Daniels & Fisher Tower, Denver

The Daniels & Fisher Tower, an iconic historic landmark in Denver, was built in 1910 as part of the Daniels & Fisher department store. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest building between the Mississippi River and California, standing at 325 feet (99 meters) tall. Designed by Colorado architect Frederick Sterner, the tower was inspired by the Campanile (Saint Mark's Bell Tower) in Venice, Italy, which had recently collapsed and was being reconstructed. Interestingly, the Daniels & Fisher Tower was designed to be slightly taller than its Venetian counterpart, prompting local humor suggesting that Venice was copying Denver's tower.

The tower features 20 floors and boasts clock faces on all four sides. A 2½ ton bell occupies the top two floors above the observation deck. When the Daniels & Fisher store was demolished around 1971, the tower was preserved and underwent a significant renovation in 1981, transforming it into residential and office space.

Over the years, the tower has remained a focal point of Denver's Skyline Park. The basement has housed the Clocktower Cabaret entertainment venue since 2006. The building’s exterior fell into disrepair by the 1990s, prompting an extensive restoration led by tenants Richard Hentzell and Michael Urbana. This decade-long renovation, completed in 2006, restored nearly every major part of the building, including the exterior, entrances, lobby, Seth Thomas clock, observation deck, and cupola.

Today, the Daniels & Fisher Tower remains a cherished Denver landmark, housing office condominiums, an events venue, and a cabaret. The public can visit the observation deck during the annual Doors Open Denver event or by arranging private tours, maintaining the tower's connection with the community as it stands proudly in the heart of the Sixteenth Street Mall. The tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 3, 1969.