Local Investor Buys Former John Fielder Studio Building On Santa Fe
A building in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe that previously housed renowned nature photographer John Fielder’s gallery has a new owner.
The roughly 6K SF building at 833 N. Santa Fe Drive sold this week to Colfax Real Estate Co. President Merrill Stillwell. He purchased the property under Main Street LLC from John Fielder’s daughter for nearly $1.9M, Stillwell told Bisnow.
Property records show that Colorado Photographica LLC, an entity tied to Fielder, purchased the building for $750K in 2010. Fielder was a renowned and prolific nature photographer based in Colorado. He died in 2023.
Fielder’s gallery occupied the Santa Fe Drive building for 11 years until wedding and event venue Skylight moved into the space in 2017, Denverite previously reported. Skylight’s current lease ends in two years, Stillwell said.
Skylight Venue Manager Brianna Kane told Bisnow the company will remain at 833 N. Santa Fe Drive and is considering signing a 10-year lease with Stillwell.
The building was renovated in 2016, according to marketing materials shared with Bisnow, but Stillwell plans to make some upgrades, including to the roof and sewer line. Some interior work may also be done, depending on what Skylight wants, Stillwell said, adding that the two parties are in lease negotiations.
“We’re a long-term holder on a property like this, and so my hope is that we can maintain and make this even better than they’ve had, over time. And hopefully, my girls are inheriting it in the future,” Stillwell said. He also owns a historic building in downtown Littleton at 2449 Main St., which is being leased to Little Man Ice Cream.
The property is a 10-minute walk from the newly proposed Denver Broncos stadium in Burnham Yard, according to the marketing materials.
“Becoming part of the stadium district and include a larger audience is really going to be pivotal in the success of that area,” said Debbie Brinkman, commercial real estate broker with Pinnacle Real Estate Advisors, who represented Stillwell in the deal.
Woody Boyd and Scott Hagen of DHLB Retail Brokerage represented the seller.
