Renovation work on one of downtown Denver’s oldest hotels is expected to advance in the weeks ahead, now that the property has been officially purchased by the project’s developer.
Located at 1514 17th Street, the four-story Barth Hotel was built in 1882 and for decades provided rooms for both overnight and long-term guests.
In the 1980s, the structure was repurposed into apartment units before being closed early last year, partly due to several structural issues with the building.
Now the company Eaton Senior Communities, which is based in Lakewood, has purchased the structure for $2.5 million with plans to turn it into a 50-room affordable housing complex for seniors.
According to reports, renovation of the building will have a two-fold purpose: trying to maintain as much of the historic hotel’s structural features, while also updating its cooling and heating system and building modern apartment units.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Barth Hotel, which in later years was also known as the Union Hotel and the Elk Hotel, was designed by Denver architect Frederick Eberley. Among his other credits, Eberley designed the Airedale Building, which was built in 1889, and the two-story Zang Mansion, completed in 1903.
The renovation of the Barth Hotel is expected to cost around $25 million, with funding secured for the project via the Denver Downtown Development Authority.
October 12, 2026
By Garry Boulard
Photo of Barth Hotel courtesy of Denver Public Library
