456 Williams Street Parkway

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456 Williams Street Parkway

Picture Perfect.

This 1924 Georgian is located on one of Denver’s most beloved streets in the Historic Driving Park, a small gem of a neighborhood tucked between Country Club and 7th Avenue historic districts. The block is called Dollhouse Row and its homes were designed by a group of Denver’s finest architects in the 1920s to showcase a sampling of unique local architecture - Spanish, Colonial, English Cottage, French Country and Dutch Colonial. 456 Williams was beautifully renovated and expanded in 2013 by Old Greenwich Builders to preserve its traditional character and live well for a modern family. While enlarging the kitchen, mudroom, master bath and finishing the basement, the renovation touched every room of the home including a full upgrade of the plumbing/electrical systems and the addition of central air to the upstairs. The chef’s kitchen features an island with seating as well as a cute breakfast nook. The charming backyard is cozy and private and the frontyard “borrows” the parkway median as extra play space for the many kids on the street. This happy home is a true jewel box, surrounded by the city’s most grand and historic properties. And it is just a short stroll to the shops and restaurants of Cherry Creek North and the Cheesman Park walking path. Come take a look!

Dollhouse Row 400 Block Wiliams A LT R U I S T I C

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In 1912, twelve altruistic Denver architects led by William E. Fisher created the Mountain Division of the Architects Small House Bureau, which was originally founded by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1919 in Minneapolis. The ASHSB Mountain Division donated its services to create small house plans to address the housing shortage and the growing demand for detached residential living, while raising public awareness about the value of professional design.

CITY BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT The ASHSB Mountain Division emerged during the heyday of Denver’s City Beautiful movement and S.R. DeBoer’s plan for Denver. This movement emphasized civic pride with an appreciation for manicured landscapes, grand public buildings, and Beaux Arts architecture. In this context, the ASHSB provided scaled grandeur or City Beautiful on a budget, making a city of beautiful homes available to individuals of humble means. The most popular styles included English Tudor Revival and American Colonial influences (Dutch, English, French, and Spanish).

CO L L A B O R AT I V E The AIA established the ASHSB to promote well designed, economical structures. The ASHSB advanced its mission through alliances with private trade groups and manufacturers including the American Face Brick Association, Curtis Woodwork Company, and the National Lumber Manufacturers Association. The Mountain Division produced and sold, (not-for-profit) the pattern book entitled “How to Plan, Finance, and Build Your Home”, which contained 62 plans for homes of 3-6 rooms plus a variety of information about building materials, utility systems, kitchen and garden design, home finance, and other home ownership topics.

ECONOMICAL In 1921, William E Fisher noted that fewer than 5% of Denver homeowners commissioned an architect, opting instead to create rudimentary plans with a builder of their acquaintance. The mountain division ASHAB Architects understood that homeowners lacked the knowledge of proper spans and stock dimensions of timber, elements that could save significant money in home construction. All of the ASHSB Mountain Division plans called for stock moldings, windows, and other millwork to save money and improved construction efficiency. Economy extended beyond their component parts as the plans were for “homes without servants” and no more than six rooms.

E N V I R O N M E N TA L The Mountain Division of the ASHSB focused on home construction in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico. The similar climate conditions of these four states influence the homes designs. All of the plans paid careful attention to the landscape setting, incorporating sustainable features such as daylight, a kitchen garden, designs that reduce construction waste, efficient circulation, built-ins, and fruit storage rooms.

More on Dollhouse Row.

EXC ER P T FR OM DEN V ER T H E CI T Y B E AU T I FU L BA R A B R A N O RG REN & TO M N O EL Published by Historuc Denver, Inc.

The City Beautiful movement sparked a growing awareness of art, architecture, landscape, and community planning among Denver’s architects, artists, and others. Concerns about rows of look-alike Bungalows and Foursquares led architects to form the Architects’ Small House Service Bureau in 1920.

The American Institute of Architects established this service in chapters across the country to provide those of moderate means with superior designs for small homes. Architects saw little if any profit for planning small, inexpensive houses, yet realized the need for better design. These idealistic architects strove to refine the American dream of homeownership -- a dream realizable by even the working class -- to ownership of an aesthetic and functioning home.

The Mountain Division, Inc., of the Architects’ Small Houe Bureau was Established in Denver in the early 1920s by ten Architects from 8 local firms.

William E. Fisher served as President, Harry W. J. Edbrooke as Vice President, T. Robert Wagner as secretary, and William Norman Bowman as treasurer. Architects donated their time to produce complete plans and specify materials, including the number of bricks, sacks of cement, and two-by-fours.

Architect also offered to supervise construction for a nominal fee. Designs, according to the 1922 book of styles available in Denver, included Spanish, Mission, Colonial, English Cottage, Mountain Swiss Chalet, Italian, French country, and Dutch Colonial. These compact, comfortable homes boasted “spacious” living rooms, small dining quarters (dinettes), and efficient kitchens. Rooms were arranged to save labor while providing adequate space.

These “no frills” houses kept roofs to simple forms, with no overhang or labret cornice treatment. The designs were “in good taste,” without “meaningless ornamentation,” and included walkways, low walls, arbors, flower beds, and kitchen gardens. “Doll House Row,” The east side of the 400 block of Williams, was the show place for the Mountain Division. Other models survive in the 400 block of Gilpin, and many are in Park Hill. Several hundred of these homes were built throughout the Mile High City.

List of Renovations EXTERIOR Two new additions (South and East sides of home) New stucco surfacing New exterior lighting and motion detection lighting Lifescape designed and installed landscaping, hardscaping and irrigation system New backyard fence New outdoor speakers/Sonos system FIRST FLOOR All new electrical and plumbing Refinished hardwood floors in existing house and added new hardwood flooring in additions Kitchen: Completely remodeled and expanded kitchen, new square footage, new island, Costa Esmerelda granite, Ann Saks tile backsplash, Rohl polished nickel fixtures, custom cabinetry, hardwood floors, Visual Comfort light fixtures, GE Monogram appliances (48” Dual-Fuel Professional Range with 6 Burners and Griddle, 48” Custom Hood Insert, 36” Built-In Bottom Freezer Refrigerator), Bosch Dishwasher (2018), new banquette/bay window Mud Room: new square footage, custom cabinetry, built-in desk, bar area with sink, GE Monogram Stainless Steel Beverage Center, new Dutch door Study: Added study with new square footage, custom shelving and Visual Comfort light fixtures, new windows Powder Bath: relocated powder room in new square footage with new hardwood flooring, Restoration Hardware lighting and Quadrille wallpaper, new window Living Room: new French doors to back patio, new entrance from kitchen, refinished ceiling, refinished flooring Dining Room: refinished floors Sunroom: removed and rebuilt to accommodate master bath above, new floors, new windows, new crawlspace, new electrical/lighting Garage: removed and rebuilt to accommodate a Chevy Suburban (or similarly-sized car)

Completed in 2013

by Old Greenwich Builders SECOND FLOOR New HVAC system, all new lighting/electrical, new Nostalgic Warehouse doorknobs Master Bedroom: refinished floors, added new square footage for master walk-in closet Master Bathroom: new square footage, new 5pc bath with new plumbing/fixtures, Ann Sacks statuary marble shower and floor tile, statuary marble countertop, custom cabinetry, Rohl polished nickel fixtures, 66� pedestal tub Hallway: mostly new square footage for study area, new windows, new flooring Laundry: new square footage, new washer and dryer (2018), custom cabinetry, new window, new tile, Nina Campbell wallpaper Kids Bedroom #1: mostly new square footage, new electrical/lighting, new walk-in closet, new windows, custom Brunschwig & Fils window coverings, wool carpet, en suite bath with all new fixtures and plumbing, ceramic tile, Calacatta Gold marble countertop, Rohl polished nickel fixtures, Restoration Hardware lighting, Quadrille wallpaper Kids Bedroom #2: refinished floors, new electrical/lighting, added walk-in closet Kids Bedroom #3: refinished floors, new electrical/lighting Hall Bathroom: complete remodel, new plumbing and electrical, Carrara marble countertop, Carrara marble hexagon mosaic tile, Restoration Hardware lighting, custom cabinetry, new Waterworks claw-foot tub BASEMENT New lighting/electrical, additional foundation support for new square footage on 2nd floor, new radon fan Play Room: Laid concrete foundation in existing playroom, custom cabinetry, new carpet (2020) Art Room: new vinyl flooring and drywall/paint Bathroom: remodeled bath, new electrical and plumbing, granite countertop, custom cabinetry, ceramic tile Family Room: new square footage, new electrical and plumbing, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, custom cabinetry, fossil limestone countertop, custom cherry wood bar top, new tile, new egress window, storage closet, mechanical closet, carpet (2020), tv hookup/mounting/speaker

456 Williams Street Parkway

List Price: $1,875,000 4 BEDROOMS 5 BATHROOMS Built in 1924 3250 square foot lot Above grade square footage: 2781 Basement square footage: 1357 2019 Taxes: $9260 Within walking distance of Cheesman Park, the shops and restaurants of Cherry Creek North, Oliver’s Meat Market, and Satchel’s on 6th.

For more information about the neighborhood, visit w w w. d r i v i n g p a r k . o r g