Key points

Jurisdiction
Montbello is in the City and County of Denver. Denver's permitting office and fire department apply, not Commerce City's.
ZIP
Mostly 80239.
Building types
Many single-story office-warehouse and flex buildings, often from the 1970s and 1980s, divided into multiple tenant units.
Common features
Front offices with suspended ceilings, rear storage with roll-up doors, low-slope roofs with rooftop units.
Neighbors
Residential streets sit near some business parks, so noisy night work and generator placement deserve thought.

Why these buildings behave differently

The business parks on the Montbello side of I-70 are generally smaller in scale than the big distribution buildings to the north. A typical building might hold several tenants, each with an office in front and a warehouse or shop in back. That makes losses here more often a matter of a single unit, or two or three neighboring units, than a whole-building event.

The proportion of finished space is higher than in a pure warehouse. Front offices with drywall, ceiling tile, carpet and furniture can be a large share of each unit, so even a modest water loss can involve a lot of material removal and drying. Rooftop units over offices are a frequent leak point in older roofs, especially where curbs and flashing have aged.

Buildings of this era may also have demising walls that stop at the ceiling, shared roof drains between units, and older plumbing. Ask the landlord or property manager for the building's history of leaks and roof work.

Sorting a loss in a Montbello flex unit

  • IfWater is coming through the ceiling at a rooftop unitThenNotify the landlord, protect contents below, and ask for a roofer or mechanical contractor to check the curb and flashing.
  • IfWater or smoke came from a neighboring unitThenPhotograph your space, notify the landlord and your insurer, and avoid cleaning before documenting.
  • IfOnly the rear warehouse is affectedThenWater removal and drying may be quick on a slab; check wall bottoms and anything stored on the floor.
  • IfRepairs will change walls or ceilingsThenAsk whether a Denver permit is required before reconstruction.
  • IfThe building is older and drywall or floor tile will be removedThenAsk whether asbestos testing is needed first.
Map of Montbello. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

General information for Commerce City, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.