Over a year after Katie Mullen's Irish Restaurant and Pub shuttered its doors at 1550 Court Place, after seven years on the 16th Street Mall, the space has finally been claimed by Hacienda Colorado, a homegrown chain that bills its fare as "Mexican Food With Altitude." The move was announced this week in a Hacienda Facebook post:

Hacienda Colorado has made arrangements to develop a 6th location. We’re taking over the former Katie Mullens site that’s in the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel at Court Place and 16th Street. Plans are presently being drawn by the Aria Architects Group, noted for their outstanding restaurant designs throughout the US. With demolition on the space beginning around August 1st, the opening is anticipated in the Spring of 2018. This will be the first Hacienda Colorado location in Downtown Denver since the company began operations in 1998 with the Lakewood location.

Hacienda Colorado, which boasts a bar with 120 tequilas and signature margaritas along with its Mexican-style dishes, is just the latest Mexican restaurant to stake its claim in this part of downtown. In March, the Tavern Hospitality Group — which owns the six Tavern locations along with Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, the Soiled Dove Underground and Cowboy Lounge — introduced Otra Vez, a Mexican food and mezcal restaurant, just a few blocks away at 610 16th Street. And last November, longtime Jefferson Park staple La Loma opened in the old Trinity Grille location across from the Brown Palace.

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