A few weeks ago, Dave Dyer, who’s researching the long-defunct L. R. Steel Company, sent me some scanned images of the company’s newletter showing the building once located at 16th and Welton before the current structure was built, and the rendering of the proposed Steel Building.

Dave continues to work his way through several years of the company’s newsletters, and when he comes across something about the Denver store, he sends me a copy. So, here are some of the latest images in the exciting saga of the development of the “new” Steel’s Department Store in Downtown Denver:

First, from the March 11, 1922 newsletter, a series of images of the old store being demolished:

Next, from March 18, 1922, the groundbreaking ceremony, featuring President Steel himself:

From May 20, 1922, a two-page spread of photos of the excavation for the new structure (zoom to view at full size):

Dated June 24, 1922, the new building is starting to rise:

From July 22, 1922, the new structure is almost topped off:

Don’t you wish our 21st Century infill projects would go from proposal to demolition to construction to completion as quickly as the Steel Building did?

Thanks again to Dave Dyer for his willingness to share his research! More to come.