South Broadway Music Venue and Restaurant BurnDown Opens May 20

The building at 476 South Broadway that’s been transformed into BurnDown almost burned down in a 1978 fire that left a gaping hole in the center of the structure.

Now that hole is an atrium that stretches from the expansive first-floor dining room through the second-floor lounge, where a small acoustic stage is located, to a third indoor/outdoor level with a rooftop deck.

The team behind the concept includes founder and general manager Reed Sparks, who returned to Denver after stints in New York City, where he worked at an insurance firm, and Jackson Hole, where he leaned into the world of hospitality, eventually becoming an assistant brewer at Snake River Brewing.

He’s partnered with childhood friend Alex Vickers, who worked at a project management company for a decade before leaving…