Upgrade work may begin soon on one of the most popular and historic public libraries in Denver.
Located at 1501 S. Logan Street, the Decker Branch Library was built in 1913 and designed in the Italian Renaissance style. It is known for its vaulted ceiling, intricate wood interiors, and brick fireplace.
The library is the second of four libraries funded by industrialist Andrew Carnegie and has been described in a city document as featuring an “old English design” with copper lighting fixtures and “windows of leaded glass.”
Upwards of $4.7 million has been secured to upgrade the facility, funding that is coming from the big Vibrant Denver bond program approved last year by city voters.
That funding will support a comprehensive renovation and preservation of the library, which will also include mechanical exhaust upgrades, as well as LED lighting installation and bathroom modernization.
The $4.7 million for the project is part of a larger $441 million bond designed to fund a series of city facility, housing, and parks and recreation initiatives.
Work on the library could begin later this year.
Carnegie funded the construction of more than 2,500 libraries across the country between 1883 and 1929. Nearly all the libraries were regarded as architectural wonders, having been designed in the Baroque, Beaux Arts, Classical Revival, and Italian Renaissance styles.
April 17, 2026
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library
