FORT COLLINS — Broadbent & Associates, Inc. (Broadbent), an environmental consulting, water resource, and engineering firm with more than 35 years of experience across the West, has relocated its Fort Collins office to 171 N. College Avenue, a commercial building constructed in 1881 in the heart of Old Town.

Curiosity about the history of the new Fort Collins office was shared across Broadbent’s Colorado team. Prior to the move, Project Historian Matthew Johns, who is part of Broadbent’s larger Cultural Resources team, researched the building to uncover its past and highlight its enduring role in the heart of Old Town.

The research revealed more than a century of commercial activity. One of the building’s earliest tenants was the Wano Café, opened in 1908 by Charles Dinnebeck. Known as a local favorite, the café was the first restaurant encountered when traveling from the railway station into Fort Collins’ business district and was celebrated for its wide-ranging menu, from a 10-cent lunch to a 25-cent dinner. The café continued under new ownership in 1914 before the building transitioned in 1919 to the Leader Mercantile Company, a clothing retailer that marked another chapter in the building’s evolving story.

“This building has lived many lives, and we’re proud to be part of its next chapter,” said Tadd Wales, Associate Geologist & Fort Collins Manager. “Exploring its history was a simple way for us to honor the community we’re part of.”

The Fort Collins office supports Broadbent’s expanding Colorado operations in environmental compliance, remediation, water resources, and cultural resource management. For more information, visit www.broadbentinc.com.