Good News! On December 20 DPS agreed to withdraw its application for a Certificate of Non-Historic Status application for the historic Emily Griffith Opportunity School. DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg further agreed to participate in a process with preservation and community stakeholders to seek a new purpose for the historic buildings, which will be left vacant when the Emily Griffith Technical College and High School relocate to a new facility on the other side of downtown, a decision also made on December 20.
Historic Denver remains committed to this process and to finding a viable reuse opportunity for the historic site. Historic Denver is also committed to DPS historic schools policy, which recognizes that our historic school facilities are important public assets and contributors to our city's character and quality of life. For more information on how the conversation about Emily Griffith's historic value has tranpired read the back ground below.
DPS Historic Properties Report
DPS Historic Schools Policy
DPS Facility Acquisition Finance & Audit Committee Briefing
History of Emily Griffith Opportunity School
Late on Friday afternoon December 14th Historic Denver learned that on November 30 DPS had applied for a Certificate of Non-Historic Status for the Emily Griffith Opportunity School. The notice of the application was officially posted on Monday, December 17. A Certificate of Non-Historic Status, if granted, means that property can be demolished anytime within a five year period without further historic review.
Historic Denver is concerned about this action for three reasons. First, it does not follow the spirit of DPS’ own policy regarding the historic designation of schools. This policy, adopted in 2002, is the result of a collaborative dialogue with key stakeholders, including Historic Denver. As part of the policy DPS conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its historic resources and rated the structures in a tiered system, with Tier I schools being the most significant and acknowledged as eligible for designation. This came with the expectation that the Board of Education would support designation efforts for such properties. Emily Griffith was identified as a Tier I in 2002 and as such the Certificate of Non-Historic Status Application came as a surprise, despite news that DPS may decide to sell the property.
Second, the Emily Griffith Opportunity School is a unique and influential institution in Denver, and the structures on the site, bounded by 12th, 13th, Welton and Glenarm, represent the tremendous effort of a determined individual, Emily Griffith, to provide education and opportunity for all. While the property has evolved over time much of the site was designed and built during Emily Griffith’s lifetime, and some during her tenure at the school from its founding in 1916 to 1934. The Classical Revival and Modern structures represent the building quality of DPS schools in the early 20th century. Prominent architects, including W. Gordon Jamieson, were involved in its design. Furthermore, more than 1.6 million students have passed through its halls, many first-generation Americans or new immigrants who went on to fruitful careers in a variety of trades including aviation, mechanics and even hat-making! Read more history below.
Finally, Historic Denver is concerned about the lack of transparency in the decision to move forward with the Certificate of Non-Historic Status process prior to the School Board’s decision regarding the fate of the school, and prior to a thorough public conversation about its future, including reuse options. The school is a nearly 100 year-old public asset, sitting on land that has been in the public trust since at least the 1880s. The community has supported this property with tax dollars for several generations. It warrants more thoughtful dialogue, including an exploration of reuse options.
Since our founding in 1970 Historic Denver has been an advocate for many exciting reuse projects, from the transformation of the Tivoli Brewery into first a mall and then a student center, to the transition of the Lowenstein Theater into a book store and now, the evolution of Union Station into a hotel. We know adaptive reuse is possible and we know it’s a positive and compelling revitalization strategy. Additionally, federal and state tax credits are designed to make such projects feasible.
However, if non-historic status has been granted it would have signaled to developers that the site is only good for a scrape-and-build project, erasing the tangible legacy of Emily Griffith, and the opportunity to keep the physical legacy alive in a creative way. Furthermore, we know that the demolition of the site will lead to a large amount of environmental waste, from the loss of embodied energy to the train-loads of debris in a landfill. In fact we know that the loss of a structure of this size is roughly equivalent to 25 box cars of waste and negates the benefit of recycling tens of millions of aluminum cans. Sustainability is an important goal in our city and in our schools. Pursuing a wasteful course without more analysis certainly sends the wrong message.
Historic Denver asked for a transparent and thoughtful process regarding the future of the Emily Griffith site, aprocess that honors DPS' historic schools policy and the important history of the site. While we always like to see historic buildings used for their original purpose we also know that the structure can have a new life with a different purpose. Exploring and evaluating possibilities is a critical step in this process and should involve a variety of stakeholders, including the preservation community, the school’s students and alumni, downtown partners and the community at large.
Now that DPS has withdrawn the Certificate of Non-Historic Application Historic Denver will follow-up and participate in a process about its future- and we want you to stay involved. If you are not already on our e-mail list please contact our office and we hope you will consider becoming a supporter today so that you continue to recieve preservation news and preservation alerts.
If you have not already done so we do encourage you to contact your school board representative and city council representative to let them know you think the original Emily Griffith site should be preserved.
School Board Contact information:
Mary Seawell Mary_Seawell@dpsk12.org
Arturo Jimenez jimenez.arturo72@gmail.com
Anne Rowe anne_rowe@dpsk12.org
Happy Haynes Happy_Haynes@dpsk12.org
Nate Easley nate_easley@dpsk12.org
Andrea Merida andrea_merida@dpsk12.org
Jeannie Kaplan Jeannie_kaplan@dpsk12.org
I also encourage you to share your thoughts on the future of this site either through our Facebook page or by e-mailing or calling our office. You can reach us at (303) 534-5288.
Additionally, if you are interested in conducting research or volunteering in other ways please let us know.
Emily Griffith moved to Colorado in 1894 and worked as a substitute teacher in Denver Public Schools until she secured support from DPS to start a less traditional school, one that offered evening classes, citizenship courses and technical training in a variety of trades. The school opened its doors in 1916 in an unused school structure at 12th & Welton. In the 1920s the original school building on the site was demolished to make way for a new building, the one that now fronts 12th and Welton. Several years later an addition, designed by Gordon Jamieson, expanded the site up Welton Street and in the 1950s a set of one-story shops were built along Glenarm.
Giffith’s motto was “Public Opportunity- For All Who Wish to Learn” and the words Opportunity and Achievement are emblazoned above the doors on Welton Street. Early courses focused on English, bricklaying, carpentry and millinery. During World War II the school’s services expanded to include trades useful in wartime, including aviation and mechanics. Many of these courses still exist and have provided training to thousands of Denver residents.
Griffith’s innovative efforts have made a lasting impact on the city, and she is honored for her contributions with a stained glass window in the State Capitol.
For a fascinating story about Emily Griffith's life and mysterious death read the recent 5280 article Fallen Angel by clicking here.
The following stories appeared in Vol. 64, No. 30 of the Denver Business Journal, December 14-20, 2012
"Shocks and Bonds: Behind the DPS debt deal, downtown move"
"Emily Griffith's fate: Preserve it, or raze/redevelop?"