5 points revitalized? (Denver, Aurora, Boulder: ski resorts, violent crime, credit)

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by esya

I am just reading this "dialogue" and while I did not agree with Jjacobeclark's idea of an undesireable neighborhood (I don't live in SE Denver or Five Points), I also don't think telling someone to "leave" is very called for, even if you can't win an argument. Not everyone likes old houses with small rooms and not everyone likes Empire style, etc. It's just a matter of what you like.

And Denver did destroy Skyline park, and some other great landmarks and replaced them with inexplicably ugly icons such as the blue bear, the dancing atrocities outside DCPA (which will never come close to the rainbow fountain that they took down), and the hideous mountain blocking, jutting monstrosities, the Art museum eyesore and the convention center eyesore.

so overall, architecturally I would give Denver a c minus. Let's at least keep the old style buildings because that is the main thing they have going right now. That, and the original art museum and library. But no one mentioned the Black History Museum which I don't think is in Five points but Park Hill? I don't know.

I did get a little Heated, I am very passionate when it comes to the "proposed" ripping out of 1/4 of the city and destroying over a hundred years of not only cultural history, but Architectural history. I was reiterating a point that no one is holding him in Denver, He has in other posts indicated that he would like to leave Denver.

It is a travesty that they ripped out skyline park, it should not have happened especially with as much open land that is available within the city. While I do agree that it is a matter of taste, it is better left undisturbed than to rip it out to put up another mini mart, or parking lot. The National Historic Society last time I had checked had a matching program for the restoration of historic places, if someone puts 3,000 into a house of historical significance, the NHS will give you 3,000 to add to the restoration.

There is another post regarding the Architectural Diversity of Denver, which ranked no.4 in America in terms of its buildings. Again personal taste. I do like the new Convention center, the Cantilevers to hold up that roof in itself are amazingly well engineered.

my posts were not about "winning" or "loosing" It was about enlightening someone who obviously does not know about Denver and its history regarding an area that has defiantly seen better days, and will again see good days

[DenverAztec]

Couldn't agree more Noah! I give Denver an A for it's architecture.

I did find another home that is Second Empire Victorian on the Auraria Campus. Yet another DURA distruction of a neighborhood for the campus, but they did save one block on 9th Street. Rare gems!!

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

Couldn't agree more Noah! I give Denver an A for it's architecture.

I did find another home that is Second Empire Victorian on the Auraria Campus. Yet another DURA distruction of a neighborhood for the campus, but they did save one block on 9th Street. Rare gems!!

Beautiful, Happy to see that they added the shingle back on the steep slopped sides. The Mansard roof is notorious for leaking, and requires alot of work to keep it in good condition. They managed to save or replace the roof cresting on the tower as well.

This style is my personal favorites out of the Victorian homes, with Stick Style and Queen Anne following second and third.

[Noahma]

Just to add more information regarding Colorado's foremost Architect of the time, I found a PDF with a list of some of the buildings he designed, these include a great deal of Denver landmarks, from the Opera house to his own house. A great deal of his residential designs were built within the boarders of 5-points. Many of his projects have been demolished thanks to DURA, the rest should be saved as well as others in the area. Chicago also is filled with his family's work as well. The name may not be recognized by many, but his work sure is.

http://www.coloradohistory-oahp.org/.../edbrookef.pdf

[DenverAztec]

Fantastic find Noah! Wow! He was an incredibly busy architect with some wonderful structures to add to his well accomplish list of achievements! I have taken photos of almost all of the remaining buildings and will have to create a post of them from this list. I had no idea that they were all by the same architect as they are very different from one another. There are a few other famous families of architects around the same time that loved to build with stone. Sadly, the sandstone structures are not holding up well, like the Brown and the chapel at Fairmount. Nothing can be done to save them from eventual crubling due to the "sand" in the content. Materials have been used to slow the decay but nothing will entirely stop it. Several head stone out at Riverside cemetery were made of the same materials and have basically decay to nothing. Thank you for the post!

Chapel at Fairmount:

[DenverAztec]

Found another Second Empire Victorian that is currently undgoing rehab in the Curtis Park neighborhood -

[Noahma]

If you have pictures of his remaining structures please do post them. I might make it a fun thing for next summer to go and take pictures of all of the buildings on the list. I did find a much more extensive list somewhere, but I cannot find it on my computer.

[SheridanL]

Nice photos Aztec!!

I understand the touchy subject though. On one hand, there is a huge neighborhood that needs revamping after decades of abuse.
Well, the resisents can't afford to do it....sooooo,...someone with money comes in to save it. Cool, good,....but then, all of those residents that have been there for decades are priced right out!!!
It Could be done a house at a time, but who wants to buy a 400 thousand dollar home next to falling down shacks in a iffy neighborhood?
It takes money to do Whole areas at once,...then most can't afford to stay.
Do you let it crumble? No but, you WILL displace people.
Of course, there could be some uber rich people that will sink Tons of money in a Huge neighborhood and say, "here, go back home". Yea, right!!

So on one hand I understand saving the rich and beautiful architecture and history but, I also agree that people are important too!!
They want to stay in there decaying neighborhood and some can't afford to be elsewhere. Sad, yep.....lots of history for them also. They are just waiting for someone to come in and make it better,....and out they go!

I do remember when most areas in downtown, I wasn't allowed near! Now, I couldn't pay those million dollar prices even IF i wanted to.

It's such a 2 sided story. Such is life!!

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by SheridanL

Nice photos Aztec!!

I understand the touchy subject though. On one hand, there is a huge neighborhood that needs revamping after decades of abuse.
Well, the resisents can't afford to do it....sooooo,...someone with money comes in to save it. Cool, good,....but then, all of those residents that have been there for decades are priced right out!!!
It Could be done a house at a time, but who wants to buy a 400 thousand dollar home next to falling down shacks in a iffy neighborhood?
It takes money to do Whole areas at once,...then most can't afford to stay.
Do you let it crumble? No but, you WILL displace people.
Of course, there could be some uber rich people that will sink Tons of money in a Huge neighborhood and say, "here, go back home". Yea, right!!

So on one hand I understand saving the rich and beautiful architecture and history but, I also agree that people are important too!!
They want to stay in there decaying neighborhood and some can't afford to be elsewhere. Sad, yep.....lots of history for them also. They are just waiting for someone to come in and make it better,....and out they go!

I do remember when most areas in downtown, I wasn't allowed near! Now, I couldn't pay those million dollar prices even IF i wanted to.

It's such a 2 sided story. Such is life!!

for the ones that are currently living there, it is a sort of damned if you do, and damned if you don't. I don't know the Answer, But I do feel that these historic areas MUST be saved. As I have stated earlier, the NHS does offer a matching program for rehabilitating houses that have historic significance, in which 5 points falls under. Some of these residence will make money on the homes after the property values rise enough, therefore being able to afford more home. I don't know what the answer is, but there has to be one somewhere.

[Sockeye]

Gentrification can be a very dirty word...