What Now Denver previously covered this incoming establishment in 2021 when it was slated to open relatively soon. However, contractor changes and landmark reviews seem to have halted The New Park Restaurant’s completion.
According to building permits obtained by What Now Denver, the location purchased by Colorado restauranteur Francois Safieddine recently underwent review due to its historical landmark location. The specific condition, which was applied on July 6, reads, “A landmark review is required for this property due to its location within the boundaries of a designated Landmark or Landmark District.”
The building, located at 2200 Larimer Street, is over 100 years old.
In 2015, Westword reported the beloved building’s closure, explaining, “There are a lot of places where you can hear live music in Denver, but there was only one spot where you could hear everything from soul to funk to death metal at just about any hour, day and night: the practice space at 2200 Larimer Street. Built in 1904, the white-painted brick building has been a lot of things over the decades, but most recently it had been Colorado Music Rehearsal Studios, and a haven to many local musicians. But that officially ended on Sunday, November 1.”
According to the Lotus Concepts website – the hospitality company run by Francois Safieddine – “Francois Safieddine is a self-made entrepreneur who entered the hospitality industry by working within and advancing quickly at a major fast-casual concept. Continuing entrepreneurial success over the last decade, Safieddine went on to open several restaurants and lounges, leaving his footprint on Colorado’s nightlife and dining landscape.”
Safieddine – who is responsible for popular establishments like Colorado’s Viewhouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop and My Neighbor Felix – purchased the “New Park” building for $8 million in 2019.
Aside from the aforementioned delays, the permit plans for The New Park Restaurant remain mostly the same, boasting a remodel “of the first floor as [a] restaurant. [The] 2nd floor [will] remain vacant except for [a] duct passage.
The permit also states that the tenant, “[h]as Landmark Certificate of appropriateness.”
What Now Denver reached out to Brad Menke, the Vice President, for comment but received no feedback.
