General Electric Building - Denver, CO - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

"The General Electric Building is a prime architectural example of commercial structures built for use as warehouses in the lower downtown area of Denver at the turn-of-the-century. This section has historically been the warehouse district of Denver, a character it still retains. The General Electric Building is distinctive within its period of construction for its design and interesting use of ornamentation, including panels between the second and third floors of contrasting brick with triangular shapes set in the center; circular "eyes" placed £n several of the arches above the third floor windows; and a punched metal cornice.Also'significant is the retention of the original pier supports separating the bays on the first floor.

The original use of the building was as a site for the processing of metals. The historic significance of the building, in this regard, is more readily understood in this connection, as smelting and refining was the primary industry of the Denver area at the turn of the century. For a majority of its existence, the General Electric Company commercially served Denver and Colorado by using the building to warehouse and distribute electrical supplies.

The architectural significance of the General Electrical Building arises from its sturdy, brick construction, mixed with ornate details, such as the early Art Deco details appearing on the buildings facade. Additionally, the dock^-like structure constructed in the place of the original loading dock continues the memory of the original commercial demands of the lowers-downtown area in 1906, the year of Carry Nation's Denver crusade. The building is situated within three blocks of Union Station, within five blocks from historic Larimer Square; within six blocks distance from the original site of the U.S. Post Office; and within two blocks of the original sites of such infamous businesses as Bell Bernard's brothel on Market Street." (from NRHP Form, Section 8, Significance)

Street address: 1441 18th St. Denver, CO USA 80202 County / Borough / Parish: Denver Year listed: 1983 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1900-1924 Historic function: Industry/Processing/Extraction Current function: Commerce/Trade Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 1: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   03/28/2013 2spacecadets visited it