Hotel Teatro
Denver
David Owen Tryba Architects

A theatrical theme takes center stage at this historic flight of fancy

© Jason Dewey

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

Working within the technical preservation guidelines established by the Colorado State Historical Society and the National Park Service, the architects recently completed the adaptive reuse of a national landmark and local treasure, the 1911 Tramway Tower Building. Tramway has become Teatro, the most exciting new urban hotel in the Rocky Mountain region. The architects oversaw every detail of the 116-room hotel's interior design, from the completely new floor plans to the linen and fabric selection, to even the match book covers. In accordance with the strict budget of $185,000 per room, each element melds the historic features of the building with the clean line design of a modern approach.

The building was gutted to its structural core and columns to remove all remnants of past renovation. The historic main lobby and the marble-paved corridors throughout the building were carefully restored to their former grandeur. The original historic boardroom's wainscot and wood floors have been refinished, and artist Catherine Redfern was commissioned to restore the authentic Venetian plaster finish for the walls and fireplace of this once-again magnificent room.

The neighboring Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC) inspired Teatro's name and much of its furnishings: striking costumes from the DPAC collection adorn the grand parlor, concourse, and historic lobby areas, and the rooms and hallways are dramatically accented with old photographs of stage productions. Hotel guests are treated to a sophisticated palette of gold or sage, custom cherry furniture and generous bathrooms featuring unique stone from Jakarta. The hotel offers every convenience to the modern business traveler, including Internet access/facsimile/printer/copy machines, two telephone lines, and custom-designed, built-in granite desktops in every room. The design dramatically melds the historic elements of the building with materials in keeping with the dawn of the Twenty-first Century.

Formal name of Project:
Hotel Teatro www.hotelteatro.com

Location:
Denver

Gross square footage:
88,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$20 million

Owner:
Historic Tramway Tower LLC

Architect:
David Owen Tryba Architects
1620 Logan Street
Denver, Colorado 80203.1216
phone: 303-831-4010
fax 303-894-5363