Thursday, December 1, 2011
Denver Holidays
Looking Southwest onto the 1500 block of Wazee Street
1984
Happy Holidays to Denver 2011 and good wishes for a
healthy and happy 2012.
These images are not your Chamber of Commerce type
images; my focus was on the documentation of the grit
and grime of Denver.
The above image is the wonderful Sugar Building.
Looking South, down the 1500 block of Wazee Street, and
on the right, is the Henry Lee building.
This scene illustrates a lonely one way Wazee Street
heading North, the 16th Street Viaduct bottom right, the
15th Street Viaduct beyond.
Beautiful and quiet, a sleepy block and sleepy city,
this scene would soon change as infrastructure updates
and building renovations would propel Denver into the
future.
Prior to renovation of Paris Hotel at 2193 Arapahoe
Street 1985
The Paris Hotel was in bad shape, boarded up, with
crumbling bricks and leaky rotten floors with holes the
size of a car. Luckily, a determined effort to
save the building would soon be successful. Club 21 was
the last tenant on the bottom floor before the
building's hibernation would begin.
Looking Northwest from Broadway and 13th Street
1988
The Denver Art Museum is to the left of this partially
demolished building. The Denver Public Library is at the
base of the crane, mostly in the shadows.
1534 -1528 Wazee Street 1989
This image was a reasonably normal scene back in the
1980's — barely hanging on with sparse business and
residential use...waiting for the Spring.
The Colorado Industrial Supply Company was open with
rakes and shovels in the windows. The building on
the left was occupied as a residence, proudly displaying
our American flag.
A "busy" day on the block.
1520 Wazee Street
1989
"Ship Rock" at Red Rocks Park Amphitheater 1988
Red Rocks Park is part of the Denver Mountain Parks.
This stage scene is now covered by a permanent stage
structure to cover performers. The remainder of theater
seating is to the right, flanked by "Creation Rock".
A beautiful winter scene, a weak moment came over me;
had to include this image for warm holiday wishes.
Many special times here in the summer; first time ever
performances of the Allman Brothers, Jessie Colin Young,
Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and Crosby-Nash,
Mountain and Jethro Tull. All were exhilarating.
thank you!
Chestnut Place and 29th Street looking North
1988
This above image is just bizarre, Gilligan's Island
meets Lower Downtown.
Moffat Station near the 15th Street Viaduct demolition
1991
I would like to thank all of our clients for a wonderful
and very successful year! These images were created for
you. Without your appreciation and respect of my
work, this documentation would be in vein.
Many people write me with questions or comments; that is
a compliment as well. Shared knowledge and love of
Denver is a very good thing. Thank you.
A huge amount of work by many individuals is behind the
presentation of these images. Each person has a
particular talent and craft to contribute to our
ultimate high and professional quality.
My webmaster, my printers, my framers are all highly
skilled and prideful. There are fourteen people that are
involved in this process to provide a great product.
The vendors that I highly respect and are essential for
this photographic work to be presented are:
o
Chris Augliera
o Candice Connally
o Eric Edmundson
o Rick Garcia
o Jessica George
o Keith Greene
o Janet James
o Barbara Kendall
o Suzi Medina
o Jed Rulon
Miller
o Jarrod Perrott
o Paul Skillman
o Dennis Walla
o Jay Walla
When a person purchases
an image of mine, it is the ultimate compliment. To have
my work become part of their home says volumes.
It is a unique person to appreciate original art, a
reflection of a person's depth and awareness of an
others talent, a shared link of life experiences, a bond
of respect and beauty.
Wazee Street, looking North onto
the 15th Street Viaduct and beyond
1989
When you
display this work, the magic has come full circle.
www.buckfifty.org
revisited
I would like to encourage your visit and viewing of a
wonderful website that offers education, art and history
related to Denver.
This site is a celebration of Denver's 150 year history
with a unique flair.
You will view video work, cartoons, artwork, photographs
and history complimenting our fine city of Denver.
The "main man" responsible for this endeavor is Hugh
Graham. His fellow creators that helped contribute
inspiration for this site are: Jill Hadley Hooper, Kenny
Be, Patricia Calhoun, Julie Byerlein and Chris
Loffelmacher.
The
www.buckfifty.org
site is large, it is well worth spending time for the
wealth of information and talent that is offered to the
viewer.
Peruse the various posts on the right side of the site.
You will find a variety of subjects presented in various
mediums by different contributors.
All of the posts are very good, a small mix of
selections to sample are:
-
o Waiting for Ray
o The Buckfifty Manifesto
o Allen True and the Denver Courts of Justice
o Fifty Two Originals: Denver Artists Guild
o My Brothers Car
o Visiting the Forney
o Taki's Golden Bowl
o Thoughts on the Retail Economy
o Feed the Kids
o The Last Great Coffeehouse
o The Accidental City
o Truckers Terminal, Part 2
You will even find a
Santa in scuba gear... but you have to find him!
I have 3 posts published on
www.buckfifty.org
Have fun and happy
holidays.
nervous breakdown
Under the 16th
Street Viaduct near the now Millennium Bridge
1991
On the surface, these 3
images are very similar, yet taken years apart, subtle
and important differences of each.
Have A Nervous
Breakdown is the constant theme. — Nervous Breakdown
times three...
Back in the 80's, this area in Lower Downtown was near
everything, yet totally unseen by the average person.
The viaducts passed over the open fields, the area was
virtually abandoned.
This spray painted message was a fascination for me; it
had meant something to someone, a beacon of mental
illness?
A dear old friend of mine actually lost an arm near this
location during an "altercation" with a moving train. I
never asked him, he never told me, he is no longer with
us, a genius, yet a troubled man...
Under the 16th Street Viaduct near the now Millennium
Bridge 1989
This scene is now the
location of the Millennium Bridge in Riverfront Park.
Once fields and dirt, now a lush park and residences on
Little Raven Street call this location home.
This above image shows the boxy white Fireman's Grain
Elevator in the center background located at 20th Street
and Blake Street, now Coors Field.
The Ice House is on the right of this scene, Denver
Union Station
is out of view to the right.
Under the 16th Street Viaduct near the Millennium Bridge
1993
"No Parking", "Have A
Nervous Breakdown" — not a very good invitation. I
had photographed this spray painted anguish for over 4
years. It was a constant reminder of some of the strange
behavior in this "no man's" land.
The sun shines bright on the 16th Street Viaduct pillar,
the mid point construction of Coors Field to the
immediate right, two worlds apart...
When you walk over this bridge, take a walk in the park,
or enter your home in this area, please remember a
little of the past of this location. Some of these
memories are tragic and sad, we have a lot to be
grateful for and are very fortunate indeed.
For additional photos and
commentary, please visit the
Riverfront Area of my site.
- Kim Allen
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