# St. Mark's Parish Church

St. Mark’s Parish Church is a historic Episcopal church located at 1160 Lincoln Street in Denver, Colorado. Built in 1889, the church was designed by Lang & Pugh, one of Denver’s most influential architectural firms of the late 19th century. Recognized for its architectural significance, St. Mark’s was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Since 1996, the building has functioned as a nightclub, known as The Church, primarily hosting electronic dance music (EDM) concerts, DJ performances, and other nightlife events.

## History

St. Mark’s Parish Church was founded as part of the Mission of the Holy Comforter in 1875 under the direction of Sisters Eliza Barton and Hanna Austin. The mission was later elevated to parish status in 1887, and in 1889, Reverend Arundel acquired land at 12th and Lincoln for a new church building. The total cost of the construction, land, and furnishings exceeded $100,000 (equivalent to $3,500,000 in 2024). The church’s original Hooks and Hastings organ, installed for $7,800 (equivalent to $260,000 in 2024), was used until 1959, when it was replaced by a Reuter Organ Company instrument at a cost of $10,000 (equivalent to $107,900 in 2024).
By the late 19th century, St. Mark’s had become one of Denver’s most significant religious institutions, recognized for its architectural grandeur and active role in community service, music, and education.
In 1987, the congregation was moved to a new location in the Washington Park neighborhood following a split in the congregation. In the early 1994, the building was purchased from the Colorado Episcopal Diocese for $275,000 (equivalent to $583,400 in 2024) by Regas Christou, who converted and opened the church as a "restaurant, coffee house and blues night-club" in 1996.

## Architecture

St. Mark’s Parish Church exemplifies High Victorian Gothic architecture, a style characterized by pointed arches, intricate woodwork, and a pronounced vertical emphasis. The building was designed by William Lang, who designed a number of prominent buildings in Denver, and his business partner Marshall Pugh. The exterior of the church is constructed from buff sandstone sourced from Longmont, and dark red sandstone columns sourced from the Kemmuir quarry in El Paso County, Colorado. The interior is finished with rough-hewn native stone, paneled oak, and a black ash open-timbered ceiling.
The structural design of the church is particularly noteworthy. The wood trusses of the roof transfer forces downward through hammer-beam projections into columnar piers that support five pointed arches on each side of the nave. These roof elements, enhanced with intricate Gothic ornamentation in carved wood, are considered some of the most authentic examples of their kind in Colorado, next to the great drawing room of Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs. The five-arched clerestory gable at the west end of the church allows for an influx of natural light, complementing the large west-facing triptych stained glass window.
The east wall of the sanctuary features an unusual set of seven tall slit windows, symbolizing seven altar candles. These windows are designed to create a visual effect resembling flickering candlelight, with stained glass elements providing dramatic contrast. The reredos, titled "Ascension and the Attendant Angels" and completed in 1923 by R. Byron Olson, received recognition from the Denver Art Association. The sanctuary and choir area, set in deep relief, are further accentuated by an elaborately painted triptych altarpiece that incorporates gold leaf detailing.

### Structural changes

The church originally featured a castellated tower and turret, but in 1950, structural failure caused the upper portion of the bell tower to collapse, damaging the attached carillon. At a cost of $40,000 (equivalent to $522,800 in 2024), the turret was removed and replaced with a buttress for stability. Despite this loss, the exposed ridgeline of the nave has since become a defining external feature of the structure.