Guide Line Review
DANA CRAWFORD'S LOFT
Dana Crawford, world-renowned expert on preservation and restoration was our Hostess.
The Flour Mill has a great entry system. Each tenant/ owner has a "key" token to operate an elevator which only opens at the designated floor to a private entry into each loft. There are photos in the main lobby as well as a cock-tail table made from a steel door, complete with graffiti.
Dana's loft ceiling is two stories high; walls are of industrial cement. The view of downtown and the Highlands area is spectacular. Tenants/owners must either like trains or be oblivious to the sound of as many as 46 trains a day (many carrying coal) rumbling past the building; there were 56/day when Dana moved in 12 years ago. Light rail is close by, and a station is just "down the street". These lofts are within a half-mile of Downtown Denver, which has a population of 65,000.
Dana Crawford was born in Salina, Kansas, and is a very high-energy, energetic person. She moved to Denver in the 1950s. She was the preservationist and driving force behind the reformation of Larimer Square and The Oxford Hotel, both now with historic designation. Denver is a strong city and has supported the preservation and economic development of historic areas. The City in-stalled a small park area in front of the Lofts with addition-al park acreage across the Platte River; both sections are known as the City of Cuernavaca (Mexico) Park, connected by two pedestrian bridges. Cuernavaca is a sister city of Denver. The Platte River Greenway Foundation, chaired by former State Senator Joe Shoemaker, helped in that development and current river reclamation should be completed in the next year or so. Shoemaker had been asked by former Mayor William McNichols to chair the project. There is a lot of information available about how much junk, refrigerators, and all sorts of trash had been dumped in the Platte--much of it showing up in the 1965 Flood and compromising water quality. Conditions have been improved and now support wildlife, plus other activities at the Confluence of Cherry Creek with the River at approximately 15th and Water Street, below REI's flagship store.
The Flour Mill, originally designed by architect Frank Edbrooke, was built in 1906, and owned by Longmont Milling & Elevator Company in Denver. An advantage of its location was its closeness to the river. J.K. Malo once owned fifteen flour mills along the river; this is the only one remaining--the chimney and three silos. A fire destroyed the center portion. The section containing Dana's loft was built in 1924 and was across the tracks in an Italian neighborhood called "the Bottoms". The area flooded yearly; gradually the neighborhood moved up the hill into what is now known as "the Highlands".
The flour mill ceased operations sometime in the 1940s. By 1967, the building was used by the owner for storage. The owner prior to Crawford was Andy Brown, of Eaton, Colorado. Ms. Crawford began the process to buy and restore the building--it took three years. Prior to reformation, the building had over 1,000 openings in the ceilings where tubes went. She had to work with the City Planning Office in order to be able to preserve the building. Due to very thick and well-built walls, it was thought to be almost impossible to tear the facility down. Another problem in restoring the building was in gaining access, a process which took a year to find out who could approve the entry road.
In this building alone, there are 17 lofts. These needed to be pre-financed with at least 10 - 20% down. Originally prices were around $800,000; now they're over $1,500,000 Dana took occupancy twelve years ago. She built the building next door to match the architecture of the orginal building. The new building has 30 units. making a total of 42 units as some have been combined into one unit.
Ms. Crawford told us they expect to have a general store soon--to be built in what was a boiler factory. The boiler factory, 20th & Chestnut Streets, once housed the Denver Fire Department---another old building not in good structural shape, but on the Historic Register. On Huron Street is the former Henry Bolthoff Process Mining Building, another old building not in good structural shape --there has been discussion of restoration. They also expect to have a high-end Safeway in the area soon.
We sincerely "Thank" Dana Crawford who so generously opened her home to members of RMGA. Ms. Crawford can be found at www.danacrawford.net. She may be reached at Urban Neighbor-hoods, Inc., 2000 Little Raven Street, Suite 4A, Denver, Colorado 80202. Her telephone number is 303-892-1888
Thank you Nancy Brueggeman.
Dana Crawford Residence 2000 Little Raven Street Flour Mill Lofts Unit 4A Denver, CO 80202
Dana has agreed to speak to us at an appropriate point during the evening and answer questions in her own genuine, engaging manner.
Holiday Gathering at the Dana Crawford Residence