CPD Blog: Transportation landmark preservation in Denver

CPD Blog: Transportation landmark preservation in Denver

Published on September 29, 2026

When you picture a landmarked building, you might imagine a stunning Usonian home inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Molly Brown House or the Daniels & Fisher Tower. But a landmark doesn't always have to be architecturally striking. Buildings of all kinds help tell a city's story, and in Denver, many transportation-related structures have been designated as landmarks because of the role they played in how the city grew and changed, not because of their design alone. Read on for a few of our favorites, each of which reflects a moment of growth or change that shaped our community and city.

• Denver Tramway Powerhouse (REI Building) at 1100 14th St. - Standing where Cherry Creek flows into the South Platte River, this red brick powerhouse is closely tied to the growth of Denver's electric streetcar system. It was built between 1901 and 1904, just as Denver was converting its early streetcar lines to electric power. Until the Denver Tramway Company ended service in 1950, the Denver Tramway Powerhouse was the main source of electricity for the city's streetcars. The oldest section, with its brick pilasters and large window openings, is a good example of early 1900s industrial architecture. On the inside of the building, tall open spaces, steel roof trusses and long, narrow bays were designed to accommodate overhead cranes. The buidling currently houses REI.
• Hangar 61 at 8800 E 21st Ave. - Constructed in 1959 within the former Stapleton International Airport complex, this unique 9,400 square foot cement structure is an example of how sophisticated engineering can make an innovative architectural design a reality. The Ideal Cement Company, one of the largest in the industry and one of the most successful companies in Colorado history, was privately owned by the prominent Boettcher family of Denver, and Hangar 61 was built to house its Fairchild F-27 turboprop airliner. The hangar not only represents the initial expansion of Stapleton International Airport but also signifies Denver's role as the U.S. entered the "Jet Age." The building is currently occupied by Arise Church.
• Cadillac Lofts at 1090 N Cherokee St.- Located in Denver's Golden Triangle neighborhood, the roughly 100-year-old building was originally constructed for the Cadillac Automobile Company and was part of the area's historic Automobile Row along nearby Broadway. Referred to as the Cadillac Service Building, the structure housed a service salesroom as well as departments dedicated to quick service, repairs, painting, and automobile trimming. The building also prioritized employee well-being, offering amenities such as a club room, a lunchroom serving cafeteria-style meals, and a library filled with technical literature. As Denver's automobile industry declined, the building took on a new purpose in the 1950s as the home of a wholesale florist company. After the florist moved out, the property remained vacant until Mickey Zeppelin converted it into condominiums in 1994. The project became one of the early examples of adaptive reuse in the Golden Triangle neighborhood.
• Federal Garage Buildings at 2100 California St. and 2101 Welton St. - The Federal Garage Buildings are significant for their role in public transportation in Colorado as the country shifted from a reliance on rail transportation to road vehicles as means of transport. In the 1920s, as ridership declined, local railroads developed bus companies to provide service between Denver and Pueblo. These garages at 2100 California St. And 2101 Welton St. provided buses with a home base and maintenance location. Additionally, as two of the few remaining industrial buildings in the area, the garages also illustrate changes to the neighborhood.
• Leeman Auto Company Building at 550 Broadway - The Leeman Auto Company Building was completed in 1932, followed by a major addition in 1934. The property reflects the growth of Denver's automobile sales and service industry along Broadway, one of the city's major transportation corridors since the 19th century. By the 1940s, the Leeman Auto Company had grown into one of the largest automobile dealerships in the Rocky Mountain region. Company owner Harry B. Leeman began his career as an automobile repairman before establishing his own used-car business. He later commissioned the construction of the building as a showroom. Leeman also played a significant role in Denver's automotive financing industry. Before the end of World War II, he was one of two dealers responsible for financing approximately half of the city's automobile loans. During World War II, Leeman served as president of the Denver Automobile Dealers' Association, an organization recognized for its contributions to the local war effort. The building is currently occupied by several restaurants and retail stores.

Denver's landmarks and historic districts enhance the city's unique identity, quality of life, and economic vitality. Learn more about landmark preservation on the CPD Landmark Preservation webpage.

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