Jerrold Bregman Speaks with Denverite on Demolition Discussions Surrounding Denver’s Vacant Office Space

Jerrold Bregman recently spoke with Denverite about commercial real estate and the staggering amount of unused office space in Denver, Colorado. The article, “Knocking down buildings in Denver drags up bad memories, but empty office space drags on the economy,” examines how office buildings remain largely vacant following the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects on the local economy. 

In the piece, Jerry shares that demolition discussions are happening behind the scenes, but demolishing buildings is not as easy as it was in the 1970s, when roughly 30 downtown blocks were demolished, including historic structures. Older buildings can no longer be knocked down without a concrete plan for what’s next, and that can take more time. 

“The invisible hand of the market is busy at work, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to see demolitions or improvements right away,” Jerry tells Denverite. “The demolition pipeline in Denver moves at the speed of bureaucracy. It’s not the speed of vacancy.” 

With roughly a 38% vacancy in downtown Denver’s offices, the local economy suffers and developers are eager to make moves while keeping the city’s history in mind. 

Read more about what’s next for Denver commercial real estate and Jerry’s insights in Denverite.