On Havana Street
Morgan Sonsthagen
City Of Denver Shuts Down Civic Center Park Due To Safety, Rats
by Mark Smiley
Closed: Civic Center Park will be closed for at least two months due to it being a violent, drug, and rat infested area. Many Denver residents are upset with the rise in crime and drug use in the area.
The City and County of Denver closed Civic Center Park and adjacent areas to the public in order to abate significant public safety and environmental health risks that have grown over the past several months and to rehabilitate one of the centerpieces of Denver’s parks system.
The park closed on Wednesday, September 15, 2021. According to the city, the park will be restored to a stable and safe state that is welcoming for all Denver residents.
“The current challenges within Civic Center Park have reached a tipping point, creating conditions that put the public’s health and safety at risk,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “This cannot and will not be allowed to continue. This is the people’s park and we are taking steps so that everyone can once again feel safe and welcomed there.”
“We are seeing our city getting overwhelmed by crime and sanitation issues,” said Mike Silverberg, Denver resident. “People are afraid to go downtown an
ymore, and now what was a crown jewel park has been fenced off and closed. The latest consequence of Denver’s “friendly” modeling of San Fran, Seattle, and Portland-type policies and acceptance by the silent majority that this is, and growing crime rates, are acceptable.”
Over the course of the last several weeks, officials from Denver Public Health & Environment have been monitoring conditions in Civic Center Park, Pioneer Fountain at the corner of Broadway and Colfax, and MacIntosh Park Plaza at 15th Ave. and Cleveland St. for health and environmental hazards which create ongoing unhealthy conditions for all users of the park. Many unsafe conditions were noted, including: litter and food waste that attract bugs and rodents; dozens of rodent burrows; human and pet waste which contribute to the spread of disease and impact water quality; and improperly discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia that creates risks to people v
isiting the area and to workers tasked with maintaining the area.
In recent weeks, excessive amounts of trash have accumulated each day, consisting of discarded food, as well as human and hazardous waste, resulting in additional labor hours and rodent infestation. Graffiti and fire damage to the historical stone structures will require professional restoration. A thorough evaluation of the park is also required to ensure all hazardous waste is properly identified and removed.
In addition to the public health risks observed in Civic Center, the park and surrounding areas have become a hotspot for violence, crime, drug sales, and substance misuse, jeopardizing the public’s ability to safely enjoy one of Denver’s treasured outdoor spaces.
The closure is temporary, and Civic Center Park will re-open when abatement measures have been completed and the park is safe for everyone to use. Organizers of scheduled events in Civic Center Park are being contacted for relocation to other park properties.
According to a CBS Denver report, the closure could last as long as two months. The city, however, did not provide any additional information about the timeline of the closure. “When work is complete and all public health issues have been mitigated, Civic Center Park and surrounding areas will be reopened,” read a city press release.
Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel Unveils $80 Million Transformation
The renovation brings the hotel in line with the future vision for Sheraton Hotels that is being rolled out at properties around the world.
by Mark Smiley
Unveiling Becomes Official: Mayor Michael Hancock cuts the ribbon to unveil the $80 Million renovation to the Sheraton Denver Downtown. From left to right: Rachel Benedick, Executive Vice President, Convention Sales & Services at VISIT DENVER; Tony Dunn, General Manager of Sheraton Denver Downtown; Mayor Michael Hancock; Steve Arnold, Principal at Sea Hospitality; J.J. Ament, CEO of Denver Metro Chamber. Photo by Photography G, Inc.
On September 16, 2021, the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel revealed a full-scale renovation of its guest rooms, lobby, public and meeting spaces as part of Sheraton’s worldwide transformation of its guest experience vision. Drawing on its roots as a community hub for locals and guests at flagship locations globally, the new approach for Sheraton creates an intuitive and holistic experience with places to connect and be productive.
“With the Sheraton and the 16th Street Mall, and some other major investments we’re making, we’re gonna fight like hell to make this a place people want to come to and feel safe and enjoy themselves,” said Mayor Michael Hancock, who attended the reopening event. “Denver is proud of its vibrant downtown. And we may have slipped a little bit with some of the challenges we face, but we never give up in the game of being a destination.”
The completion of this $80 million hotel renovation changes the face of the hotel and Denver’s iconic 16th Street Mall. The city of Denver will begin its $150 million renovation of the 16th Street Mall in the next few months. The goal is to make the corridor more walkable and give more outdoor space to businesses that line the street.
Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel has long been a familiar anchor in Downtown Denver, serving as the largest meetings/ events hotel in the City with roots deep in the local Denver community. The transformation journey is now officially complete, with all aspects of the hotel updated and refreshed — including a new arrival experience, 133,000 square feet of renovated meeting space, and 1,238 newly redesigned guest rooms and 138 suites, as well as a new culinary and beverage experience. Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel is among the first in the country to undergo the larger brand revitalization that will ultimately transform all future Sheraton hotels.
“We are honored to be one of the first hotels to bring the new Sheraton brand to life in the heart of Denver,” said Tony Dunn, General Manager for the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. “The renovation will serve to highlight what is already incredible about the local Denver community — and bring the best of the Sheraton brand to downtown. As travel starts to resume, these changes will strengthen Denver’s position as a global gathering place for groups, conventions, guests, and locals alike, and will act as a public square for our growing, evolving city.”
The renovation was completed in a phased approach over the last two years. The transformation of Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel is part of a global project currently being undertaken by Sheraton Hotels & Resorts to bring all of its properties in line with the new vision for the brand, which was first unveiled at the NYU Hospitality Conference in 2018.
For more information, follow the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel on social media on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ SheratonDenverDowntown; Twitter, twit ter.com/sheratondendtwn; and Instagram, www.instagram.com/sheratondenver downtown. Visit their website at www. marriott.com/dends.
Experience An Alternate Reality With Meow Wolf Denver
by Jessica Hughes
The towering castle of Ice World. Photo by Kennedy Cottrell | Courtesy of Meow Wolf
After four years in the making, Denver celebrated the grand opening of the highly anticipated Meow Wolf last month, finally making its way from fantasy to reality. As the company’s largest permanent installation, the immersive exhibit will showcase the work of over 300 artists, including 110 Denver artists within four stories of a 90,000 square-foot structure. Alongside the installations, the venue also hosts a large 450-person music venue and a 2,000 square-foot retail space and café.
The installation is called Convergence Station, where a mystical narrative follows the art on display through an immersive experience. According to the press release, “It is the first stop on a quantum journey of exploration and discovery as passengers traverse new worlds, and like all Meow Wolf locations, labyrinthine mysteries beckon from its vibrant walls, portals, and wormholes. Twenty-five years ago, a freak cosmic event merged four worlds from different universes, erasing the memories of all residents and spawning the mystifying disappearances of four women.”
The other world of CataCombs. Photo by Kennedy Cottrell | Courtesy of Meow Wolf
Visitors will be transported through different worlds including kaleidoscopic cathedrals, Corinthian catacombs, lush alien habitats, and dazzling and gritty cityscapes. In this hotbed of interplanetary cohabitation, memories serve as both currency and the key to unlocking the story behind the women’s disappearances and cause of the convergence — as do multimedia clues that reveal themselves to all the senses.
Muralists, sculptors, fiber artists, and technologists have come together to create a one-of-a-kind installation, including notable artists Kalyn Heffernan, Christopher Nelson, Everything is Terrible!, Molina Speaks, Sofie Birkin, along with Moment Factory and many others.
The venue is located at 1338 1st St., Denver, CO 80204, and is nestled in the middle of W. Colfax Ave. and I-25, in the heart of the Sun Valley neighborhood. Those passing by will recognize the stand-alone building, with its pizza-like shape, florescent lighting, and four floors of interactive exhibits interconnected through vertical travel and secret passageways.
“Denver’s art scene is active and vibrant, making it the perfect place for our next exhibition,” said Chadney Everett, Executive Creative Director of Meow Wolf Denver. “Convergence Station is Meow Wolf’s third permanent immersive experience, and it will truly change the way you look at art. This exhibition is unlike anything you’ve ever seen…from The Swamp to The Cathedral — there’s a strong narrative to be uncovered should you choose, alongside truly mind-bending art from the many talented creatives that have worked so hard to bring the vision to life. We can’t wait for everyone to explore.”
The Sa Lawn exhibit at Meow Wolf’s new Convergence Station in Denver. Photo by Kennedy Cottrell | Courtesy of Meow Wolf
Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The company’s first location in Santa Fe opened in 2016, showcasing the House of Eternal Return.
Then in 2019, Meow Wolf expanded beyond Santa Fe and opened Kaleidoscape, the world’s first artist-driven ride at Elitch Gardens in Denver. Meow Wolf recently opened their second permanent installation, Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas, and the third permanent installation is now in Denver.
Meow Wolf is now open from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. until 12 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are subject to change.
Tickets are available for pre-purchase for $45 for General Admission ($40 Children / Seniors / Military), and $35 for Colorado Residents. Visitors are required to pre-book a time slot for entry.
