Urban development too often means that historic buildings are torn down and forgotten. Not so with Downtown's Holy Cross Catholic Church (1900 California Street). Since the 1920s, the house of worship has remained as Denver's business center grew up around it. When 1999 California Street—a skyscraper with more than 40 stories—was developed in the 1980s on the same plot, the church survived. In fact, the project's architect, Curtis Fentress (read our Q&A with him here) built around the church. The illusion, from the street, is that the modern skyscraper almost hugs the old landmark. How sweet. —Natasha Gardner