John Deffenbaugh
Historic Denver, the nonprofit preservation advocacy group, has named its next leader.
The organization announced last week that John Deffenbaugh will take on the role of president and CEO starting June 6.
Deffenbaugh will assume the role nearly a year after former executive director Annie Levinsky stepped down. Levinsky was with Historic Denver for 19 years, 14 of them in the top job, before leaving last summer for a job with History Colorado.
Andrea Burns, who has been Historic Denver’s interim president and CEO since January, will remain in that role until May.
Deffenbaugh is currently the senior director of strategy and projects for the RiNo Art District and was previously the executive director of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. He declined to be interviewed.
Historic Denver said Deffenbaugh will focus on “sensitive, targeted and timely advocacy that reinforces the economic and social value of existing buildings, recognizing that preservation can, and does, go hand-in-hand with inclusivity, growth, affordability and sustainability.”
“Embracing existing buildings as a vital part of the urban fabric is the hallmark of dynamic, distinctive and livable cities worldwide,” Deffenbaugh said in the press release. “I look forward to working across Denver’s strong and diverse communities to reignite interest in our historic places, and reinforce the value they bring to our economy and our quality of life.”
Historic Denver was founded in 1970 to save the Cap Hill home of Titanic survivor Margaret “Molly” Brown from demolition. The organization succeeded, and now operates the home as a museum.
Historic Denver is currently advocating for the preservation of a 1902 home at 1741 Gaylord St. in City Park West, which the owner wants to demolish in order to build an apartment building. The City Council is slated to vote next month on whether to designate the structure a city landmark.
Other preservation initiatives the organization has led include saving the Emily Griffith Opportunity School from demolition. The building was converted into a hotel, The Slate Denver, in 2022 by Denver-based hospitality company Stonebridge.
Historic Denver has 24 full-time and part-time employees, which includes museum staff, Burns said.
John Deffenbaugh
Historic Denver, the nonprofit preservation advocacy group, has named its next leader.
The organization announced last week that John Deffenbaugh will take on the role of president and CEO starting June 6.
Deffenbaugh will assume the role nearly a year after former executive director Annie Levinsky stepped down. Levinsky was with Historic Denver for 19 years, 14 of them in the top job, before leaving last summer for a job with History Colorado.
Andrea Burns, who has been Historic Denver’s interim president and CEO since January, will remain in that role until May.
Deffenbaugh is currently the senior director of strategy and projects for the RiNo Art District and was previously the executive director of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. He declined to be interviewed.
Historic Denver said Deffenbaugh will focus on “sensitive, targeted and timely advocacy that reinforces the economic and social value of existing buildings, recognizing that preservation can, and does, go hand-in-hand with inclusivity, growth, affordability and sustainability.”
“Embracing existing buildings as a vital part of the urban fabric is the hallmark of dynamic, distinctive and livable cities worldwide,” Deffenbaugh said in the press release. “I look forward to working across Denver’s strong and diverse communities to reignite interest in our historic places, and reinforce the value they bring to our economy and our quality of life.”
Historic Denver was founded in 1970 to save the Cap Hill home of Titanic survivor Margaret “Molly” Brown from demolition. The organization succeeded, and now operates the home as a museum.
Historic Denver is currently advocating for the preservation of a 1902 home at 1741 Gaylord St. in City Park West, which the owner wants to demolish in order to build an apartment building. The City Council is slated to vote next month on whether to designate the structure a city landmark.
Other preservation initiatives the organization has led include saving the Emily Griffith Opportunity School from demolition. The building was converted into a hotel, The Slate Denver, in 2022 by Denver-based hospitality company Stonebridge.
Historic Denver has 24 full-time and part-time employees, which includes museum staff, Burns said.
