"The four story brick and stone building located at 1430 Wynkoop (the “Building”) is listed as a contributing structure to the Lower Downtown National Register Historic District (the “LoDo District”) (See Lower Downtown Historic District, List of Contributing Buildings). The original Building was constructed by 1890 and is an excellent example of late 19th century/early 20th century commercial warehouse construction. The Building is located in the part of the LoDo District known as “Warehouse Row,” and is similar to other contributing structures located in the Historic District in size, scale, masonry detailing, materials, architectural style, use and age. The Building has been continuously used as a warehouse and is one of the oldest remaining warehouses on Warehouse Row.
Commercial and Warehouse Center
The LoDo District was listed as a National Historic District based on its significance as the early commercial center of Denver and its association with the growth of the wholesale and warehousing industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The District includes fine examples of commercial and warehouse architecture built between the 1860s and 1940s.
Warehouse Row
Wynkoop Street was located close to Denver’s railroad lines, and thus became important as a warehousing location. The construction of the first warehouses in the 1880s and 1890s marked the beginning of Wynkoop’s “Warehouse Row,” which expanded to occupy the 1400 to 1900 blocks of Wynkoop. One of Denver’s most noted architects, Frank Edbrooke, built the Struby-Estabrook Warehouse, which is located 2 blocks north of the Building on Wynkoop Street. The Wynkoop Street warehouses were occupied by some of Denver’s most successful pioneer merchants, including George Tritch, whose hardware business, the George Tritch Hardware Company, occupied the Building from the early 1900s to the early 1930s. Tritch was one of Denver’s German immigrant “movers and shakers,” and is often mentioned with other prominent Denver Germans such as Adolph Coors and William Barth. Tritch came to Denver in 1860, and became a millionaire during the 19th century silver rush. Tritch expanded east by building a bridge over the alley between Wynkoop and Wazee Street to access a newly constructed warehouse fronting Wazee Street.
The History of Building
General Description of Historic Primary Façade
The primary façade is the façade that fronts on Wynkoop Street. The primary façade contains the most significant historic architectural features including sandstone and segmented arched brick window and loading door openings on the first and second floor and segmented arched brick windows openings on the third and second floor and second floors. A brick belt course connects the second floor windows and a brick course connects the third floor window sills. All windows are large single hung wood windows with arched top sash. The first floor consists of a combination three windows and two arched openings for loading. The extant historic wood, rolling doors are mounted on the inside of the loading opening. The primary façade is topped by a corbelled brick cornice. A historic painted sign is located directly below the cornice.
Use of the Building – 1890 to approximately 1903
The building has had numerous owners during its existence but has continuously been used as a warehouse. The first structure at 1430 Wynkoop appeared on the 1890 Sanborn map as part of the Wall and Pursell Wagon and Carriage Manufacturing Co., which occupied most of the block between 15th Street, Wynkoop, Wazee and Cherry Creek. The 1890 Sanborn Map shows Wall & Pursell occupying approximately nine structures as part of he wagon and carriage manufacturing operation. Individual buildings were identified as being used for different aspects of manufacturing such as “Painting and Trimmings”, “Wood Stock and Carriage Hardware”, and “Black Smith”, etc. As part of the carriage manufacturing complex, the warehouse at 1430 Wynkoop was used for storage of farm wagons, buggies and stoves. Loading platforms were located on the entire frontage of Wynkoop Street following the extent of the rail road spur and smaller individual loading platforms were located on the alley between Wynkoop and Wazee Streets.
Use of the Building – approximately 1903 to 1971
By 1903, the entire Wall and Pursell carriage manufacturing complex had moved or closed operations at the Wynkoop Street location. The Tritch Hardware Company moved into the Building and another building at 1400-1412 Wynkoop, which was located on the southwest side of the Building. By 1925, The Tritch Hardware Company had moved from 1400-1412 Wynkoop, but apparently remained in 1430 Wynkoop. A 1906 building permit was issued for construction at 1430 Wynkoop for the alley bridge. The 1930 Sanborn map shows the Tritch Hardware Company operations in the Building and connecting through a bridge structure built over the alley to access a new concrete warehouse fronting on Wazee Street. Between 1930 and 1934, The Wm. Volker Co. moved into 1430 Wynkoop and the connecting building, and occupied the buildings until 1971.
Between 1937 and 1957, the existing one story brick and frame structure located 1400-1412 Wynkoop on the southwest side of the Building was demolished by its owner, Crane-O’Fallon, a plumbing supply company that operated the 1430 Wynkoop warehouse after the Tritch Hardware Company moved out. A 1935 permit was issued for demolition, however, a 1937 photo shows the building. A 1957 Sanborn map shows the lot vacant.
Use of the Building – 1971 to Present
Wm. Volker Co. owned and occupied the Building until 1974 which it sold the Building to Karman, Inc., a wholesale clothing manufacturer. Karman used the Building as a warehouse from 1974 to 2000, when it sold the Building to the present owner. In 1966, a small one story cement block loading dock structure was constructed on the southwest façade near the rear of the Building along the alley. A large masonry opening was created in this façade to connect to the new loading structure. In 1993, the Colorado Historical Society deemed this cement block addition to be noncontributing to the Building and approved is demolition." (from (
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