Church And State Unite With Private Enterprise To Misspend Tax Dollars While ‘Helping The Homeless’

by Regan Bervar | Dec 16, 2019 | General Featured

by Luke Schmaltz

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 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.

Ring In The Holidays At Denver’s Union Station

by Jessica Hughes | Nov 22, 2019 | General Featured

by Jessica Hughes

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.

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

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.

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.

Tickets and additional information for all holiday events can be found at www.unionstationdenver.com.

End Of An Era: South Gaylord’s Landmarks Are Losing To Developers

by Mark Smiley | Oct 28, 2019 | General Featured

Coworking Expands, Corporate HQs Replacing District Shops, Claim It’s Now Second Oldest Commercial Block

by Glen Richardson

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

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

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

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

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.

Plans In Place As Park Ranking Plunges; Promising Or Political Ploy?

by Mark Smiley | Sep 23, 2019 | General Featured

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

Highway 36 Sinkhole Exposes Pressing Questions, Conflicting Answers

by Regan Bervar | Aug 23, 2019 | General Featured

Written by Luke Schmaltz

The sweltering months of 2019 were bumper-to-bumper trouble for U.S. Highway 36 commuters.

If you are one of the 107,000 motorists or public transportation customers who traverse this corridor daily, here’s hoping your vehicle has air conditioning, your playlist is extensive, and your boss knows you’re going to be late.

A considerable crack in the surface layer appeared July 12, 2019, prompting Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews to close the eastbound lanes at Church Ranch Blvd. The decision was indeed prudent, as the fissure soon gave way to a gap that eventually ruptured into a ditch-like sinkhole in the road.

By July 15, 2019, traffic in both directions had been diverted to two respective lanes of the westbound corridor — resulting in a bottleneck effect in an already heavily congested zone. This allowed some traffic flow, however sluggish, so that CDOT crews could access the area, analyze the damage and embark on a massive repair project.

Meanwhile, the event sparked several issues, as area residents, CDOT personnel and daily commuters began to ponder the obvious. How long would it be before the damage was fixed, why had a new stretch of road caved in like the top of a half-baked cake, and perhaps most importantly, where would the money come from to pay for the reconstruction?

A Dubious Timeline

Lateral and aerial photos revealed a multi-dimensional calamity, as the horizontal depression in the road was countered by a vertical eruption of retaining wall concrete slabs, debris-ridden soil and mangled rebar. On July 15, 2019, CDOT chief engineer Josh Laipply was quoted by several news outlets including Colorado Public Radio (CPR) as stating that it would be “weeks” before the highway would be returned to an operational condition. Several days later, that statement was amended by CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew, who offered that it would be “a matter of months” for the repair to be completed.

Meanwhile CDOT Communications Director Matt Inzeo via phone interview declined to comment on a projected timeline. He pivoted instead and offered that the retaining wall-supported embankment upon which the highway was built sits next to a “wetlands area that used to be a lake.”

A Sinking Feeling

The aforementioned information, perhaps inadvertently, placed a certain gravity on a statement issued by CDOT spokesperson Tamara Rollison, who explained “It appears water has gotten underneath the section that’s collapsing. It looks like it’s unraveling.”

At this point in the story, the term “collapsing soils” was introduced as a possible culprit. A blog published by CPR offered a statement from professor of construction engineering management at CU Boulder, Cristina Torres-Machi. It states: “[Torres-Machi] said it looks like a nearly textbook example of what she called ‘slope failure,’ essentially a landslide … She said it’s likely because of collapsing soils.”

Just in case (like most folks) you are not a geology major, collapsing soils are comprised of dry, low-density particles which can withstand significant impact without losing volume. Once water is introduced, however, the particles break apart, densify and undergo a significant reduction in volume. Oftentimes this results in the sudden appearance of a sinkhole.

In early August, a phone interview with Colorado Geological Survey Senior Engineering Geologist Jonathan White revealed contrary information that seemed to muddy the waters. Professor White explained that the embankment supporting the highway was comprised of “highly saturated, already wet soils” and the sinkhole was “most likely caused by a lateral landslide” and “was not the result of the presence of collapsing soils.” Professor White explained further that the wetlands adjacent to the highway were inherently responsible for the preliminary presence of moisture in the soil beneath the highway. He finished by stating that sudden influx of more water did not cause a collapsing soil situation and the disaster was more likely attributable to “an engineering issue.”

Who’s Going To Pay For This?

If Professor White is indeed correct, then upon whose shoulders gets foisted the blame? If it is neither the cause of collapsing soils or the effects of plain ol’ gravity, then by default, human error takes the spotlight. Regardless, the road must be repaired. A massive reconstruction project was launched as soon as engineers determined the debris and soil had ceased to shift and collapse.

This section of highway was completed just over five years ago in a joint venture between Granite Construction of California and Ames Construction of Aurora. By all estimations, it should most certainly not be crumbling, yet until engineering failure on the behalf of the contractors is found to be the cause, other monies have been allocated to pay for the reconstruction.

With Colorado’s massive influx of marijuana-based tax revenue, it is clear the $20.4 million repair and reimbursement estimate should be easy to meet by this revenue stream alone. After all, in 2019 alone, total tax revenue is projected by the Colorado Department of Revenue to be somewhere around the $30 million mark. Some experts believe it stands to reason that coffers swelling with monetary influx that was virtually nonexistent when that section of the road was built should rightly be tapped to remedy its untimely demise. Yet, when pressed for information on where the “contingency funds” allocated by the State Transportation Commission were being siphoned from, representatives of CDOT, Colorado Department of Revenue and Colorado Department of the Treasury declined to elaborate. A representative of the latter (who refused to be named) offered only the tersely toned retort “… well, first of all, treasury is not revenue.” Whatever that is supposed to mean, it sounds about as solid as collapsing soil.

Cirque du Solei’s Corteo Coming To Pepsi Center August 15

by Mark Smiley | Jul 26, 2019 | General Featured

by Mark Smiley

The latest Cirque du Solei show to come to Denver is Corteo, written and directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca. Corteo, which has been seen by eight million people around the world, tells the story of a clown picturing his own funeral, which takes place at a carnival and is witnessed by angels. Corteo, which means “cortege” in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown.

The show first premiered in 2005 under the big top in Montreal and has been since updated for arenas in March 2018, keeping the original story intact. The show features 51 performers, including acrobats, clowns, musicians and actors.

Cirque du Solei has been entertaining Colorado audiences since 1997. “We always have a great responsive audience there and we love to perform in a place where people react well and enjoy our shows and I think it adds a lot to the show,” said Max Batista, Tour Publicist for Cirque Corteo.

The stage has a unique setup as it will be set up in the center of the arena and audience members will be on either side with good sight views. Set Designer Jean Rabasse has divided the Grand Chapiteau and its rotating stage in two, with each half of the audience facing the other half, so they see not only the performance, but also have a performer’s eye view of the audience. There is one turntable built into the stage, which is about 41 feet long, and the track is almost 120 feet long.

This show also features six musicians and two singers who are on stage with the performers. Typically, musicians and singers are hidden from the audience but in Corteo, they are part of the show. “People can see us all during the show,” said Eve Willems who plays the accordion, guitar, and mandolin in Corteo.

The music accompanies the show and features different styles of music including Spanish and Irish. Willems, who submitted her video application to become a part of the show via Facebook, enjoys being part of Cirque. “At first for me it was to discover all the different talents and I was amazed to see all these people doing their tricks,” said Willems. “Now that we have started, I like traveling with all these people and make people dream and it’s really nice to be part of it.”

The show lasts two hours and 30 minutes  (with a 20-minute intermission) and is packed with death defying feats fans have come to expect from Cirque shows.

Cirque du Solei’s Corteo arrives at the Pepsi Center on August 15, 2019, and runs through August 22, 2019. For tickets, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/usa/denver/corteo/buy-tickets.