Denver's Historic Homes

Photo by Marc Rochkind [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMolly_Brown_House_Porch_Detail.jpg]

When you travel back east and get a sense of just how old our country really is, I know Denver may appear somewhat less impressive, but, Denver can indeed confidently claim neighborhoods with historical character and architectural styles. I recently found out that there are three locations that are applying for designation as historic districts/landmarks- The National Western Stockshow stadium arena (not awarded), the Emily Griffith Opportunity School (awarded), and the 200 block of South Lincoln Street (awarded). The homes there, built between 1889 and 1895, feature Queen Anne Architecture and were designed by William Lang, a noteworthy Denver architect who designed 250 buildings around town, including the Molly Brown House and the Castle Marne Mansion.  The block is thought to be the largest collection of intact, co-located Lang-designed Queen Anne homes, with one individual home already designated as a historic landmark.

What’s the rationale behind designating homes as “historic?”

One only needs to drive through the Highlands or Berkeley and see the cavernous holes in the ground with cranes to see that individual new builds and larger developments are cropping up everywhere. In some cases, whole blocks are wiped out, in others, a home that way outsizes its lot sits next to an original build from the late 1800’s. There is an effort currently underway to save some of the city’s landmarks and districts. This may be a repeat in history- in the 1970’s Denver’s historic structures faced mass demolition. A group of concerned citizens created Historic Denver, Inc., one of the nation’s premier historic preservation organizations. Historic Denver’s rationale behind preservation is not to create museum-like buildings but to reuse them in such a way that promotes sustainability, economic development, and community identity.

 So, how does a home, neighborhood or a landmark receive the designation as “historic?”

The process used to designate a structure or district under the local ordinance is much like the processes used in other land use decisions and includes many opportunities for public input. Any member of the community can submit a nomination for designation, in the form of an application. Then the application is run through multiple reviews by the Landmark Preservation Committee and others until it goes to a final vote by City Council.

There are 334 historic landmarks and 52 historic districts in Denver.

Here’s the 101 breakdown of just some of them with their architectural styles:

Curtis Park, the first street car suburb that includes styles such as Italianate, Queen Anne, Second Empire, Romanesque, and Carpenter Gothic

Highlands/West Highlands (including Potter, Wolff, and Ghost): Queen Anne, Craftsman Bungalows, Classic Cottages, Denver Squares, Colonial and Dutch Revival, Mission and Prairie Style homes

Capitol Hill: Romanesque, Queen Anne, Denver Square, Art Deco, Italianate, and Contemporary apartments and office spaces.

East 7^th Avenue (my personal favorite) is the largest historic district in Denver and includes Neoclassical, Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival styles.

Country Club: Denver Square, Gothic Revival, Colonial Revival, Mediterranean Revival, and other 20^th Century eclectic revival styles

Baker: Queen Anne, Italianate, Classical Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival and Denver Square

Montclair: Bungalows, Vernacular houses, Queen Anne, Foursquare, Neoclassical, Bungalows, and Tudor Revival

Park Hill: Queen Anne, Italianate, Arts and Crafts Bungalows, Denver Square, Ranch homes, Colonial, Tudor and Mediterranean Revival, and Midcentury Modern

Washington Park: Classical Revival, Craftsman, and Italianate

What if I live in a historic district? What should I consider related to home improvements?

If you live in a historic district or are considering purchasing a home in one, any changes that require zoning, building, demolition, revocable and/or curb cut permit for work on the exterior of a building and/or its landscape require prior approval from the Landmark Preservation Committee. Some examples of this include: additions, new roofing or siding, exterior doors, exterior alterations, and window replacement or installation. Changing paint colors does not need to be reviewed by the committee.

Economics: How does the designation affect home values and are there other financial considerations?

Properties in historic districts sell for a premium compared to similar homes and the designation has not shown to devalue homes. Buyers are attracted to historic districts because designation acts as a safe-guard against teardowns, poorly maintained homes, overbuilding and provides some assurance of the future of the neighborhood- sort of like an HOA without annual or monthly fees. Plus, there are state tax credits on Qualified Rehabilitation Expenses (QRE) as well as federal tax credits for costs associated with restoration, rehabilitation or preservation.

Resources for historic home owners

Historic Denver, Inc. has a library of resources for community members and building owners. They host Homeowner workshops on topics such as energy efficiency, restoration tips, and historic preservation basics and tax credits. For more information, visit http://www.historicdenver.org/resources/.