The court-ordered auction of Denver's historic El Jebel Shrine building has been pushed back four months, meaning the sale of the Uptown landmark likely won't happen until 2027 at the earliest — and might not happen at all. Denver District Court Judge A. Bruce Jones delayed the auction earlier this week as the building's owner directs cash toward paying down loan debt and tax liens, rather than toward a quick sale.
As reported by BusinessDen, the El Jebel Shrine building and its adjacent parking lot at 1770 Sherman St. are owned by two LLCs managed by attorney Robert Lubin. Lubin's lender, Fairbridge Strategic Capital, and the ownership entities told Judge Jones they had been negotiating a resolution to their underlying dispute, which appears to have factored into the delay. A judge had already approved the property for auction back in fall 2025.
A Court-Appointed Receiver and a Reserve Price
The auction push traces back to May 2024, when Judge Jones appointed Cordes & Company LLP as receiver; in September 2025, he approved an auction plan for the property, according to Denverite. The receiver cited a lack of funds from the owner to complete deferred historic maintenance on the building. The property's history includes a 2016 purchase by Lubin-managed entities for about $12.4 million, the Denver Business Journal reported.
This isn't the first time the property has faced foreclosure. Lubin refinanced with an $8.1 million loan from Fairbridge Strategic Capital in January 2023, and foreclosure began in spring 2024.
Mounting Legal Pressure on the Owner
Lubin's financial troubles at El Jebel are now compounded by serious professional and legal setbacks. The Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board revoked his law license effective October 24, 2025, after he consented to the revocation, according to the Virginia State Bar.
As reported by The Business Journals, 18 foreign investors brought claims against Lubin and affiliated entities in a federal lawsuit.
A Protected Landmark, But a Valuable Parking Lot
The Mosque of the El Jebel Shrine dates to 1906. The building is subject to conservation easements on its interior and exterior, per DLW Architects.
The adjacent parking lot has attracted development interest. The lot has been marketed as having development potential up to 650 feet; Lubin previously proposed a 30-story residential and retail tower there in 2021, designed to retain and restore the historic shrine, DLW Architects reported. A proposed high-rise associated with Donald Trump never broke ground.
Despite the turmoil surrounding its ownership, the Shrine building itself has seen renewed public use in recent years. Event venue management firm Non Plus Ultra currently leases the building for occasional events, Denverite reported.
