🍻 Evans School Beer Garden Named Best Small Project
The Schoolyard Beer Garden at Evans School, located in Denver’s Golden Triangle, was named Best Project in the Small Project category by Engineering News-Record Mountain States as part of their 2025 Best Of awards.
This 5,000-square-foot adaptive reuse project transformed the long-vacant ground floor of the 1904 Colonial Revival-style Evans School into a vibrant public space that includes a beer garden, walk-up café, and flexible event areas. With a modest construction budget of $2.57 million, the project, designed by Collin Kemberlin, preserved the historic character of a Denver Landmark and National Register property while introducing modern systems like plumbing, mechanical, and life safety—all within the constraints of a fully protected shell. Construction involved surgical excavation in a crawlspace, careful MEP routing through existing cavities, and preservation of original materials such as tin ceilings and wood floors. Despite the complex site conditions and rigorous historic review process, the project was completed on time and on budget, offering a powerful model for how preservation and public use can coexist in a modern urban environment.
Congratulations to the entire project team. We also extend our congratulations to all the winning projects recognized by ENR Mountain States this year. All winners will be recognized on December 4 at a breakfast event in Denver.
