Neighborhood: LoHi
List Price: $749,000
Living Space: 2,192 square feet
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.5

Denver’s hippest shops and restaurants have already turned to recycled shipping containers to deliver a modern, industrial take on commercial design: See RiNo’s mixed-use development 25th & Larimer, which houses Work & Class and Topo Designs, and gourmet grazing concept Avanti Food & Beverage. But this LoHi property is one of the first in the Mile High City to translate the shipping container trend into a high-end, urban residential dwelling.

(Read more about the shipping container trend in Colorado)

Just a few doors down from Avanti, the self-dubbed LoHi Container sits at 3538 Pecos Street. Seven recycled shipping containers were used to create the modern, two-story home. The exterior is not unlike the neighborhood’s many other boxy, modern, flat-roofed buildings, which are rapidly replacing the neighborhood’s original Victorian properties. In fact, on first glance, one might not even register the signature corrugated exterior. And once inside, all thoughts of the high-seas transportation devices evaporate.

Wood floors, stainless-steel Electrolux appliances, designer tile, and frameless glass shower doors create an up-to-the-minute interior. The kitchen features custom European cabinets and quartz countertops. Accessed by a spiral staircase, the functional rooftop deck affords an envious skyline view with plenty of space for entertaining. The sturdy, flat roof is insulated and designed to weather heavy storms and classic Colorado snowfalls—meaning future homeowners won’t have to sacrifice good design for an innovative property.

“The contemporary, green appeal of a container house is an ideal complement to not only the submarket’s streetscapes but also the design preferences of urban buyers,” says Sunny Leu-Pierre, the listing agent with Proform Inc.

For their original function in the shipping industry, the containers are built to withstand the elements; developers tout their water-tightness and rigidity. For this home, each container was altered off-site, and windows and door frames were added before the containers were locked into place—Lego-style—on-site. Set onto a traditional foundation, the home was constructed in just one day (view a time-lapse video here). Once constructed, closed-cell insulation was installed, and the walls and interiors were built out.

At just under $750,000 (down from its original listing price of $949,000), it’s still priced at the high end for the neighborhood. But given LoHi residents’ penchant for high-quality, environmentally friendly design in a lively location, the property seems right at home.

For more information on 3538 Pecos Street, contact Realtor Sunny Leu-Pierre at sunny@proformre.com.