Landmark Designation Criteria

To qualify as a Denver landmark, a structure must maintain physical integrity, be at least 30 years old or be of exceptional importance, and meet at least three of the following ten criteria:

A) Have a direct association with a significant historic event or with the historical development of the city, state, or nation;

B) Have direct and substantial association with a recognized person or group of persons who had influence on society;

C) Embody the distinctive visible characteristics of an architectural style or type;

D) Be a significant example of the work of a recognized architect or master builder; 

E) Contain elements of design, engineering, materials, craftsmanship, or artistic merit which represent a significant innovation or technical achievement;

F) Represent an established and familiar feature of the neighborhood, community or contemporary city, due to its prominent location or physical characteristics;

G) Promote understanding and appreciation of the urban environment by means of distinctive physical characteristics or rarity;

H) Represent an era of culture or heritage that allows an understanding of how the site was used by past generations;

I) Be a physical attribute of a neighborhood, community, or the city that is a source of pride or cultural understanding; 

J) Be associated with social movements, institutions, or patterns of growth or change that contributed significantly to the culture of the neighborhood, community, city, state, or nation.

Submit a designation application