We’re back with another look at a historical condo building of Denver. This week, we’re leaving Downtown Denver for Uptown — a neighborhood that has seen drastic redevelopment over the past decade. Nestled amongst new construction is Cooper Flats, a historical building at 325 E. 18th Ave. that was repurposed into condos by one of Denver’s most famous developers, Dana Crawford.
Originally known as the Arno Apartments, the building was completed in 1910 by prominent Colorado architect Leo Andrew (L.A.) Desjardins. Desjardins grew up in Denver and studied architecture at Cornell University. He would eventually return to Colorado and teach architecture at the Denver School of Technology. Desjardins was the first architect in Colorado to become licensed through examination in the same year that the Cooper Flats building was constructed.
He was a contributing organizer of the Independent Architects Association and spent the majority of his later years at his home in Trinidad, Colorado, until his death in 1967. Arno Apartments is on the National Register of Historic Places. Other Colorado buildings designed by Desjardins include The Woodruff Library in La Junta; The Elks Club building in Denver, and The Oriental Theatre in Denver, which is also on the National Register.
It was in the late-1990s that Dana Crawford, a Denver developer whose most prominent job was the redevelopment of Larimer Square, tackled the conversion of the apartment building into condos. Crawford was also responsible for the redevelopment of Acme Lofts. In total, she redeveloped 1 million square feet of property, which also included the Oxford Hotel. In 2018, Gov. John Hickenlooper awarded Crawford with the prestigious Vanguard Legacy medal.
The building’s Colonial Revival style is an attractive feature to the residents who live there. Erica Wortmann, an owner in the building since July 2019, loves the exterior appearance of the Juliet balconies.
“The balconies translate into interior sunken sunrooms with gorgeous double French windows that offer tons of natural light,” she said. “They are definitely my favorite design feature.”
Wortmann also said she “loves the interior doors and staircases” which showcase the buildings age and historical design, but ultimately it is the buildings location that makes it for her. Located only three blocks from Downtown and only steps from restaurants and nightlife, Cooper Lofts is situated with plenty of street parking; residents don’t have reserved parking.
With 24 units in the building, Cooper Flats is true to the decade of its origin in that residents share a communal laundry facility and no modern amenities. All residents do receive a complimentary storage unit. The homeowners association recently updated some of the common area finishes.
One unit — a one-bedroom, one-bath — is on the market today, listed by Re/Max Alliance. The unit offers updated finishes and stainless steel appliances and an amazing opportunity for the right buyer to own in this classic building in Uptown.
To learn more about Denver’s historic condos or to inquire about the listing at Cooper Lofts, content Broker Associate Brady Cullen with Denver High-Rise Living at brady@denverhighriseliving.com.