The Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is a historic building on Stout Street in downtown

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, which serves as a courthouse of the

United States District Court for the District of Colorado The United States District Court for the District of Colorado (in case citations, D. Colo. or D. Col.) is a federal court in the Tenth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are a ...

. Completed in 1965, the building was renamed for Colorado Congressman Byron G. Rogers in 1984. In 1996 and 1997, the criminal case against bomber

Timothy McVeigh Timothy James McVeigh (April 23, 1968 – June 11, 2001) was an American domestic terrorist responsible for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people, 19 of whom were children, injured more than 680 others, and destroyed one-third ...

was conducted there. Additionally, the federal building is home to 11 federal agencies, including the

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's new Rocky Mountain Regional location that opened on June 30, 2014. The building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 2016.

Building history

In the years following

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, the population of Denver, Colorado, grew rapidly as numerous federal agencies located to the city. The existing federal building could no longer accommodate growing space needs, and the government began planning for a new complex to house the

United States District Court The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district co ...

and the

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (in case citations, 10th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Colorado * District of Kansas * Distr ...

. In 1959, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) selected the accomplished Denver architectural firm James Sudler Associates as the lead designer, with another skilled Denver firm, Fisher & Davis, assisting. James Sudler designed numerous Modern buildings in the Denver area, including the exuberant Church of the Risen Christ and the

Denver Art Museum The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is an art museum located in the Civic Center of Denver, Colorado. With encyclopedic collections of more than 70,000 diverse works from across the centuries and world, the DAM is one of the largest art museums between ...

(with

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). In 1961, the federal government allotted $687,000 to purchase the downtown Denver site, bound by Champa, Stout, Nineteenth, and Twentieth streets, adjacent to the existing post office and custom house. Officials appropriated an additional $20 million in 1962 for the construction of the complex, with groundbreaking occurring the same year. The first occupants moved into the building in 1965. In 1984, the complex was named to honor Byron G. Rogers (1900-1983), who represented Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1951 to 1971. Rogers was instrumental in securing the original funds for the courthouse. The trial of

, the bomber responsible for the 1995 attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

, was held at the courthouse in 1996 and 1997. To find an impartial jury, the court moved the case to Denver, where McVeigh was tried and convicted. In 1999, GSA initiated alterations to the entrance to accommodate security needs. Local preservationists asked GSA to consider the potential significance of the complex before commencing work that would alter character-defining features. As a result, GSA developed a sensitive design that retained these important elements. The unexpected public interest led GSA to commission a study to better understand the architecture and context of buildings from this era. In 2003, GSA published Growth, Efficiency, and Modernism: GSA Buildings of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. The publication has received several awards and strengthened GSA's reputation as a leader in the preservation field.

Architecture

The courthouse consists of three distinct components: an 18-story office tower, a low courthouse, and a landscaped plaza. This three-part design combination was typical of Modern architecture and is perhaps best exemplified by the

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complex in New York. Sudler's design for the Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is an excellent example of Formalism, a style of Modern architecture that incorporates flat rooflines, columnar supports, symmetry, high-quality materials, and works of art. The tall office building has an unusual, angular footprint. While the center sections measure 103 feet in width, the ends are only 80 feet wide. The street level is clad in white marble panels, as are the narrow unfenestrated elevations of the building. Upper stories of the primary elevations exhibit an alternating rhythm of beige pre-cast concrete panels and projecting windows. Public spaces on the interior have marble wainscoting and terrazzo floors with bronze dividers. The low, rectangular courthouse derives its form from two nearby federal buildings that inspired Sudler: the 1931 U.S. Custom House and the 1916

Byron R. White United States Courthouse The Byron White United States Courthouse is a courthouse in Denver, Colorado, currently the seat of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. It formerly housed courthouses of the United States District Court for the District of C ...

(the former main post office). Sudler's design alludes to earlier classical architecture in scale, form, and color of materials. The building is clad primarily in pre-cast aggregate stone panels with a light tan color. On the Champa Street elevation, the panels have profiles that evoke the footprint and windows of the office tower. White marble is visible in bands at the top and bottom of the courthouse. Windows are oriented vertically and in pairs, running in tall bands divided by thin strips of marble. The Stout Street elevation features a metal art screen, a common element of Formalism, over large windows; the screen also serves to control direct sunlight on the interior. Like the office tower, interior public spaces of the courthouse have marble wainscoting and terrazzo floors. The courtroom walls are finished in panels of alternating polished light and dark woods with prominent grain patterns.

Public art Public art is art in any media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Public art is visually and physically acce ...

is a critical component of the complex. GSA allotted $50,000 of the original construction budget for works of art. Pieces include the large bronze Great Seal of the United States and a stylized mahogany carving called ''Justice, Freedom, and the Release from Bondage'', both by Denver sculptor William Joseph. A bronze bas-relief art column entitled ''Federal Services'' by

Edgar Britton Edgar Britton (1901-1982) was an American painter, muralist and sculptor born in Kearney, Nebraska. He moved to Chicago where he studied and worked with Edgar Miller. There he began painting murals, many as WPA projects. For reasons of his ...

is located within the landscaped plaza. The column resembles a totem pole and contains carvings inspired by

Native American art Visual arts by indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the visual artistic practices of the indigenous peoples of the Americas from ancient times to the present. These include works from South America and North America, which includes ...

. The cylinder originally acted as a canopy support, but was moved when the entrance was reconfigured. In 2006, Jim Campbell created a dynamic light installation along the Champa Street elevation, with a companion piece in the main lobby. In 1999, GSA initiated a $1.65 million project as part of its First Impressions program. The plaza and entrance configuration were modified to improve security screening and make the facility more efficient and welcoming to employees and visitors. The inviting new plaza skillfully and unobtrusively incorporates security features as well as elements of the architects' design that were never constructed. The existing covered walkway, or canopy, was retained and a new glass pavilion was added at the convergence of the office tower and the courthouse to facilitate security screening. New lighting and a restored water feature were also included in the design. The project received a Standing Ovation Award from

Historic Denver History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

, Inc., in 2001 and a 2006 Honor Award from the Denver Chapter of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

. The low courthouse building underwent a full modernization between 2002 and 2006. The project included upgrades to mechanical systems, reconfiguration of interior spaces, and asbestos abatement.

Significant events

* 1959: Architects James Sudler Associates and Fisher & Davis retained * 1962: Construction begins * 1965: Construction completed * 1966: Building dedicated * 1984: Building named to honor Byron G. Rogers * 1996-1997: Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh tried and convicted * 1999-2001: GSA initiates First Impressions project * 2002-2006: Courthouse renovated

Building facts

* 1961 Stout Street * Architects: James Sudler Associates; Fisher & Davis * Construction Dates: 1962-1965 * Architectural Style: Formalism * Primary Materials: Marble and pre-cast concrete panels * Prominent Features: 18-story tower; Low courthouse; Public art; Landscaped plaza

Attribution

External links