Cheesman Tudor that once housed speakeasy lists for $2.5M

A home bordering Cheesman Park with a former basement speakeasy decorated with portraits from artist Herndon Davis has hit the market for $2.5 million.

Kevin Brynestad and his wife Valeriya Pauley purchased the Tudor home on the 1900 block of E. 8th Avenue in 2013 for $900,000.

The four-bedroom, four-bath, 5,000-square-foot home faces Cheesman Park and is within walking distance of Cherry Creek’s shops and restaurants.

Brynstead was initially drawn to the 1936 home for its architecture. The home, which has Spanish influences, is open and airy.

“We love Tudors. That’s what caught our eye initially,” Brynstead said.

“But so many have tiny rooms and you can’t do much with them. This home has a giant living room and dining room. It’s functional and is a cool historic piece.”

The home features intricate ironwork, leaded and stained-glass windows, hardwood floors, and a Spanish tile roof. Fruit trees and grapevines fill the backyard.

But the home’s fascinating history also became a draw.

Constructed for Denver historian and attorney Fred Mazzulla, the home once boasted a basement speakeasy. Legend says artist Herndon Davis painted portraits on the walls to pay for his drinks.

Davis worked as an illustrator for New York, Washington, D.C., and Denver newspapers, including The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. He also painted a series of murals for the Central City Opera House and, on a whim, the Face on the Barroom Floor at Teller House. The Denver Public Library Western History Department houses much of Davis’s art.

“When we went to the basement and saw the portrait room, I got it,” Brynstead said. “It’s not until you step into the room and see it that you understand the history behind it.”

The portraits offer a fun look at the state’s history, ranging from former Colorado governors to Titanic survivor Molly Brown and infamous cannibal Alfred Packer.

During the decade-plus he’s owned the home, Brynstead has worked to enlarge and modernize it while staying true to its character. The house still has its original wood floors, mahogany doors and a Spanish tile roof.

“It’s an excellent example of true craftsmanship,” he said.