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Boundaries
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The Lodo (lower downtown) area
covers Speer Blvd to the south, Wewatta to the west, 20th to the north
and Lawrence to the east. |
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Lodo
The locals refer to it as LoDo, short for Lower Downtown, and it is
actually the birthplace of Denver. Gold was discovered in 1858 at
the confluence of Cherry Creek and the Platte River, an area
inhabited by Native Americans. The still disputed Treaty of Fort
Wise provided that the area which is now Denver would become part of
the United States in 1861. The first settlements were Auraria, now a
college and university center, and St. Charles. The single log cabin
that was St. Charles soon vanished as William Larimer, a town
founder jumped the St. Charles claim and renamed the town Denver,
after the governor of Kansas Territory.
Auraria merged with Denver in 1862,
and a typical frontier town grew
along the banks of Cherry Creek. The areas sparse trees yielded
little wood for building however, so early settlers turned to making
bricks from the rich clay deposits found around Denver. After a
devastating fire in 1862, the commercial district rebuilt with brick
and stone. After the arrival of the railroad in 1870, new
construction materials became available, and the local architecture
improved considerably. Denver's fast rail link with the East brought
also brought a booming economy, and Denver grew in all directions. |
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A view of Wynkoop Street |
The repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1893 sent Denver's
economy into a severe depression, and few structures were built in
the LoDo area after that time. The area remained viable until the
period following WWII, with the postwar economic boom changing the
face of Denver. By 1960, the area had become Denver's "Skid Row"
Destruction of many of the area's oldest structures prompted a
citizen's movement to establish Denver's first Historic District in
1973, saving at least some of Denver's heritage In 1988, The City of
Denver, recognizing the area's value, declared the area an historic District.
The LoDo District encompasses over 23 square blocks, and today is
the heart of trendy Denver. With the conversion of many of the old
warehouse buildings into residential lofts, and the arrival of over
90 restaurants and 30 art galleries, the area has become "THE" place
to live and play for people wanting an urban lifestyle. Condo
residences are priced from the low $200's and up, with lofts
starting in the $250k range. New construction and new loft
conversions now extend into the Platte River Valley (long since
flood controlled) and Northeast of Coors Field. Like the economic
boom of the late 1800's which made Denver a true city, the re4newal
of LoDo is making today's Denver an even greater city. |
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The ski train leaves from Union Station in Lodo |
Lodo is home to Denver’s Loft movement. 100 year old
warehouses have been fertile ground for the loft redeveloper, with
most of the possible convertible buildings converted in the 1990’s.
Available space has made it possible to build a few new loft
buildings from scratch, with more on the drawing board. LODO is an
ideal place for the dedicated urban dweller to call home.
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Driving Time to Major Destinations
From Lodo |
Denver International Airport (DIA) |
35 minutes |
Downtown Denver |
5 minutes |
Denver Technological Center (DTC) |
25 minutes |
Inverness/Meridian |
35 minutes |
Boulder |
40 minutes |
Castle Rock |
45 minutes |
Demographics for the Lodo (lower downtown)
neighborhood of Denver, Colorado
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BuySellDenverHomes.com © 2002
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The Berkshire Group Realtors, Inc.
3801 E. Florida Ave Ste 502, Denver, Colorado 80210 U.S.A.
800-250-4725 or 866-260-2976
Toll Free
303-350-5838
© Copyright 2002
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