Skiing, from A to Z: Alterra takes HQ to top of Zeppelin
One of the newest office buildings in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood will have a ski company at its summit.
Alterra Mountain Co., a company that went from not existing to owning 12 North American mountain resorts in a matter of months starting last year, will move its corporate headquarters into the top floor of the Zeppelin Station by the end of the year.
The 10-year lease, confirmed this week by Alterra and Zeppelin Development officials, grants the ski industry power player 34,000 square feet of space in the LEED-designed building at 35th and Wazee streets, including the entire top floor.
When Alterra moves out of its current Lower Downtown digs and into the custom-designed space, amenities will include a private green-roof terrace, compost collection and other sustainability features and easy access to the building’s internationally flavored food hall, according to its new landlord. The building is walking distance from Regional Transportation District’s 38th and Blake Station rail stop, which provides service to downtown and Denver International Airport.
For Alterra, the move is about more than office amenities. The company coalesced last year when Denver’s KSL Capital Partners joined with Aspen Skiing Co.’s owner, Henry Crown and Co., to go on a buying spree that corralled destination resorts in five states and three Canadian provinces. Local holdings include Steamboat and the operating contract for city of Denverowned Winter Park. This year it launched
its multicountry, multicontinent IKON Pass to compete with Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass.
In RiNo, Alterra leaders see a place to grow their workforce — its HQ staff is expected to grow to around 160 from 120 by this time next year — but also a neighborhood with an upward trajectory they feel matches their company’s goals. It helps that Zeppelin Station has views of the mountains, Alterra’s real place of business.
“We believe that RiNo is the next great thing to happen to Denver,” Alterra president and CEO David Perry said. “What the city has done and what developers like (Zeppelin Development president) Kyle Zeppelin are doing are really bringing to life the next level of urban environments. We’re excited to be moving.”
For the aforementioned Kyle Zeppelin, the lease is further proof of RiNo’s emergence as a prime location for business. He pointed to strong leasing activity at nearby Industry RiNo Station and the forthcoming Catalyst HTI project as sure signs the area is now solidly on the radar for companies, both new and established.
“With these projects you always see the potential, and I think we’ve tended to be ahead of our time on some things. And the market has caught up,” he said. “It’s really vindication for some of these ideas.”
Havenly is also moving its corporate headquarters to Zeppelin Station. The online interior design company, currently based out of Zeppelin’s Taxi project, will take on 10,000 square feet, the developer announced.
Alterra will leave its mark both inside and outside its future HQ. Plans are in place to mount an LED sign on the side of the building that will flash ski conditions and other information at passing rail commuters.