Visualization by Clarence Canning Allen
DANCING, TOO—Almost every city-county activity could be a ccommodated in the city-county-civic center proposed by the postwar planning commission. Floor plan indicates the entrance on Bou Ider avenue, witl? city offices on one side, county offices on the
other. Additional office space would be in a 24-story tower. At center is a huge auditorium which would seat from 5,000 to 7,000
persons. At rear is a helicopter landing area and auto storage fa cilities.
*ost-war Planners Recommend
Huge City-County-Civic Center
A 24-story.city-county-civic center which would sprawl I
[across two full downtown blocks, and which its supporters!
■ believe would be sufficient for 100 years, is envisioned J
I by the city's post-war planning commission^
The proposal to be submitted tofl*^
■ the city commission by the post-f
■war group Friday would necessitate!
■clearing of two blocks in the high-!
■cost downtown area, and building of I
■ a skyscraper estimated to cost be-|
|tween $3,000,000 and $4,000,000.
Whether commissioners will |
approve of the proposal and order
architect's plans drawn, or whether they will "receive and file"
the idea for drawing: of plans at
a later date, was problematical.
The hifRv sffucturer alon? with
&n, elaborate secondary airport,
botrr-<yere approved by post-war
planners Tuesday afternoon.
The committee approved recom-|
jmendations of the air port com-|
I mittee. headed by William W. Mich-1
laels. First National bank vice presi-
Idcnt, that the city park board be
[instructed at once to form a site I
I committee to choose a desirable!
■ available location approximately one!
I mile square.
The park board was asked to|
■ acquire the property immediately I
■ with $50,000 in bond funds now in|
Ihand—or to obtain an option which!
I could be exercised at any time.
The city-county-civic center!
I building, recommended by a com-!
l mittee headed by Glen Ames, is I
I the biggest undertaking thus far!
| considered by the post-war planners, f
On either side of the front r
would be a wing four or five
stories high. One would accom- •
modate the city courts, jail and
other city offices, while the other
would house county courts and |
office.
Centering the front would be
a World War II memorial surrounded by an illuminated pool.
A terazzo terrace between the!
I wines. wTTTcTT-TPad.s to the main en-I
I trance, could be used for dancing!
lor outdoor assemblies, according to!
I Clarence Allen, artist, who received!
la vote of thanks from the commis-r
Ision for his drawings.
The first floor also would in-l
■ elude an auditorium seating from!
|5,000 to 7,500 persons, as well as al
■ junior auditorium and several antel
■ rooms for conferences and public!
I hearings, a restaurant and check!
Iroom. I
The drawings made by Allenl
jwere based on the premise that!
I the building would front on Boulder]
■ avenue from Third to Fourthl
■ streets and would extend back toB
I Denver, although the post-war com-1
I mission stated that actual location!
I of the building had not been dis-|
I cussed and was not included in the|
I recommendations.
In Allen's plans the auditorium itself would center over
Cheyenne avenue. The building I
would be built over the street and
automobile traffic would pass j
underneath.
At the rear of the auditorium,
at about the present location of I
the ill-fated million-dollar Akdar
temple, would be a 225 by 1OO foot |
helicopter landing area and automobile storage facilities.
Planners said the 24-story tow-|
ler extending up the middle would!
■ be used for all city and county 6f-|
■ fices. Any space not needed by gov-1
I einmental agencies immediately!
Iwouid be rented to members of the|
I legal or medical professions.
