1600 Empire Rd History - Joe's Metal Shop

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Louisville Historical Museum Department of Library & Museum Services City of Louisville, Colorado February 2013 Cityf ILALouisville COLORADO - SINCE 187E City "Shops" Facilities Building, City of Louisville Public Works Dept., 1600 Empire Rd. (formerly the Joe Tomeo Metal Shop) Year of Construction: 1949 Summary: This structure was a metal shop that Joseph Tomeo built in about 1949 at 1005 Main St. (now 1001 Main St.). The City of Louisville, the current owner, moved it to its property on Empire Rd. in 1983. Construction, Original Usage, and Relocation This building was originally located on the site of what would become the Louisville Historical Museum campus at 1001 Main St. that is owned by the City of Louisville. The three buildings on the Main Street side of this parcel were the Tomeo House at 1013 Main, a large two-story residence and business building at 1005 Main, and the Jacoe Store at 1001 Main. All three were built in the period of 1904-1906. Members of the Felix and Michelina Tomeo family owned all three buildings and resided in the structures at 1005 Main and 1013 Main. In the 1940s, the Tomeo family demolished the large middle building at 1005 Main. In 1949, Joseph (Joe) Tomeo replaced it with a metal shop that he began to use for his business. The 1949 Louisville directory lists Joseph Tomeo as having a sheet metal business at 1005 Main. He and his older brother, Dominic, resided at the time next door in the Tomeo House at 1013 Main. The following two photos are from the 1950 Boulder County Assessor Card for this property and show the front and rear of the shop, along with showing the shop's location between the Jacoe Store and the Tomeo House: