Denver’s famously haunted Peabody-Whitehead Mansion is no longer just a stop on ghost tours. After more than a decade of work and a multimillion-dollar overhaul, the 1880s-era estate at 1128 Grant Street in Capitol Hill has been reborn as eight luxury apartments, welcoming its first non-spectral tenants on April 1. The new rentals come with modern kitchens, hardwood floors and in-unit washers, with two- and three-bedroom units running roughly $3,200 to $3,800 a month for about 800 to 1,300 square feet, each with one off-street parking space included.
A Long, Hands-On Restoration
The resurrection of the property did not come easily. The project stretched across roughly thirteen years and more than $3 million in work, a painstaking effort that involved custom metalwork, historic-preservation reviews and slow-moving permits. Owners Ira Wertenteil and Cindy Powders took on much of the fabrication themselves alongside a small crew of master carpenters and welders. Wertenteil called the renovation “a labor of love,” according to Westword.
Gothic Bones and Political Ghosts
The mansion’s dramatic silhouette comes courtesy of architect Frank Edbrooke, who designed the house in 1889 and is also known for Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel. It has been recognized as a Denver landmark for decades, according to historical surveys and local records. Wikipedia notes that early owners included battlefield surgeon William R. Whitehead and Colorado Governor James H. Peabody, while a Historic Denver survey documents the property’s architectural significance in Capitol Hill.
Modern Interiors, Old-School Mood
Inside, the mansion’s eight units now mix contemporary comfort with a sense of theater. The apartments feature high-end fixtures, exposed brick, hardwood floors, stainless-steel kitchens and period-inspired details, alongside more eccentric flourishes like curated prosthetic limbs and other artifacts, as described on The Peabody Mansion. Wertenteil and Powders bought the property on October 31, 2013, then spent years doing much of the renovation work themselves with a small team.
The Peabody Mansion also notes that most units include one off-street parking space, and that the owners may reserve one unit for private events, readings or even the occasional séance, keeping the building’s spooky reputation very much alive.
Capitol Hill Creep Factor Meets High-Rise Rents
Set on Grant Street in the heart of Capitol Hill, the mansion fits neatly into a neighborhood where ghost tours routinely swing past Victorian mansions and boutique inns. The Peabody has drawn enough paranormal buzz to land on television: TV Guide lists a 2012 episode of Ghost Adventures that focused on the Peabody-Whitehead Mansion, and local tour operators include the house on walking and driving ghost routes.
For renters who are more curious than cautious, leasing details and unit information are posted on The Peabody Mansion, which offers floor plans, amenity lists and a rental application. The owners say they see the project as both a rescue mission for a rare Capitol Hill landmark and a chance to offer distinctive apartments in a neighborhood that is not exactly short on stories.
