The 7-Eleven that used to blast opera to keep people from sleeping outside has been closed for months. Now, it may be scrapped for a massive new development in downtown Denver.
The Canadian developer Amacon recently submitted a site development plan to build a two-tower hotel with 618 rooms, including some condos and affordable housing, on the site.
The project would stand next to a tall new condo building under construction at 18th Street and Glenarm Place, which is also an Amacon project.
As planned, the towers on the 7-Eleven site will rise nearly 400 feet high and include 699 spots for parking cars and 717 for parking bikes. Some of the hotel rooms could also become residential units instead, and the building would include some affordable housing.
Amacon has not named the proposed building and declined to comment on whether the hotel has an operator yet or what retail and restaurants might be included.
The developer will not be asking for any incentive money from Denver’s affordable housing program, according to the plans.
Amacon has been busy downtown.
The proposed new tower stands next to the Upton, where construction crews are now adding windows.
The Upton, with 461 condos, is where the old Shelby’s Bar & Grill was located. It’s 400 feet tall and includes homes that will start in the low $400,000s.
The Upton is scheduled to open in late 2026. The old 7-Eleven building currently serves as the Sales Gallery for the rising building.
“Upton will be a game-changing landmark that will redefine the Denver skyline,” said Steve Featherston, vice president of development and construction at Amacon, in a statement earlier this year.
The Upton is set to be the city’s largest new for-sale condo building since 2009, according to the company. The Canadian developer has been investing in Denver in recent years, and with these new site development plans, that seems to be continuing.
Update, Dec. 27, 2024: This story has been updated with a new opening date for the Upton and additional information about the 7-Eleven.
