Hoffman Heights Reconnaissance Survey, Aurora, Colorado

Hoehn Architects PC

From abstract: "The goal of this reconnaissance survey was to document the single-family houses in the post-World War II subdivision of Hoffman Heights in Aurora, Colorado. The City of Aurora is located east of Denver and is the third largest city in Colorado with an approximate population of 285,000 people and a total geographical area of 144 square miles. A reconnaissance survey of 1,696 properties in Hoffman Heights was conducted. The purpose for collecting the survey information was not only to inform local property owners, business owners, and the general public about the history of Hoffman Heights, but also to enhance preservation planning efforts within the City of Aurora. The information gathered during the reconnaissance survey, the first of its kind to occur in Hoffman Heights, will provide guidance for the possible formation of a historic district that may potentially be eligible for listing at the local level or on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, future preservation planning studies that provide for the management and protection of cultural resources may be based on the results of this reconnaissance survey... Three house models were initially identified through historical research: the Deluxe Brick Model, the Economy Frame and Shingle Model, and the Cosmopolitan Brick Model. Each house model has its own unique floor plan. The Deluxe Brick Model is the only house type that was originally built with an attached garage. All three house models incorporated three bedrooms. During the survey, a fourth or “other” model was identified, which is the economy version of the Cosmopolitan Brick Model. Featuring the same floor plan with a centrally-located living room, the economy version originally had asbestos shingle siding rather than brick for its exterior wall material. Research on the post-World War II housing construction industry revealed Sam Hoffman was a community builder and followed many of the precepts the National Association of Home Builders and the Urban Land Institute recommended in their handbooks. The high demand for housing following the war resulted in many builders exploring ways to speed up the construction process. Hoffman often referred to himself as the “Henry Ford of the home-building industry”. In Aurora, Sam Hoffman created a self-contained community that not only offered affordable housing to the former servicemen of World War II but also provided public facilities including a school, library, fire station, and park. A shopping center was also provided to serve the residents of Hoffman Town, which later became more commonly known as Hoffman Heights in 1952. Project funding was provided in part by a 2009 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the City of Aurora (project number CO-09-011) administered by the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office (grant number 08-09-21811) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Aurora, Colorado is a Certified Local Government.

Hoffman Heights Reconnaissance Survey, Aurora, Colorado

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