The Stapleton control tower once was the beacon that guided airplanes into Denver, but now the question is what to do with it.

A committee of Denver residents plans to meet regularly over the next year to hash out possibilities.

City Council member Chris Herndon, who brought the committee together, said residents have suggested a variety of ideas, including a restaurant, a museum, a zip line, a youth center and a climbing wall.

“When you’re going down I-70, you see the skyline and the tower,” Herndon said. “Putting together residents is a great first step.”

At the same time, Forest City, the lead developer of the Stapleton neighborhood, plans to update its information on the structural condition of the tower.

Several years ago, nonprofit Stapleton Development Corp. paid to stabilize the building to keep it from deteriorating.

Forest City’s study will estimate the costs of improving the structure’s accessibility and bringing it up to code.

Tom Gleason, a Forest City spokesman, said it plans to complete the study by early January.

After that, he said, officials could decide whether to solicit more proposals or to work with one of the developers that have already contacted Forest City.

“We have talked with a large number of proponents of one sort or another over the years,” Gleason said. “We’ve had a lot of suggestions about what could be done there.”

The top of the control tower, which Gleason estimates is less than 500 square feet, is considered too small for a restaurant, but it could be some form of an observatory, if brought into compliance.

“It’s a pretty unique viewpoint up there,” said Jo-Nell Herndon, chairwoman of the committee. “It’ll be neat to see how we can share that.”

At its base, the tower has about 15,000 square feet of former office space spread across three floors.

Jo-Nell Herndon, who isn’t related to the councilman, said the community group will research funding options, such as grants, to help improve the structure. She said some suggestions have involved creating space for nonprofit groups or arts organizations at the site, with an educational component for students. Solar panels also have been suggested.

While the former airport’s runways and, more recently, a parking garage have been removed and recycled, the tower northwest of Central Park and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards has remained as a symbol of the neighborhood.

Gleason said: “It’s always been pretty clear that the community had an interest in seeing the property preserved.”

Matthew Rodriguez: 303-954-2409 or mrodriguez@denverpost.com