A citywide survey to identify historic and architecturally significant structures will gather information about Denver's 160,000 buildings using public records, neighborhood canvassing, academic research and tips from the public.
The project, called
Discover Denver, is a collaboration between Historic Denver Inc. and the city's Landmark Preservation staff. Findings from the survey will be available online so everyone from property owners to history buffs to real estate agents can learn about Denver's past building by building.
"The Discover Denver survey is an ambitious project, but there are huge benefits," says Brad Buchanan, executive director of Denver Community Planning and Development. "It can help us make more informed decisions about places -- as a city and as individual property owners."
The survey comes on the heels of three recently completed pilot projects that looked at 3,000 buildings in five Denver neighborhoods:
- Harvey Park in southwest Denver has a wealth of mid-century modern architecture, including the only Colorado homes designed by architect Cliff May.
- Park Hill and Berkeley, the location of mainly small 1920s homes and homes that belonged to some of the city's earliest entrepreneurs, including Dave Cook and James Covillo.
- Cole and Globeville, where buildings were built around streetcar corridors, provide insight into what life was like for Denverites before the automobile.
"Discover Denver is a way for all of us to discover vintage buildings that matter to our community," says Annie Levinsky, executive director of Historic Denver. "The pilots just scratched the surface of the treasures Denver's neighborhoods hold."
Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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