reFRAMED: Preservation for a New Day

Nathan Beal and his partners in preservation looked past the so-called "stucco monster" façade of the run-down La Vista Motel and saw the opportunity to restore a piece of Colfax Avenue's history. In this conversation with Colorado's State Historic Preservation Officer, Dawn DiPrince, Nathan shares the story of acquiring the property in 2022 and restoring it as a charming motor lodge. He discusses collaborating with a talented designer to recapture the spirit of mid-century road travel, as well as the unexpected challenge of inheriting outdated online reviews. Nathan reflects on the neighborhood's enthusiastic response to the motel's reopening and the role thoughtful preservation can play in bringing new life to historic places.

Ann Tonia and Brandon Weiss got together with Dawn DiPrince, Colorado's State Historic Preservation Officer, to share the story behind their evolving project at Fawn Hollow in Loveland, Colorado. The property features expansive garden space and a unique WWII-era double-barreled Quonset hut with a rich past—from a convenience store to the beloved Bohemian Cottage restaurant. Together, they discuss how to honor that legacy while reimagining the space for a new chapter. From navigating preservation requirements and complex paperwork to collaborating with local organizations, Ann Tonia and Brandon offer an inside look at the challenges and rewards of adaptive reuse. They also reveal their vision for the future, including a self-pour tap house surrounded by expansive gardens, designed to bring people together and foster community.

In this episode of reFRAMED: Preservation for a New Day, Colorado's State Historic Preservation Officer Dawn DiPrince sits down with Miguel Sisneros to explore the 126-year history of the Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (SPMDTU) and the building that has housed it for more than a century. Join them as they discuss everything from Colorado's Latino civil rights history to Miguel's personal family connection to the SPMDTU, and the grassroots restoration of its historic building. It's preservation for a new day, and a reminder of how often a community's pride can be rooted in the places that preserve its past.

What do you get when you cross a tech hub and a historic high school? In Florence, Colorado, the answer is Emergent Campus, a multi-award-winning rural business incubator! When Florence students moved into their new schools in 2019, Brad and his colleagues at Emergent Campus figured the historic school could be reborn as a place that would draw remote workers to beautiful parts of Colorado, just far enough away from the costly and busy co-working spaces of the urban Front Range. The community got a great tech hub and to hang on to its historic high school all while creating an attraction that will continue drawing economic development for years to come. It's adaptive reuse and preservation for a new day in Florence! 

In this episode of reFRAMED: Preservation for a New Day, Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer, Dawn DiPrince, chats with Lucas Koski about the process of saving a community's iconic and beloved landmark while addressing the need for an arts and commercial space in Loveland. Learn more about how Lucas and his partners at Artspace worked with History Colorado to help preserve a huge and iconic agricultural building that is now inspiring artists and entrepreneurs in the heart of Loveland. It's adaptive reuse and preservation for a new day, brought to you by History Colorado. Listen on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!   

Join State Historic Preservation Officer, Dawn DiPrince, and local developer Sam Edelson for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities encountered during a massive project aimed at repurposing an old VA medical center into housing. Learn more about what it was, what it's going to be, and what challenges they faced along the way. It's adaptive reuse and preservation for a new day!

Jim Hartman, Grant Bennett, and their partners in preservation were the masterminds behind the massive effort to reimagine and reframe the stunning Pancratia Hall building on the Loretto Heights campus in Southwest Denver. Originally completed in 1930, the building served as a dormitory, classroom, and religious space for the Sisters of Pancretia and the Catholic elementary and secondary school for girls in Denver. Learn more about what it took to save the space in this fascinating conversation with Colorado's Chief Historic Preservation Officer, Dawn DiPrince. For more information and photos from the episode, visit: https://www.historycolorado.org/podcasts

David Fishering shares the story of renovating the Montrose Potato Growers Building from its early uses as the headquarters of the Fruit and Produce Association in the early 1900s to its current form as "The Association," a community marketplace in the repurposed warehouse. The space offers a social spot to host clubs and meetings, as well as vendor space to sell goods, and food. David shares his personal history with the area and the familial effort with his dad to purchase the iconic Montrose building and secure the funds to preserve it. Join Colorado's State Historic Preservation Officer, Dawn DiPrince, and discover some of the effort and fine details that went into this adaptive reuse project that preserved an era of Montrose history. For more information and photos from the episode, visit: https://www.historycolorado.org/podcasts

Erin Clark, Chief Real Estate Investment officer for the Denver Housing Authority, shares the story of the iconic, mid-century mod, turquoise building at 655 Broadway in Denver, Colorado. What was once the Silverado Bank, this 1950s steel framed building has been transformed into 110 permanently affordable apartments. Join Dawn DiPrince, Colorado's state historic preservation officer to discover this wonderful example of adaptive reuse and learn more about office to residential conversion. Who were the partners and what was the financing? For more information and photos from the episode, visit https://www.historycolorado.org/podcasts