About Denver's Uptown

The Perrenoud has to be one of the most gorgeous and well preserved turn of the century apartment buildings in Denver. Located at 836 East 17th Avenue in the Uptown area Capitol Hill, The Perrenoud was designed by architect Frank Snell and was built in 1901.

The Perrenoud family arrived in Denver in 1862. The patriarch of the family, John Perrenoud died in Denver in 1900 at the age of 91. Perrenoud had 3 daughters. Together the 3 sisters built the grand and beautiful Perrenoud building in 1901, operating it initially in the style of a private club. The Perrenoud had a kitchen and full time chef, a formal dining room, a ballroom and an on site laundry service. All three of the sisters also lived at The Perrenoud in units 1A, 2B, and 2A. The Perrenoud remained in the family as apartments until 1949. In 1949, the residents of The Perrenoud purchased it thereby becoming one of Denver's first and few co-ops. In 1986, The Perrenoud became condos.

Having been through most of the apartment buildings of this era, I must say that The Perrenoud is possibly the best preserved Historic Building of it's kind in Denver.

Walking into the lobby of The Perrenoud it is like walking back in time. The Italian marble front steps leads you to a mosaic tile floor through a French plate mirror and marble hall, into the spacious lobby that is accented by an atrium. All furniture is period original. One of my favorite parts of The Perrenoud lobby is the original birdcage elevator that is still functional today, and the only one left in Denver, it is GORGEOUS! There is an antique desk in front of the elevator that was used as a switchboard allowing early residents to call one another, or, call for on-site residential services.








There is a fireplace in the lobby that is made of translucent onyx with stained glass decorating the front.
























There are 3 other pieces of stained glass at The Perrenoud. One piece on the entrance light, another in the window transom above the front door, and the largest and most impressive in the ceiling of the atrium in the lobby. All of them are original pieces installed during construction.

The Perrenoud was built with 6 different wings. This allowed each apartment to be separate from one another and have exterior windows on three sides. Each apartment had it's own dumb waiter so that residents could have food sent up from the kitchen to their apartments. There were maids quarters in the attic of The Perrenoud. Those quarters remain today and are used as storage. There were 4 interior staircases so that servants could manuver from floor to floor and could enter each apartment by means of a backdoor.

Today, the ballroom has been converted into a fitness center. The basement of The Perrenoud features an archive gallery that showcases photos and additional information regarding this very special Historic Building of Denver and the 3 Perrenoud sisters that made it a reality.

The Denver Turnverein is a building that is particularly noticeable. For one reason, located at 1570 Clarkson Street, it backs to the parking lot of Denver's District 6 Police Station, so there are always a plethora of police cruisers parked behind the building.

In German, Turner means gymnast, and Verein is a name for as association of sorts. So, loosely translated Denver Turnverein means Denver's Gymnastic Association.

In the early 1800's, in Germany, German Turners gathered to practice their sport and discuss politics. After the German Revolution of 1848, thousands of Germans immigrated to the United States. Many came to Colorado because of the Gold Rush. The first Denver Turnverein was founded in 1864 at 21st and Arapahoe. However, due to negative German sentiments during World War I, memberships dwindled, and the Arapahoe location was foreclosed on.

In the early 1920's, the Denver Turnverein moved to its current location in the north Capitol Hill neighborhood of Uptown. Financial difficulties plagued the Denver Turnverein and The Coronado Club purchased the Denver Turnverein with the intent of expanding Clubs across the country. The Coronado Club failed in 1922 and the Denver Turnverein purchased the building once again.

This time the Denver Turnverein thrived all the way into the 1960's as which point the membership started quickly aging, and replacement members were had to find.

By the 1970's, the Denver Turnverein became inactive. For many years, Denver's Oktoberfest was held at the Denver Turnverein, when the club became inactive, the festival moved to Larimer Square.

By the 1980's, the Denver Turnverein was used more as a rental facility and less for Turner activities. Today, many dance clubs use the Denver Turnverein and by no means is this Denver institution fading away.

Located at 1001-1020 E. 17th Avenue, The Grafton is a truly handsome example of Historic Victorian architecture for apartment buildings. Designed by architect James Murdoch, The Grafton was built in 1890 in a north part of the Historic Neighborhood of Capitol Hill commonly known as Uptown.

The exterior facade of The Grafton is very unique. For me personally, it is like looking at something out of a fairy tale. I think that The Grafton is sensationally beautiful.

The exterior has several two-story turret like bays, with porches constructed between the bays. The large windows are set in stone, and there are several gabled dormers that are finished with fish scale wood shingles.

The Grafton was constructed for use as a family hotel or a boarding house for the "elite" by Albert Brewster who layed out the towns of Garland, Alamosa and La Veta for the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad.

The Grafton underwent a historic restoration that was, in part, paid for by the State Historical Fund (SHF). The projects that were undertaken were exterior painting, a new roof, restoration of the interior hallways and masonry repair.

Today, The Grafton are individual condos. Because of the way they were initially constructed (as apartments) the condos are generally smaller in size with many 1 bedroom units in the building. Although the units are small they have tons of charm!

The Grafton was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in October of 1982. I am including a few pictures of the inside of some of the units. Isn't it a beautiful building?

The Historic Schlessinger House is yet another beauty designed by well known Historic Denver architect William Lang. I will go into Lang's story in a future blog, but, suffice it to say that in his short career, William Lang designed more then 250 buildings in Denver. Lang's creations range from simple cottages to some of the most elaborate mansions in Denver.

Built in 1890, the Historic Schlessinger House was purchased in 1897 by her namesake, Timothy S. Schlessinger, a prominent Denver businessman.

The Schlessinger House exhibits the architect's love of eclectic and complex design. The exterior of the Historic Schlessinger House was constructed with a rusticated brick, which very possibly could have been made specifically for William Lang and the Schlessinger House.

Also present are many stained glass windows throughout the home. The exterior of the Historic Schlessinger House is adorned with elaborate floral and leaf carvings.

Located at 1544 Race St, the Historic Schlessinger House is on the same block as the Historic Delos Allen Chappell House and the beautiful Historic Wilbur S. Raymond House also known today as the Bed & Breakfast, Historic Castle Marne. On November 14, 1979, the Historic Schlessinger House was entered into the National Register of Historic Places building - #79000591.

The Historic Delos Allen Chappell House is located at 1555 Race Street and was built in 1895. Delos Allen Chappell was one of Denver's wealthiest residents at the turn of the last century and was a descendant of the American Revolutionary War hero, Ethan Allen.

Although the Historic Delos Allen Chappell House was designed by Frank Snell and built by the Burleigh Building Company, Delos Allen Chappell was her first resident and her namesake.

Construction on the Delos Allen Chappell House was started two years AFTER the Silver Crash of 1893. The Denver economy was weak and the Delos Allen Chappell House served as the beginning of the move away from the popular more elaborate Victorian style of the day and a shift towards the Neoclassical style represented in the Historic Delos Allen Chappell House.

The Iliff School of Theology was a subsequent owner of the Delos Allen Chappell House. In 1935, the Delos Allen Chappell House was rented to the Temple of Practical Christianity and in 1941, the owner, Mr. Charles Davis, sold the Historic Delos Allen Chappell House to the Unity Temple of Practical Christianity. That organization still owns the Delos Allen Chappell House today.

As a bit of trivia, the Historic Delos Allen Chappell House was used as the rectory in the filming of the Father Dowling Mysteries TV series from 1987 - 1991.