Krisana Park Walking Tour: Denver’s MidCentury ModernConservation District
Architecture, Preservation, Urban Planning, Community, Design Thinking
This walking tour takes place outdoors. Please plan accordingly.
Sold OutTucked quietly in the Virginia Vale Neighborhood sits Krisana Park, an enclave of mid-century modern homes unlike anywhere else in Denver. Inspired by the California designs of Joseph Eichler, the 175 homes originally sold for $15,000 and boasted new materials and construction methods, indoor/outdoor living, and the economy of large-scale building but with character, not monotony. In 2014, Historic Denver and area homeowners started working on efforts to ensure this character remains, and that the special design character of the neighborhood remains intact even as the homes are expanded and remodeled. The result was a Pattern Book that documents the special features of the homes, and a proposal to create the city’s first mid-century modern Conservation District, a customized zoning overlay that will acknowledge design and protect character, including features like expansive front lawns, horizontality, low-slung roofs, and more.
On this tour, you will:
● Explore the Krisana Park neighborhood through a walking tour, learning to identify its unique architectural character.
● Understand how Krisana Park’s distinctive architecture was refined into a custom zoning overlay, which will protect the character of the neighborhood.
● Get a chance to peruse the Krisana Park Pattern Book.
| ABOUT THE PRESENTERS |
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| Annie Robb Levinsky is the Executive Director of Historic Denver, Inc., a position she has held since 2009. Through her work at Historic Denver Annie seeks to inspire ideas and actions that support the city’s historic fabric and contribute to a vibrant and dynamic community with a unique identity. During her time with Historic Denver Annie created the award-winning Denver Story Trek program, co-chaired Doors Open Denver and launched Historic Denver’s re:Denver forum series, resulting in Historic Denver’s Principles for an Enduring City. |
| Associate City Planner in Landmark Preservation at the City and County of Denver, Abigail Christman has a varied background having previously worked for consulting firms, Colorado Preservation, Inc., and the University of Colorado Denver. Her experience includes Section 106 consultation, reconnaissance and intensive-level surveys, National Register nominations, HABS/HAER/HALS documentation, neighborhood pattern books, preservation tax credit certification, interpretation, public outreach, and serving on the Denver Landmark Commission. |
| Becca Dierschow is the Preservation and Research Coordinator at Historic Denver, a position she has held since 2013. A Denver native, she received her bachelor’s degree in History from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. In 2012, she received a master’s degree in Buildings Archaeology from the University of York in England, where she focused on the interpretation of vernacular buildings in open-air museums. She is an experienced grant manager, researcher and writer, and serves as the editor and chief writer of the Historic Denver News, a quarterly publication. Dierschow serves as the project manager for the Krisana Park Pattern Book, working with neighbors and the University of Colorado at Denver. |