Colfax History: The Austin Building

Austin Building drawing by Karl Christian Krumpholz

Denver architecture is quite spectacular and we at Studio Colfax wanted to share a bit of history of our new home, the Austin Building (2400-2418 East Colfax Avenue).

Built in 1904, Denver native Frank A. Austin purchased this prominent corner site to erect luxury apartments above retail space that housed business' such as a pharmacy, interior decorating company, delicatessen, furniture repair shop, a florist and much more. All catering to the five to seven room apartments, these residents had it all at their doorsteps. Maaco, the building next door, was a black and white cab service company that made it easy for these residents to enjoy the city at a moments notice.

Denver architect, Audley W. Reynolds, who also lived in the building, designed the building as a restrained expression of Italian Renaissance Revival style with differing window treatments on each story, an enriched cornice, and Ionic columns. There were only eleven apartments with all of the modern technologies of the time and of course those classic mountain views to the west. The Austin is the only known example of Reynold's work in Colorado.