and boutique hotel, with hospitality uses planned throughout the property. “Instead of restaurant, bar and office, we’re redesigning it for a restaurant, bar, boutique hotel – hospitality throughout the whole project,” he said.
The building opened in 1908 as the Western Hotel Denver, once featuring 42 small rooms. Van Sistine said he is considering reviving the historic Western Hotel name for the property, while introducing separate restaurant and entertainment concepts within the development.
“The space was called the Western Hotel, and we’re looking at reviving that name for the building and then having other venue and restaurant options within that,” he said.
Van Sistine hopes to begin construction within the next two to three months, with final operational and interior plans expected to be completed by the end of the year. If all goes according to plan, the property could be fully open by the middle to end of 2027.
