Hangar 61 Rehabilitation

Location

Denver, CO (located within the former Stapleton International Airport complex)

Date of Construction

1959

History of the Hangar 

Constructed in 1959 within Denver’s former Stapleton International Airport complex, the Ideal Basic Cement Corporate Hangar (now known as Hangar 61), an 8,500 square foot cement structure, is an example of sophisticated engineering creating an innovative architectural design. The Hangar was engineered by Milo S. Ketchum, a senior partner in the Denver firm of Ketchum &Konkel, and designed by Fisher, Fisher and Davis. In 1995, the City and County of Denver closed Stapleton International Airport and opened Denver International Airport twenty miles to the east. As development was taking shape at Stapleton, no use had been found for Hangar 61 and the possibility of demolition seemed eminent. In the spring of 2005, the property was nominated for and named to Colorado’s Most Endangered Places List and subsequently nominated for designation as a Denver Landmark.

Project Description

Colorado Preservation, Inc. purchased the property and in partnership with 620 Corp., a private developer, developed construction documents for its reuse. Structural and exterior repairs were the first phase of the rehabilitation work. During this time, the property was continually marketed in the hopes that a buyer could be located to assist with the design of the interior. On May 10th, 2010 the Hangar was sold to the Stapleton Fellowship Church.  Their plans for the interior include a 300-seat auditorium, state-of-the-art stage, children’s ministry space, and gathering areas to be made available for public use.

Project Team

Project was supported by Colorado Preservation, Inc., 620 Corp., the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the State Historical Fund.

Donate to CPI

We hope you will extend your appreciation for Colorado's heritage by helping us take advantage of this $1 to $1 matching campaign. Learn more about our matching campaign and make your tax-deductible donation today!

Featured Project

Preservation for a Changing Colorado

Historic preservation has a direct economic benefit to communities and Colorado! Take a look at the 2017 study, which considered the ways adaption of historic places has a direct financial effect on the state.

This updated, most resent study, was the result of a partnership between Colorado Preservation, Inc and History Colorado, funded by a grant from History Colorado's State Historical Fund. Prepared by Clarion Associates, the new report document the economic benefits of rehabilitation projects, analyzes property values and neighborhood stability in local historic districts, and summarizes the increasing impact of heritage tourism, private preservation development and the success of Colorado’s Main Street program.

In a key finding, researchers determined that for every $1 million spent on historic preservation in Colorado it produced $1.03 million in additional spending, 14 new jobs, and $636,700 in increased household incomes across the state!

The 2017 report also considers the important role preservation plays in helping Coloradans provide new spaces for creative communities and co-working, create and sustain meaningful places, responds to the state’s changing demographics, and addresses climate concerns.

Click Here to see download and read the full report, "Preservation for a Changing Colorado".