Street view of the Historic Larimer Square looking north in Denver, Colorado. The district is located where Denver's development began in 1858. The original wood buildings in the area were destroyed during the fires of 1863, and the surviving second generation two and three-story brick buildings date from the late 19th century. They are representative of late Victorian era commercial architecture and incorporate a variety of Gothic Revival, Italianate, Renaissance Revival, and Neoclassical architectural elements. These buildings were spared from demolition during the sweeping urban renewal projects of the mid-1960s, primarily due to the efforts of Denver preservationist Dana Crawford. Through a for-profit corporation, the deteriorating buildings were rehabilitated to accommodate a thriving mix of retail, entertainment, and office uses. The project has been recognized nationally as one of the first successful preservation projects of its kind.
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