Denver’s Historic $10.75 Million ‘Tom Shane’ Estate Hits the Market as City’s Second-Most Expensive Home

A Tudor Revival estate in one of Denver's Country Club neighborhood has come to market for $10.75 million—making it the second-highest listing in the Mile High City.

The home at 575 Circle Drive—one of the city's most storied addresses—was built in 1931 for $38,000 by architect Henry S. Koch and the F.J. Kirchoff Construction Co. for Mason and Dorothy Lewis.

The Lewises, of the law firm Lewis and Grant, lived there for three decades. Mason was the son of Robert E. Lewis, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. 

The home was clearly built for distinguished ownership, with six bedrooms and about 10,000 square feet of interior living space. The exterior offers an iconic old-world flair with its custom brick, masonry, and half-timbering, while the interiors carry ample art deco details.

"The uniqueness of the location being in the city, but feeling like an English countryside estate, makes this such an iconic and special home that rarely comes to market," says listing agent Katie Hoster of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty. 

The main entrance of the historic Denver residence. The exterior offers an iconic old-world flair with its custom brick. (Way Up Media) Art deco detailing and original millwork can be found throughout the home (Way Up Media) A quiet library and study space inside the home. (Way Up Media)

Lewis's daughter, Sally, remembered a gentler Denver. Her recollections appear in Alice Millett Bakemeier's "Country Club Heritage: A History and Guide to a Denver Neighborhood." She recalled the milkman clomping down the street in his wagon, and walking to the movies at the Hiawatha, now the Esquire Theater.

The Gallagher family later bought the home, adding rooms over the garage and renovating the interior. Its most famous former owner is Tom Shane of the Shane Co. jewelry chain, known as "the diamond king."

Nearly a century on, the home is ready for its next owners, yet with all of its original craftsmanship and charm intact. Hand-carved limestone accents appear inside and out, alongside solid wood trim, detailed moldings, leaded windows and cast pot tapered chimneys. 

"Each custom detail is handcrafted to showcase the exceptional quality of construction and craftsmanship that was accomplished by highly skilled trades in the 1930s," she says.

The kitchen opens out onto the backyard as well as a formal indoor dining space (Way Up Media) One of 7.5 bathrooms in the home (Way Up Media) A well-appointed backyard space with a fire pit and rose gardens (Way Up Media)

The second floor holds five en-suite bedrooms. A private third-floor suite can work as nanny or in-law quarters. Two balconies, one off a second-floor bedroom and one on the third level, look out over the grounds. The finished lower level includes an expansive entertaining space with a kitchenette, gym, sauna, and temperature-controlled wine cellar.

Those grounds may be the real prize. The house sits on a three-quarter-acre lot, a rare size in the neighborhood. Mature trees and established landscaping keep it tucked away from the street.

The outdoor space also includes a firepit and a rose garden with a pergola covered in flowering vines. Brick patios extend from the grand salon for dining outdoors, and a dedicated grilling area has a built-in Kalamazoo grill.

"Together, the expansive grounds, thoughtfully designed entertaining spaces and remarkable privacy create the feeling of a secluded garden estate," Hoster says.

The seclusion comes with a city address. The boutiques and restaurants of Cherry Creek North are within walking distance, and the Cherry Creek bike path is minutes away. Downtown Denver is about a 10-minute drive.

"This is a one-of-a-kind home that has stood the test of time," Hoster says.