The building formerly known as Tom's Diner will get a new life as an indoor-outdoor restaurant and music venue.
A very Denver saga over the site at 601 E. Colfax Ave. played out last year when owner Tom Messina wanted to sell the building and retire. Historic preservation activists, worried that the Googie architecture would be lost to modern homes and businesses, tried to stop him. When the dust settled, a compromise emerged that involved investors working the classic building into plans for a new development.
On Tuesday, Messina and development partners Kephart, Denver Land Company and GBX Group announced that "the revitalization of the space will expand upon this historic foundation while transforming it into an inviting indoor/outdoor dining and entertainment venue."
"I am excited to be part of a team that will be bringing new energy and a fresh perspective to the restaurant," Messina said in a statement. "The new venue we are crafting with the oversight of the Colorado Historic Foundation will preserve the iconic architecture of the building, while giving the neighborhood and the city of Denver a lively new place to dine and spend time with friends and family."
No renderings of the future building are available to the public yet, a Kephart spokesperson said.
