A post-modern and mostly empty skyscraper in downtown Denver appears destined for a significant repurposing in the wake of its purchase this week by the University of Colorado.
Members of the Colorado Board of Regents have now given their approval to a nearly $30 million purchase of the Independence Plaza, a 24-story building completed in 1972 that also includes around 567,000 square feet of office space.
Each floor of the structure measures some 24,700 square feet, with ceiling heights in the building’s office, topping out at 12 feet. Adjacent structures at the site include two one-story annexes.
The school is scheduled to receive upwards of $4.5 million via the Denver Downtown Development Authority to build a 300,000-square-foot innovation hub within the building.
Located at 1050 17th Street, the Independence Plaza structure is classified as a Class A building and has twice undergone significant renovations in the last 30 years.
Colorado University Denver officials have said that the building, at least initially, will be used for its own school office space while also being rented out to tenants. The structure is currently just under 80% vacant.
According to an assessment report conducted by the school, the building is projected to have upwards of $2.4 million in deferred maintenance costs for the duration of the next decade.
The roughly $30 million price tag for the building is a considerable drop from the $144 million it fetched when it was purchased in 2007 by the Dallas-based CRBE Group.
July 2, 2026
By Garry Boulard
