The former Cap City Tavern building in Denver has sat empty since leaving its Golden Triangle neighborhood home in July 2025, but that’s about to change.
The one-story, red brick building at 1247 Bannock St. will soon become a multi-use space for the Clyfford Still Museum across the street. That unique gallery purchased the building in 2018 for $3 million, but officials there didn’t begin planning its future in earnest until Cap City vacated its lease and closed in July 2025.
They envision a flexible-use venue where they can experiment with different events, including parties and performances, to strengthen their mission and bring in new supporters, the museum said last week.
“Over the last 15 years, the Clyfford Still Museum has mounted extraordinary exhibitions and welcomed visitors of all ages to our galleries,” said director Joyce Tsai in a statement. “We look forward to inviting the public to 1247 Bannock, where we are planning a renovation to meet the growing demand for our programs.”
Maria Cole of Boulder architecture firm is leading the design work. Her company’s include work for the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, as well as .
The main museum, at 1250 Bannock Street, will continue to show and conserve Still’s roughly 3,125 pieces of art (or about 93% of his lifetime work, officials said). But the former sports bar will now pilot programs and, eventually, host its Institute Residential Fellowship programs.
The Museum will spend the next few months obtaining permits and renovating the space, adding another cultural institution to an area that already includes the Denver Art Museum, the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art (which recently merged with Denver Art Museum operations), and other cultural anchors, bars, restaurants, small businesses, and condo high-rises.
“We are proud to be a leader in the growing vibrancy of the Golden Triangle Creative District,” said Anna Boatwright, Clyfford Still Museum’s deputy director and chief operating officer. “ deepens our commitment to the neighborhood and reflects our belief in the future of Downtown Denver. We want this to remain a place where people gather, explore, and connect, and we look forward to contributing to the neighborhood’s growth for years to come.”
