Southern Land to develop Tavern Uptown site

Southern Land Co. and GTIS Partners LP plan to develop and eight-story building in Uptown that will include 315 apartments and 14,000-square-feet of retail space for the existing Tavern Uptown.

The site is the second Denver acquisition for Nashville-based Southern Land Co. In 2013, it purchased the former Mile High United Way site in LoHi, where it is building 302 apartments and 9,300 square feet of retail.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to develop much-needed apartment housing in Denver while enabling a popular neighborhood gathering spot to continue to thrive and serve its loyal customers," says Tim Downey, CEO of Southern Land. "This location offers the ideal setting to benefit the community, businesses and residents alike."

Tavern Uptown owner Frank Schultz says he’s been approached by various developers who wanted to purchase the site but has always declined because he didn’t want to leave the neighborhood.

"Tavern Uptown was our first location . . . the birthplace of the Tavern, so it’s pretty sentimental to us," Schultz says. "We feel we’re part of the fabric of the community and have grown with the neighborhood. Southern Land Co. recognized our steadfast stance of keeping Tavern Uptown in our same location. They proposed a plan, which includes Tavern Uptown in the redesign of the new multifamily building."

The plan to demolish the building has drawn criticism from local preservationists.

Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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