Let’s Eat: Denver Arts & Venues Releases Request for Proposals for Signature Restaurant at McNichols Building

 

DENVER – Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to identify an experienced restaurateur to lease and activate the first floor and outdoor patio of the historic McNichols Civic Center Building. This RFP presents a unique opportunity to establish the first full-service restaurant in Denver’s Civic Center Park, offering a signature amenity that serves downtown workers, residents and visitors.

 

“This project, part of a broader effort to activate Civic Center Park, presents a rare opportunity for a restauranteur to become a cornerstone of a significant high-profile revitalization effort in Denver,” said Jen Morris, chief of staff at DAV. “Bringing this amenity to Downtown Denver’s front lawn will create a welcoming destination for residents and visitors alike for years to come.”

 

The City seeks to partner with a restauranteur with experience operating a restaurant that can meet the needs of a variety of audiences, including park users, families, tourists, residents and the surrounding businesses.

 

To prepare to host a restaurant in the historic building, DAV will oversee construction to prepare the space, including installation of a full-service kitchen, bar, interior dining area and a new exterior patio. The goal is for the restaurant’s opening to align with the grand reopening of Civic Center Park in Fall 2027.

 

Interested parties can view the RFP, including submission instructions, response form and supporting documents, under the “Request for Proposal” dropdown menu under the heading "Request for Proposal for Restaurant at McNichols Civic Center" by clicking here.

 

Proposals should be submitted no later than 12 p.m. Friday, March 27.

 

Additionally, proposers are encouraged to attend a pre-bid hard hat tour of the space on Tuesday, March 3 at 10 a.m. at the McNichols Civic Center Building. Interested attendees are asked to RSVP to DAV_Downtown@denvergov.org by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23.

 

The McNichols Building originally opened in 1910 as a Carnegie Library and was renovated in 2012 by DAV. In addition to the restaurant, the building will add a tenant museum and an arts marketplace as part of a larger revitalization project to enhance the activation of the building and the surrounding Civic Center Park while making it a destination for downtown visitors. The building is currently closed to the public as the revitalization project is underway.

 

For more information on this and other opportunities to work with DAV, please visit: www.artsandvenuesdenver.com/about/work-with-us.

 

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About Denver Arts & Venues
Denver Arts & Venues’ mission is to enrich Denver’s quality of life and economic vitality through the advancement of arts, culture and entertainment opportunities for all. Denver Arts & Venues operates Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, Colorado Convention Center, Denver Coliseum, Theatre at Loretto Heights and McNichols Civic Center Building, using proceeds from events at these venues to run and maintain these facilities and to provide access to art for all through free and low-cost community events, grants for artists and arts organizations, public art and art education. Using Good Times, For Good. For more information, visit www.ArtsandVenues.com