Historic Homes of Denver: Historic Homes and Buildings - Colorado Saddlery Building

The Colorado Saddlery Building, is located at the corner of 15th and Wynkoop at 1631 15th Street in Denver's Historic Lodo Neighborhood and was originally built for the Michael J. O'Fallon Plumbing Company as a warehouse.  It is in fact is one of the largest warehouses along Wynkoop Street's "Warehouse Row".  The years of construction for the Colorado Saddlery Building spans from 1906 to 1908.  Warehouses such as the Colorado Saddlery Building were built where they are precisely due to their close proximity to Denver's Union Station which was and still is Denver's railroad stop.  Thus allowing a short commute when shipping supplies out on the trains.

In 1945, the Colorado Saddlery Company moved into the Colorado Saddlery Building thus giving the building it's name.  Although the Colorado Saddlery Company produced a variety of western products such as spurs, belts and tack, the saddle was it's main focus and still today they build handmade saddles that are geared specifically to the working cowboy of today.  Famous "cowboys" such as John Wayne and Lorne Greene, who played Ben Cartwright on Bonanza, were avid and loyal  Colorado Saddlery customers and had several custom saddles made.                                                                                                                                                                                           

In the 1960's, the owner of the Colorado Saddlery Company, Pershing Van Scoyk, purchased the Colorado Saddlery Building.  In 2003, Van Scoyk retired and his son Jeff took over the family business. 

In 2005 the Colorado Saddlery Company moved to Arvada, CO and the Colorado Saddlery Building was sold to Jim Donahue of American West LoDo LLC.

A year later in 2006. the Colorado Saddlery Building was sold to Bob Fanch who made his money in cable television.  Fanch is putting between $6-7 million dollars into the old Colorado Saddlery Building and plans to add 1 story to the building for residential lofts.  30,000 sq/ft of office space is planned on the upper floors, and approximately 8,000 sq/ft of retail space and restaurant space on the first floor are also in the plans.  The basement area will be converted for parking which is desperately needed in the area.