A large repurposing effort may launch in 2027 with the residential conversion of one of the oldest structures in downtown Denver.
The nonprofit Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is on the verge of finalizing a purchase of the long-time home of the Young Men’s Christian Association at 25 E. 16th Avenue.
The organization already owns some of the units on the upper floors of the structure and now hopes to both own and readapt the entire building.
That 5-story structure was built in 1906 and, according to the preservation group History Colorado, is regarded as a “good example of early 20th Century Neoclassical Revival architecture.”
The building, made up of brick masonry with tinted mortar, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. A seven-story annex was built in 1958.
The YMCA building has hosted a variety of scuba and swimming lessons, as well as modern dance classes and chess championships. But in recent years the Denver YMCA itself has experienced a steady drop in membership, a trendline that accelerated during and after the Covid 19 pandemic.
The Colorado Coalition and the YMCA have worked collaboratively at the site for more than two decades. Several months ago, the Coalition said it planned to renovate the residential units it already operates at the site.
December 4, 2025
By Garry Boulard
