More than a decade after battling to build it, Gary Yourtz is selling his Belcaro mansion for $8.5 million.
The story of 825 S. Adams began in 2010, when Yourtz paid just over $1 million for a lot on a quiet, tree-lined street in Belcaro with a singular vision: to tear down the existing ranch-style home, which he called a death trap, and build his dream house.
What followed was anything but simple.
Forty-five minutes before a landmark designation deadline, an Arapahoe County preservationist and a neighbor filed an application to block demolition of the 1958 midcentury ranch, setting off a battle that cost Yourtz $18,000, required high-powered attorneys, and shook his family.
His wife, Terri, was so upset that she wanted to walk away.
Yourtz refused.
“I wouldn’t let a good deal become a bad deal,” said Yourtz, 81, a philanthropist and the former president and co-owner of Du-Wald Steel Co.
He joined the Belcaro homeowners association, reached out to his new neighbors, and fought the application. Neighbors rallied behind him, writing letters of support and urging the applicant to withdraw, which he ultimately did, the night before a public hearing.
“We came here with the best intentions, but the last 60 days were horrible,” Yourtz said at the time. “To come into a community and have an outsider do this to you, itap a complete violation of your property rights.”
By 2011, Yourtz had broken ground on his dream home.
Yourtz was at the construction site one or two times a day throughout the build, catching issues before they became problems. There wasn’t a single change order.
“Nobody designs and builds a perfect house,” he said. “But this is close.”
The result: a 9,862-square-foot prairie-style residence — the third time Yourtz and his wife built a house — that still looks brand new at 15 years old.
Built by KZ Smith Construction, the slate-roofed home spans three levels. It features European walnut floors with African Wenge inlays, five handcrafted masonry fireplaces on the main level and custom William Ohs cabinetry throughout.
At the heart is a chef’s kitchen with an island outfitted with two ovens, a warming oven, a microwave and two refrigerator drawers. A built-in walnut table, imported from Finland, anchors the space.
Special features include a custom study finished in cherry, walnut and leather; and a main-floor primary suite with dual en suite bathrooms, private dressing rooms, and an expansive walk-in shower.
Two additional en suite bedrooms occupy the upper level.
The lower level includes a billiards room, a fully appointed bar, and a leather-wrapped lounge leading to a secure safe room, configured for a firearm enthusiast (Yourtz, a former hunter, sold his guns to a federal dealer) that a buyer could convert into a wine cellar. There’s also space to add a mother-in-law or nanny’s apartment.
Yourtz, whose wife of 55 years died in 2023, said his decision to sell is practical.
“Itap time to exit,” he said. His children don’t want the home, and it demands attention.
“You can’t simply lock the door and leave it for two months.”
He plans to move to the new 5-story, 37-unit Waldorf Astoria Residences Denver Cherry Creek, where he is already acquainted with the construction manager and monitors the progress. Itap expected to be finished in 2028.
Listing agent Jennifer Bub of Coldwell Banker Realty 24 said the Belcaro mansion is a rare find in Denver’s luxury market.
“This could be ideal for empty nesters who love to entertain,” Bub said.
“It could also appeal to an athlete who wants a showpiece. The house is timeless and classic — it doesn’t look like itap 15 years old.”
