The Occidental

The Occidental shows up on “most anticipated openings” lists for Denver bars and restaurants, and for good reason.  The minds and personalities behind the honored Williams & Graham are creating the new concept at 1950 West 32nd Avenue.  David P Goode Architecture is once again thrilled to work with Sean Kenyon and Todd Colehour on this latest drinking establishment.

Crews are hard at work renovating the 100-year old building for the new bar.  The space will be small, but will pack a punch in experience.  We’re also adding a deck out the back of the building to take advantage of downtown views.  The Occidental is a 180-degree departure from the Williams & Graham atmosphere.

For such a small, and seemingly harmless space, we had several unique challenges to overcome on this urban renewal project.  The space is connected to Williams & Graham next door, but the two establishments are two platted properties with separate landlords.  DPGA worked with the City and owners to gain an administrative approval for a connecting door over the property line, while maintaining two distinct fire areas as defined by the building code.  The building’s age had taken a serious toll on the exterior masonry.  The 12″ thick solid clay brick walls were delaminating and, in some areas, ready to come completely apart.  Careful tuck-pointing work by the masons have stabilized the walls, allowing us to beef up the floor and roof joists, which were significantly undersized.  We also lowered the basement floor to allow for additional equipment space, such as the beer cooler.

Look for updates as the work progresses over the next month or so.