Bye bye Bel Mar Office Tower

Well, we knew it was coming someday, but they finally started tearing down Lakewood’s Bel Mar Office Tower, formerly a Geico Insurance building, built 1970.

As with most aging, misunderstood, Modernist buildings, this was considered an eyesore by Lakewood residents. It is sad that there is little appreciation for historic architecture until it is gone.

It is rumored to be replaced by a Walgreens. Nothing against Walgreens, who can blame them, but if you want to determine where historic architecture once stood here in the front range, the odds are high that the location is now a Walgreens or one of those Payless drugstore buildings that were either never occupied or are now pawn shop locations.

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Posted in: Office buildings

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 15th, 2012 at 8:34 am and is filed under Office buildings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

6 Responses to “Bye bye Bel Mar Office Tower”

daniel August 15th, 2012 at 9:24 am

Unbelievably infuriating. This building is gorgeous. Walgreens is responsible for the destruction of WAY too many beautiful buildings across the U.S. I won’t go in ‘em anymore.

Anonymous August 17th, 2012 at 7:06 am

It’s a shame. Great photo though, glad you got to it with your camera.

Terri August 19th, 2012 at 6:44 pm

I worked for Geico when their office was downtown and then moved to Lakewood. I met my husband there. Hate to see it torn down. I was hoping they would revitalize it. But the Belmar “Downtown” Lakewood is nothing but “box” stores. Nothing interesting. Too bad they lack vision.

Joyce September 11th, 2012 at 11:39 am

I went to work for Geico right before they finished this building and moved into it the summer of 1970. It is a shame to see it torn down to be replaced by another Walgreens (like we don’t have enough of those already). I will miss it’s uniqueness and beauty and also wish they would have revitalized it. Another landmark gone, so sad.

Kevin Preston September 26th, 2012 at 5:17 pm

HI there, new to this site, wow, love it, lived in Denver from 1963-1973.

Just a question, what kind of a-hole, what kind of drippy, pinhead, stinky, slovenly knucke dragging d-bag would complain about this building and call it ugly?

Tragic shame.

Lost Tulsa April 10th, 2013 at 5:19 pm

This is sad to read. I think this is a amazing Modern building and I’m a little floored that they are going to destroy a historic landmark for yet another drug store.