The Big Red Tower in Highlands Ranch

Have you ever been driving around and spotted something that makes you say, "what is that?" Such was the case for me a few years ago when a large red structure went up in the downtown Highlands Ranch area. In the months that followed a hospital building went up nearby, and a park was developed around the structure. But still, what the heck is that big red thing!? Is it functional? Is it art? Well, the answer is a little of both.

The tower, which stands in the center of Central Park in Highlands Ranch, is functional. It's a radio communications tower. Highlands Ranch sits at the top edge of Douglas County, which stretches way down south another 30 miles. Much of the county is quite rural and it was determined that there were many "dead zones" when it came to radio signals. This was, obviously, a bit of a concern for emergency services. 

It was determined that the best spot for the tower was on the very spot which it now stands. The 150-foot tower was completed in August of 2017. It improves public-safety radio coverage around Highlands Ranch by 325%.

Lucky for us, the powers that be decided to be a bit creative with the structure. Rather than just having one spire, the tower has three points in a unique arrangement. It is painted International Orange, that's the same color as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. So, in other words, it's red.

It's certainly a unique landmark in Highlands Ranch. Plus, it's just a short walk away from where the Highlands Ranch Gorillas stand guard. You can find the tower in Central Park, 1365 Park Central Dr in Highlands Ranch.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial - City Park

I admit, It probably would've been more appropriate for me to time this post with the Martin Luther King Jr holiday last week. Hey, better late than never, and besides, it's not like celebrating Dr. King is only allowed one day a year. When that mood strikes you to recognize the man, Denver's City Park has an impressive memorial perfect for times of reflection.

The bronze statue by artist Ed Dwight was installed in 2002, replacing another King monument that moved south to Pueblo. The statue of King stands on a tiered pedestal. Statues of four other individuals surround him. These include Frederick Douglas, Rosa Parks, Mohandas Gandhi, and Sojourner Truth.

Surrounding the pedestal on four sides are a series of tablets that detail the struggle of African Americans, key events in King's lights, and several of King's quotes.

The memorial is located in the southern part of the park, just a short jog northeast of the State of Colorado Fountain I detailed in a previous post. City Park is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd in Denver.

Littleton Blvd, Between Greenwood St and Hickory St, Mid-century Modern Architecture

It's been a little while since we looked at some of the mid-mod architecture on Littleton Boulevard. More recent posts have moved us further west, toward downtown Littleton. However, today we're going to venture back a few blocks east to a section of the road between Greenwood and Hickory Streets.

Our first stop is the Nickels-Hill Chapel of Peace designed by Raymond Heyl in 1958. Today it is known as the Drinkwine Family Mortuary. This is an intriguing building, featuring stone walls and dramatic glass windows. Yet, the location still has a peaceful, park-like feel. 

It's interesting to see photos from when this building was new, and the trees were much smaller. Today, however, the greenery seems to envelop the building. You can find this building at 999 W Littleton Blvd.

Across the street and down the block are two more interesting buildings, that I, unfortunately, don't have any background information on. The first building is located at 1060 W Littleton Blvd. It's large windows and unique slanted roof definitely draw the eye. Today the building houses a non-profit organization the assists adults with special needs.

Right next door is a small strip mall that also has unique mid-mod features. Like its next-door neighbor, this building also has a unique angled roof. Today the building houses two offices, including a medical dispensary. We are in Colorado, after all.

I find the brickwork on the west wall of the building to be quite interesting, as well. This building is located at 1080 W Littleton Blvd.