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Art helps make dingy ex-Qwest site 'first-class'

Art helps make dingy ex-Qwest site 'first-class'

By John Rebchook, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 11, 2008 at 8 p.m.

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Artwork by German artist Reinger John adorns the entrance of the former Qwest Building at 1001 17th Street. It is composed of a "flying glass sculpture" and a stained-glass mosaic.

Photo by Photos By Joshua Duplechian / Special To The Rocky

Artwork by German artist Reinger John adorns the entrance of the former Qwest Building at 1001 17th Street. It is composed of a "flying glass sculpture" and a stained-glass mosaic.

Miller Global turned a once-dingy high-rise into a sleek, energy-efficient building. Quiznos will be the anchor tenant for the 20-story building, which is one-third leased. Other tenants include Newfield Energy, FTI Consulting and TD Ameritrade.

Miller Global turned a once-dingy high-rise into a sleek, energy-efficient building. Quiznos will be the anchor tenant for the 20-story building, which is one-third leased. Other tenants include Newfield Energy, FTI Consulting and TD Ameritrade.

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When Micky "Myron" Miller's company bought the dark and dingy former Qwest headquarters building at 17th and Arapahoe streets in 2006, he thought he would install a waterfall.

But his architect, Michael Barber, told him every new suburban department store has a waterfall, so he nixed the idea.

"I thought we should do something spectacular," Barber said Wednesday.

Eventually, Miller was sold on a German artist after finding that Barber's firm had a relationship with Franz Mayer Studio, which created the stained glass windows in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at 1530 Logan St.

The official opening was Wednesday night for the 20-story, 645,000-square-foot building at 1001 17th St.

A third of it is leased, with Quiznos serving not only as its anchor tenant but with plans to build its flagship sandwich store in a new glass "jewel box" of retail space along 17th Street.

"We got the idea of this box from the Apple store on Fifth Avenue in New York," said Paul Hogan, executive vice president of Miller Global. "I guarantee you this will be like no other Quiznos."

The entryway artwork, created by German artist Reinger John, is in two pieces - a "flying glass sculpture" suspended more than 20 feet above the top of the escalators and a stained-glass mosaic with 73,472 individual pieces of colored glass.

"When you take a first-class renovation like this and couple it with quality art, it really helps define what makes a great city," said Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Jim Miller, Micky's son and president of Miller Global, compares it with the the new breed of energy-efficient buildings downtown still under construction.

"We're really the only choice if you want a new energy-efficient building of this quality," he said.

Other tenants include Newfield Energy, 51,000 square feet; FTI Consulting, 18,000 square feet; and TD Ameritrade, about 5,000 square feet, said Nick Pavlakovich, who is leasing it with fellow Cushman & Wakefield Broker Matt Gautreau.

rebchookj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5207

1001 17th St. at a glance

* Developer owner: Miller Global Properties

* Purchased: In 2006 from Qwest

* Opened: In 1979 for Mountain Bell's headquarters. Later served as the headquarters for Qwest.

* Size: 20 stories, 645,000 square feet. An outdoor plaza includes 22,000 square feet of retail. 775 underground parking spaces.

* Location: Entire block bordered by 17th, 18th, Arapahoe, and Curtis streets.

* Pension fund investors: Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association, AT&T Pension Fund, DuPont Pension Fund, San Joaquin Employee Pension Fund and Qwest Pension Fund

* Lender: HSH Nord Bank of Hamburg, Germany

* Cost: Not released

* Architect: Michael Barber

* Leasing agents: Nick Pavlakovich and Matt Gautreau, Cushman & Wakefield

Comments

  • June 12, 2008

    9:32 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jxkelle writes:

    Well - a couple facts are wrong here.. the new building sure looks beautiful - that's true.

    BUT, this was never Qwest headquarters. That has always been at 1801 California Street. And having worked in the 17th & Arapahoe building for many years, it was neither dark OR dingey.

    Just had to clarify !

  • June 12, 2008

    10:56 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    trepidation writes:

    to jxkelle -

    I just looked up 'dark and dingey' in the encyclopedia of Denver, and sure enough, a picture of the old 3 story Qwest complex at 17th and Arapahoe is there next to the definition. There are also various pictures of run down Dikeou and Cook family properties around town...