Ideal Building - Denver, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 44.830 W 104° 59.556
13S E 500633 N 4399695
Built in 1907 for the Ideal Cement Co., the building later became home to banks.
Waymark Code: WMA7H6
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 11/28/2010
Views: 7
"Built in 1907 for the Ideal Cement Co. (it was the first reinforced concrete tower west of the Mississippi), the building later became home to banks. Designed by Montana Fallis and John Stein, the building was constructed in 1907 by the Dome Investment Co. for Claude Boettcher in order to promote the capabilities of his Colorado Portland Cement Company. Owner Charles Boettcher had the building set on fire in the presence of the City Building Inspector, Robert Willison, to demonstrate its fireproof qualities. The first two floors are faced with large blocks of dressed travertine marble. The brick of the upper floors was stuccoed in the 1920s. A 1927 addition was designed by the architectural firm of Fisher and Fisher. The building features decorative carvings, and was fully restored to its original condition in the 1990s." (from (
visit link) and (
visit link) )
The frieze work is just stunning! It ranges from Rocky Mountain motifs to ancient American Indian motifs to stylized agriculture to epic animals. Thusfar, I have not been able to discover the artist(s).