Historic Denver stops the wrecking ball aimed at the Elyria Building

Denver has agreed to postpone demolition of the Elyria Building at 4701 Brighton Blvd. to give Historic Denver a chance to conduct a Historic Structure Assessment.

The assessment will provide documentation of the building and determine whether it can be relocated and saved.

The city has slated the building for demolition to accommodate the expansion of Brighton Boulevard north of 47th Street for bike lanes and streetscape improvements. Formerly known as Fuller’s Drug Store and located on what was once Elyria’s Main Street, the prominent 1906 commercial building was used by neighbors to buy their groceries and host meetings, political rallies and social gatherings.

Historic Denver says that it’s possible the building could be incorporated into the National Western Complex site to provide a tangible reminder of the neighborhood’s history, as well as a human-scaled, authentic place-maker. The assessment, made possible by a grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund, is currently under way by Form + Works with assistance from Martin/Martin Engineering.

Since 2011, Historic Denver has advocated for historic preservation as part of the plans for the reimagined National Western Stock Show site. Among its successes are the recent landmark designation of the 1909 Stadium Arena, which will be rehabilitated and reused, as well as plans to protect and reuse the Stockyard Exchange Building and Stock Show Association Building.