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Historic Church is Denver's
Newest Landmark
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Site is first in Colorado to receive historic recognition for role in LGBT rights movement
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The First Unitarian Society of Denver building at 1400 Lafayette St., which served as a gathering place in the advancement of social justice issues in Colorado, became a local historic landmark via a vote of Denver City Council. The site, whose architecture and geography also meet the city’s designation criteria, is the first in Colorado to be recognized at the local, state or national level for its importance in the history of the LGBT rights movement.
The First Unitarian congregation has a long history of social justice work, including involvement with women’s rights and suffrage, civil rights and immigration justice. Over the years, it has welcomed social justice organizations that could find no other public venue for their meetings or presentations.
“Preserving sites like this helps us tell our city’s story – the whole story,” said Brad Buchanan, executive director of Denver Community Planning and Development. “While Denver’s landmarks include buildings originally built by and for those with wealth and social status, they also include equally important places linked to people who may have been left out of the history textbooks.”
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New Design Standards to Preserve and Enhance Five Points
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The Landmark Preservation Commission on July 19 approved new design standards and guidelines for the Five Points Historic Cultural District — the only historic district designated for its history and geography, and not its architecture.
The new design standards will preserve and enhance the character-defining features of the area by promoting context-sensitive building types, “main street” pedestrian-friendly design elements, interpretive signs, public art and high-quality commercial signs that evoke the historic neon signs of the period of significance (through 1964).
The adoption of the guidelines follows a lengthy public outreach progress that involved property owners, business owners and residents.
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Conservation Zoning Proposed for Krisana Park
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Denver City Council Member Paul Kashmann has proposed a conservation overlay for the Krisana Park area, part of the Virginia Village neighborhood. The new conservation overlay zone district will conserve the Eichler style of these California contemporary homes built by H.B. Wolff in the 1950s.
The new zoning regulations would preserve house placement on lots; low-pitched rooflines; low-profile, single-story or split-level building heights; and additions compatible in scale and proportion to the original buildings.
Listen to coverage of the Krisana Park overlay on Colorado Public Radio.
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Bosler House Comeback Continues
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The historic Bosler House at 3209 W. Fairview has been steadily making a comeback thanks to the efforts of new owners Steve and Jan Davis. The once-dilapidated building received exterior repairs this summer including a new roof and cornice. Next up are masonry repairs, and eventually replacement of windows, doors and porches. More work is happening inside to replace floors, stairs and walls and install new plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.
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The Colorado State Historical Fund issued a $122,000 grant to Historic Denver, Inc., for window replacement at the Bosler House. The Davises will contribute at least 50 percent matching funds.
The Davises plan to make the Bosler House their home when restoration is complete. You can follow the Davises’ “Bosler Blog” to watch their progress.
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Emily Griffith Site may have New Future as Hotel
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At its September 15 meeting, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education will vote on whether to approve the sale of the historic Emily Griffith Opportunity School campus to local hotel developer Stonebridge Cos. for $26.1 million.
In 2015, the City and County of Denver funded an analysis of the former Emily Griffith Opportunity School campus at 12th and Glenarm that would ensure the preservation and responsible redevelopment of the school -- a defining presence downtown. On May 16, 2016, Denver City Council designated the site as a city landmark, clearly defining buildings eligible for preservation, as well as appropriate "mass, form and scale" of any future redevelopment on the site.
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Have you taken the new Denveright survey?
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As Denver continues to grow and change, what are your hopes? Your concerns? What changes in land use, mobility, parks and recreational resources would make life in Denver more enjoyable? Tell us in the latest Denveright survey!
As summer moves into fall we'll be making our way around town to talk to more and more people about Denveright. Check our calendar for individual plan meetings, think tank meetings and public open houses, as well as community events where we'll have a Denveright booth. Come see us, share your voice and learn more about city planning!
Join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using hashtag #denveright to hear what others are saying about Denver's future.
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About Landmark Preservation
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Landmark preservation is an important function of Denver Community Planning and Development. Denver City Council enacted the Denver Landmark Ordinance in 1967 to foster the protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of structures and districts of historical, architectural and/or geographic significance.
Staff in our Landmark Preservation office and two landmark boards carry out that mission through design review, historic surveys and landmark designations. Staff also assists owners of historic properties by providing guidance and resources for preserving, maintaining and rehabilitating historic buildings and properties. You can learn more about Denver's preservation efforts at Denvergov.org/landmark. Follow us on Twitter at @DenverCPD.
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