by Jessica Hughes | May 20, 2024 | Main Articles
by Jessica Hughes
The Hispanic Restaurant Association, or HRA, will be hosting its first farmers market in the parking lot of Infinity Park in Glendale on Saturdays starting May 25.
What better way to savor summer in the Cherry Creek Valley area than by visiting a local farmers market? The thriving farmers market scene has become a beloved summer tradition for locals and visitors alike. With an abundance of markets scattered throughout the area, these organic gatherings offer a unique opportunity to connect with local producers, savor the flavors of the region, and immerse oneself in the community.
A primary reason for the popularity of farmers markets is the access they provide to fresh, locally grown produce. Colorado’s rich agricultural heritage and diverse microclimates allow for a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to flourish, from juicy cherries and peaches in Palisade to crisp corn from Olathe and sweet melons from Rocky Ford. By purchasing directly from the farmers, consumers can not only enjoy the fresh taste and nutritional value of these harvested goods but also support the local economy and sustainable farming practices.
Beyond the abundance of produce, farmers markets offer a unique shopping experience that caters to a variety of tastes and interests. Artisanal baked goods, locally raised meats, handcrafted goods, and even fashion trucks and pop-up boutiques can be found at many
of these markets, creating a one-stop-shop for those seeking a curated and authentic shopping experience.
From the long-running Metro Denver Farmers’ Market, which has been operating for over 40 years, to newer additions like the People + Produce at Belleview Station and the Glendale Farmers Market, these events have become integral parts of the community fabric.
Moreover, these markets provide a platform for local chefs and culinary enthusiasts to showcase their talents. Many markets feature chef demonstrations, interactive cooking classes, and on-site food trucks, offering visitors a chance to learn from the experts and sample the flavors of the region transformed into delicious dishes.
Mark your calendars and prepare to fill your reusable bags at these can’t-miss farmers markets.
Glendale Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, May 25 – August 31,
8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Infinity Park, 4601 E Kentucky Ave., Glendale
New this year, discover Colorado’s vibrant culinary scene at the Glendale Farmers Market. In partnership with the Hispanic Restaurant Association, the City of Glendale, and the Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce, this flavorful market features a unique fusion of locally sourced agriculture and culinary excellence. Discover fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and meats alongside Chef Pablo’s Kitchen and an interactive Chef’s Table, where you can savor the bounty of Colorado transformed into exquisite dishes.
Colorado Fresh Markets (Cherry Creek)
When: Saturdays, May 4 – Oct. 12, 2024, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: New this year, the market is on the east side of Cherry Creek Shopping Center, along South Steele Street near Macy’s
Located in the heart of Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood, the Colorado Fresh Markets mixes both fashion and farms. With local vendors selling homegrown produce and goods, plus fashion trucks and pop-up boutiques, it’s the perfect chance to stock up on seasonal fruits and veggies, plus the latest in fashion trends. Enjoy free parking when you get your ticket validated at the market. coloradofreshmarkets.com.
Urban Market at Denver Union Station
When: Five summer weekends starting June 1 – August 18, 2024, 12 – 6 p.m.
Where: Denver Union Station
(1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202)
Spend your summer weekends in the heart of downtown Denver at the Urban Market, in Denver Union Station. Less of a farmers market and more of an artisan market, shoppers will find local arts and crafts sold directly by the artists, clothing, jewelry, antiques, and furniture, with some local produce mixed throughout.
Metro Denver Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, May 4 – Oct. 26, 2024,
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: The southeast parking lot at
Wadsworth Boulevard and
West Bowles Avenue, Littleton
What began over 40 years ago as a small market in downtown Denver in an Auraria campus parking lot, the Metro Denver Farmers Market is now Denver’s longest-running market and a favorite for shopping the freshest, local foods. Each week over 30 vendors offer a mix of produce from local generational farms, prepared foods from local food makers, and craft vendors.
City Park Esplanade Fresh Market
When: Saturdays, May 4 – Oct. 26, 2024,
from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: 2551 E Colfax Ave., Denver
Working with local farmers and growers, the City Park Farmers Market recaptures the tradition of selling local produce and goods that are good for you and the economy. The family-friendly market brings live entertainment and a festive vibe all while enjoying breakfast, lunch, and brunch-prepared food options. Plus, with monthly chef demos by some of Denver’s favorite chefs, you’ll never run out of at-home meal ideas. cityparkfarmersmarket.com.
South Pearl Street Farmers Market
When: Sundays, May 5 – Nov. 10, 2024,
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: South Pearl Street, between Arkansas and Iowa, in Denver
The South Pearl Street Farmers Market sets up shop along the quaint South Pearl Street — home to Denver food favorites; Kaos Pizzeria and Sushi Den. Every Sunday from May to November, the street (between the 1400 and 1500 blocks) becomes an eclectic mix of local produce stands, handmade goods crafted by local artisans, food trucks, and live music for the entire family. southpearlstreet.com
University Hills Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, May 11 – Oct. 26, 2024,
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: University Hills Plaza,
2500 S. Colorado Blvd.
While smaller in size, the University Hills Farmers Market offers plenty of fresh finds and free parking for its shoppers. A prime shopping location in Denver since 1955, the University Hills Plaza hosts the weekly market featuring a variety of local produce, handmade goods, flowers and more. uhpla za.com.
Highlands Square Farmers Market
When: Sundays, May 19 – Oct. 13, 2024,
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: 32nd Ave & Lowell Blvd, Denver
The Highlands Square Farmers Market, one of Denver’s newest markets, offers a trendy twist with its market bar. Shoppers can enjoy a crafty concoction while shopping Colorado-grown produce, flowers, baked goods, and a variety of ready-to-eat foods, all while vibing to the sound of live music. highlandssquarefarmersmarket.com.
People + Produce at Belleview Station
When: Sundays, June 2 – Oct. 13, 2024,
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Belleview Station, at the corner of I-25 and East Belleview Avenue, DTC
The People + Produce market is Denver’s newest farmers market serving Southeast Denver, Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, and the DTC. The market will feature 50+ vendors each week, selling everything from farm fresh produce and baked goods to locally crafted artisan goods. Plus, with food trucks, fashion trucks, live music and a beer garden, it’s sure to be a fun time. Peopleandproducebvs.com.
Farmers markets are a great place to find fresh, locally sourced foods from Colorado farmers.
In addition to locally grown produce, many farmers markets sell other items such as fresh flowers.
City Park Farmers Market photos
The Cherry Creek Valley is home to a variety of farmers markets throughout the city.
by Valley Gadfly | May 20, 2024 | Main Articles
by Glen Richardson
A political website called “RINO Watch Colorado” (www.rinowatchco.com) has turned the political media world upside down in Colorado. The website was mentioned in last month’s lead story (As Colorado Becomes A One-Party State The Main Parties Fracture). RINO Watch bills itself as “the voice of grassroots Republicans” where “it exposes RINOs (Republicans In Name Only)” and “supports grassroots Patriots” while “cutting through the Establishment and liberal spin.”
The grassroots believe they represent about 70% of the Republican Party in Colorado. But the Republican billionaires who donate in Colorado (Phil Anschutz. Paul Singer, and Charles Koch), as well as all the media, oppose and demonize the grassroots and now, of course, RINO Watch.
RINO Watch, an upstart website, was attacked relentlessly by virtually every media outlet in the state of Colorado. It was repeatedly attacked by moderate Republican columnist and political consultant Dick Wadhams. He published entire columns about RINO Watch in the Denver Gazette, Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado Politics, and Complete Colorado — all owned or controlled by billionaire Phil Anschutz. Jimmy Sengenberger, another columnist in those publications wrote another whole set of columns denigrating RINO Watch.
Jon Caldara
Mandy Connell
Jimmy Sengenberger
Dick Wadhams
The Denver Post had Republican opinion writer Krista Kafer attack RINO Watch along with a full-sized cartoon by the writer. Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, and Sherrie Peif, a reporter for Complete Colorado, separately penned articles letting RINO Watch have it in the Institute’s quarterly bulletin. Democrat Ann Marie Swan, the Opinion Editor for the Durango Herald and The Journal in Cortez, Colorado, wrote her lead editorial attacking RINO Watch for trying to shame Republicans she liked because they were always losing to her Democrats.
The radio world is equally and universally vicious. Jimmy Sengenberger, before quitting in a huff, had a Saturday morning show where he repeatedly went after RINO Watch on his and Peter Boyles shows. He was replaced on 710 KNUS on Saturday mornings with Jon Caldara who kept up the attacks slamming RINO Watch.
Perhaps the site’s greatest critic on radio has been Mandy Connell who has a radio show on 850 KOA weekday afternoons. Connell invited contributors of RINO Watch, including a marketing representative of the Chronicle, to come to the KOA studio to discuss the website. In what appeared to be an incredible display of ill temper, she began yelling and berating them only to embarrass herself as they, according to listeners, calmly out debated her.
Republican billionaire opponents of Colorado grassroot Republicans. Above, Phil Anschutz
Paul Singer
Charles Koch
RINO Watch discovered that Connell had lied during the show about her best friend, Republican Consultant Kelly Maher, who claimed she had nothing to do with Bob Beauprez’s Colorado Pioneer Action, an entity fined the greatest amount ever for campaign violations in the history of Colorado. Matt Arnold, of Campaign Integrity Watchdog, who brought the action against Colorado Pioneer Action, was listening and had in his files the checks from Colorado Pioneer Action for the benefit of Kelly Maher, appearing to prove that Mandy Connell was lying and knew it.
According to it’s website, RINO Watch minds the crescendo of criticism as the huge amount of press converted the once obscure website into a behemoth with more clicks and reads than any other political site in Colorado.
But what exactly does RINO Watch do? It appears to identify Republicans who it believes are moderates but claim to be strong conservatives. It then places them on a fictional Wall of Shame, sometimes with colorful language. In turn, it identifies people it believes are real conservatives and places them on a fictional Patriot Hall of Fame.
The outrage goes to the fact that moderate Republicans, who go along with the Democrat agenda, are never criticized in the Colorado media but lionized as “rock ribbed” conservatives. A previously unknown website that disagrees with this analysis becomes an enormous threat to the Establishment, not dissimilar to the little boy who states that the emperor has no clothes on.
But failing to destroy the website, the Colorado media has made a must-read site for tens of thousands of Coloradans. Unfortunately for the Colorado media they can not put the genie back in the bottle and RINO Watch is anticipated to continue to grow.
by Valley Gadfly | May 20, 2024 | Main Articles
A Block By Block Comeback Is Planned By Denver; Will Costly Makeover Craft A 21st Century Street Or Stumble?
by Glen Richardson
Demolition Derby: PCL Construction crews work to complete the 16th Street Mall makeover. Street was initially slated for completion by year’s end.
Launched in April of 2022 with a $90-$130 million cost estimate, completion of downtown Denver’s 16th Street Mall was slated for wrap-up by the end of this year at a cost of $149 million. As the deadline draws near, City Council has approved (7 to 3) a $1,150,000 contract — between the city and the Downtown Denver Partnership — to continue redesigning and reactivating the strip. The cost is now estimated at $172.5 million.
Completion is now probable “for the fall of 2025.” Workers hope to have fences down on half of the blocks under construction and open to the public at the end of 2024. Those blocks, however, will still need small-scale finishing touches.
Once home to more than 300 stores and 50 restaurants, businesses along the 1.2-mile corridor between Wazee St. and Broadway are open and accessible, but struggling. Sales are down 25-30% or more. T.J. Maxx and McDonald’s are among those driven out. The 16th Street Mall Business Support program has awarded 177 grants to 103 businesses for more than $1 million. The first to use a grant, closed a few months later due to crime and their windows shot out. Even businesses that were receiving free rent have gone.
Unique To Simulated
When opened the 16th Street Mall was among the most iconic places in Denver, recognized for its high-quality design, enduring materials, and value as a civic space. It was selected for the National Register of Historic Places due to the exceptional caliber of its design and designers, including I.M. Pei, Henry Cobb, and Laurie Olin. The Urban Land Institute called it “public art of the highest international quality.”
Shady Spaces: Rendering of shade structures being designed to hopefully make the reactivated mall desirable and engaging.
The unique is now being replicated by today’s overseers. Some of the original elements will remain, including light fixtures, trees in linear rows, and use of granite. Nonetheless, much of the project is being heavily altered. Promises were made, for example, to recreate the original granite paver-pattern, inspired by Navajo rugs and a snake skin belt. Sadly, plans shifted late in the design-build process, with PCL Construction using smaller pavers than the original, and laying them differently in the transit and pedestrian lanes. As a result, it breaks-up the unity and cohesion of the intricate and elegant design.
The intent of today’s design team — the City of Denver, the Downtown Denver Partnership and RTD — was to honor and recreate elements of the original design. However, the mall is being transformed, resulting in such significant loss of integrity that it will no longer be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Current Construction
Tree Lined Treat: The 1.25-mile-long 16th Street runs from Union Station at Wewatta St. to Civic Center Station at Broadway.
The Road Ahead: Department of Transportation & Infrastructure rendering of what the 16th Street Mall will look like when finished in the fall of 2025.
Potholing — drilling holes to confirm underground utility locations — may still require lane and sidewalk closures on the 16th Street Mall and on cross-streets. Identifying existing water-sewer pipes, and electrical conduit lines, continues to reduce the chance of them being encountered during construction. Signage is being used to help pedestrians and motorists navigate any new closures.
Intersection renewal includes adding shallow utilities, such as electric, traffic signal, and lighting infrastructure. Plus pouring concrete pavement, painting traffic and pedestrian striping continues. Trees for the project were grown and acclimated at tree nurseries. Those trees have now been planted in blocks one and two along16th Street.
Craftsmen laid the pavers by hand along the center transitway during Phase One of the project. Texture of the new granite pavers — PCL Construction and city officials claim — will provide more traction, thus improving safety for the next generation of mall pedestrians.
Moments Of Joy
The new mall will feature elements designed to hopefully make 16th Street desirable, and engaging. Site furnishings, play features, and moments of joy are being distributed up and down the street. They include tables, chairs, benches, shade structures, and planters. The play features are designed to engage kids along the street. Lastly, there will be “Moments of Joy” to bring a bit of delight to the street; make you smile, pause for a moment, or snap a photo to share.
Magic Memories: Horse drawn carriage rides along the 16th Street Mall were for years a memorable experience for couples, kids, and families.
Distribution of the elements are being arranged along the corridor accordingly: Local Link from Market to Curtis; Press Play, Curtis to California St.; Experience 16, California to Tremont; and Jump Start from Tremont to Broadway. Arrangement of the features are designed to create attractions. But they will also provide moments of relaxation and fun for families, residents, visitors, and workers visiting downtown’s core.
Site furnishings are being organized into three basic room types: feast, lounge, and arrow. Feast rooms were created with food in mind. They will be spaces to share lunch with a friend or eat solo and catch up on emails The lounge rooms are spaces to allow you to slow down and stay for a bit. Visitors can take a moment to plan their next step. The space will allow downtown employees a place to pause in the shade between meetings, plus providing a site where residents can enjoy people watching. Arrow rooms will give visitors an accurate, vivid look at downtown.
Final Impact
Prior to the 16th Street overhaul launch, city officials said the investment would, “be well worth the price.” They reasoned it would improve or solve safety and infrastructure deficiencies. Replacement of a water line dating from the 1880s is expected to help drainage. The project also adds more surface friction on the walkways to improve pedestrian safety.
Denver Destination: Opening to the public in 1982, the 16th Street Mall was Denver’s most visited tourist destination for more than 30 years.
Moreover, removing the existing median and shifting the paths of the two bus lanes will add 10 ft. of dedicated, unobstructed sidewalk space on each side of the mall. In addition to more space for pedestrians, the project provides an opportunity to add amenities, while also being able to present additional community events.
More importantly, the city believes the project will play a key role in downtown Denver’s post-pandemic economic turnaround. Admittedly skittish about using the figure today, city leaders said prior to the launch it would increase downtown’s gross regional product — a version of the national gross domestic product, or GDP. How much? By a whopping $3.7 billion!
by Editorial Board | May 20, 2024 | Editorials
Editorial —
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston held an outdoor press conference by Union Station. He correctly noted that Denver, to be a successful vibrant city, must have a successful vibrant downtown, and for Colorado to succeed it needs a successful City and County of Denver. He also noted that Denver needs to break out of the area’s post-COVID “doom loop” that other cities like San Francisco are experiencing.
The trouble he has is that his solution of using an obscure special taxing authority — the Denver Downtown Development Authority (DDA) — to raise a half billion dollars to invest in downtown won’t work because of what the mayor will use the money for. The mayor is lying to you when he says he doesn’t know what the money will be used for. He indicates the “campaign will start with a conversation with downtown residents.” He has even set up a website, Denvergov.org/DDA, “where every Denverite can chime in with their hopes and dreams for what they want from the downtown.”
What a bunch of “malarkey” as President Biden would say. Luckily citizens have become a great deal wiser over the last few years that they cannot just count on what the government and politicians say is true. Rest assured every penny of that half billion “free money “ has already been spoken for.
The mayor will announce that what Denverites really want is for existing high rise office buildings to be retrofitted as personal residences. Of course, the mayor cannot be that brutally frank so it will be closer to what the mayor sheepishly said he maybe, sort of likes: “more childcare centers, commercial-to-residential conversions, and affordable housing.”
Yes of course, we need more childcare centers in the one place in Denver where there are almost no children. Downtown is inhabited by young two income couples with no children and older citizens whose children have left home so they decided to move to downtown Denver. The mayor also would like to have more “affordable housing” in the most expensive place to live in Denver. Really? No problem. He just declared 10% of the converted units must be “affordable” however he may define that term.
That leaves you with “commercial-to-residential conversions.” Anybody who has looked at such conversions states that they would be incredibly expensive and better to tear down the existing office towers and build new apartment houses and condominiums.
But you are failing to see who this is intended to benefit. Denver has a 30% vacancy rate and many properties have gone back to the regional banks that overly invested in office buildings and some properties owned by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) that are in the same position. The banks have written off the loans and the REITS their investments. But they are both unwilling to expend any more money on the properties. That is where DDAs come in. They give free money to the property owners for the overly expensive conversions and now the properties will actually be worth something.
Even better, the Biden Administration knows it can’t let the regional banks go belly up so it has massive amounts of money in the form of federal grants for “commercial-to-residential” grants.
But if nothing is ever paid back who loses? Well, of course you do. The money that goes in the Tax Increment Financing is money that would otherwise go to the general fund of the city as well as to the Denver Public Schools. The schools just increase your mill levies as back fill and the city either cuts services sometime in the future or raises taxes sometime in the future but that is for your kids to worry about if they still want to live in Denver.
It is a great rob Peter (Denverites in the future) to pay today Paul (the banks and the REITS). Luckily no other media outlet in the Denver market other than the Chronicle will tell you this and the scheme will merrily be approved by the Denver City Council and the people voting in the future DDA. They have nothing to lose, only you, and you don’t get to vote on the matter. What a wonderful world.
— Editorial Board
