Hangar 61
Year Listed: 2005
County: Denver County
Status: PROGRESS
Context: Transportation
Date Constructed: 1959
Significance:
Constructed in 1959 within the former Stapleton International Airport complex, this unique 9,400 square foot cement structure is an example of how sophisticated engineering can make an innovative architectural design a reality. This barrell-vaulted thin-shelled concrete hangar was designed by Fisher, Fisher, and Davis, and engineered by Milo Ketchum, a Denver engineer of national renown. Thirty-three feet at its apex, the thin shell concrete arch is diamond-shaped and spans 160 feet without center supports. Hangar 61 is unlike other remaining hangars from the old airport and is being considered for designation as a Denver Landmark. The Ideal Cement Company, one of the largest in the industry and one of the most successful companies in Colorado history, was privately owned by the prominent Boettcher family of Denver and Hangar 61 was built to house its Fairchild F-27 turbo-prop airliner. The hangar not only represents the initial expansion of Stapleton International Airport, but signifies Denver’s role as the U.S. entered the “Jet Age.”
Threat When Listed:
The City and County of Denver is currently under contract to sell the property to Forest City Stapleton, Inc., developer of the old Stapleton International Airport complex. Because the building has been vacant since the mid-1990s and no developer has produced a viable rehabilitation plan, Forest City Stapleton, Inc. felt demolition could be the only solution for this “eyesore” in the midst of a dynamic redevelopment project.
CBS4's Report: Hangar 61
Since Listing:
Hangar 61 was listed on the State Register of Historic Properties in 2006. Colorado Preservation, Inc., in partnership with 620 Corp. LLC of Denver, has taken an option to purchase the property. Funding through the State Historical Fund is making the purchase a reality.
Last Updated:
October 2006