Latino Cultural Arts Center Opens Renowned Warehouse Space

The Latino Cultural Arts Center opened its permanent home on Saturday, Oct. 24, in a renovated warehouse between Denver’s Sun Valley and La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhoods. The new facility, named Las Bodegas, is located at 1935 W. 12th Ave. and marks the end of a long construction period that began in April 2025. The building now serves as the organization’s primary base for art, education, and community events.

Alfredo Reyes, the former executive director of the center, lit a piece of sage he had saved for five years during the opening ceremony. He told the crowd that the past and future exist alongside the present. “It stands next to us. The future is not really ahead of us. It is already here,” Reyes said. His remarks emphasized the center’s role in preserving memory and cultural continuity.

Celina Benavidez, a board leader, highlighted the importance of ownership for the community. “Today we own the key, we own this land, we own this building,” she said. Benavidez referenced the nearby Auraria neighborhood, formerly known as the Bottoms, where many Latino families lived before displacement and demolition. She stated that the center’s doors are now open to everyone, regardless of background.

The project originated with founder Adrianna Abarca’s vision for a permanent space. When initial plans for a three-story complex faced challenges, Abarca donated warehouse property to the nonprofit. This move allowed the organization to proceed with a more feasible project. By 2023, the center secured $2.5 million in federal funding supported by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and $1.9 million in state community revitalization funds.

The renovated space spans approximately 10,000 square feet. It includes classrooms, artist workspaces, and facilities for digital media and gatherings. The organization had previously operated without a permanent home, reaching nearly 70,000 people over seven years. Thomas Lopez, a Manual High School graduate, opened the ceremony by acknowledging the Indigenous roots of Latino identity and the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. He blessed the building before a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Reyes shared an anecdote about construction workers who noted that project owners rarely visited the site to introduce themselves. The workers, who had nearly four decades of experience building in Denver, told Reyes they had never built a project for a young Mexican American owner that they could later visit with their families. “That is the proudest moment in my career,” Reyes said.

Handprint Architecture led the building design, with contributions from Perkins&Will and HKS. Josh Wills of Consume & Create described a visual identity inspired by gathering places across the Americas. HKS designer Jarrett Hardy previewed an installation called Hilos Vivos, which means living threads. The piece, inspired by the Andean quipu, will recognize volunteer labor and community contributions alongside financial gifts. It is expected to be completed in late November.

The center will be open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can view the space and participate in activities such as jewelry-making, yoga, and aromatherapy. Bobby LeFebre, a former Colorado poet laureate and board member, encouraged continued community involvement through donations and volunteering. Reyes, who stepped down this summer, said he would return as a guest rather than a director. The center aims to remain a space where the community feels welcome and engaged.