Stapleton Airport near downtown Denver served the city since 1929. By the 1980s, it was becoming overburdened and could no longer meet the needs of the growing city. Surrounded by urban development, it could not expand.

Once the new airport went into operation 1995, Stapleton Airport closed. Eventually, all the buildings were demolished—except for one. The control tower still stands. It is now a restaurant, and visitors can enjoy great views of the city atop the 12-story tower.

The rest of the land of the airport became part of one of the largest urban redevelopments in the country. Stapleton is now a growing master-planned community with a combination of residential, retail, commercial, and plenty of green space. The residential areas include apartments, townhomes, rowhouses, and larger single-family houses to make it a mixed-income region.

Consisting of 12 neighborhoods, each with its own character, Stapleton’s population grew from 5,000 in 2006 to 28,000 in 2018.