A cornerstone of the Bonnie Brae neighborhood is officially on the market, signaling a potential turning point for one of Denver’s most recognizable legacy properties.
The Bonnie Brae Conoco at 724 S. University Blvd., owned by the same family since 1942, has been listed for sale after more than 80 years of continuous operation. The station has long stood as one of the last full-service gas stations in Denver, a model that has largely disappeared across the city.
For decades, the property remained a holdout. Owner Ken Wilson even posted a “not for sale” sign in recent years as surrounding properties began to trade and longtime neighborhood businesses closed. That stance has now shifted, with the family officially bringing the site to market.
The listing comes at a time of increasing change along University Boulevard. Just south of the site, Akin Bonnie Brae is well into vertical construction, replacing the former Bonnie Brae Tavern, a longtime neighborhood staple that closed in 2022. The new mixed-use project introduces residential density and ground-floor retail, marking a broader shift toward urban infill in the area.
That momentum is beginning to reshape the corridor. The gas station property sits on an approximately 11,200-square-foot lot with a 2,289-square-foot building, zoned E-MS-3, which allows for low-scale mixed-use development. Combined with its location at a prominent intersection and proximity to new development, the site presents a clear redevelopment opportunity.
The contrast is increasingly visible. On one corner, a mid-century service station continues operating much as it has for generations. Just steps away, new construction is rising, reflecting changing land economics and shifting neighborhood demand. Bonnie Brae itself remains one of Denver’s most desirable residential areas, with strong home values and limited supply continuing to drive interest in the neighborhood.
For now, the station remains open, continuing a daily routine that has defined the corner for more than eight decades.
But as redevelopment activity expands along University Boulevard, the listing raises a broader question about what comes next.
In a corridor where one legacy property has already given way to new density, another may soon follow.
