Union Station Denver
description: Denver Union Station presents a blend of Romanesque Revival and Beaux-Arts architecture, with its rough volcanic-stone 1881 wings and the grand 1914 central hall featuring tall arched windows, ornate stonework, and the iconic “UNION STATION” sign, all of which frame a structure that has shifted from a classic rail hub to a mixed-use civic landmark. Inside, the historic Great Hall—once filled with wooden benches, marble walls, and early chandeliers—was restored in 2014 into a bright, flexible public living room with terrazzo floors, decorative plaster arches, and lighting inspired by the originals, now functioning as both the social heart of the city and the lobby of The Crawford Hotel. Over time, the station transitioned from its heavily altered mid-20th-century decline to a revitalized centerpiece, with its stonework repaired, windows reopened, interior grandeur reinstated, and modern amenities integrated to support restaurants, retail, hospitality, and multimodal transit while preserving the building’s historic character.
creator: Founder(s): Architect - William E. Taylor. 1912 expansion by Gove and Walsh Builder - William E. Taylor
date: Years: Original Built – 1881. Reopened after fire in 1914. Revised in 2012, Reopened in 2014
contributor: Justin Forster
format: Exterior: Beaux-Arts style. Revitalized in the Beaux-Arts Renaissance Revival mode in 1912.
language: Denver, Colorado
type: Public
coverage: A historic train station that was redeveloped into a complex with hotels, restaurants, and shops.