Two houses designed by Denver architect Jules Jacques Benois Benedict got the preservation treatment Monday after the Denver City Council voted to make them historic landmarks.
The homes at 1168 S. Gilpin St. and 1717 E. Arizona Ave. share a block near Washington Park. Their construction more than 100 years ago coincided with the development of the Washington Park neighborhood, which contributes to their significance, according to Denver's historic preservationists.
Their connection to Benedict, who designed several dozen buildings in Denver including the "Sports Castle" on Broadway, also helped their cause. Benedict is known for designing "large, ornate houses near the parks and parkways during
this period," according to the applications.
These houses are, still, large and ornate. The Tudor-Revival home on Arizona Avenue is 3,271 square feet and worth more than $2.2 million, according to city property records. The Gilpin Street home, an Italian Renaissance Revival-style structure, is 2,952 square feet and worth about $1.5 million.
The landmark designation ensures the buildings will remain essentially the same as long as Denver has a government, which is probably a pretty long time.
Owners said they submitted the application because they were worried it would eventually be razed.
