Mayor John Hickenlooper celebrated the growing number of Denver’s homeowners, small business owners and developers who have made design excellence a priority in their community.

The trendy Root Down restaurant, which would not have gotten off the ground without the help of borker Paul Tamburello, was one of the Mayor Design Award winners.

“Great cities are just as enriched by many small and beautiful design interventions as they are by large and bold civic gestures,” said Hickenlooper.

The awards were presented earlier this month at the L2 Arts & Culture Center located at 1477 Columbine Street in Denver.

“No matter how large or small the project, design matters. We all benefit when owners go the extra mile to invest time, money and creativity into their property, creating a culture of quality design and encouraging others to follow suit. These honorees are diverse examples of how attention to design details makes Denver a special place to live, work and play,” said Mayor Hickenlooper.

“The Mayor’s Design Awards recognizes and encourages well designed small projects throughout our neighborhoods,” said Denver Planning Manager Peter J. Park. “Good design happens on its own when enlightened owners recognize the benefit and invest in quality design. Their design efforts make our city interesting, provocative and memorable.”

Co-sponsoring the 2009 Mayor’s Design Awards were: AIA Denver, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects;  Colfax Events Center, 5280 Urban Homes, Steuben’s,  Pasquini’s, Whole Foods and the Denver Community Planning and Development Department.

The 2009 Mayor’s Design Awards recipients are:

Category: A Perfect Fit

1. Hodgin/Binswanger Residence, 640 Race St.

2. Bement Residence, 999 S. Euclid St.

3. Krisana Park Neighborhood, bounded by East  Louisiana Avenue,  South  Filbert Way, East Florida Avenue and South Edison Way

Category: The Past Is Present

1. Hangar 61, 8800 East 21st Ave.

2. Dry Ice Factory, 3300 Walnut St.

3. JohnstonWells, 1321 East 15th St.

Category: Reclaimed Splendor

1. Luna Residence,1715 Ogden St.

2. Root Down,1600 West 33rd Ave.

3. in situ DESIGN, studiotrope Design Collective and Grassroots Neighborhood Development, 2942 Welton St.

Category: Home Is Where The Art Is

1. The Pattern Shop, 3349 Blake St.

2. The Reading Garden, 5th Avenue and  Trenton Street.

Category: Many Shades of Green

1. The Shoppe, 3103 Colfax Ave

Category: Buildings That Beckon

1. Steam Plant Lofts, 7752 East  4th Ave.

2. Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizzeria, 2129 Larimer St.

3. Metro Frame Works, 4400 Tennyson St.

Hangar 61 was one of a number of projects lauded by Mayor Hickenlooper.

Previous honorees may be viewed on www.DenverGov.Org/MDA .

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