Birdcage Elevator One Of Many Highlights At Doors Open Denver
DENVER (CBS4) – Doors Open Denver is an architectural adventure through the city. Dozens of historic and modern buildings open their doors so the public can take a peek at the designs that make this city special.
LINK: Doors Open Denver
Among the family-friendly offerings during Doors Open Denver, the historic Sugar Building at 1530 16th Street. The Sugar Building was constructed in 1906 as the headquarters for the Great Western Sugar Company. In 1912, another two stories were added to the building to make it six stories tall.
"It's an iconic piece of Denver history. This was an extremely important building, was the headquarters of the Great Western Sugar Company for a long time," said Jesse Bank, with Urban Villages, who owns the building now.
The Sugar Building features an original birdcage elevator, which was renovated in 2000 and is in use by the public.
"It is a very early Otis elevator. There is some discussion that it may be the oldest operating of it's kind west of the Mississippi. It has been fully restored mechanically, so it's safe to operate, but retains all of it's historic character. There's even the little drive lever inside," Bank told CBS4.
Taking a ride on the birdcage elevator at the Sugar Building is among 138 insider tours available during the two-days of Doors Open Denver.
