One of the hottest restaurants in Denver that came on the scene this year is LINGER in the lower highlands neighborhood. The 18,000-square-foot building at 16th and Boulder operated as Olinger Mortuary from 1908-1999. It is estimated that the funerals of around 45,000 people were conducted at this north Denver landmark. Later, on top of the garage, a giant blue neon sign was placed saying �Olinger Mortuaries� which still shines over downtown Denver. Buffalo Bill Cody's body was stored in this building for six months while Wyoming and Colorado were fighting over it in 1917 and the body of Checker Smaldone, the reputed head of the Denver Mafia, was prepared at Olinger's. The building remained a mortuary until it was closed in 1999 and was put up for sale. In 2002, the Highland neighborhood surrounding the building revived, and the former mortuary was remodeled to house several trendy shops and a restaurant. The Highland Bridge was opened in 2006 to connect downtown Denver with the Highland area and now the area is filled with attractive condos, art stores and restaurants. Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drmo/4330906463/
�Linger� is both a nod to its physical surroundings in the former Olinger Mortuary as well as a suggestion for diners to take their time over a relaxed meal and cocktails. You can look forward to anti-entree, vegetable-focused, affordable shared plates with riffs on urban food staples and flavors from the Americas, Morocco, Turkey, Italy, Asia and India. In addition to a large beer and wine selection, Linger features creative interpretations of classic ethnic drinks such as Horchata and Lassi.
And, just in time for Denver's perfect fall weather, Linger has officially opened the first section of it's massive rooftop deck! Set just beyond the iconic Olinger sign, this first section of the deck can accommodate 120 guests in an open-seating style. Phase two will be built directly under the sign and will open next summer, equipped with a kitchen and bar. I was able to check out the roof top under construction when we were photographing COUTUREcolorado's LOHI style shoot, the view is amazing! Best in town!
Linger is located in the LOHI neighbor at 2030 W. 30th Ave., Denver CO 80211. Dinner / Tues-Sat, 5:30 p.m. Happy Hour / Tues-Fri, 4-6:30 p.m. They have complimentary valet. You can't bet that!
So how exactly did an old mortuary become the hottest restaurant in town? We were lucky enough to get some answers from Chris Davis and Kevin Stephenson, principals of BOSS.architecture, the firm responsible for the transformation of the building where Linger lives.
Tell us a little about BOSS Architecture.
BOSS.architecture is a multi-disciplinary design firm, with focus on full service architecture and interiors. We are based in Denver, Colorado. [We] have a combined 30 years of experience in the profession of architecture, more than 2 decades of friendship under our belts, and most importantly, a shared passion for thinking outside of the box.
Both of us have traveled the world extensively and have worked together in three cities, cultivating our fresh and cutting edge approach to design. BOSS.architecture embodies the principles that we hold as its founders, and is a result of what happens when we get to do what we love.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Inspiration is everywhere. It's easy to be inspired, the hard part is being discerning enough to find the right inspiration.
Good design (whether it be architecture, art, music, or nature) inspires us. When something is so beautiful or interesting, you want to touch it, sit in it, or live in it ... that's what we strive to achieve in our body of work.
What was your goal/ vision when designing Linger?
Our primary goal was to approach this project with artistry and passion, and create a composition of 'intentional misalignments'. (There is a fine line between being edgy and a bad train wreck).
So we tried to challenge the norm, while creating a series of comfortable yet different spaces where people would be inspired to gather, eat, and drink (time and again).
What was the most challenging aspect of the Linger project?
Linger was a very different animal from all of our other projects, in that we approached and completed it in an absolutely backwards fashion.
In collaborating with our clients, we typically engage them in the design process and lead them through it. However, Justin Cucci, (Owner | Chef of Linger), is a creative force to be reckoned with, and we found ourselves reacting a lot more than we normally do. Some of our best ideas for Linger came after Justin either derailed the process or threw a random curve ball. Fortunately, we don't have huge egos, and we believe that there is strength in collaboration.
How does it feel knowing Linger is so popular and that you had a hand in it's popularity?
We're pretty blown away by Linger's success.
Not that we didn't expect it to be. We're just happy for Justin and the team of people that had the vision of putting an exceptional restaurant in to this space.
What exciting designs can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
We just finished construction on an amazing villa in Punta Mita, Mexico. The entire structure was built over an 8,000 square foot aquatic garden, and all of the interior circulation happens on bridges | walkways over water.
It's one of the most fantastic projects we've completed to date.
We also have a few other cool projects in the works, such as some exciting smaller homes (in the hood), JetLinx local headquarters (at Centennial Airport), Vital Yoga's Highland Studio, and a signature parks project for the City of Thornton. ... and we're just breaking ground on what we think is going to be our best house yet (in Denver).
What accomplishments are you most proud of at BOSS?
We value our relationships as much as we value our projects, and are most proud of the exceptional caliber of clients that we attract.
We are very aware of how lucky we are to be provided an outlet for our creative expression, and even more so, thankful that our clients invite us to become a part of their lives.
We get to step into their families and businesses, and live vicariously through our projects. It's the best part of our job!
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