DTC developer John Madden Jr., known for his art-infused buildings, dies at 94

Longtime developer John Madden Jr., whose emphasis on art and landscaping produced some of the more distinctive buildings in the Denver Tech Center, died last week. He was 94.

The John Madden Co.’s buildings included the Palazzo Verdi Office Tower, which features stone interior finishes and the Madden Museum of Art. The artwork in the lobby atrium includes a hand-carved replica of the labyrinth from the Chartres Cathedral in France.

Other projects were Harlequin Plaza and Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre.

Fiddler’s Green, the scene of concerts in the summer, was designed as an earth sculpture that could accommodate performances, Madden Leitner said. Her father worked with his wife, Marjorie Putt Madden, and Madden Leitner on Fiddler’s Green and the Museum of Outdoor Arts, which owns the amphitheater and works with Anschutz Entertainment Group to book the 18,000-seat venue.