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Friday, May. 2, 2025

Are most homes in Denver made of brick?

Por Jaijongkit, The Colorado Sun
yes

Just over half of all homes in Denver are made of brick or brick-composite materials, the result of a 19th-century ordinance aimed at making the city more fire-resistant. 

Almost 53% of residential properties are made of brick or clad with brick, according to the Denver Assessor’s Office. Forty-four percent of single family residences are made of only brick. 

When Denver was founded, in 1858, many homes were made of highly flammable logs and native pine. That began to change after a devastating fire swept through downtown April 19, 1863. The city lost 70 buildings and 40% of the business district to the fire, around $4.1 million in losses today. 

The day after the fire, the city approved an ordinance requiring buildings to be made with fireproof materials, such as stone or brick. The ordinance remained in effect until around 1960. The local availability of clay made brick the leading building material.

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