Denver is teeing up a rare three-for-one project on Colfax Avenue, aiming to land a new police station, workforce housing, and ground-floor retail on the same block, according to city leaders who briefed neighborhood groups this week. The plan would wipe out a long-blighted corner, convert a fire-damaged former pharmacy site into housing, and keep a rebuilt District 6 station on the block. City officials say the municipality will cover cleanup costs to get the site ready for construction.
Background on the District 6 rebuild
The city has for years been working on a replacement for the Denver Police Department's District 6 on the Colfax corridor. The Department of Transportation & Infrastructure ran a CM/GC solicitation and awarded a contract to remodel DPD 6 at 1566 North Washington Street as part of the 2017 Elevate Denver bond program, according to the City and County of Denver. That bond money and the earlier procurement placed the site on the city's capital calendar and made it administratively possible to add housing on the parcel. The original scope called for an annex and a potential permanent parking structure, pieces city staff now say will be reconsidered within the new combined plan.
Mayor's pitch
Mayor Mike Johnston told Capitol Hill residents the revamped concept will braid together a police station, housing and retail. "We're going to go forward with a plan for that site that will include both housing and a police station and retail on Colfax, all at the same time," he said, according to Denverite. Johnston has framed the approach as a way to accelerate housing near transit while breathing life into empty storefronts along the corridor. City staff followed up this week with neighborhood leaders, outlining what comes next on design and cleanup.
Neighbors want a bigger housing lift
Neighborhood advocates and the Colfax Business Improvement District have pressed for more ambitious housing density on the block and a clearer public process as the city moves ahead. A public comment packet on the City of Denver website includes correspondence from local groups and documents ongoing debate over demolition versus reuse, along with calls for more community input, per the City of Denver. Residents say they want a real seat at the table on design before anything is finalized.
Project details and timeline
City officials say Denver will pay for demolition and asbestos abatement of the old pharmacy structure so housing can move forward, and that the new District 6 station is slated to break ground in 2026 with completion targeted by the end of 2027, according to Denverite. Housing would come later, built by a private developer the city has not yet selected. The concept also includes a covered walkway connecting a parking area to the station so officers can move between shifts under shelter.
Why the move matters
Pairing a police facility with workforce housing and retail fits into Johnston's broader goals to convert underused public and commercial space into homes and chip away at downtown vacancies, objectives he has laid out for 2026, according to Westword. City leaders argue that combining the station and new homes on a single site can speed construction without buying more land and can stabilize a block marked by fires, vacancies and heavy construction activity. Housing advocates counter that the real test will be how deep the affordability requirements run and how transparent the developer-selection process is.
Officials say additional design work and community outreach are on deck in the coming weeks and that Denver will release a more formal development schedule as demolition and cleanup move ahead. For now, the sure things are the funding and the basic mix of uses; details like unit counts, affordability levels and how a developer is chosen are still to be determined.
