Historic Olde Town's Buildings

Historic Olde Town's Buildings. Historic Olde Town Walking Tour. , Historic Olde Town’s Buildings , The buildings in Historic Olde Town record Arvada’s history, from the gold era to post-World War II. These well-preserved structures mark the changes in commercial activity from horse and buggy days to the early horseless carriage era through the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. , Distinctive Architecture , New buildings were built as the town prospered while some of the older buildings were adapted for new uses, and today Historic Olde Town is a thriving commercial Center. Historic Olde Town maintains its distinctive architectural heritage. As a result, Historic Olde Town presents a living exhibit of architectural evolution in the American West, from frontier rustic through Art Moderne. , Historic Architectural Styles Unify Historic Olde Town , By the early Twentieth Century, commercial buildings were well built and attractively designed. The buildings in the 7400 and 7500 blocks of Grandview show some elements of the late 1800s and the early 1900s commercial construction. These architectural features make Historic Olde Town distinctive. , Building Materials , Red brick, from the brick company located north of downtown, was a common early building material (in the 1930s and 1940s light tan brick from another brickyard was used). Wood frame buildings were common and usually painted subdued tones. , Storefronts , First floor storefronts were simple, usually fifteen feet high, with wood masonry or metal frames. They had recessed entrances and large windows designed to display merchandise and to allow daylight into stores. Kick plates or bases below windows were also features of these early commercial buildings. , Designs Follow Function , The 7400 and 7500 blocks of Grandview display the historic architecture that created this commercial community. These early structures were built to the standards of the day to serve commercial functions. They create the historic character of the downtown and the distinctive patterns we see today. , Width , Similar building widths created a wall of repetitive patterns along the sidewalk. , Setbacks , Buildings were extended to the edge of the front sidewalk and to the sides of the lot to maximize interior space. , Height , Low one or two story building heights created a comfortable scale for pedestrians. , Horizonal Alignment , Windows, doors, and ornamentation lined up with each other creating a strong horizonal line and a visual rhythm between buildings. , Story Window Patterns , On each story, the windows reflect their different functions. First floors had large commercial display windows of similar size. Second floors had evenly spaced narrower, rectangular windows for living quarters and offices. , Historic District , In 1998, most of Olde Town was designated a National Historic District called Arvada Downtown. This prestigious award recognizes the architectural and historical significance of the buildings that we see today. , In 1999, the two adjacent east and west residential areas were also designated as National Historic Districts, Stocke-Walter Addition and Reno Park Addition