The city of Denver is getting into the restaurant business. Sort of.
Denver Arts & Venues, the department that oversees Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the Colorado Convention Center and other major spaces, is looking for an experienced restaurateur to lease the first floor of the historic McNichols Civic Center Building in Civic Center park. The winning bidder would also run an adjacent outdoor patio.
It would be the first time the building — which has had many uses over its 116 years, including a library, an art gallery and a festival space — housed a full-service restaurant, according to a request for proposals (RFP) from the city.
“This project, part of a broader effort to activate Civic Center Park, presents a rare opportunity for a restaurateur to become a cornerstone of a significant high-profile revitalization effort in Denver,” said Jen Morris, chief of staff at Denver Arts & Venues, in a written statement. “Bringing this amenity to Downtown Denver’s front lawn will create a welcoming destination for residents and visitors alike for years to come.”
The city broke ground on the $50 million first phase of a planned renovation of the park in November. The goal of this phase will be to improve accessibility and to overhaul the outdoor Greek Theater on site. Construction is scheduled to wrap up in the summer or fall of 2027, which is when the restaurant would open as well.
To prepare the space, the city will pay to install “a full-service kitchen, bar, interior dining area and a new exterior patio,” according to the RFP. Proposals are due by March 27 and can be submitted here.
Opened in 1910 as the Carnegie Library, the building was renovated in 2012 and is named for former Denver Mayor Bill McNichols. In addition to a restaurant, it will house a museum and an arts marketplace, the city said.
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