Vertical construction is finally breaking ground at the corner of W. 29th Ave. and Wyandot St., where the Archdiocese of Denver has filed 10 major permits to transform the historic Mullen Home campus into a $58.5 million senior living complex.
The Mullen Residences project represents a deliberate pivot for the 100-year-old site, which was originally donated by philanthropists J.K. and Catherine Mullen to the Little Sisters of the Poor. While the surrounding West Highland neighborhood has seen a flood of speculative filings, this development moves with a calculated pace to preserve the original chapel building while demolishing a 1970s structure on the grounds.
The filings, dated July 7, 2026, detail a coordinated site plan that balances modern senior living needs with historic preservation. The new facility will replace the mid-century building with updated amenities, leveraging the property's location in the 80201 ZIP code. Unlike the rapid, often speculative surges seen in adjacent zones, the Archdiocese purchased the land and parking lot 18 months ago, waiting for regulatory shifts regarding parking minimums to align before initiating this phase of construction.
This project arrives as the 80201 ZIP code experiences a statistical spike in development activity. Over the past 18 months, thousands of site-plan submissions have hit city records in this corridor, a trend driven by the elimination of parking minimums that has doubled the historical average for filings in the area. However, the Mullen Residences stands apart from the typical speculative rush, focusing on long-term community stability rather than quick turnover.
Residents can expect demolition of the existing mid-century structure to proceed through the summer months, clearing the way for the new senior living units. The city will hold a public hearing next month to address final site plan adjustments, where the preservation status of the historic chapel will be a central agenda item for neighborhood stakeholders.