Download Please note special days and/or hours for each site. Much more

Please note special days and/or hours for each site.
Much more information on each site may be found at:
www.DoorsOpenDenver.org
New this year indicated in blue
Paramount Theatre
Location Number: 29
Urban Adventures: H, I
1621 Glenarm Place
SAT 10AM - 2PM
SUN 10AM - 4PM
www.paramountdenver.com
Year Built: 1930
Architect: Temple Buell & George Rapp
Originally designed for the silent movies of the time, this theatre houses a one-of-a-kind
Wurlitzer twin-console organ. Buell claimed the Paramount as the finest example of his
work. Theatre tours, organ music, demos and a slide show will be offered throughout the
weekend.
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Public restrooms
The theatre is not only an excellent illustration of Art Deco design and craftsmanship but
a tribute to an architect who made considerable contributions to Denver. Buell claimed
the Paramount as the finest example of his work.
Originally designed for the silent films of the time, this theatre houses a Wurlitzer twinconsole theatre pipe organ designed to produce varied sound effects for accompaniment
to the picture show. The organ remains one of the largest ever installed in the region
and is joined by its sister in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall as one of only two
remaining original Wurlitzer twin-console installations.
The façade is pre-cast concrete blocks enhanced by glazed terra cotta moldings, a
striking contrast to the surrounding buildings. Terra cotta decorative elements create the
illusion of extra height for the three-story building. The ornate details above the windows
and on the sills showcase a recurrent interior motif of rosettes, leaves, feather and
fiddle-head ferns.
The interior represents an excellent example of “Zig Zag Art Deco” design, the fanciful
and ornamental architectural expression popularized in the Jazz Age.
The building was also equipped with luxuries consistent with the golden age of film: an
ornamented lobby, indirect lighting, vaulted sunburst ceiling, cut-glass chandeliers,
Egyptian lights, Italian marble and a neon marquee. The colorful and dramatic false gold
leafing, as well as copper and bronzing in the auditorium, frame silk murals created by
renowned artist Vincent Mondo.
The Paramount was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and was
declared a historic landmark by the City of Denver in 1988.
The Denver’s Paramount Theatre continues to be an excellent example of “City
Beautiful: Then & Now”.
Park Hill Branch Library
Location Number: 16
Urban Adventures: A, F, L
4705 Montview Boulevard
SAT 9AM - 5PM
Architect: Burnham Hoyt
This Denver Public Library is of Spanish Renaissance style, featuring cream-colored
stucco accented by a red tile. Adding to the noteworthy detail, acanthus pilasters accent
the lead glass windows.
www.denverlibrary.org
Year Built: 1920
Photography Allowed: Yes, but not of customers or staff.
Services: Disabled access, public restrooms, free parking
Public Transit: RTD buses #20, #32, #40, and DD stop near the Library on Colorado and
Montview Boulevards
Inside, the high ceiling is graced with heavy oak beams while a charming bay window
with seating is framed by leaded, diamond pane windows. The Park Hill Branch is the
5th oldest Carnegie Library in Denver that is still in use today as a library. The building
was remodeled and enlarged in 1964 by Smith and Thorson. In 1989, the Denver
Landmark Preservation Commission named Park Hill Branch Library a historic landmark.
Another remodel in 1994 by David Owen Tryba Architects restored the original historic
details of the building, including the Robert Garrison sculpture, a clay medallion above
the fireplace commemorating Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient
Mariner.” The 1994 renovation also added a patio, elevator and air conditioning! Another
renovation in 2008 by Oz Architecture added a new carpet, new paint and a new
checkout area. Built with an original capacity of 8,000 books, the library now houses
almost 50,000 books, DVDs and CDs with 13 computers available for public use.
Park Hill Branch Library is available for a self guided tour on Saturday, April 13, 2013
during open hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Staff members also will be available to answer
questions about the building.
Perrenoud Condominiums
Location Number: 32
Urban Adventures: E
836 East 17th Ave.
SAT 10AM - 4PM
SUN 10AM - 4PM
www.ThePerrenoud.com
Architect: Frank Snell
The four-story atrium is a rarely seen architectural jewel! Enjoy the original stained glass,
marble, mirrored hall, mosaic floor and birdcage elevator.
Year Built: 1901
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Limited free parking
Public Transit: RTD Routes 12, 20
The archive gallery displays fascinating facts and photos about this amazing building
and the Perrenoud family.
The Perrenoud Apartments were built by the daughters of John Perrenoud. Denver
pioneers, they arrived in 1862 and moved into the building in 1902. The building was
sold in 1922 and changed hands many times until 1949 when the residents purchased
the building from the National Farmers Union Life Associaiton to save it from becoming
an office building. It then became the first Denver co-op, and became condominiums in
1986.
The architectural style is an eclectic mix of classical elements, with the austere exterior
in contrast to an interior rich with decorative features. There are four exceptional pieces
of stained glass: the exterior entrance light, the window transom above the entrance, the
fireplace glass front and the atrium ceiling. All are original pieces along with the Italian
marble entry steps, mosaic tile floor, lobby furniture and birdcage elevator. When the
building opened the lower level contained a kitchen with full time chef, a dining room,
ballroom, and staffed laundry. Each unit had its own dumbwaiter and food could be sent
to each apartment.
Platt Park / Fleming House
Location Number: 61
Urban Adventures: B
1500 South Grant Street
SAT 10AM - 4PM
SUN 10AM - 4PM
Architect: James Fleming
This historic house is the landmark of the Platt Park neighborhood and was the City Hall
for the City of South Denver before it was annexed.
www.DenverGov.org
Year Built: 1882
Photography allowed:
Services provided:
Public Transit:
The James Fleming House is a historic stone house situated in Platt Park on South
Grant Street. This lovely former home built by James Fleming in 1882 is the landmark of
the Platt Park neighborhood and was the city hall for the City of South Denver before it
was annexed by its neighbor to the north. Over the years, the house has been used as a
library, as a meeting space for the South Side Women's Club and other nonprofits, and
as a recreation center. The house has been underutilized in recent years. A few pool
tables sit in the main room, and another room on the main floor was at one time
converted to a wood working shop that is rarely used and is something of a hazard. The
upstairs is mostly used for storage and is only accessed by an existing servants' stair.
The interior is in desperate need of repair and refurbishment, something that will not
happen given the budget constraints on the Parks and Recreation Department.
The Park People is working to rehabilitate the Fleming House. The first floor will be
upgraded into a beautiful community space, available for a variety of meetings, events,
and special gatherings. A reconstructed central staircase to the second floor will be
installed where the original existed years ago; a bearing wall that was removed circa
1914 will be relocated to its original location.
The second floor will be renovated for use by The Park People as our headquarters.
Offices, work spaces, a break room, and a bathroom will all be updated using the
existing layout of the top floor. Throughout the house, the floors and windows will be
replaced and refurbished, along with updated electrical and plumbing to allow for the
building’s expanded use. Where ever possible, fixtures and finishes will reflect the idea
of a modern use for a historic structure. This project will breathe new life into this
building, creating a public amenity for the Platt Park neighborhood and giving The Park
People a larger home for its growing list of activities. The renovation will preserve this
important historical structure going into the future, and The Park People’s presence will
ensure that the Fleming House will receive the tender loving care that it deserves.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Visitor Center & Trading Post
Location Number: 65
Urban Adventures: A, B, I
17900 Trading Post Road
SAT 10AM - 4PM
SUN 10AM - 4PM
Architect: W.R. Rosche; Sink Combs Dethlefs (2001) & Burnham Hoyt, FAIA (1933)
Historically known as the Red Rocks Pueblo, The Trading Post originally contained a
dining room, luncheonette, soda fountain and “Indian curios.” The Trading Post has a
breathtaking view of the valley and the rock formations to the south.
www.RedRocksOnline.com
Year Built: 1931
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Full disabled access, public restrooms, food/beverage service, free
parking
Regis University - Loyola Hall
Location Number: 4
Urban Adventures: L
3333 Regis Blvd.
SAT 10AM - 4PM
Architect: Patrick D. Horgan
Opened to house classrooms, offices and the library, Loyola Hall was remodeled in 1979
and still contains classrooms and offices for Regis’ Academic Dean and criminal justice,
forensics, sociology, and religious studies programs.
www. Regis.edu
Year Built: 1951
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Full disabled access, public restrooms
Loyola Hall was constructed in 1951 by architect Patrick D. Horgan. The first classes
were held Oct. 26, 1951. The building contained classrooms, offices and the library,
which was moved out of Loyola in 1966. Today Loyola Hall Serves as the main
classroom building for Regis College, housing the office of the Academic Dean of Regis
College, faculty offices, as well as the writing center. The building was remodeled in
1978/79.
Regis University - Old Main
Location Number: 3
Urban Adventures: L
3333 Regis Blvd.
SAT 10AM - 4PM
Architect: Harry Manning
Part of Regis University, Old Main was designed in 1922 by Harry Manning.
www.
Year Built: 1922
Photography Allowed:
Services
Public Transit:
Upon the move of Regis University from Las Vegas to Denver, much work was put in on
the part of many people to make the move successful. Initially John Walker donated 40
acres of land, any of the Jesuits choosing, in order to raise the value of his real estate
holdings. His stipulations on the donation were rather specific, that the building upon the
land must be erected as follows, 297 feet long and at least 4 stories high with a height of
60 feet. Another man by the name of L.K. Perrin donated another 10 acres to help the
cause. Dominic Pantanella, President of the college, was in charge and made the
decision making in those aforementioned dealings. Pantanella, along with a fellow
Jesuit Edward Barry, began the design process for the structure. Barry was charged with
the task of overseeing the whole construction process, both physically and financially.
Pantanella was able to sign contracts with many architects, bricklayers, carpenters and
excavators of whom the most notable were Dozier and Cozin, the primary architects. On
September 13, 1887 ground was broken, thus beginning the rather short process of
construction for such a large building. The legend was born that the building was
completed in 98 days, largely associated with the fact that Pantanella was very keen
with his contractors that the structure must be erected in 100 days. Indeed the building
was erected in that time constraint, but the interior was not finished until nearly a year
later.
Riverside Cemetery
Location Number: 2
Urban Adventures: B
5201 Brighton Blvd.
SUN 10AM - 4PM
Architect: Frank E. Edbrooke
Even at its founding these 77 acres stood out as being uniquely rural and park-like. Now
as Denver’s oldest operating cemetery the land has earned pastoral designation as a
National Historic District.
www.FairmountHeritageFoundation.org
Year Built: 1903
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Partial disabled access; public restrooms; free parking
Within the cemetery are creations of Harvey C. Lowrie and Frank E. Edbrooke as well as
the resting places of Tabor, Evans, Elbert, and Routt family members. It is the boundary
between Adams and Denver counties. Despite the statuary, mausoleum, and official
military cemetery with three civil war Medal of Honor recipients within, the site was called
one of the state’s most endangered places by Colorado Preservation, Inc.
Riverside Cemetery was founded in 1876 without a written agreement on water rights
and was designated a National Historic District in 1994. The building that served as the
2nd office for the cemetery (the 1st being in the caretaker’s cottage), known as the
Stone House is still on site. It was constructed in of Colorado limestone during the early
1880’s, in the Victorian style; the architect is unknown.
The current Office/Chapel/ Crematory (all one building) was designed by Frank
Edbrooke in 1903, in the Prairie Mission style. It was the 1st crematory in Colorado and
was last used in the 1980’s.
The Riverside Revival, in its 5th year, is developing an environmentally sustainable
landscape to preserve the heritage trees, historic monuments and restore the Riverside
landscape permanently. Riverside is Denver’s oldest operating cemetery. In addition to
the buildings at Riverside there are also:
3 family mausoleums, each with a very distinct architectural style.
Six Colorado State University Plant Select Demonstration Gardens; a horticulturist will
be on hand to answer questions about the sustainable plan for Riverside and the plants
used.
The largest collection of zinc monuments in the US, as well as one very rare zinc
monument restored by the Fairmount Heritage Foundation in 2008 with funding from the
State Historical Fund.
Birdbox Trail that offers the opportunity to safely view a variety of bird habitats, along
with the various materials and construction styles each species uses for its nests.
Ornithologists will be on hand to answer questions.
Historic photo, archival and artifact displays.
FREE Vintage Base Ball Match (yes, it was 2 words back then) by the Colorado
Vintage Base Ball Association at 12:00pm
Sage Building
Location Number: 30
Urban Adventures: G
1575 Welton Street
SAT 12PM - 2PM
SUN 12PM - 2PM
Architect: klipp
www.sagehospitality.com
Year Built: 1920
Architect: Merrill Hoyt; klipp (Redevelopment)
Photography Allowed: yes
Services Provided: Disabled access, public restrooms
Public Transit: 16th Street Mall Shuttle
Having been built as the Steel Building, the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission
and the City designated the building as contributing to the Downtown Historic District,
making it eligible for the Colorado Historical Society’s preservation fund assistance.
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Disabled access, public restrooms
Public Transit: 16th Street Mall Shuttle
Saddest of the buildings on this block was the once sparkling Steel Building at 16th &
Welton. Designed in the Renaissance Revival style, the Steel Building sported
neoclassical adornment such as Doric pilasters, a frieze decorated with antefix (upright
ornaments at the eaves), patera (round flower motif) in the spandrels and terra cotta
trim. This ornate four-story, 53,000 square foot building housed a full service department
store. Part of a nation-wide chain, Steel’s advertised “nothing over $20.” It also
contained a state-of-the-art “Persian Gardens” cafeteria. The Fontius Shoe Company
moved into the building in 1966 and stayed through 1989. The building became an
eyesore but with its renovation is now considered by the Colorado Historical Society as
one of the few significant historical low-rise buildings remaining along 16th Street.
South High School
Location Number: 60
Urban Adventures: A, L
1700 East Louisiana Ave
SAT 10AM - 4PM
SUN 10AM - 4PM
www.denversouth.org
Year Built: 1926
Architect: William E. & Arthur A. Fisher
The building was designed following the decade’s Romanesque trend and (like
Rockefeller Center) is adorned by local sculptor Robert Garrison.
Photography Allowed: Yes, but no photos may be taken of students
Services Provided: Full disabled access, public restrooms, free parking
Intended to last a century, the building cost $1,252,000. The architect favored the use
of painting and sculpture in Denver’s public buildings, influenced the use of statues and
terracotta figures as adornment. The entrance gargoyle was inspired by the Spoleto
Cathedral’s; also Italian in design is the clocktower, similar to Rome’s tallest medieval
belfry at Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
South High School held its first classes in 1893 in the two rooms of the old Grant
building, which is now the rebuilt Grant Middle School on Washington Street at Mexico
Avenue. By 1924, enrollment neared 800, and more space was desperately needed.
Funds for a new school were raised, and a cornerstone for the new building — today’s
South High — was laid on October 31, 1924 (it’s to the left of the main entrance). During
the school’s dedication ceremony, items were placed in the cornerstone: a Bible, an
American flag, a copy of the Constitution, a book of South High, signatures of the first
students and teachers, and Denver’s city charter. After the cornerstone was sealed,
corn, wine, and oil were scattered over the stone, representing nourishment,
refreshment, and joy.
Many of the building’s interior and exterior designs were copied from well-known Italian
structures; South’s versions were created by artist Robert Garrison. On the rooftop over
the main west entrance is a three-and-a-half foot-tall gargoyle, the symbolic protector of
South, inspired by one on Italy’s Spoleto Cathedral. Saint Ambrogio in Milan, Italy,
served as the model for the five arched loggia beneath the gargoyle. Topping the striped
poles on either side of the front entrance are figures of faculty members holding
creatures representing final exams. The creatures are about to devour the students
whose heads are resting on piles of books. The two friezes above the main west door
are entitled “Faculty Row” and “Animal Spirits.” The first, on the exterior of the building,
shows the principal in the center of a line of the entire faculty. On his right is the
assistant principal, and the now nonexistent dean of girls is on his left. The second
frieze, directly above the doors, depicts creatures that symbolize unscholarly behavior
such as rubber-band shooting and gum chewing.
The ornate door frame at the northwest entrance to the school bears a frieze that shows
students going to school — some eagerly and others by force. The school’s North Court
is guarded by four winged lions, or griffins, which have since been overgrown by vines.
South’s notable clock tower is thought to be a replica of Italy’s Santa Maria Cosmedin,
although there are some differences. This clock displays the zodiac around the dial,
beginning with Aries at one o’clock and running counterclockwise.
South has gone through many changes since its construction in 1925. The front of the
fourth floor was first designated a teachers’ lunchroom, and then served as a study hall
before being divided into three classrooms. An athlete study hall and a girl’s lounge have
evolved into the second-floor faculty lounge and the Community Room, respectively. The
Boy’s Gym, or North Gym, originally had a balcony allowing for spectator basketball
games. Math, science, and English classrooms were added in a southwest wing in 1964,
and a new gym was built in 1989. In 1992, South High School was designated as a
National Historic Landmark.
Sugar Building
Location Number: 13
Urban Adventures: H
1530 16th St.
SAT 2PM - 4PM
SUN 2PM - 4PM
Architect: Gove & Walsh
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, inside The Historic Sugar
Building are two original Otis cage elevators. Constructed by the Great Western Sugar
Company, this building was designed at four stories by Gove and Walsh. Another two
stories were added in 1912, as Great Western’s trade in sugar beets was growing to
become the country’s largest.
www.urban-villages.com
Year Built: 1906
Green Features: Waterless urinals, low-flow faucets, energy management system,
motion activated lighting, new insulation
Photography Allowed: Yes
Services Provided: Disabled access, paid parking
Public Transit: 16th St. Mall Shuttle
The Sugar Building’s intricately woven geometrical and floral terra cotta decorations and
its arrangement of windows between vertical piers have been called Sullivanesque, after
the skyscraper ornamentation style of Louis Sullivan. A testament to the substantial
influence of the Great Western Sugar Company on the economy of Colorado and to all
the men and women who founded it, the Sugar Building stands tall and proud and sweet.
Located in the heart of Denver’s Lower Downtown district, the Historic Sugar
building remains one of Denver’s great historic buildings. Designed by Gove and
Walsh, the same architectural firm that designed Union Station and built in 1906
for the Great Western Sugar Company, the building’s buff blond brick and rich
ornamentation make the building an architectural landmark in downtown Denver.
The interior of the building was completely remodeled in 2000 with new lobby and
common area finishes. The original iron cage Otis elevator also was refurbished
and is still in use for passenger service. The interiors of the office floors were also
remodeled with updated floor plans that offer both open floor plan and traditional
office style layouts.
The Sugar Building was originally built in 1906 to house the Great Western Sugar
Company; its design was to show the company’s power and connect with the City
Beautiful movement in Denver, making Denver a more attractive place to live and work.
In the end of the 1800s Mayor Speer was pushing the City Beautiful movement,
trying to get business owners to have nice looking buildings constructed for their growing
businesses. The Sugar Building, built for the Great Western Sugar Company—a very
wealthy and important company in the country. Aaron Gove and Thomas were hired to
design the building. They followed Chicago Architect Louis Sullivan’s style of creating
buildings that “form follows function”. The finished building was a beautiful Sullivanesque
style that sat in the heart of Denver’s Warehouse District.
The finished original building stood four stories tall and was constructed of buff
brick and cream colored terra cotta. The details along the building were designed after
geometric figures and foliage. Walsh and Gove used stock neoclassical-style pieces
from the Denver terra cotta Company’s catalog to decorate the building’s façade instead
of creating each piece from scratch. The completed building in 1906 housed two Otis
Elevators. In 1912 two more floors were added to the building. Upon completion the
Great Western Sugar Company was housed in the building. As time passed, the building
was eventually left empty for decades, but was later rehabbed in 1999, housing offices.
This building still stands as a beautiful reminder of the early 1900s architecture.
SugarCube Building
Location Number: 14
Urban Adventures: H
1555 Blake Street
SAT 12PM - 2PM
SUN 12PM - 2PM
Architect: Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg
The SugarCube building, constructed in 2008, is the modern counterpart to its
namesake, the historic Sugar Building, also owned by Urban Villages. The Sugar sisters
stand side by side, each a cutting edge architectural statement of their times.
www.
Year Built:
Photography Allowed:
Services Provided: Disabled access, paid parking
Public Transit: 16th St. Mall Shuttle
The SugarCube building, constructed in 2008, is the modern counterpart to its
namesake, the historic Sugar Building, also owned by Urban Villages. The Sugar
sisters stand side by side, each a cutting edge architectural statement of their
times. In the development of SugarCube, Urban Villages focused on beauty,
sustainability and energy efficiency. World class, Toronto based architect Bruce
Kuwabara of KPMB – Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg - designed SugarCube
with architectural cohesion as a central focus. As it relates to the Historic Sugar
Building, SugarCube echoes the dimensions, proportions and massing with masonry
piers and punched grid windows. The strong base along the 16th Street Mall is an
active one with Cholon Bistro on the corner and H Burger next door. Contrasting buff
and manganese colored brick delineate the commercial offices on the 2nd through
4th floors, from the 37 residential apartments on the 5th through 10th floors.
The vertical boundaries of the commercial space fronting Blake and 16th Street
align with the surrounding historic architecture of the block, while the residential
component is set back to fade into the night sky. Balconies that jut out from the
sides of the building add even more eye catching drama. The architectural elements
of the SugarCube building blend its façade with the adjacent Historic Sugar Building,
while maintaining an ultra-modern and sophisticated design.