“Art Deco” and “parking garages” are not two things that are normally associated together, but when the first parking garages were built in Downtown Denver in the late 1920s, that’s exactly what their developers thought of. As you may know, Downtown Denver’s historic Motor Hotel Garage at 14th and Stout on Block 138 is on the verge of demolition. A fence is up around the property and excavators are waiting patiently in the parking lot next door. The site is the future home of the Embassy Suites/Homewood Suites project.

So, assuming we have only a few days left to recognize this building’s 80-year presence on Stout Street, let’s take a final look at it before it’s gone. Much of the building leaves much to be desired. Its two side facades are unadorned and were built as common walls, and its alley facade is, as one would expect, quite plain. But the front reflects a sense of dignity and pride. Just because it was built as a parking garage doesn’t mean that it lacked an attention to architectural detail appropriate for its era. While relatively reserved in its Art Deco expression, its few decorative elements stand out, even today in their state of disrepair, as beautiful examples of a bygone era. Maybe someone can save a few of these elements and incorporate them into the new Embassy Suites?