Partner completed an Equity-level Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and Mid-Tier Equity-level Property Condition Assessment with detailed evaluations on the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, vertical transportation systems, and fire alarm and suppression components for the Denver Financial Center.
The Denver Financial Center is a 440,000 SF, two-tower office complex located in downtown Denver, Colorado. The property was designed by the world renowned, Chicago-based architectural firm Skidmore Owings and Merrill, and is LEED Gold certified.
Tower I was completed in 1981 and contains 32-stories. The high-rise building towers over its Tower II counter-part and is located on the eastern edge of the breath-taking Denver skyline. Visible from over 20-miles, the 32-story building contains eight recessed stepped in its northern elevation. The façade consists of a rhythmic pattern of windows verse earth tone painted metal panels which cover the building top to bottom.
The building is founded on drilled concrete piles with conventional steel frame columns supporting elevated floors of steel beams, girders, and joists with concrete-topped metal decks. Exterior walls consist of a 1/8-inch aluminum panel curtain wall system with ribbon window storefront and spandrels panels denouncing each floor level. The roof coverings consist of a low-slope ballasted, single-ply membrane.
Nearing its 20th birthday in 2000, the exterior façade like its smaller brother, Tower II, underwent an exterior modification. Inspections indicted that the aluminum panel welds holding the metal panel skin were starting to show signs of deterioration. Although not failing, it was decided to install new rivets in each of the panels to ensure secure material connections due to the high Denver wind zone.
Tower II construction was completed in 1970 and contains 13-stories. The buildings shape is rectangular and remains consistent with similar low-rise office buildings of that era. Although no drawing survives, the building was reported to be one of Denver’s first office towers to be founded on drilled concrete piles.
The Tower II Building construction consists of load-bearing cast-in-plan reinforced concrete columns and beams supporting elevated concrete reinforced floors. The windows are aluminum-framed storefront with spandrels. The roof is a built-up roofing (BUR) system with mineral cap sheet.
The original building exterior façade was installed with COR-10 steel to give the building a more rugged western look. The steel over 30-years became rusted and was nick-named the rusty bucket in the late 80’s and 90’s by notable Denver Developer groups. Then in 2000, the exterior rusted steel was removed, and a new more efficient lighter 1-inch insulated aluminum panel was installed to match the newer adjacent Tower I.
Currently the two buildings remain a prominent focal point in the Denver skyline, and provide a spectacular view of east Denver neighborhoods.