Ruth Falkenberg and Larry Nelson- Dana Crawford Award Winners

Ruth Falkenberg and Larry Nelson have set a standard of civic engagement, intelligent development and historic preservation for decades in Colorado. They specialize in the development and redevelopment of commercial and residential buildings and award-winning rehabilitation of historic retail, office and industrial buildings Ruth, a Colorado native, is a graduate of Colorado College where she studied philosophy. She worked with her father in a custom home
building and remodeling business where she got her first taste of the building industry. Among her many "Civic Sports" as her brother termed them, Ruth served on the Urban Design Forum Board of Directors, the Citywide Historic Preservation
Steering Committee and was appointed to the Landmark Commission where she served for 12 years. She currently sits on the Boards of the Colorado Historical Foundation and the Civic Center Conservancy. Ruth served on the first Lower Downtown Design Review Board and Larry is its current Chair. While working as a real estate and executive lender at the United Bank of Cherry Creek, Ruth met Larry Nelson a customer and general contractor. Larry came to Colorado in
the late '60s from North Dakota to attend the University of Colorado. In 1970, he formed a custom woodworking and furniture design company. He values the design and quality historic landmarks and other older buildings, and enjoys the challenge of renovating them to a new useful life without compromising their inherent character. In 1992, he sold his millwork company to concentrate on development and formed 620 Corp., Inc. with Ruth. Their efforts most recently resulted in the preservation and adaptive reuse of the iconic Hanger 61 structure at Stapleton. Constructed in 1959 by
the Ideal Cement Company to house its Fairchild F-27 Turboprop Airliner, the Hangar was meant to be a showcase for what was possible with the company's namesake product. Designed by the renowned Denver firm of Fischer, Fisher and Davis and engineered by Milo Ketchum, a pioneer in thin shell concrete construction, the Hangar is a wildly impressive building that is thought to be the only diamond-shaped cylindrical arch thin-shell structure ever constructed worldwide.
This masterpiece of engineering and architecture had been vacant and deteriorating for many years, so in 2005, it was included on the List of Colorado's Most Endangered Places. "We thought it was a marvelous piece of architecture. It certainly would have been a shame if it couldn't have been saved - and it's a nice piece of history for Stapleton,"
Larry stated. Ruth and Larry's vision and expertise combined with support from Colorado Preservation, Inc. and the
State Historic Fund, Hanger 61 underwent structural repairs and complete exterior renovation to make it habitable while
preserving its historic integrity. The Stapleton Fellowship Church is the current owner and tenant. One of the nice things
about the church buying the building is that many people will be able to enjoy it, says Larry, "They just have to go to church!"

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• Ruth Falkenberg
• Larry Nelson
• Dana Crawford Award
• Colorado Preservation
• Inc.