In 1875, the most architecturally ambitious commercial building in Denver was topped with a Mansard roof. The Crawford Building at 1600 Glenarm Place — Denver Landmark #41 — is the finest surviving example of Second Empire commercial architecture in the city and one of the most sophisticated pre-statehood buildings in Colorado. It was also slated for demolition at least twice before final preservation in the 1990s, and its survival is no more guaranteed than its architectural ambition. Denver Historic Landmarks Map

The Crawford Building was built in 1875 — the year before Colorado statehood — at a moment when Denver was actively trying to become a city rather than just a frontier camp. The Second Empire style, with its characteristic Mansard roof and classical ornament, was the high-fashion commercial style of the American 1860s–70s, popular in Eastern cities and European capitals. Its presence in Denver in 1875 was a statement: this city has arrived.

Second Empire architecture was named for the regime of Napoleon III, whose rebuilding of Paris in the 1850s–60s made the Mansard roof fashionable worldwide. By the 1870s, the style was being reproduced across American cities from pattern books and architectural catalogs, adapted by local builders who had never seen the Parisian originals. Denver's Crawford Building represents this diffusion — Second Empire principles executed by a regional builder working from Eastern models.

The building served as Denver's most fashionable commercial address in 1875–1880. Having offices here signaled that a business had the resources and ambition to occupy the best address in town. As Denver grew and new, larger buildings overtook it, the Crawford Building retained its architectural dignity while becoming a historical artifact.

It was threatened with demolition at least twice in the 20th century — the specific dates are not precisely documented — before a final preservation and restoration in the 1990s secured its future as a mixed-use commercial and residential property. Denver's Oldest Landmarks

The Crawford Building's defining feature is its Mansard roof — a dual-pitch roof with the lower slope nearly vertical, punctuated by dormer windows. The Mansard creates a usable attic story while providing the dramatic silhouette that defines Second Empire style. In Denver's 1875 skyline, it would have been immediately distinctive.

The three-story facade is organized with classical pilasters framing the window bays, stone trim at window surrounds and the main cornice, and cast-iron decorative elements — the iron fronts that were standard for high-quality commercial construction in the 1870s, fabricated in foundries and shipped to the site for installation. The brick construction, stone trim, cast iron, and Mansard roof together represent the full vocabulary of Second Empire commercial architecture at its most complete surviving expression in Denver.

No architect is on record, which is consistent with much frontier commercial construction: builders working from pattern books, orders placed by mail from Eastern architectural supply companies, local carpenters executing the work. The quality of execution suggests either a skilled regional builder or plans drawn by an Eastern-trained architect working in Denver temporarily. Explore Denver

The Mansard roof required specialized construction knowledge that was not common on the frontier. The nearly-vertical lower slope needed careful framing to create the usable attic space that was the roof's functional justification; the dormer windows required precise carpentry. The presence of a correctly executed Mansard in 1875 Denver suggests someone brought the knowledge from elsewhere — perhaps a builder who had worked in Chicago, St. Louis, or Kansas City before moving west.

Having offices in the Crawford Building in 1875–1880 was a social and commercial signal of the highest order. Denver's most established merchants, lawyers, and financial professionals occupied its upper floors; the ground floor commerce served the city's growing professional class. The building represented the aspirations of a frontier city determined to be taken seriously.

<strong>Crawford Building — 1600 Glenarm Place, Downtown Denver</strong><br/>Exterior viewable at all times (public street).<br/>Interior: mixed-use commercial/residential (varies by tenant).<br/>Located near the 16th Street Mall and Denver Performing Arts Complex.<br/>Nearest RTD: Multiple light rail and bus stops on the 16th Street Mall corridor.

1600 Glenarm Place, downtown Denver — near the 16th Street Mall and Denver Performing Arts Complex. Multiple RTD light rail and bus stops are within a few blocks. The 16th Street Mall free shuttle stops nearby. Central downtown location; highly accessible by transit.

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