Best Protector of Downtown Denver

Kathleen Brooker, the president of Historic Denver, has had some successes over the years. But when it came to downtown, she, along with the rest of the good guys, often lost out. So Brooker tackled the problem head on and proposed that the city establish a downtown historic district that would prevent the destruction of significant buildings. Instead of fighting with owners who opposed the district, she focused on working with those who endorsed it, including such enlightened developers as David Cohen and Evan Makovsky. Eventually, inclusion in the district became a kind of status symbol, and owners clamored to get on board. And late last year, Brooker's dream came true with the creation of the Downtown Denver Historic District, which assures some of the city's best buildings of a happy future.