A view of downtown Denver from above the Capitol building. (Courtesy of Guerilla Capturing)
Last updated May 28, 2024 – see log of changes at bottom of story
The pandemic brought major changes to how companies use office space — and that has put many landlords in a difficult position.
Interest rates have made refinancing loans difficult. Downsizing and sublease trends have impacted building valuations. All the while, if they haven’t matured already, loans secured by office towers are still inching closer to that date.
BusinessDen scoured county foreclosure records, third-party reports and court filings to determine the downtown and suburban buildings that have exhibited signs of distress — which can take a number of different forms — since the pandemic began.
The below list is not necessarily comprehensive, but will be updated when we have more information, or when a particular property’s situation changes.
Foreclosed/deed in lieu of foreclosure
Denver Energy Center
Address: 1625 and 1675 Broadway, Denver
Year Built: 1979
Denver Energy Center in 2022 (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 785,000
Owner: JPMorgan Chase
Situation: Bought by lender at foreclosure auction
JPMorgan Chase had loaned $114 million to allow the building’s previous owner, Los Angeles-based Gemini Rosemont, to buy it for $176 million in 2013. Gemini missed months of payments, leading Chase to initiate the foreclosure process in late 2021.
A foreclosure auction was ultimately held in June 2022. Chase won because it was the only bidder, offering a credit bid of $88.2 million.
Triad Office Complex
Address: 5660-5680 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village
Year Built: 1972
The office building at 5660 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 414,000
Owner: Focus Property Group
Lender: Affiliate of Voya Financial
Situation: Bought by lender at foreclosure auction
The owner paid $54 million in February 2020 for the Triad complex, which consists of three identical buildings. It financed the deal with a $53.7 million loan.
In April 2023, Voya sued, saying the owner had defaulted on the loan in multiple ways. A receiver was appointed. Foreclosure proceedings were initiated in July 2023. In early December, Voya purchased the property at auction with a $46.4 million credit big.
7100 E. Belleview
Address: 7100 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village
Year Built: 1981
7100 E. Belleview Ave. in 2023 (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 179,000
Owner: Westport Capital Partners
Situation: Deed in lieu of foreclosure
Westport paid $19.9 million for the property in December 2015, according to public records. It took out a $21.08 million loan from an affiliate of Voya Financial in December 2019.
The Voya affiliate sued in July 2023, saying the owner had defaulted on the loan by terminating the building’s management agreement without Voya’s consent. A receiver was appointed. In late August 2023, the lender said in court filings that Westport had agreed to give the lender ownership rather than going through foreclosure. Ownership transferred in September.
The 410
Address: 410 17th St.
Year Built: 1977
The 410 in 2019 (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 435,000
Owner: RREF III-P 410 17th St LLC, a joint venture between Rialto Capital Management and Steelwave
Lender: Affiliate of Ares Commercial Real Estate
Situation: Deed in lieu of foreclosure after loan sale
The owner paid $127.25 million for the 24-story tower in June 2019 and took out a $113.05 million loan at the same time, records show. The maturity date on the loan was Jan. 5, 2023, with a possible extension to 2025.
The building’s lender initiated foreclosure proceedings in July 2023, saying the owner had defaulted on the loan due to “the failure to make timely payments of principal and interest when due.” The lender said it’s still owed $96.18 million on the original loan.
As of August, the building was 37 percent leased, according to CoStar, with 12 percent of that described as “available,” meaning the current tenant is expected to move out. The building lost a major tenant earlier this year when the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, which leased 130,000 square feet, moved to 675 15th St.
In February 2024, Cress Capital purchased the building’s loan. On April 30, Cress took ownership of the tower via a deed in lieu of foreclosure.
In foreclosure
1801 Broadway
Address: 1801 Broadway, Denver
The building at 1801 Broadway (BusinessDen file)
Year Built: 1981
Square Footage: 198,000
Owner: Expansive, a Chicago-based coworking firm
Lender: Loancore Capital
Situation: In foreclosure, receivership
The owner, at the time known as Novel Coworking, paid $40.2 million for the 17-story office building in April 2019, financing the deal with a $35.4 million loan.
In an August 2023 lawsuit, the lender said the loan matured in April 2023 and had not been paid off. It said Expansive owed $34.6 million and that it intended to foreclose. A receiver was appointed.
In January 2024, the lender filed for foreclosure. Expansive’s chief financial officer told BusinessDen the company expects to give the building back to the lender.
Solarium
Address: 7400 E. Orchard Road, Greenwood Village
Year built: 1982
The Solarium office building at 7400 E. Orchard Road in Greenwood Village (Google Street View)
Square footage: 170,000
Owner: Austin-based CapRidge Partners
Situation: In foreclosure, receivership
The owner paid $23.4 million in November 2014. In December 2020, the owner took out a $20.39 million loan from KeyBank that was later assigned to New York-based Ready Capital. The lender said in a January 2024 court filing that the owner defaulted on the loan in multiple ways, including by paying to pay it off upon maturity in December 2023. A receiver was appointed.
On March 1, 2024, the lender filed to foreclose on the property.
Cascades
Address: 6300 S. Syracuse Way, Centennial
Cascades at 6300 S. Syracuse Way in Centennial. (Google Street View)
Year built: 1984
Square footage: 350,000
Owner: Florida-based America’s Capital Partners
Situation: In foreclosure, receivership
The owner paid $63 million in February 2017 and took out two loans totaling $44 million from an affiliate of Voya Financial. The lender executed a call option and the owner failed to pay off the loans by March 1, 2024. Voya requested a receiver be appointed on March 5.
In mid-April, Voya filed to foreclose on the property.
Defaulted, not in foreclosure
1670 Broadway
Address: 1670 Broadway
1670 Broadway in 2023 (BusinessDen file)
Year Built: 1980
Square Footage:
Owner: HFI 1670 Bdwy LLC
Situation: In special servicing
The owner paid $238 million for the tower in 2018, records show, financing the deal with a $78 million loan from the seller. In September 2023, the owner defaulted on that loan when it failed to pay it off upon maturity. The loan was transferred to special servicing shortly before the default, in August 2023.
Wells Fargo Center
Address: 1700 Lincoln St., Denver
Year Built: 1983
Wells Fargo Center in 2019 (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 1.2 million square feet
Owner: New York-based Brookfield Properties
Lender: Affiliate of Morgan Stanley
Situation: In receivership
The owner defaulted on the building’s loan when they failed to pay it off upon maturity in December 2022. The loan was then sent to special servicing.
In August 2023, a receiver was appointed to oversee the property at the lender’s request. The move followed a string of negative leasing news for the building; Wells Fargo and WeWork each said they are or intend to drop three of their floors.
Writer Square
Address: 1512 Larimer St., Denver
Year Built: 1980
Square Footage: 186,000
Owner: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
Lender: Goldman Sachs
Situation: In special servicing
The owner paid $96 million for the property in late 2016.
Trepp, a firm that tracks commercial real estate loans, said in August 2023 comments that the property’s $59 million loan “transferred due to non-compliance with cash management. A PNL was executed in October 2022 and discussions with Borrower are ongoing on a resolution. Special Servicer is currently assessing its next steps and monitoring property performance.”
Columbine Place
Address: 216 16th St., Denver
Year Built: 1981
Columbine Place in 2023 (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 150,000
Owner: Columbine West LLC
Lender: SG Americas Securities
Situation: In special servicing
According to Trepp, the building’s $15.5 million loan will mature in October 2025. The loan transferred to special servicing in October 2022, according to Trepp, which said in a note in August 2023 that the owner and lender are “finalizing terms for a friendly foreclosure” or deed in lieu of foreclosure. The building’s occupancy has fallen from 96 percent in 2015 to 47 percent in July 2022.
In November, a receiver was appointed to oversee the building at the request of an affiliate of Rialto Capital, which has been assigned the loan.
Industry Denver
Address: 3001 Brighton Blvd., Denver
Industry Denver at 3001 Brighton Blvd. (BusinessDen file)
Year Built: Adaptive reuse and new construction in mid-2010s
Square Footage: 150,000
Owner: Clarion Partners and Q Factor, operating as 3001 Brighton LLC
Lender: Affiliates of AIG
Situation: In receivership
The owner defaulted on two loans issued in 2016 by failing to pay them off by their maturity date of Nov. 1, 2023. A receiver was appointed at the lender’s request on Dec. 6, 2023.
Meridian One
Address: 9785 Maroon Circle, Douglas County
The Meridian One office building at 9785 Maroon Circle in Douglas County. (Google Street View)
Year built: 1984
Square footage: 140,000 square feet
Owner: Portland, Oregon-based Felton Properties
Situation: In receivership
The owner paid $12.8 million in 2014. In December 2019, Societe Generale issued a $16.4 million loan secured by the property. The owner defaulted on the loan in multiple ways by August 2023, including failing to make the July principal and interest payment, according to a lawsuit filed by the lender’s trustee. A receiver was appointed.
Gateway Plaza at Meridian
Address: 9800 S. Meridian Blvd., Douglas County
The Gateway Plaza at Meridian building at 9800 S. Meridian Blvd. in Douglas County. (Google Street View)
Year built: Mid-1990s
Square footage: 142,000
Owner: Portland, Oregon-based Felton Properties
Situation: In receivership
Felton bought the property for $21.55 million in December 2016, records show. The company financed the Gateway acquisition with a $17.05 million loan from Barclays Bank. The owner defaulted on the building’s $17 million loan by failing to make the required payments starting in July 2023, according to a lawsuit filed by the lender’s trustee. A receiver was appointed.
1495 Canyon Blvd.
Address: 1495 Canyon Blvd., Boulder
The building at 1495 Canyon Blvd. in Boulder. (Google Street View)
Square footage: 22,500
Owner: Expansive, a Chicago-based coworking firm
Situation: Defaulted
The owner purchased the building in January 2018, paying $6.5 million. In October 2019, Expansive took out a $7.5 million loan from Greenwood Village-based Bellco Credit Union secured by the property. In a lawsuit filed in January 2024, Bellco said that Expansive defaulted on that loan in multiple ways.
Zeppelin Station
Address: 3501 Wazee St., Denver
Zeppelin Station at 3501 Wazee St. (BusinessDen file)
Square footage: 102,000
Owner: Zeppelin Development
Situation: In receivership
The owner completed construction of the building in 2018 and took out a $32 million loan from Wells Fargo Bank in 2019. In March 2024, Wells Fargo filed a lawsuit requesting a receiver for the property. Wells Fargo said the loan had been in default since June 2021.
On May 13, following a hearing, a judge appointed a receiver for the property.
No longer in default
Republic Plaza
Address: 370 17th St., Denver
Year Built: 1984
Republic Plaza in 2021 (BusinessDen file)
Square Footage: 1.3 million square feet
Owner: New York-based Brookfield Properties and Metlife Investment Management
Situation: Emerged from special servicing
The 56-story tower is Denver’s tallest building. The owner defaulted on its $243 million loan in December 2022 when it failed to pay it off upon maturity. The loan was sent to special servicing.
In July 2023, the owner said it had reached a loan modification deal with the lender that included extending the terms of the loan through March 2026. The move followed a couple wins on the leasing front, most notably a 74,000-square-foot lease deal struck with the city for the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
When was this story last updated?
May 28: Updated multiple entries
April 23: Updated entry about Zeppelin Station to note receiver appointed
April 17: Updated entry for The 410 to note sale of loan
March 27: Added entry about Zeppelin Station
March 7: Updated Solarium entry to note foreclosure filing; Added entry about 1495 Canyon Blvd.
March 6: Added entry about Cascades
Jan. 24: Added entry about Gateway Plaza at Meridian
Jan 16: Added entry about Solarium building
Jan. 5: Updated 1801 Broadway entry to note foreclosure filing
Dec. 13: Added entry about Meridian One building; reorganized entries
Dec. 11: Updated Triad Office Complex entry to note foreclosure sale
Dec. 6: Added entry about Industry Denver at 3001 Brighton Blvd.
Nov. 26: Added entry about 1670 Broadway
Nov. 8: Added reference to appointment of receiver for Columbine Place
