Architecture study ranks Denver No. 8 (Boulder, Longmont: taxes, mall, bus)

[steveco.]

That would be I.M. Pei who designed the mile high center across the street.

[denverian]

Some of the modern architecture pics look like they could be in Sweeden!

I have to wonder how L.A. made the list. Maybe they considered that L.A. has the largest collection of 1960s "gingerbread" ranch home architecture on the planet!

[McGowdog]

Go over to the LA pics thread and check it out. Then you can question it. LA ain't too shabby either, once the Santa Annas blow the smoke and smog away...

[DenverAztec]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

Right you are. Mrs. McGowdog gave me a bum steer. I was getting to think she was always right! Or I was usually wrong.

Our little claim to fame; That Museum that I thought might have fit into the Denver scene;

Wonderful pics, McGowdog and yes they would totally fit into the 1800s Denver scene. Colorado has many gems like this throughout because of the mining of metals and coal. European Barrons looking to increase their wealth came to our hills, hence they brought with them their architectural flavors. In the early 1900s, Denver use to boast the most millionaires per square mile then any other city in the country.

Originally Posted by steveco.

That would be I.M. Pei who designed the mile high center across the street.

Excellent!

Originally Posted by denverian

Some of the modern architecture pics look like they could be in Sweeden!

I have to wonder how L.A. made the list. Maybe they considered that L.A. has the largest collection of 1960s "gingerbread" ranch home architecture on the planet!

L.A. does have some spectacular Deco buildings from the 1920s and 30s when glam really hit big. Denver and L.A. are the only two cities with the Mayan Meso-Deco style theaters still standing. We show movies in our Mayan and they use theirs for live concerts. Our Paramount theater is one of two that still have duling Whirlezer (sp?) organs that are still usable. L.A. is so high on the list based more on their current developments and creativity in architecture then their historical gems.

Question Three, who built the original Denver Art Museum and then who did the addition? Hit for the second part, the addition was his first U.S. structure and he is currently working on the World Trade Center rebuild.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

[b]

Poltergeist was also based on Cheeseman Park, building homes on scared land. .

Really? Where did you hear it?
The stories being similar, I can see how someone might think that, but I've never heard or read (in IMDB or Wikipedia) anything about that.
The one guy I always remember seeing at Cheesman was the dude in the bathrobe, smoking a pipe, who goes up to trees and pushes against them, seemingly as a form of exercise. I am not making this up; I've seen him a bunch of times and my relatives there have too.

[DenverAztec]

All from what I heard at time from my aunt who worked in the movie industry back then. Spielberg studied many haunted movie plots and with the Shinning's release in 1980. He looked at legends and lore of the rest of Colorado since the Shinning is based off of the Stanley Hotel. Steve King wrote part of that book while staying in the actual hotel, though in the movie they use a different building for the external shots. Spielberg is originally from Arizona and watched the spraw occuring then and that is why the movie takes place there (1983). However, his interest was piqued by what occured with the Denver sprawl of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Phoenix never had our history with it's structures, so he had to make it a modern day scenario. Gem of a movie and the "Go into the light..." line is even used in today's movies and lore.

With respect to the Cheesman dude in the bathrobe - EWWWW! In my 42 years in Denver and 20 something years on the hill, I have never seen him and hope I never do! However, I have seen a ton of other freaks in the park and especially in Queen Soopers. I love shopping there just to check out the clientele. It is less lively due to the cost of the area properties rising but the older I get, I am not sure I could handle the old days without having a stroke!

[CapHillboy]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

Question Three, who built the original Denver Art Museum and then who did the addition? Hit for the second part, the addition was his first U.S. structure and he is currently working on the World Trade Center rebuild.

Gio Ponti designed the DAM building in the 70s. (Not sure if it was the original, because a Denverite once told me that the Byers-Evans House next door was the first building to officially house the DAM. I've never read anything to corroborate that, though.)

And Liebeskind designed the new Hamilton wing, though i read a while ago that his part on the WTC in NYC has been truncated so much and his design so changed, that he really has very little to do with it at this point.

And another trivia question: IM Pei was involved in two other downtown Denver landmarks. One is gone now, but the other is doing very well, but in need of repair. Name those landmarks.

And, as everyone else has said, thanks, DenverAztec, for reminding me that Denver does have a beautiful built environment. I pass many of these buildings weekly, but I forget to stop and appreciate them.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

However, his interest was piqued by what occured with the Denver sprawl of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Phoenix never had our history with it's structures, so he had to make it a modern day scenario.

This makes a lot of sense, I can see how Spielberg would have been influenced by these tales.

With respect to the Cheesman dude in the bathrobe - EWWWW! In my 42 years in Denver and 20 something years on the hill, I have never seen him and hope I never do! However, I have seen a ton of other freaks in the park and especially in Queen Soopers. I love shopping there just to check out the clientele. It is less lively due to the cost of the area properties rising but the older I get, I am not sure I could handle the old days without having a stroke!

I know, it can be rather, um, colorful there. But mostly harmless.

[ocean2026]

Anyone who has ever been to Buffalo - or at least during the last 5 years knows that the entire city can be considered a museum. So many nice old buildings. Buffalo was once theh 6th biggest city but its population peaked in 1946 and each year since then, its lost people. It is now less than half of its WWII population.

The result? Buffalo hasn't needed many new buildings and its the 2nd most drivable city in the US. ( Corpus Christi is ranked 1st).

Buffalo has one HUGE problem -super high real estate taxes.

I travel cities just to look at old buildings. Other top places for architecture would be Pittsburgh and Cincinnati -

[DenverAztec]

Originally Posted by CapHillboy

Gio Ponti designed the DAM building in the 70s. (Not sure if it was the original, because a Denverite once told me that the Byers-Evans House next door was the first building to officially house the DAM. I've never read anything to corroborate that, though.)

Excellent CapHillBoy!

From DAM's web page -

Since its beginnings in the 1890s as the Denver Artists’ Club, the Denver Art Museum has had a number of temporary homes, from the public library and a downtown mansion to a portion of the Denver City and County Building.

The museum opened its own galleries on 14th Avenue Parkway in 1949, and a center for children’s art activities was added in the early 1950s. In 1971, we opened what’s now known as the North Building. Our most recent expansion, the Frederic C. Hamilton Building, opened in October 2006.

And Liebeskind designed the new Hamilton wing, though i read a while ago that his part on the WTC in NYC has been truncated so much and his design so changed, that he really has very little to do with it at this point.

Sad, because he is an architectual wonder and has incredible buildings all over the world.

And another trivia question: IM Pei was involved in two other downtown Denver landmarks. One is gone now, but the other is doing very well, but in need of repair. Name those landmarks.

I remember the old May D&F annex and skating rink that are now the entrance for the Adams Mark. However, you have me stumped with the second?

And, as everyone else has said, thanks, DenverAztec, for reminding me that Denver does have a beautiful built environment. I pass many of these buildings weekly, but I forget to stop and appreciate them.

You are welcome and it is kind of like taking time to stop and smell the roses. We do live in a wonderful city with gems still showing our history!

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

This makes a lot of sense, I can see how Spielberg would have been influenced by these tales.

I know, it can be rather, um, colorful there. But mostly harmless.

I always thought the same until I was almost attacked last summer by a whack in King Soopers. He was on PCP or something of the like and wanted to fight me. Lucky for him security took him away. And lucky for me I didn't break a hip, LOL!