Adaptive Reuse at the Historic Evans School Walking Tour

Tour Description: Join the Denver Architecture Foundation on a walking tour of the renovated exterior and interiors of the historic Evans School, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle. We will explore the revitalized ground level, including the new Schoolyard Beer Garden & Schoolyard Café, as well as the soon-to-be event space on the second floor of the building to serve a new generation of Denverites. Experience both the beauty and purpose of an example of Denver’s commitment to historic preservation in this iconic landmark that sat vacant for over 50 years and now serves as a vibrant mixed use space for the community.

About the building: The Evans School, constructed in 1904, is one of the last surviving and most notable buildings by Denver architect David W. Dryden. Dryden’s design – inspired by the City Beautiful movement – was intended to become a prototype for Denver’s public school system. Throughout the 20th century the school’s educational mission evolved with the needs of the community, but it eventually fell victim to declining enrollment, closing in the late 1960s. The building was subsequently purchased at auction and held privately by the Eber family for over forty years, undergoing a number of substantial renovations until its sale to the current owners in 2019.

Tour Guide: Joe Vostrejs is a principal at City Street Investors, where he led the redevelopment effort of the historic Evans School, aiming to create a new community hub. He has been involved in real estate and restaurant development in Denver since 1985. Joe and his partners have been investing in Denver neighborhoods for almost two decades, with a philosophy of choosing transformative projects that create both financial and social value – a practice he and his partners have dubbed “Custom Crafting.”

In City Street Investors, the partners have created a highly capable, real estate-based, investment, management and development group that primarily works on complex projects that require creative solutions and that conform to the group’s mission of creating places that genuinely improve the communities in which they exist. Through a series of creative partnerships, projects and innovative acquisitions, the group has built a portfolio that consists of more than twenty restaurant investments and partnerships as well as a collection of over twenty re-positioned retail and multi-family properties in Denver’s most desirable neighborhoods.

Joe is also a partner in Union Station Alliance, a dynamic multi-organizational group tasked with the redevelopment of Denver’s historic Union Station in 2014. Joe and his partners created the locally oriented retail vision and strategy for the project as well as created and operate five new food &  beverage concepts for the project. Prior to City Street Investors Joe was the Chief Operating Officer of Larimer Associates, during which time he was responsible for the operation of Larimer Square as well as the company’s other significant real estate and restaurant holdings. Joe continues as an advisor to the firm and as a partner in many of its investments.

Joe is designated as a Certified Retail Property Executive (CRX) by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and as a Real Property Administrator by the Building Owners Management Association (BOMA). He is the past Chairman of the Downtown Denver Partnership where he continues to serve on numerous councils. He also sits on the board of HLC @ Metro, Inc.

Accessibility information: To enter the building, there is a ramp at the Northeast corner of the building on Acoma Street. You would then take the ramp up to the sidewalk in front of Evans School, and around to the ADA-accessible door on the south side of the building. The entire first floor of Evans School is ADA accessible.

There is an elevator on the north side of the first floor that takes you to the second floor, but the second floor is still under construction and only partially ADA accessible.

Refund policy: The Denver Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization. Ticket sales support the Foundation in continuing to provide quality events to the public. We are unable to provide refunds or credits for any reason less than 48 days prior to the event.

Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.

Photo provided courtesy of City Street Investors.