Best Architectural Visionary 2004 | Cabell Childress | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Architectural Visionary

Cabell Childress

When University of Denver chancellor Daniel Ritchie embarked on a plan to re-create the campus a decade ago, he enlisted the help of distinguished Denver architect Cabell Childress. The DU of today, dotted with many impressive new buildings done by a host of mostly local architects, owes its distinctive character to the overriding vision of Childress, who imagined it all before any of the structures were even

started. Although Mark Rodgers has now taken over as DU's campus architect, Childress is still architect emeritus -- and the campus stands as testament to his good work.

Best Addition to the Denver Skyline

Clayton Lane

Although it raised the hackles on the necks of neighbors in Cherry Creek North who

tried to stop it, Clayton Lane is now nearing completion. Built on the former parking lot of the Sears store, the project is a handsome set of neo-modernist buildings that includes offices, condos, retail and a luxury hotel. David Tryba, one of the city's best architects, designed the complex, which is being developed by the Nichols Partnership. The interplay of the various buildings on the tight site is very nice, as is the expert orchestration of the beautiful materials. With Clayton Lane, Denver has a brand-new landmark. And in the highly commercial Cherry Creek, no less!

Best Addition to the Denver Skyline

Clayton Lane

Although it raised the hackles on the necks of neighbors in Cherry Creek North who

tried to stop it, Clayton Lane is now nearing completion. Built on the former parking lot of the Sears store, the project is a handsome set of neo-modernist buildings that includes offices, condos, retail and a luxury hotel. David Tryba, one of the city's best architects, designed the complex, which is being developed by the Nichols Partnership. The interplay of the various buildings on the tight site is very nice, as is the expert orchestration of the beautiful materials. With Clayton Lane, Denver has a brand-new landmark. And in the highly commercial Cherry Creek, no less!

Best Deletion From the Denver Skyline

The "Old" Colorado Convention Center

The new Colorado Convention Center will thoroughly cover the hideous old Colorado Convention Center -- a huge, scale-less, circa 1990 shoebox that was arguably the ugliest building ever to have been erected in downtown Denver. Fentress Bradburn Architects designed that done-on-the-cheap structure, and the same crew was tapped to create its replacement. The over-the-top new center, slated for completion this December, has been a dark cloud over downtown for years, but in getting rid of an architectural monstrosity like the existing center, the project does have a silver lining.

Best Deletion From the Denver Skyline

The "Old" Colorado Convention Center

The new Colorado Convention Center will thoroughly cover the hideous old Colorado Convention Center -- a huge, scale-less, circa 1990 shoebox that was arguably the ugliest building ever to have been erected in downtown Denver. Fentress Bradburn Architects designed that done-on-the-cheap structure, and the same crew was tapped to create its replacement. The over-the-top new center, slated for completion this December, has been a dark cloud over downtown for years, but in getting rid of an architectural monstrosity like the existing center, the project does have a silver lining.

Best Imitation of a Small Town

East 29th Avenue Town Center

They've been cropping up everywhere -- complexes that mix retail, offices and residences in a single project meant to serve as little downtowns. One's gone up in Englewood, and there's one at Lowry, one's under construction in Lakewood, and one's in the planning stages in Boulder. But architecturally, the pick of the litter of these mostly mundane prefab villages is the East 29th Avenue Town Center at Stapleton. This complex of substantial-looking neo-modernist buildings by Peter Dominick's Urban Design Group is laid out in a very formal, symmetrical arrangement in which every building is mirrored by an identical one. Taken all together, this center has plenty of curb appeal.

Best Imitation of a Small Town

East 29th Avenue Town Center

They've been cropping up everywhere -- complexes that mix retail, offices and residences in a single project meant to serve as little downtowns. One's gone up in Englewood, and there's one at Lowry, one's under construction in Lakewood, and one's in the planning stages in Boulder. But architecturally, the pick of the litter of these mostly mundane prefab villages is the East 29th Avenue Town Center at Stapleton. This complex of substantial-looking neo-modernist buildings by Peter Dominick's Urban Design Group is laid out in a very formal, symmetrical arrangement in which every building is mirrored by an identical one. Taken all together, this center has plenty of curb appeal.

Best Proof That We're Living in a Small Town

Tower Road message board

This past summer, the stretch of Tower Road between Hampden and Iliff avenues had become a notorious speedway. To encourage drivers to slow down, Sergeant Dan Courtenay, a twenty-year veteran of the Aurora Police Department, started posting cautionary warnings on an electronic message board that had previously been used to announce construction delays. Among the best:

Please drive safely

Life is too short

to spend in court.

And this instant classic:

Stop road rage.

Play Jimmy Buffett

songs in your car.

Best Proof That We're Living in a Small Town

Tower Road message board

This past summer, the stretch of Tower Road between Hampden and Iliff avenues had become a notorious speedway. To encourage drivers to slow down, Sergeant Dan Courtenay, a twenty-year veteran of the Aurora Police Department, started posting cautionary warnings on an electronic message board that had previously been used to announce construction delays. Among the best:

Please drive safely

Life is too short

to spend in court.

And this instant classic:

Stop road rage.

Play Jimmy Buffett

songs in your car.

Second-Best Proof That We're Living in a Small Town

Tauer Road

In appreciation of the new era of metropolitan cooperation that dawned with the election of two new metro mayors, Denver mayor John Hickenlooper temporarily changed the name of the road separating northeast Denver from northwest Aurora from Tower to Tauer Road, to honor previous Aurora mayor Ed Tauer and current Aurora mayor Ed Tauer Jr.

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