Downtown...
Auraria Library
Entranceway to the Miesian Auraria Library, designed 1974 by world famous architect
Helmut Jahn.
The building is currently in danger of being lost to insensitive additions. Let us hope
cooler heads prevail!
Louvered windows and radial corner.
July 29th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Curtain wall
One last curtain-wall building photo from downtown…
The famous Miesian Mile High Tower, part of the Mile High
Plaza designed 1956 by I.M. Pei and Henry Cobb. The plaza
is now incorporated into Philip Johnson’s Norwest Plaza.
July 27th, 2010 / 1 Comment » / by Tom Lundin
Western Federal Savings
Another Formalist high-rise with glass-curtain walls by Raymond
Harry Ervin, built 1962. Originally there were large “W”s on each
side of the rooftop box.
July 27th, 2010 / 1 Comment » / by Tom Lundin
First National Bank
One of Denver’s earlier skyscrapers, the Formalist First National
Bank Building.
Designed 1958 by Raymond Harry Ervin, the same architect who
designed the Art Deco Harry Huffman Mansion from the post
below.
July 26th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Jay Wieder Orchestra
This 1976 big band lp by the Jay Weider Orchestra gives us an opportunity to view
the historic Denver skyline. (You can click these photos to enlarge)
Here you can see some of the contributions of architects I.M. Pei, James Sudler (who co-designed the Denver Art Museum with Gio Ponti), Charles Strong (designer of Denver’s Art Deco Poet’s Row), Raymond Harry Ervin (note the original “W” on the Western Federal building) and Minoru Yamasaki (designer of NY’s World Trade Center twin towers).
Across the street from the Denver Public Library, you can see the construction site for the Colorado Judicial Building and the Colorado History Building, both currently being torn down.
Jay Wieder was a famous local orchestra leader who often played at the Trocadero Ballroom (Elitch Gardens) and the El Patio Ballroom (Lakeside Amusement Park). Wieder and his orchestra portrayed the Glenn Miller Orchestra in the 1953 film The Glenn Miller Story.
June 8th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Folded-plate McDonalds
It’s sad, but this folded-plate roof building on the 16th Street Mall is now gone.
McDonalds is still there, but nothing of this ’60s-era building remains.
May 20th, 2010 / 2 Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Denver Court House screen
The sculptured screen on the Denver Court House designed by
Denver architect Alan Gass.
The Denver Court House & Federal Building were designed 1965 by
James Sudler and Fisher & Davis.
May 20th, 2010 / 3 Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Sculptured relief
Aluminum sculptured relief above the entranceway of the First National Bank building.
The bank was designed 1957 by Raymond Harry Ervin and is now called 621 17th Street.
May 19th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Rockmount Ranch Wear
Prairie-style building, designed 1909 as an early work by Denver architects Fisher & Fisher.
Prairie-style is usually used to describe homes built after the turn of the century by Chicago architects, mainly Frank Lloyd Wright. It is not commonly seen in use for commercial buildings.
Rockmount Ranch Wear took over the location way back in 1946, and remains one of the greatest western wear stores in the country. Pay the store a visit during Doors Open Denver coming up soon on April 17th and 18th.
April 8th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Vintage Firestone
Vintage Firestone building from the ’50s in downtown Denver
Folded plate and vintage tile…
March 28th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Denver Gas & Electric Light Co.
Designed by Harry Edbrooke 1910, in a style similar to Chicago’s Louis Sullivan.
January 16th, 2010 / No Comments » / by admin
Oxford Hotel ad
The Oxford Hotel, designed 1891 by Frank Edbrooke in the Richardsonian Romanesque style.
Ad from 1959
December 1st, 2009 / No Comments » / by Paul Schutt
Buerger Brothers terra cotta
Art Deco terra cotta design from the Buerger Brothers building on Champa St.
Designed 1929 by Montana Fallis, who also designed the Mayan Theatre.
November 30th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Cruise Room in the Oxford Hotel
Inside The Cruise Room at the Oxford Hotel.
The Cruise Room was designed 1933 by Charles Jaka.
The Cruise Room combines Art Deco and Streamline Moderne elements.
“Here’s How”
November 29th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
First National Bank building
First National Bank building, designed by Raymond Harry Ervin, 1958.
November 17th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Paul Schutt
Denver Club Building
Miesian design by Raymond Harry Ervin, 1954.
November 17th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Paul Schutt
Titan Missile in Civic Center Park
Titan missile on display in Denver’s Civic Center Park 1959.
As with any picture on this site, click to enlarge.
November 8th, 2009 / 1 Comment » / by Paul Schutt
Zeckendorf Plaza
Zeckendorf Plaza, also referred to as Court House Square as this was once the location of the Arapahoe County Courthouse.
Built for William Zeckendorf’s Webb & Knapp firm by I.M. Pei, Henry Cobb, Araldo Cossutta and the firm of Rogers and Butler. The Plaza, parabaloid and May D&F Department Store were finished in 1958, the Hilton Hotel was completed in 1960.
This was I.M. Pei’s second major commission in Denver, the first being the classic Mile High Tower.
May Company and Daniels & Fisher were merged in 1957 in anticipation of the plaza. Both were Colorado based companies. As you can see above, May Co. was started in 1877 in Leadville, Daniels started the store that became Daniel’s & Fisher in Denver in 1864.
One of the most outstanding features was the decision to build the country’s widest concrete shell Hyperbolic Parabaloid structure on the site. The roof was actually four hyperbolic parabaloids put together. Engineered by Anton Tedesko.
Intended to be Denver’s version of Rockefeller Center, the plaza featured a skating rink, reflecting pool, mini-golf, trees, and a flag display.
Across the street from the plaza was the block-long Hilton Hotel, here shown under construction in 1959. Zeckendorf Plaza was the first major development to combine a hotel, department store and a public plaza in the U.S.
The Hilton Hotel design has similarities to Le Corbusier’s Unite d’Habitation in Marseilles.
One of the saddest moments in Denver’s architectural history was the loss of the plaza, the parabaloid, and the accompanying changes to the department store and hotel in 1995 when Adam’s Mark Hotel took over the location. I.M. Pei’s masterful Denver landmark parabaloid was replaced with an uninspired box. (Adam’s Mark Hotel has since sold the location).
The Hilton Hotel, now The Sheraton Hotel, retains most of it’s exterior charm despite the alterations. It was made from pre-cast concrete that included soil escavated from the court house site, giving the structure it’s unique coloring.
October 27th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
Terra cotta
Beautiful terra cotta design above one of the entranceways to the Brown Palace Hotel.
The hotel was designed in 1892 by Frank Edbrooke for Henry Brown.
August 9th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
