High-rise Office Building at 18th & Larimer Celebrates Completion

Denver, CO — The RNL-designed 1800 Larimer commemorated its completion with a celebration on Thursday, March 13th in the building’s 30-foot high clear structural glass, tree lined lobby. 

At 500,000-square-feet, 1800 Larimer is the first high-rise office building to be built in Denver’s Central Business District (CBD) in more than 25 years.  Developed by Westfield Company and built by Mortenson Construction, 1800 is an innovative and sustainable addition to the Denver skyline.

This high-rise offers 9’ 6” ceilings with nearly floor to ceiling glass-height, large 24,500-square-foot floor plates and a 413 space above and below grade parking garage.  Atop the garage, and accessible by way of the second floor, occupants have access to a 17,000-square-foot green roof-top garden.  Other amenities include a conference facility with state-of-the-art boardroom and meeting space, fitness center, a bank with dedicated parking and a café at street level.

Richard T. Anderson, AIA, LEED AP, RNL, principal and project director for 1800 Larimer said, “1800 is the first high-rise in Denver to present an exciting new face to observers on each of its four sides.  Its distinctive exterior provides a graphic and kinetic face to the city while the highly efficient interior spaces are scaled appropriately to ensure a comfortable and attractive atmosphere.”

Bob Hansen, vice president and general manager of Mortenson Construction, the construction manager and general contractor for 1800 Larimer noted, “Constructing a building that combines visionary architectural elements with LEED design standards was a challenge we both welcomed and were more than ready for.  It was a pleasure to work with the entire team, and deliver a building that the tenants, Westfield Company and the City of Denver can be quite proud of.”

1800 Larimer is pre-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council at LEED-CS Platinum.  It’s proximity to public transportation, 43.6% reduction in water usage over standard design requirements and the use of an Under Floor Air Distribution (UFAD) system are a few of the elements that make it one of the most sustainable buildings in the city. 

Xcel Energy has leased 14 floors of 1800 Larimer as their new Regional Headquarters.  RNL is also providing the interior design and Mortenson is providing construction services, for this tenant space which is pre-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as LEED-CI Platinum.  Completion of this build out is expected in June of 2010.

1800 Larimer Construction Facts:

• More than 1,700 workers; with a 450 peak workforce throughout construction
• 35,677 cubic yards of concrete
• 3,500 concrete truck deliveries, enough trucks parked end to end to span a 12- mile distance
• 3,000 tons of structural steel, enough to manufacture 3,000 Volkswagen Beetles
• 1,100 tons of rebar, enough if stacked end to end to stretch between Denver and Los Angeles