Colorado State Capitol Annex Building and Boiler Plant - Denver, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 44.282 W 104° 59.099
13S E 501286 N 4398681
These two Art Deco state buildings benefited from the 1930s W.P.A. program.
Waymark Code: WMGM4G
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 03/18/2013
Views: 3
"The Capitol Annex benefited from two Depression era Federal programs - the Public Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration. The former program provided part of the funding for this two building complex. Colorado artists from the Fine Arts Project of the WPA adorned the building with works of art. The 1939-41 building is an important example of Art Deco architecture typical of Denver in the late 1930s. Prominent Denver architect G. Meredith Musick served as president of the Associated Architects for the State Capitol Annex, the collaboration responsible for the design of both buildings." (from (
visit link) )
"The State Capitol Annex merits individual listing in the Civic Center Historic District because of its architectural significance as the only Art Deco building in Civic Center and it is one of the rare examples of the style in Denver. The State Capitol Annex has architectural significance as a good example of the Art Deco Style in Denver from the period of significance. It contains many of the prominent elements as outlined by John Blumenson in his book Identifying American Architecture and as found in the National Trust Publication 'What Style Is It?'. The building is a linear composition. The building is designed with a vertical emphasis. The building's facades are arranged in a series of setbacks which emphasize the geometric form. The building's walls are clad in a smooth-faced stone. The building is highlighted by stylized ornamentation. There is hard-edged low relief ornamentation around doors and windows. This ornamentation is geometrical. There is hard-edged low relief ornamentation in a string course and along the roof parapet. This ornament has been reduced to the merest suggestion. These ornamental details are executed in the same material as the building. There are vertical strips of windows, which are linked by spandrels. These are straight-headed sash windows. The flanking wings have curved corners with horizontally linked windows. These elements suggest the ease with which Art Deco architects adapted to the advances of the rival Art Moderne Style in the late 1930's. These flanking wings are symmetrical and are set back from the vertical thrust of the main pavilion, and are thus consistent with the Art Deco Style." (from the NRHP form, section 8, pg. 2)
"President Roosevelt established the federal agencies of the P.W.A. (Public Works Administration) in 1933 and the W.P.A. (Works Projects Administration) in 1935 to provide needed jobs for unemployed workers throughout the country. These agencies were responsible for numerous building projects in the state of Colorado during the 1930's and early 1940's.
Among the most noteworthy are, in addition to the State Capitol Annex, the La Plata County Fairgrounds of 1935-38, the Red Rocks Amphitheater of 1940-45, and the Boettcher School of 1940. Other projects include the construction of the Rampart Range Road, the Pueblo Levee, and the Levee on the Fountain Creek in Colorado Springs. Offices in the State Capitol Annex are adorned with works of art by Colorado artists from the Fine Art Project of the W.P.A. This was a program in which studio artists were provided a stipend for producing an allotted amount of work or in which individual works were commissioned.
Work was directed and supervised by George M. Bull, Regional Director, of the Federal Works Agency, Public Works Administration of Region #5, Fort Worth, Texas. Construction of the State Annex was completed in 1939." (from NRHP Form, Section 8, pg. 1-2)
The boiler plant building is just south of the annex at N39° 44 15.586, W104° 59 06.197.
The NRHP Full Nomination Form may be found at (
visit link) .