The function of the Lower Downtown Design Review Commission is to preserve, enhance, and perpetuate structures that have architectural, historical, geographic or cultural significance within the Lower Downtown Historic District.
Agenda items for consideration can include the following:
- Recommendations to City Council on the contributing (or historic) status of structures within the district
- Design review for new construction, alterations, signs and demolitions
- Adoption of design guidelines, policies and procedures related to historic preservation within the district
General Meeting Information
- Time and date: Lower Downtown Design Review Commission meetings are held the 1st Thursday of every month at 8:30 a.m.
- Location: Meetings are held in the Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave. Rooms will vary. See agenda for specific room location.
- Virtual access: Members of the public may participate virtually via Zoom. Meeting links and call-in information is posted for every meeting.
- Accessibility: If you need a sign language interpreter or CART Services, contact SignLanguageServices@denvergov.org at least three business days ahead of the meeting you'd like to attend. For other public accommodation requests/concerns related to a disability, please contact DisabilityAccess@denvergov.org.
See agenda, materials, Zoom link and call-in info for March 4 meeting
Submission and Staff Review
Design review applications, and other applications for board consideration, are due 3 weeks and 2 days (23 days) prior to the first Thursday meeting. Once a project is submitted, Landmark Preservation staff works with the applicant to ensure that the project meets the design guidelines, the materials are complete and to write a staff report and create a presentation for LDDRC members that includes a recommendation of approval, approval with conditions, or denial for the project.
To make meeting length more manageable and create greater predictability for commission members and applicants, agendas are capped at a certain number of projects. Projects are added to the agendas on a first come first served basis. If more than 2 infill projects or more than 5 projects total are submitted in a given month, the commission will hold an overflow meeting on the second Thursday of the month. If 4 infill projects or 10 projects total are submitted in a given month, additional projects are scheduled for the following month.
The Lower Downtown Design Review Commissions conducts design review for the Lower Downtown Historic District, using the following design guidelines.
Commission is made up of nine members who are appointed by the mayor, serve three-year terms and receive no compensation. Members must include the following:
- Real estate developer with experience in rehabilitation of commercial/residential projects similar in scale to buildings in the district
- Practicing architect
- Historic preservationist
- Preservation architect
- Resident of the district
- Property owner in the district
- Owner or operator of a business in the district
| Member |
Representing |
Term Expires |
| Tom Cella |
At Large |
5/1/2021 |
| Mike Coughlin (vice-chair) |
Real estate developer |
5/1/2023 |
| Jane Crisler (chair) |
Preservation architect |
5/1/2023 |
| Andy Duckett-Emke |
Historic preservationist |
5/1/2023 |
| Fred Glick |
At Large |
5/1/2022 |
| James Graebner |
Resident of the district |
5/1/2022 |
| Heather Vasquez Johnson |
Architect |
5/1/2022 |
| Steve Weil |
Owner operator of a business in a district |
5/1/2022 |
| (Vacant) |
Property owner in a district |
5/1/2023 |
Meeting minutes from past meetings will be posted here.
View recorded meetings on YouTube