No Consensus, Unanswered Questions on Larimer Square

After six months of meetings with a 60-member advisory committee, Larimer Square owners Larimer Associates and Urban Villages concluded a series of six meetings with no consensus on a design or development proposal.

The formation of the advisory committee followed the owners’ surprising February 2018 announcement that they intended to ask City Council and Mayor Hancock to amend Larimer Square and Lower Downtown’s historic designations to allow the partial demolition of several historic buildings and the construction of two towers, one as high as 40 stories.

There were few signs of support for the initial proposal. In June, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added Larimer Square to its annual list of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Places,” and Dana Crawford and Annie Levinsky authored a statement about what’s at stake.

Add Your Name to the “11 Most Endangered” Petition

During the closed-door meetings, the owners and their team presented information about the buildings’ structural conditions, repair priorities and redevelopment options. However, the cost estimates to achieve the buildings’ structural and system upgrades were not independently analyzed, as was done in the extensive redevelopment of Union Station.

Furthermore, information about the fundamental process required to change Larimer Square and Lower Downtown’s legal protections was left out of the presentations. Such changes would be unprecedented in Denver history, and would present far-reaching and precedent-setting consequences for other landmarks and historic districts.

Historic Denver and our preservation partners believe there are solutions for Larimer Square that do not require demolition or out-of-context buildings.

We shared numerous ideas and resources that should be part of a solution moving forward, including federal and state tax credits that could translate to millions in incentives for rehabilitation. We presented analysis to Larimer Associates and Urban Villages that shows how 200,000 square feet can be added to the block while respecting the building fabric and the legal protections. We are willing to work with the owners and partners to produce an independent structural analysis and cost estimate to guide future decision-making.

2019 will be critical year for the future of Larimer Square. Register your support for Larimer Square’s continued protection here, and please consider sending this email along to friends, family, and colleagues who support the protection of this special place. Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for updates as we learn more.

READ MORE ABOUT THE HISTORIC DISTRICT HERE

In September 2018 INC hosted a design forum with several of Denver’s earlier architects and preservationists.
The panel consisted of Veronica Barela, Alan Golin Gass, Ron Abo, and Dana Crawford who is credited with the initial creation of Larimer Square and its preservation.