Garden Place Elementary School

School Description

Garden Place Academy resides in the Globeville neighborhood just north of downtown Denver. In the 1880s, Globeville was home to immigrants from Poland and Germany who used the surrounding land for small farms and gardens. Most of the citizens of Globeville worked in the surrounding beet fields.

In 1902, the building that still stands opened with the name of Garden Place. The population at Garden Place was mostly Polish immigrants who were anxious to learn English. Students from five to sixteen years of age attended Garden Place. In 1904, an additional building was built to the north. It now forms the north half of the present building. The population reached 1074 students in 1921. In 1923 the old building was torn down and a gymnasium, auditorium and south classrooms were added. Two classrooms were added in 2001.

Today, Garden Place Academy still stands in the heart of Globeville. The beautiful mahogany trim, intricate ceiling tiles and all wooden gym floor continue to serve students. There is no doubt that Garden Place will be here for another one hundred years.

Learning Landscape Description

Nicknamed the mouse in the mouse trap this site is adjacent to the interchange of I-25 and I-70.  The plan proposed uses compatible with the volume of noise generated from traffic. Creating intimate and wild places are key in a neighborhood typical of older inner city industrial areas.