The century‑old brick building that once housed Carioca Cafe, better known to regulars as Bar Bar, at 2060 Champa Street is now on track for demolition, according to newly surfaced filings. The property has been shuttered since a June 24, 2024, fire, and then took another hit with a partial wall collapse on June 30, 2025. Musicians and die‑hard patrons tried to rally with fundraisers to save the spot, but the latest paperwork points to a complete teardown. If that happens, downtown Denver will lose one of its last classic dive venues.
According to documents reviewed by the Denver Business Journal, the building is slated to be “completely knocked down.” The filings, as described in that report, do not give a start date for crews or a clear demolition timeline. Even without a schedule, the paperwork all but closes the door on months of back‑and‑forth over whether repairs or restoration might still be in play.
The bar went dark after a June 24, 2024, fire that Westword reported as suspected arson. In a blunt Facebook post at the time, the venue wrote, “Somebody burned her. They burned our bar.” Owner and promoter Richard Granville had been organizing crowdfunding efforts and talking repairs in hopes of reopening the music room, but those plans stalled as structural problems kept piling up.
Then, on June 30, 2025, an exterior wall partially collapsed, sending bricks into a neighboring lot and damaging at least one vehicle, according to the Denver Gazette. Fire commanders and structural engineers were called in to assess the damage, and the city quickly cordoned off the site while officials weighed safety concerns and whether the building should be condemned. By the time the new demolition paperwork surfaced, the property was already in a fragile, limbo‑like state.
How the demolition review works
When an owner applies for a demolition permit or a Certificate of Demolition Eligibility, the city’s landmark review process triggers a short but important public window, as Historic Denver explains. City staff has ten days to decide whether a building could qualify for landmark status. If they see potential, the city posts a public notice and a 21‑day clock starts for community conversations about designation or mediation.
The City of Denver’s demolition guidance also spells out the steps that must be checked off before any teardown can begin. Those include notifying neighbors, shutting off utilities, conducting asbestos reviews, and completing safety inspections. Until those boxes are ticked, the wrecking ball stays parked.
What the loss would mean
Bar Bar was one of Denver’s stalwart dive rooms, a repeat winner of Westword’s Best Dive Bar honors and a late‑night refuge for punk acts and local bands. For longtime patrons and neighborhood musicians, losing it would mark yet another shift in a downtown that has steadily traded small, gritty venues for something shinier and less rough around the edges.
Preservation‑minded residents who think the building deserves another look should keep an eye out for any official notices tied to a demolition application. The landmark review process is the main tool available if they want to push for landmark consideration before the building comes down.
The Denver Business Journal report notes that no start date has been listed for demolition work, suggesting a permit has either not been issued or is not yet scheduled. Neighbors who want to follow what happens next can watch the city’s online permit records and Landmark Preservation postings for fresh filings and notices. We will update this story if a demolition permit appears or if the owner submits additional paperwork.
