DENVER — The Zuni Power Plant has towered over the corner of West 13th Avenue and Zuni Street for 122 years. The old building could soon have a new life. Dozens of community groups are hoping to turn the Zuni Power Plant into a community hub for everyone to enjoy.
There are no set plans, but some ideas that have been floated included small businesses or a market.
“It’s such a wonderful industrial structure,” said John Deffenbaugh, the CEO and president of Historic Denver. “There are very few examples of these fantastic, over 100-year-old brick industrial structures that anchor their communities. It's literally fueled the growth of this part of Denver. It enabled Denver’s western expansion.”
The plant started providing energy for Denver in 1901. Xcel decommissioned it in 2021 because it was no longer needed.
“It's also a great example of environmental justice,” Deffenbaugh said. “This is a building which polluted and put toxins into the air and into the community, but this is an opportunity to flip the script and turn a polluter into an environmental asset.”
Some have suggested the Zuni Power Plant be turned into a market or some other sort of community hub. Otherwise, it will sit empty come 2024 following environmental remediation to restore the land to an industrial grade.
“The issue right now is about creating time and space so the community, city leaders, Xcel can come together to have that thought process and dialogue about what it could be in the future,” Deffenbaugh said.
Deffenbaugh said whatever it becomes, it's prime real estate for the community to enjoy, while still serving the energy needs of the community in a smaller capacity.
“This is a neighborhood that’s experiencing so much demolition and construction of new condo buildings,” Deffenbaugh said.
For now, the community groups wait as they hope for a green light to move forward soon.
“I think in a city that's as young as Denver, it's so important that we recognize the value of these older buildings. They anchor our city, they tell the story of our city,” Deffenbaugh said. “And if we just continue to demolish these buildings, we are essentially erasing the city's story and erasing a built representation of our history."
The City of Denver is on board. Here is a statement from Mayor Mike Johnston's office:
“Since the start of the conversation about the future of the Zuni power plant buildings, the city and county of Denver has supported preservation and re-use of the building in line with the community’s desire for the same. Guidance from our citywide plans for land use, sustainability, economic development and other key priorities envisions a mixed-use development with community-serving businesses, oriented toward the nearby light rail station and the South Platte River, reclaiming the riverbanks for flood control and habitat, and making them accessible for recreation. We know community members want to see the site brought to its full potential, and so does the city. We will continue to work with Xcel to find solutions that can bring new life to this area in a way that supports and service the surrounding community.”
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