Warehouse in Lincoln Park Transforming Into Music Venue
On 730 N. Umatilla St. in Denver sits a 18,000-square-foot warehouse that is being transformed into a stunning, modern-style event center. This venue is located just below the art district, right off of 6th ave. and I-25. This new venue will consist of a main stage, bar, and an outside area fit for festivals and fairs. It is set to host a variety of live shows featuring both established and up-and-coming DJs, comedians, musicians, and the list goes on.
James McClain, who bought the space with another investor for $3.2 million in 2021, is now investing approximately $2.5 million for this awe-inspiring transformation. McClain started out his entrepreneurial career in the Denver area with an audio rental company called Awaken the Night, which was the first to turn the warehouse space into Sugarkube, an exclusive night club only accessible to members and referrals. Now, he wants to open it up to the general public. “Denver is poised for a lot of substantial growth, and I felt like this area had a lot of value,” says McClain. With the lack of residents in the area, he thinks it’s the prime area for a venue with no worries of disturbing the neighborhood.
Originally from Los angeles, McClain moved to Denver 10 years ago to not only build up, but to transform, his audio rental company, Awaken The Night, into a full-on sound production company. The success of his company gained some of the bigger sound projects in the Denver area, such as the Sonic Bloom festival in 2019 and Tipper Red Rocks in 2021. The aftermath of the pandemic caused business to come to a screeching halt, but in turn, it opened up other ideas, transforming the space into the current nightclub, Sugarkube.
McClain’s longterm vision wasn’t to open a music venue, but there was something about the community and area that called him up to the challenge. Being a musician, he wanted the opportunity for others to be able to spread music and art throughout their community, and this venue just might be a stepping stone in that direction. With such a versatile space, turning it into an area for the community might be in the cards; we will have to see what the future brings us. “The older I get, the more I realize that it’s a combined effort we all make in making our community what we want it to be,” McClain says.
There is no name or set date for the opening, but it will be operated by Live Nation and is slated to open sometime next year. We can plan to see this new independent venue host events with a new cultured atmosphere featuring performers of all kinds.
Photo Courtesy of James McClain
