Denver’s South Pearl Street saw three
businesses exit the market between November and December 2019, becoming the
latest victims to the city’s rising minimum wage and property taxes.
Tavern: Slumping sales and high taxes forced The Tavern Platt Park to close its doors on December 31, 2019.
Hanson’s Grill & Tavern, a 21-year
neighborhood staple, shut its doors in December. The Platt Park Tavern closed
on New Year’s Eve after four years of business, and Palizo Italiano closed in
November after just two years.
While it’s reasonable for neighborhood
residents to be concerned about the health of their local shopping district,
Mark Gill, Vice President of the Pearl Street Merchants Association says the
closures remind him of a time in South Pearl’s recent past.
“Seven or eight years ago we had a similar
situation where three restaurants all closed at once,” Gill told the Glendale
Cherry Creek Chronicle in an interview. “People were worried then, but the
neighborhood bounced back just fine, in my opinion.”
As a 21-year veteran of the neighborhood,
including the last 14 years as a member of the Merchants Association and an
owner of two buildings in the neighborhood, Gill says the neighborhood has seen
a steady upward trend. However, that hasn’t kept him from seeing some of the
issues businesses in the area face.
“The nature of the neighborhood hasn’t
really changed much,” Gill said. “A majority of the businesses are mom-and-pop.
But, there’s no denying that rents and property values are going up.”
The Chronicle reached out to Hanson’s, the
Platt Park Tavern and Palizo Italiano for comment but didn’t receive a
response.
Outdated Gallagher Problems
The state’s population boom and continued
residential development that follows are causing problems for businesses all
over Denver because of the criteria set forth in the Gallagher Amendment, a
state constitutional amendment passed in 1982 that altered the way Colorado
assessed and collected property taxes.
Long Standing Grill & Tavern: Hanson’s stood at the corner of Louisiana and South Pearl for over two decades before closing shortly before the New Year 2020.
Before the amendment was passed, Colorado
collected its property taxes through a complex set of formulas that most
property tax professionals couldn’t fully comprehend. Afterward, Gallagher
effectively decreased the assessment rates whenever statewide residential
property values increased faster than business property values.
The problem? By maintaining this constant
ratio between residential and business property tax assessments, Gallagher has
essentially prevented Colorado from capitalizing on its expansive residential
growth, leaving businesses to pick up the revenue shortfalls.
The Platt Park Tavern provides a perfect
example of this problem. In 2019, the land and real estate tied to the business
was assessed at value of over $4.5 million. The Tavern ended up paying a little
more than $123,000 in property taxes, according to Denver County property tax
records. In 2018, the business paid just under $97,000 in property taxes.
Meanwhile, a 32,000 sq. ft. mansion in
Cherry Hills Village valued at $22 million paid just under $74,000 in property
taxes for the same year. The mansion’s property tax assessment has dropped
nearly 24 percent since 2016 as well.
For perspective, a residential property
with a tax assessment comparable to the Tavern’s paid roughly $37,000 in
property taxes, according to Zillow.
“Right now, we’re seeing far more residential
development than we were two or three decades ago,” Gill said. “In the end
businesses end up paying for a larger part of a shrinking pie.”
New Minimum Wage Problems
Outside of the property tax issue, small
businesses in Denver have to contend with a minimum wage that is slated to
reach nearly $16 per hour by 2022.
For restaurants, a business with
notoriously tight profit margins, even the slightest increase in labor costs
can be detrimental.
The Colorado Restaurant Association reports
that over 200 new restaurants opened in Denver in 2019. On top of that, the
explosive growth of Colorado’s population and its increased reliance on tourism
to bring new faces to the Centennial State has sent restaurant sales
skyrocketing to $13.9 billion annually.
But, between the lines, Denver’s restaurant
scene is becoming more homogenized with chain and franchise restaurants taking
up most of the retail space in Denver County. Local staples like the original
Snarf’s Sandwiches has had to move through multiple locations as it battles
against its labor costs and property tax assessments.
Even The Denver Post is not sold on the
idea that increasing the minimum wage is right for Colorado. In an article from
October 2019, the Post lamented the wage increase as “an exacerbation of the
cost of living issues in Denver.”
Currently, a restaurant worker making the
city’s $12 per hour minimum will need to work 103 hours per week to afford an
average one-bedroom apartment costing $1,652 per month without paying more than
30 percent of their income on rent.
Meanwhile, restaurant owners are concerned
that the new wage hikes won’t be enough to account for the industry labor
shortage.
“Everything we’ve been hearing from our
members, (they) have been saying, ‘How do we find more workers? We need more
people to be working in our establishments,’” Carolyn Livingston, the
spokeswoman for the Colorado Restaurant Association, told CBS 7.
About one-tenth of Colorado’s workforce
works in the restaurant industry. However, the state’s record-low unemployment
rate has elongated the replacement rate once an employee decides to leave.
Sign Of What’s To Come?
Still, there are signs that South Pearl
Street will pull through. One aspect Gill always points to is that there are
hardly any “For Sale” signs hung in the windows of Pearl Street businesses. In
fact, most are sold by word of mouth these days, Gill says.
The neighborhood is also planning on adding
arches at the Jewel, Iowa, and Louisiana entrances as the Merchants Association
awaits the next rotation of businesses. Gill hopes the aesthetic additions will
help spur growth in the area for years to come.
“South Pearl will rebound. These businesses closing at the same time was just a coincidence,” Gill said. “There will always be people coming and going, and people wanting to come in once the others have left.”
International Expert Warns ‘There Is No Safe Level Of Lead Exposure’
by Julie Hayden
The Hancock Administration’s aggressive
development projects don’t just endanger the City’s parks, open spaces and
quality of life in its neighborhoods. Some worry they also put the health of
the City’s most vulnerable residents — children and the elderly — at risk.
“Denver has a lead problem,” says community
activist Bridget Walsh. “Just like in other cities like Flint, Michigan, the
lead in Denver’s water in homes and schools, in our air and soil, has been
quietly poisoning our children and us for decades.” Walsh is co-founder of CATE
— Colorado Advocates for Toxin Education, a not-for-profit group of concerned
citizens focusing on promoting education about toxins in our air, water and
environment, and engaging in collaborative efforts to reduce the impact of
toxins on Colorado residents.
To help get the word out and educate the
community, CATE partnered with the Vasquez/I-70 Superfund Site Community
Advisory Group (CAG) and sponsored a series of events featuring Dr. Bruce
Lanphear. He is an internationally recognized expert on the destructive ,
cumulative impacts of even low levels of environmental contaminants and
pollutants on all of us.
Forget everything you thought you knew
about lead exposure and poisoning. Dr. Lanphear emphasizes, “There is no safe
level of lead exposure.” He says 20 years ago, doctors mistakenly believed that
low levels of toxins found in the blood were safe. But he says all of the
current research makes it clear that “low levels of toxins cause irreparable
harm and long-term effects.” He notes even the CDC, Centers for Disease
Control, now states there is no safe level of lead in children’s blood.
Lanphear explains lead has been linked to
physical and cognitive problems in children and impacts IQ. Lanphear cites
studies that show even tiny doses of toxins like lead cause irreversible damage
to children’s brains and bodies. It’s not just children who are harmed. Lead
exposure is also linked to heart disease. Lanphear points out the common
mythology is to blame everything on the individual and focus on lifestyle
choices like smoking, obesity and exercise. But the truth is, Lanphear says
science shows there is an undeniable connection between low level lead exposure
and premature death from cardiovascular disease. Yet, he says, we aren’t doing
enough to hold our institutions accountable for cleaning up lead and other
toxic pollutants.
Walsh points to a study released in 2018
that revealed almost all Denver Public Schools tested positive for lead in the
water. The District addressed the issue when the levels hit a high or
“actionable” level but Lanphear notes again, “No level of lead exposure can be
considered ‘safe.’”
CATE members additionally worry about lead
impacting tens of thousands of Denver residents whose homes still have old lead
water pipes.
The I-70 expansion is also stirring up the
lead issue. Lanphear addressed the Globeville community about that. The I-70
expansion includes a drainage project involving the I-70/Vasquez Superfund
site. Lead and other toxins have been found in the soil there. Neighbors and
others like Walsh fear the development will stir up lead, metals and other
contaminants. “Lead and other toxins like air pollution impact all of us,”
Walsh says, “especially residents who live in heavily industrialized sections
of Denver, close to highways and around big construction projects.”
CATE and CAG members hope Dr. Lanphear’s
message about the cumulative impacts of toxins on our children will encourage
policy makers to adopt what Lanphear calls population strategies that target
lead and other pollutants. “We and our children are being exposed to unhealthy
levels of lead and other toxins in our environment,” Walsh asserts. “It’s time
for Denver residents to arm themselves with the latest scientific facts and
demand that Mayor Michael Hancock and Governor Jared Polis not only recognize
this public health emergency but immediately allocate sufficient funds to define
the extent of the problems and clean it up.
No Safe Level Of Lead In A Child’s Body:
International expert Dr. Bruce Lanphear addresses Globeville residents about
the dangers of even low levels of lead exposure to children and others in the
community.
The abandoned site of the Warren Church may be remodeled into supportive housing units.
The St. Francis Center (2323 Curtis St.) is
embarking on a satellite project in the Cheesman Park neighborhood that stands
to benefit a handful of people — none of whom live in the area.
The Warren Church complex sits mostly empty
at 1640 E. 13th Ave. after it was closed in 2014 by its owners — the Mountain
Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. Regardless, for the last 10
years, the St. Francis Center (SFC) has operated an employment center for the
homeless from one of the church’s auxiliary buildings. The SFC Employment
Services Office also offers a free storage service for clients who need a safe
place for their possessions while they are getting back on their feet.
The proposed project would remodel the
existing structures into a supportive housing facility for those using the SFC
employment service. Essentially, the complex would serve as a temporary
residence for people working toward permanent housing. Rental rates would be
based on the tenant’s individual income.
The controversy surrounding the project is
assuredly not due to the nobility of SFC’s intentions. It can be universally
agreed upon that helping the homeless is a good and necessary cause. Yet,
conflict has arisen due to a set of blaring fiscal incongruencies as well as an
array of social disparities and structural oversights. The inflated costs of
the project presents a ledger of alarmingly lopsided numbers. Further, the
tenant eligibility parameters raise legitimate safety concerns for neighbors
while the remodel would violate numerous Department of Housing (DOH)
regulations and zoning laws.
The St. Francis Center operates an employment service for the homeless from one of the old Warren Church buildings.
The facility is slated to be named the
Warren Apartments but has been dubbed “The Gilded Dormitories” by critics of
the project. Those in opposition — most of whom live, work and/or own property
in the area — have formed a citizen group called Neighbors of North Cheesman
Park. A founding member (requesting anonymity) who works in government finance
has compiled a set of compelling comparisons which illustrate a profound
misappropriation of taxpayer funds.
Do The Math
Recently, a copy of the St. Francis Center
proposal was obtained by a Neighbors of North Cheesman Park member through the
Colorado Open Records Act (CORA). The plans show a 6,090 square foot
residential design consisting of 42 one-tenant units, each 145 square feet in
dimension (10’ x 14’). The estimated construction price tag rings in at a
whopping eight million dollars — $8,101,191.00 to be exact, which boils down to
a cost of $192,886.00 to build each of the 42 (10’ x 14’) units. To give
perspective on this, comparable structures in the area such as the Colorado
School of Mines dormitories were built for $46M to house 400 people at a cost
of $122,500 per unit and the University of Colorado Denver dormitories were
built at a cost of $68M to house 550 people at a cost of $123,636.00. These
data demonstrate that the Warren Apartments will be built with an excess cost 55.7%
compared to local averages. Also, the 145 square-foot units will not include
kitchens or restrooms. Additional comparisons lend further befuddlement to the
exorbitant construction price tag, as it places the building costs at $7.34 per
square foot — a rate 269.2% higher than the Denver per-square-foot average
($1.99) and 420.3% higher than the Colorado average ($1.41). These grossly
uneven comparisons beg the question: why anyone would want to spend so much
money for such a limited facility when the same money could be used to help
many times the amount of projected beneficiaries.
Follow The Money
Gap funding for the Warren Apartments
project will come from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, from
the Denver Office of Economic Development and the Colorado Division of Housing.
A report issued by the St. Francis Center in January 2018 named the above
entities as partners, investing $9.5 million, $500 thousand and $500 thousand,
respectively. When the final closing on the property commences (it has been
postponed several times), the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist
Church will receive $1.2 million, while BlueLine Development out of Billings,
Montana, will be awarded the $8M remodeling contract and SFC will take over
ownership and operations of the premises. Operating costs will flow to SFC from
taxpayer revenue coffers in the form of vouchers, warranted by the fact that
the facility will offer on-site services for residents.
Communication Issues
The Warren Apartments have been authorized
for construction for some time, yet those living and working in the district
were not informed through federally regulated means. The proposed build
involves exterior remodeling of an existing structure. According to Denver
Development Services, such an undertaking requires that “Building permits must
be posted onsite and be visible from the street.” No such posting exists, and
instead, stakeholders such as neighborhood property owner Chris Mast, are
hearing about the project through the grapevine. In his case, he was informed
via casual conversation with the Executive Director of Warren Village — an
adjacent non-profit facility for low-income single-parent families.
Safety Last
When Mast approached an employee of the SFC
employment office and asked about the Warren Apartments project, he was met
with hostility. He was told, more or less, that if he doesn’t like it he should
move. When he obtained a copy of the Saint Francis Center proposal, Mast
discovered that the facility would adhere to the Housing First guidelines set
forth by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. He found it concerning that
a facility within several blocks of a daycare center and a transitional housing
facility for single-parent families (both at Warren Village) is willing to
house individuals convicted of felony assault, as long as they have not
offended within the last year. The guidelines also state that there is no
policy regulating on-site alcohol and drug use. Plainly put, violent criminals
using toxic substances may be living next to families including recently
displaced women and their children.
Zoning Violations
Thus far, the Warren Apartments issue has
gone largely unopposed because it has been withheld from public knowledge. For
those in city government who are in the know, the project has garnered support
— especially among Denver City Council members who want to cultivate an image
of homeless advocacy. Yet, in addition to the aforementioned issues, the
remodel will violate zoning laws by establishing a “supportive housing”
facility adjacent to an existing structure designed for the same purpose
(Warren Village) and by operating a large residential property that is devoid
of designated parking. To a lesser degree, the proposed remodel will also
violate statutes regulating exterior alteration of historical structures.
There are many potential outcomes should
the project see completion. In a best case scenario, numerous people in need
are given a temporary place to live so that they can get back on their feet. In
a worst-case scenario, this section of Capitol Hill becomes further stressed by
a potential criminal element that endangers neighborhood children. Regardless,
a massive amount of taxpayer funds and charitable money will be spent on an
out-of-state contractor and awarded to religious organizations based in other
districts of Denver. Bottom line, like all other misspendings of tax dollars,
this project makes little sense.
The Neighbors of Cheesman Park have created a website with all of their financial findings which includes a comparative analysis. To access this information, visit www.stfrancis-cheesmanproject.com.
Denver Union Station puts on quite the show
every holiday with a variety of events, festive decorations, and classic
holiday cheer for the entire family to enjoy. Don’t miss the quintessential
holiday celebration at Denver’s iconic landmark with these events and
activities that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Photo courtesy of Denver Union Station
Grand Illumination
Friday, November 29, 5-8 p.m.
The holidays officially kick off with the
Denver Union Station Grand Illumination event. Join in the merriment of the
season with the ceremonious lighting of the Union Station building and the
40-foot Plaza Christmas tree. Entertainment is taken to the next level with a
vintage holiday performance by the Denver Dolls, holiday jingles by the Denver
Bronze, and a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Open to the public and free to
everyone, with the lighting taking place around 6:15 p.m.
Union Station’s Holiday On The Plaza
November 30-December 31, 2019
Monday through Friday, 3-10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Join the first ever Union Station’s Holiday
on the Plaza event as the Terminal Bar’s Patio will be transformed into a
holiday winter wonderland! Throughout December, join Union Station for themed
family-friendly DIY crafts, Christmas trivia, live carolers, and more!
Santa At The Station
Sunday December 1, 8, 15, and 22
Santa Claus: Visit Santa at the Station on the first four Sundays in December. Photo courtesy of Denver Union Station
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Kris Kringle will make his annual trip from
the North Pole to Union Station the first four Sundays in December. Check-in
when you arrive with Union Station’s new text-to-wait system and enjoy all the
station has to offer. Visits with Santa are free and open to the public, but
they are also offering a paid option called the St. Nick Express Family Pass.
For only $50, you can reserve a time slot and go directly to the front of the
line at the time designated. The pass will also include a commemorative Union
Station Christmas ornament.
Breakfast With Santa
Saturday, December 14, 8-11 a.m.
Visit Santa himself at breakfast with
Santa. Bring the kids and enjoy a curated breakfast buffet, story time, and of
course photo opportunities. For adults, Christmas cocktails will be provided
alongside breakfast. To help remember the event, attendees will receive a
commemorative Union Station ornament.
Shop & Dine
Get your Christmas shopping done early with
a visit to Union Station. With several shops located inside, you are bound to
find something for all those on your wish list. For the bookworm in your life,
stop in at a slightly smaller version of Tattered Cover Bookstore or pay a
visit at the 5 Green Boxes and walk away with a locally made craft, jewelry,
and gifts for those on your list. After you’ve crossed everyone off your list,
be sure to stop in at one of the many gastronomic choices that call Union Station
home. From breakfast at Snooze to an elegant dinner at Stoic and Genuine and
drinks at the Terminal Bar, there isn’t a reason to go anywhere else!
Grab A Drink At The Cooper Lounge
Add a little flare and a bit of decadence
this holiday season with Denver’s most glamorous lounge, The Cooper Lounge.
Enjoy views of downtown and Union Station’s Grand Hall Christmas tree, all
while sipping on one of their holiday drinks. Indulge in high-end, hand-crafted
cocktails, an extensive wine list, and food to pair it all with, for the
perfect night out this holiday season.
New Year’s Eve Party
Tuesday, December 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Start the New Year off right with Denver
Union Station’s New Year’s Eve party. Enjoy one evening, with three different
dazzling experiences.
Ring In The New Year: New Year’s Eve at Denver Union Station.
The Great Hall Silent Disco & Light
Show brings an epic light show to Union Station’s Great Hall all while dancing
to your choice of three live silent disco DJs, using provided wireless
headphones.
The VIP Speakeasy is a great way to start
2020 with the new “Roaring Twenties” and an exclusive VIP speakeasy in the
historic lower level of Union Station. VIP tickets include unlimited
complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, a musical piano performance, and
access to the Great Hall Silent Disco and Light Show.
Or enjoy table service at The Cooper
Lounge. Partake in a selection of passed canapes and a complimentary midnight
toast with Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Plus, patrons will enjoy access
to the Great Hall Silent Disco and Light Show.
Coworking Expands, Corporate HQs Replacing District Shops, Claim It’s Now Second Oldest Commercial Block
by Glen Richardson
Chewing Up Street: The Tavern space on Gaylord has been vacant for more than a year and is likely to be gobbled up by developers adding offices in lieu of restaurants.
This holiday season will be the last for
one of Denver’s oldest gift shops as the 45-year old Tender Thicket along Old
South Gaylord has lost its lease to a developer. It’s the conclusive indicator
that this is the end of an era for Denver’s second oldest historic district.
The Thicket’s home on Gaylord St. is close to 100 years old. — it’s historic —
but the neighborhood decided not to designate it that way and that applies to
all the stores along Gaylord.
Larimer Square is Denver’s only locally
protected historic district, designated in 1971 after a determined Dana Crawford
saved the block. Its historic designation was the first in Denver that
recognized not only individual historic buildings but a collection of buildings
and their setting.
The quaint Gaylord block in the heart of
Wash Park — between Mississippi and Tennessee Ave. — was, until the last couple
of years, home to unique shops but is shifting into a commercial block similar
to how Cherry Creek North is changing. Until recently area realtors could claim
Old South Gaylord was the embodiment of what a neighborhood should look like, a
historic district of inviting boutiques, art galleries and great restaurants.
Distressing Demolition
Coworking Expands: Grant Real Estate Co. purchased the building that housed the Thicket and the adjacent Edward Jones offices on the left and plans to bulldoze the building and add a second coworking space.
The Tender Thicket survived three moves,
four owners, a flood, economic ups and downs, but redevelopment will be its
final move. Grant Real Estate Co. owner Aaron Grant purchased the 5,500-sq.-ft.
building that houses the Thicket and adjacent Edward Jones building (now
vacant) for $2 million. At the same time in 2017 Grant purchased the building
at 1040 S. Gaylord for $2.9 million and converted it into Park Coworking that
is now open with 24 stations and 16 dedicated desks. He now plans to bulldoze
the other two buildings and add a second coworking space. “It hurts my heart
that this cute neighborhood will no longer be part of the Old South Gaylord
community,” Tender Thicket owner Maury Ankrum tells the Chronicle.
The Thicket building was once a pharmacy
and, in fact, they resurrected the pharmacy counter as their checkout counter
and still have the first medicine cabinet in the back. “It was important to me
to keep a bit of its history intact,” she says.
Ankeum is now looking for a new location,
but hasn’t yet found the perfect fit. I am profoundly grateful and humbled for
the years of love and support this neighborhood has given us,” she adds. “We
will miss it dearly. I hope my customers will stop by to say goodbye and snag
some fantastic deals as they check off their holiday list.”
History Lost
Heritage History: The 45-year old Tender Thicket along Old South Gaylord has lost its lease to developers. The Thicket’s home on Gaylord St. is close to 100 years old — it’s historic — but the neighborhood decided not to designate it that way.
While the Tender Thicket building is
believed to be Gaylord’s oldest, the block is dramatically changing as several
developers are buying up the land to add office space in lieu of retail and
restaurants. The Thicket is just one of many stores that have left or are
leaving.
On the west side of the street, Gaylord has
lost Denver’s No. 2 ranked art gallery Arts at Denver, a tailor, two hair
salons and a bike shop. In addition to the Thicket, the east side of the street
has lost or is losing The Tavern, Washington Bark, Sole Sisters (a shoe store),
Little Angels (a pet boutique) and Edward Jones.
The prime corporate takeover of historic
assets taking place on the west side of Gaylord is the corporate purchase of
the former bike shop (Singletrack Factory) near the corner of Gaylord and
Tennessee by LotusGroup Advisors.
Corporate Takeover
Corporate Coup: Two walls are up on LotusGroup Advisors build-out of this two-story corporate office on Gaylord. Among reasons the financial firm chose the district is because of improved parking over its Cherry Creek location.
The Cherry Creek-based financial firm’s
Managing Partner Raphael Martorello paid $1.4 million for the property, has
bulldozed the building and is spending at least another $1.8 million to build
out a 7,200-sq.-ft. two-story corporate office in the heart of the historic
Wash Park neighborhood.
Designed by Neo Era Architecture and being
built by 303 Construction, the firm had projected completion in the second
quarter of this year. In mid-Oct. as this article was written only two of the
four walls of the corporate space are up.
When announcing the project along what he
called a quaint and nice street, Martorello said he chose the site because we
wanted to achieve a “commercial building that feels like a home.” At the time
he declared the new corporate HQ would have “an open floor plan, energy
efficient construction, many spaces for collaboration, and improved parking
over Cherry Creek.”
Gaylord’s History
High Drama: The building that now houses the Charcoal Bistro and a fitness studio opened as the D & R Theater in 1925.
The 1920s were the golden age of movie
theaters, and, in 1925 Gaylord opened its own motion picture palace. The Washington
Park D & R Theater (now home to Charcoal Bistro) at 1028 South Gaylord St.
was built by Carl Adler, who also operated the South Gaylord Home Bakery. On
opening night of the theater in August 1925, two Shetland ponies were given
away as a promotional event. The Washington Park R & D viewed itself as
symbolizing “a new ideal in entertainment,” a community theater which was
up-to-date in every detail.
A business district was flourishing along
South Gaylord by the early 1920s. Chrysler & Son was the first to establish
a business in the area, erecting a brick store at 1075-1083 South Gaylord St.,
in 1915. Historians say that the shopping area “was mostly a product of the
1920s when streetcar #5 terminated there and attracted shoppers on their way to
and from work.” The 1000 block of South Gaylord was zoned Business-Retail when
the city was first zoned in 1925. By 1930 the block featured three clothes
cleaners, two beauty parlors, two barbers, two plumbers, a sheet metal worker
and a shoe repair shop.
As Denver basks in a period of massive
growth combined with the commercial potential of historic districts, the
historic designation of buildings and homes is likely to have little impact on
the ground. Developers from Denver and elsewhere will continue to receive
over-the-counter demolition permits and raze buildings and homes to destroy
history for profit.
Denver Slips To 29th Place In National Park Ranking; City
Pays $5.1 Million For Park Property; Pair Launches New Trust
by Glen Richardson
Denver parks have skidded to 29th place in the latest
national ranking of 100 big city parks. That is for a city that hovered just
beneath the top 10 at number 13 in the park hierarchy in 2015, just four years
earlier.
Useful Greenhouse: The 0.63-acre greenhouse space on newly purchased city park site is likely to be used by Parks & Recreation to support department’s main greenhouse at City Park.
This year’s Trust for Public Land ParkScore® released May 7
reveals just how fast and far Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver Parks &
Recreation Director Happy Haynes have dragged down Denver, once known as the
city within a park. As the administration sells or gives away park space to
developers, the amount of Denver’s city land used for parks has dwindled to 8%
compared to this year’s national median of 15%.
The city’s acreage average is rated 52.5 out of 100 with
investments rated slightly higher at 60 out of 100. The only thing that buoyed
Denver’s ranking was the wide distribution of its 314 parks, giving the city an
access score of 82.5 out of 100.
Trust, Park Purchase
Park Rank Plunges: Rated nation’s 13th best city for parks just four years ago, Denver has dropped to 29th place in latest national park ranking.
The dramatic drop in Denver’s city park ranking comes as the
launch of a new nonprofit known as the “Denver Park Trust” was announced. It is
a joint venture by Denver City Councilwoman Kendra Black and Frank Rowe, a
member of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.
It joins the ranks of cities such as Portland and
Minneapolis that have park foundations that help raise money and keep an eye on
public parks. According to Black and Rowe the trust will have an annual budget
of $250,000. The trust will provide added revenue to the funds raised by voter
passage of Measure 2A that added a .25% tax increase for park projects and land
acquisition. Black says even that increase can’t support Denver’s parks system.
“That’s where Denver Public Trust comes in,” she explains.
Coincidently the Denver City Council has approved a
resolution for the $5,100,000 purchase of property at 4301-4307 E. Iliff Ave.
in Black’s district for future use as city park land using 2A funds. It is the
2.26-acre site of Groundcovers Greenhouse located two blocks south of Evans
Ave. and three blocks east of Colorado Blvd. The retail-wholesale
nursery-greenhouse owned by Alison Tyler and Gary Luster closed at the end of
July. It is the first piece of land purchased using revenue from the 2A park
sales tax.
Greenhouse Site
Kendra Black
Nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood just east of
Colorado Blvd., the property operated as a greenhouse for nearly 40 years. The
city approached greenhouse owner Gary Luster with an offer. “As many of you
have heard, our property is being purchased by the city of Denver and will be
turned into a park within a couple of years,” he reported on Groundcovers’
website.
Luster told area news outlets he had never put the building
up for sale and had vowed that he never would. In the past decade he reportedly
turned down at least a dozen offers. “But we got the right offer for the right
reasons,” he concluded.
Councilwoman Black and Parks & Recreation officials say
they had been scouting the neighborhood for a park location for the last seven
years. “Additional park access in the University Hills North neighborhood is
critical to supporting an active, healthy lifestyle for the residents who live
there,” says Black. The closest parks in the neighborhood are Observatory Park,
Eisenhower Park, McWilliams Park and Prairie Park. All would require a 20 to
30-minute walk.
Few Year Project
While there are parks near University Hills such as Mamie D.
Eisenhower Park, the goal of 2A is to have parks within walking distance of all
residents. Many residents in University Hills also had to cross major streets
like East Yale Ave. This is something many parents are hesitant to let their
children do, according to Black.
Black says it will be a few years before a park is built.
First, the city will look at logistics and clear any buildings that won’t be
used. Parks & Recreation’s Gordon Robertson says the city may keep the
0.63-acre greenhouse space to support the department’s main greenhouse at City
Park. Any garden equipment left behind also may be repurposed.
The new park will then go through a public process. Either
late this year or early next year, the city will host an open house with
residents to determine what amenities they would like on the two-acre space,
which is a decent size for a typical park with a playground, according to
Robertson.
Vision For Trust
Frank Rowe
According to Frank Rowe — the only staff member and
executive director of the new Denver Park Trust — “Our vision is to acquire
land for new parks in high-density and high-need neighborhoods. We’ll also work
on providing ‘gap funding’ for projects within parks.”
Rowe says the nonprofit will focus on communities where
there isn’t a park within a 10-minute walk. One of Trust’s first projects will
be raising gap funding for renovation of St. Charles Park in the Cole
neighborhood. Phase one is complete, but funds are lacking to begin phase two,
he explains. Another early project taken on by the nonprofit is the addition of
a shade structure at Lindsley Park in the Hale neighborhood.
Black believes donors feel more comfortable writing a check
to a nonprofit rather than a governmental body. The Trust also aims to garner
public support and awareness of the city’s parks, Rowe adds. “I think if you
talk to most folks, they love their parks. And a lot of people want to get
engaged in their parks, participate and give back, so we can be a conduit for
that.”
Pair’s Background
New Park Property: City has paid $5.1 million for the 2.26-acre Groundcovers Greenhouse site on E. Iliff Ave. Denver is using voter approved 2A funds to buy the property located two blocks south of Evans and three blocks east of Colorado Blvd.
Prior to launching the trust, Rowe worked for six years at
the nonprofit news outlet Chalkbeat. He was appointed to the Parks &
Recreation Board by Councilwoman Black when she was first elected to city
council in 2015. His wife Anne Rose represents southeast Denver on the Denver
School Board, just as does Parks & Recreation Director Happy Haynes. Anne
Rowe served as Vice President of the School Board from 2013 to 2015.
While pursuing a park in her district, Black has been less
aggressive in support for parks and open space citywide and is considered extreme
pro-development. She supported the controversial drainage project at Park Hill
Golf Course and along with two other councilmembers supported some development
at the golf course. Some bloggers have scolded her for voting to spend money to
tear up City Park.
A study commissioned by The Park People, Greenway Foundation
and Kaiser Permanente with Denver’s support, reveals city parks deliver $7.1
million of revenue to the city while increasing resident wealth by $48.7
million.
