Hard Hat Tour: Buell Public Media Center

February 19, 2020

Join DAF for our first Hard Hat Tour of year, the Buell Public Media Center  the new home of Rocky Mountain PBS and KUVO Jazz! This new media center will transform the landscape of how public media is presented throughout the state. Tour guides include John McIntyre, Tryba Architects Principal, and Danny Nelson, Tryba Architects Project Architect.

About the tour:
While this is an active construction site, much of the work will be complete by the tour date. The building envelope and much of the interior work will be finished, while exterior site work including sidewalks and landscaping will still need to be completed. Installation of state-of-the-art technology devices will just be beginning. We will discuss the big picture planning concepts primarily featured on the exterior of the building along Arapahoe and 21st Streets, as well as dive into the interior planning and use of the building, technical integration and how a technology-driven building type functions both for broadcast and community engagement.

About the project:
Home to Rocky Mountain Public Media—Colorado’s largest statewide, member-supported, multimedia organization and parent of Rocky Mountain PBS and KUVO Jazz—Buell Public Media Center will be its new headquarters, complete with production and performance studios, a community media center, offices and community conference space. The 90,000 square-foot (includes below-grade parking), three-story building design responds to the character of the neighborhood, incorporating a mix of urban uses and interweaving of adjacent textures and scale. The center will serve as a symbol of the important role public media plays in strengthening the civic fabric of the community, while also invigorating an important thoroughfare in downtown Denver. Construction began in November 2018 and will be complete in April 2020.

Parking & transportation: There is metered street parking and lots on the surrounding and nearby streets. As always, we encourage the use of public transportation and ride sharing.

The cost of the tour is as follows:

DAF Member: $30
Non-member: $35
DAF Hard Hat Set: $40*
*The cost of a Hard Hat Set does not include admission; please also purchase a DAF Member or Non-member ticket to ensure your spot on the tour.

All attendees are required to sign a wavier on-site day of. Please bring your own PPE (hard hat, safety vest, safety glasses). If you don’t have your own PPE, you may purchase a DAF set. Attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and must adhere to the following safety protocol:

  • Closed-toe sturdy shoes – Tennis shoes, high heels, sandals, flip flops and fashion boots are not acceptable footwear for the construction site. Boots do not have to be steel toe; they can be hiking boots as long as they are durable and at least ankle high.
  • Full-length pants or jeans (no shorts, capri pants, skirts or dresses) – Pants do not have to be jeans but they must be long enough to touch the top of your shoes.
  • Shirts with minimum four-inch sleeves.

Image courtesy of Tryba Architects.