1566 N Washington Street
The long owned Denver police precinct and property are the focus of a revised redevelopment plan announced by Mayor Mike Johnston, which pairs a new Denver Police District 6 headquarters with ground-floor retail and workforce housing.
The plan centers on the existing District 6 station, which has occupied the site for more than 50 years, and the nearby Pharmacy Building, a long-vacant structure with environmental contamination. The city will fund demolition and remediation of the Pharmacy Building, then offer the site to private developers this summer at little to no cost.
The selected developer will be required to build a mixed-use project with commercial space and workforce housing, though no developer or unit count has been announced.
The new police station will be funded through the voter-approved Elevate Denver Bond. The city expects to seek City Council approval and begin construction this fall, with completion targeted for December 2027. The facility will include expanded space and a public-facing community room, with officers temporarily relocating during construction.
The updated approach follows community feedback that called for a more efficient use of public land. The revised plan shifts housing to the Pharmacy Building site, creating separation from the police facility while still introducing residential density along Colfax.
Timing aligns with the ongoing East Colfax Bus Rapid
Transit project, a $280 million investment currently under construction and expected to be operational by 2027. The corridor is designed to serve more than 22,000 daily riders and represents a major infrastructure upgrade for the area.
The announcement adds a public-sector component to a broader wave of development along East Colfax. Several mixed-use and residential projects are already underway or nearing completion, with additional proposals continuing to advance along the corridor.
With demolition, developer selection, and construction timelines taking shape, the block at Colfax and Washington is positioned for long-awaited change, though the scale of housing ultimately delivered remains to be determined.