Clayworks Completes First Major Phase of 14-Acre Redevelopment in Golden
GOLDEN, CO — The first major phase of the 14-acre Clayworks redevelopment in downtown Golden is officially complete, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of the former CoorsTek manufacturing campus into a new mixed-use neighborhood. The completion of The Pottery, a 188,600-square-foot office building, also brings CoorsTek's global headquarters back to its original campus, where the company's ceramics operations began in 1910.
Photo of Lovingway United Pentecostal Church Current Exterior | Photo Credit: James Stukenberg
Located near Ninth Street and Washington Avenue, Clayworks is a six-block redevelopment led by AC Development, the Coors family's real estate development company. The project is transforming the former industrial property into a new district featuring office space, residential development, retail, restaurants, public gathering areas and a future boutique hotel.
The Pottery represents the first completed building within the larger redevelopment and was created through the adaptive reuse of former CoorsTek headquarters and manufacturing facilities. Rather than demolishing the entire industrial campus, the project incorporates several historic architectural elements into the new office environment, preserving portions of the property's manufacturing history while introducing modern workspaces.
Among the preserved features are the original brick façade along Ford Street and elements from the site's former kilns. These architectural details connect the building to generations of manufacturing operations that once occupied the property, where the Coors family produced everything from pottery and dinnerware to laboratory equipment and advanced technical ceramics.
During construction, crews also uncovered artifacts representing different periods of the property's industrial history. The Coors family archivist collected the discoveries for preservation, with plans to eventually display them throughout Clayworks.
The completed building now serves as the global headquarters for CoorsTek, a manufacturer of technical ceramics used in industries including semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, energy and medical technology. Approximately 165 CoorsTek employees will work from The Pottery, with CoorsTek and AC Development completing their relocation into the building in October 2026.
In addition to the headquarters, The Pottery includes office and ground-floor retail space available for additional tenants. Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters has been announced as the first retail tenant at Clayworks and is expected to open on the building's ground floor during the fourth quarter of 2026.
The opening will introduce one of the first publicly accessible commercial spaces within the redevelopment as the surrounding property continues transitioning from a private industrial campus into a mixed-use neighborhood.
Another significant component of the Clayworks redevelopment is its district-scale geothermal energy system, designed to reduce the energy required to heat and cool buildings throughout the property.
The system includes approximately 42 geothermal wells extending roughly 500 feet underground. Once operational as planned, the infrastructure is expected to provide approximately 80% of the development's heating and cooling load while reducing energy consumption by approximately 25%.
The Pottery is also targeting LEED Gold and WELL Gold certifications, reflecting the project's emphasis on sustainable building systems, energy efficiency and workplace design.
Construction of the geothermal infrastructure included an apprenticeship partnership with CanAmerica, providing hands-on workforce training connected to the installation of the system. The program received recognition from the U.S. Department of Labor.
With The Pottery now complete, AC Development will continue advancing the remaining phases of Clayworks across the former manufacturing property.
Future plans include additional office and commercial space, urban apartments, restaurants, public plazas, pedestrian connections and gathering areas designed to create a more accessible neighborhood within downtown Golden. The larger redevelopment also includes plans for a boutique hotel that would repurpose the historic Golden High School building, preserving another piece of the area's architectural history while introducing a new use to the property.
Additional parking and supporting infrastructure are also planned as the development progresses.
The broader vision for Clayworks includes a network of public spaces and pedestrian-oriented areas that would connect the new buildings with the surrounding downtown Golden community. Planned amenities include promenades, plazas and spaces intended to accommodate public art, live music and community events.
Coincidentally, the completion announcement comes exactly one year after Developing Denver featured the Clayworks redevelopment on October 15, 2025. At the time, construction was actively underway on The Pottery, with a tower crane rising above the former manufacturing campus as crews worked to transform the historic property into CoorsTek's new global headquarters. One year later, the building is complete, employees have moved in, and the first major phase of the redevelopment has officially transitioned from construction to occupancy.
The Pottery was developed by AC Development, designed by Denver-based Tryba Architects and constructed by Holder Construction.
The completion of The Pottery marks an important transition for the property, which has historically operated as an industrial manufacturing campus. The opening of CoorsTek's headquarters establishes the first occupied phase of the redevelopment while creating a foundation for the additional residential, hospitality and commercial uses planned for the site.
As work continues across the remaining portions of the 14-acre property, Clayworks is expected to gradually introduce new buildings, businesses and public spaces while retaining elements of the manufacturing campus that has been part of Golden's history for more than a century.
Development Team
Developer: AC Development
Architect: Tryba Architects
General Contractor: Holder Construction
Headquarters Tenant: CoorsTek
Announced Retail Tenant: Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters
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All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.
6 minute read • Clayworks completes The Pottery, a 188,600-square-foot office building bringing CoorsTek's global headquarters back to Golden as part of a 14-acre redevelopment.