Office & commercial space in downtown Denver

Downtown Denver's commercial core runs along a grid set at an angle to the rest of the city, between the State Capitol and Union Station. The central business district's towers line 17th Street and the blocks around 16th Street, with the Colorado Convention Center, the Denver Performing Arts Complex and the government buildings of Civic Center at its southern edge. To the north-west, LoDo's brick warehouses and the redevelopment around Union Station have created a newer office district that stretches through the Central Platte Valley towards the river. Beyond Coors Field, RiNo, the River North Art District, has grown from warehouses and galleries into a mixed-use neighbourhood of offices, apartments and breweries.

The tenant base reflects Denver's economy: oil, gas and renewable energy companies, banks and financial services, law and accounting firms, telecom, aerospace and defence contractors, outdoor-industry brands, technology firms and a deep layer of government and nonprofit offices. Many CBD towers date from the energy booms of the 1970s and early 1980s, while the buildings around Union Station are mostly from the last decade or so. Since 2020, remote and hybrid work have pushed more space onto the market, and the gap between newer, well-equipped buildings and older towers has widened; owners of the latter are investing in upgrades, offering concessions or exploring conversions.

Where the offices are

Retail and restaurant corridors

Downtown Denver's retail runs on several engines. The rebuilt 16th Street, which reopened in 2025 after a multi-year reconstruction with wider walkways and new trees, is the main pedestrian spine, lined with shops, restaurants and services for office workers, residents and visitors. Larimer Square's historic block is a dining destination, LoDo's streets around Coors Field are packed with bars and restaurants that boom on baseball nights, and Union Station's restored hall and plaza draw travellers and locals alike. The Colorado Convention Center feeds hotels, restaurants and bars in the blocks around it. North of downtown, RiNo's Larimer and Walnut streets have become a corridor of breweries, food halls, galleries and independent shops, and Cherry Creek North, a few miles south-east, is the city's upscale shopping district.

Footfall patterns are distinctive. Weekdays depend on an office crowd that is smaller than before 2020; evenings and weekends depend on residents, visitors and events, from baseball in spring and summer to basketball and hockey at the downtown arena in winter, with concerts and conventions all year. Winter weekends can be quieter as locals head for the ski slopes. Restaurants, bars, fitness studios and experience-led retail do best, and landlords on 16th Street and in LoDo are actively courting tenants that bring activity to the street.

Coworking and flexible space

Flexible workspace is well established in Denver, especially in LoDo's warehouse buildings, around Union Station, on upper floors of CBD towers and in RiNo. Expect monthly memberships for hot desks and dedicated desks, private offices for teams of one to a dozen or so and meeting rooms by the hour, usually including internet, furniture and utilities; parking is typically extra. Some operators build communities around particular sectors, such as outdoor and consumer brands or tech startups, and many run regular events. Terms are usually monthly, with discounts for six- to twelve-month commitments. Flexible space suits startups, remote-first companies, teams relocating to Colorado and anyone who wants a downtown base without signing a long lease or a personal guarantee.

How commercial leases work here

Denver follows US conventions. Rent is quoted per rentable square foot per year, with rentable area including a share of common areas, so ask for the load factor. Downtown multi-tenant office space is usually quoted full-service gross, with the landlord covering operating expenses and property taxes at base-year levels and passing on increases. Retail and industrial space is usually triple net (NNN). Leases include annual escalations, and tenant-improvement allowances and free rent are the main concessions, growing with the length of the term and the strength of the tenant. Small and new businesses are commonly asked for a personal guarantee; negotiate a cap or a burn-off after a period of good payment.

Colorado does not charge sales tax on commercial rent, but two local taxes catch newcomers. Denver levies an occupational privilege tax, a modest flat monthly amount per employee above an earnings threshold, split between employer and employee. Colorado also taxes business personal property, such as furniture, computers and equipment, which you declare to the county assessor each year above an exemption threshold. Property taxes on the building itself are passed through in operating expenses, and Colorado reassesses property every two years, which can cause jumps. Confirm the details with an accountant, as rates and thresholds change.

Conventions vary by building and landlord. Treat this as orientation, not legal advice, and have a local lawyer review any lease.

Getting your team there

Union Station is the hub of RTD's network. Commuter rail lines run north and west to the suburbs and the A Line runs to Denver International Airport; light rail lines run south towards the Denver Tech Center and west towards Lakewood; and the underground bus concourse handles regional buses, including the express service to Boulder. Civic Center Station, at the other end of 16th Street, is the second bus hub, and the free 16th Street FreeRide shuttle links the two. Employers can buy RTD's EcoPass, an annual transit pass for staff, which is a popular benefit. Commuters who drive use I-25, I-70 and US 6; downtown garages sell monthly parking separately from rent, and prices rise on event nights. Cycling is popular, with protected lanes downtown and the Cherry Creek and South Platte River trails, so staff will look for secure bike storage and showers. LoDo and the Union Station area are easiest for rail commuters; the CBD is best served by buses and the shuttle.

What to check before you sign

• Energize Denver compliance. Ask how the building is meeting the city's energy benchmarking and performance requirements, what upgrades are planned and how costs will be recovered from tenants.
• Base year and expenses. Check which year is the base, what is excluded and how property-tax jumps after reassessment flow through to you.
• Hail and snow. Ask about roof condition, covered parking, snow removal and heated entrances; hailstorms and spring snow are part of life on the Front Range.
• Historic district review. LoDo and Larimer Square are historic districts, so exterior alterations and signs need review by the city's landmark preservation staff.
• Event-day access. Games at Coors Field and the arena, and big conventions, affect parking, traffic and deliveries in LoDo and the CBD.
• Use restrictions. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law, and many landlords and lenders prohibit cannabis businesses, so disclose your use early; restaurants need city health and liquor licences and grease interceptors.
• After-hours HVAC. Confirm standard hours and charges, and check cooling capacity for hot summer afternoons and server rooms.

Hosting events downtown

The Colorado Convention Center, recognisable by the giant blue bear sculpture peering through its glass façade, anchors the meetings market and is surrounded by hotels with ballrooms. The Denver Performing Arts Complex offers theatres and event spaces under its glass-canopied galleria, Union Station's restored hall suits receptions, and warehouses, galleries and breweries in LoDo and RiNo host launches and parties. Rooftops with mountain views are in high demand in summer. For a spectacular outdoor concert setting, the city-owned Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a short drive into the foothills. Summer and early autumn are peak season; winter brings quieter midweek periods and softer rates. Events in Civic Center Park and other city parks, or that close streets, need city permits, and the busiest summer weekends book up early.

Is downtown the right base?

Downtown Denver suits firms that want the region's best transit, a direct train to the airport, proximity to government and a workplace close to the restaurants, ballparks and neighbourhoods where many younger staff live. The Denver Tech Center, south along I-25, offers suburban campuses, easy parking and proximity to the southern suburbs where many executives live; Cherry Creek appeals to finance and wealth-management firms; and Boulder and the US 36 corridor draw technology and research companies. RiNo and Lower Highland suit creative firms that want character on a smaller scale. Many companies combine a downtown hub with flexible space closer to where staff live. Read the downtown Denver guide to see what your team's day would look like.