DOTI’s Plans To Alter E. Dartmouth Avenue Are Met With Opposition From Wellshire Residents

by Luke Schmaltz | May 21, 2020 | Travel

by Luke Schmaltz

The Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI) has elaborate plans for the streets of the Mile High City. These upgrades involve alteration of major travel routes, busy thoroughfares and neighborhood streets in order to accommodate an ambitious, multimodal, city-wide bike lane initiative. According to DOTI’s website, the Denver Moves: Bicycles project is driven, in part, by the fact that many would-be cyclists do not feel safe using two-wheeled, non-motorized transportation in order to get around town. The website infographics demonstrate that a majority of would-be bicycle riders (60%) feel “interested but concerned” about safety for cyclists across the city at large while 25% say “no way, not now” while just 12% are “somewhat confident” and only 4% of those surveyed say they are “highly confident” that riding through the city is actually safe.

A New Beginning

As of January 1, 2020, the Department of Public Works became DOTI, with a modernized mission that is “ … focused on increasing mobility and safety while reducing congestion and fighting climate change.” A fundamental part of creating a remedy for the above statistical disparities involves an overhaul of the existing network of bike routes — with increased signage, more visible lane markers and physical installations in the form of barriers for enhanced safety. Such measures are already in place in some areas of the city, with new lanes, buffered lanes and protected lanes popping up virtually overnight. While these improvements are no doubt paved with good intentions, many neighborhood leaders, property owners and longtime residents have been caught by surprise, with the look and feel of their community having been altered with little notice and without majority consent.

An Old Neighborhood

One such community is the Wellshire district, bordered on the west and east by University and Colorado Boulevards, respectively, and framed to the north and south by E. Yale Ave. and Hampden Ave. This quiet district was built over 60 years ago, and consists primarily of single family, owner-occupied homes. DOTI’s plan is to eradicate all on-street parking on E. Dartmouth Ave. to make way for a well-defined, buffered bike lane that would no doubt increase safety and security for users while creating possible hazards and other negative impacts for homeowners.

Some residents feel that, since there have been no recent crashes reported along this stretch of Dartmouth (already a designated bike route), enhancing the bike lane is an overzealous remedy to a nonexistent problem. This viewpoint also supports the idea that installing a buffered bike lane could create hazards for residents pulling into and backing out from driveways as well as minor inconveniences and major hassles when it comes to available parking for visitors, delivery drivers and service providers. Other residents feel that removing on-street parking can also have a negative effect on value of the homes along Dartmouth, which in turn can decrease property values throughout the neighborhood.

An Exclusive Agenda

The DOTI website lists several dozen bike lane installation sites — complete with the types of lanes to be implemented, expected completion dates and some with documents presenting the details of the neighborhood outreach. Yet, concerned homeowner Richard Davies — who lives just off Dartmouth — explains how City Council members and DOTI representatives seemed to forgo the outreach dimension of the project, using the Coronavirus shutdown as an excuse to push their agendas through uncontested. After the first public meeting was held in early 2020 at an area elementary school, the follow-up meeting on April 22 was scheduled as a “virtual open house” but organizers would only field questions and speaking points from attendees that were submitted and approved prior to the meeting.

The Political Side

City Councilwoman Kendra Black, who had claimed to be opposed to this particular stretch of the Denver Moves: Bicycles project, was also rumored to have inferred to a concerned resident that the proposed changes were a done deal, and they should not waste their time. Regardless, nearly 200 signatures opposing the measure were submitted with zero acknowledgement from DOTI or the city council.

In an online interview, Councilwoman Black was neutral on the issue, transferring all blame to the will of DOTI’s traffic engineers. She attests that, “The city’s goal is to create safe alternatives to driving for people who are willing and able to use other modes of transportation. Fewer cars on the roads improves air quality, personal health and traffic congestion.” Black continues by stating “Every bike lane project is different depending on what type of street it is, the traffic count, the configuration of the street and more. The goal is to add safe bike lanes — sometimes, according to DOTI engineers — the designs eliminate parking because there is not enough room to have parking, bike lanes and car lanes.”

A Possible Compromise

Meanwhile, Wellshire resident David Sherman offers another perspective, ex-

plaining that “Removing parking can actually increase traffic speed and volume.” Yet, he remains hopeful that a copacetic agreement can be reached between residents and DOTI by “lowering the speed limit by five miles per hour and providing plenty of signage about ‘sharing the road.’” Either way, repaving is scheduled for June and the buffered bikeway installation will coincide. Whether a compromise is part of the outcome or the city gets its way uncontested is still a few cycles away.

Signs Of The Times: Parking Ticket Subversives Take Proactive Neighborhood Measures

by Luke Schmaltz | Apr 24, 2020 | Travel

“All human beings are my neighbors. We share the same planet.”
— Ana Monnar

by Luke Schmaltz

By mid-March of this year, a new reality had descended upon Denver, as the COVID-19 lockdown forced residents to curtail social behavior, forgo daily objectives and divert vocational routines in never-before-seen ways. As thousands of “non-essential” workers were forced from their jobs and directed by government officials to stay at home, the Denver Department of Public Works continued to operate as usual. The ever-elusive “ticket ninjas” crept along their daily routes, issuing citations for meter violations, time-limit abuses and parking in prohibited areas on street sweeping day offenses.

Neighborly Gestures

After grapevine investigation, it was discovered that some of these anti-citation signs were the work of a local artist known as Rez, who explains, “ I decided to make the signs because I know personally that the street sweeping catches me off guard, especially in the spring. I figured I was not the only one, and if I could help out a few neighbors and essential hospital personnel, it was worth making a couple of signs.” Although obstructing street sweeping is a fine-able offense, the actual presence of these machines is an urban mystery. Rez continues, “I think I saw a street sweeper that last day [last year] it was supposed to clean our street.”

With extra time on their hands, some residents of the Baker district decided not to take the untimely, insensitive issuance of parking tickets sitting down. In a bold, First Amendment-inspired move, locals began taking matters into their own hands and warning neighbors, locally employed professionals and other passers-through to be mindful of the cruel, merciless scourge of Denver meter maids. By the time street sweeping day came around in the first week of April, several sidewalks featured homemade signs warning that the citation hammer was afoot and set to drop on anyone and everyone parked on the wrong side of the street.

The Pen Is Mighty

Small Infraction, Massive Price

The consequences for non-payment of a parking ticket can be severe. Essentially, the issuance of a ticket initiates a process that, if not complied with, can result in the city commandeering (impounding) your vehicle with no obligation to return it. Rather, it could be held for months accruing ever-increasing fees and fines, and finally sold at auction for a fraction of its value so that the paltry revenue can be absorbed into a corpulent government bureaucracy.

Rapid Escalation

The average parking ticket in Denver cites the vehicle owner anywhere from $25 to $50. If not paid within 20 days, the fine doubles — making the vehicle eligible to be fitted with a wheel clamp and/or towed away. After 60 days, a collection fee is added and credit bureaus are notified, and after 120 days a default judgment is entered against whomever the vehicle is registered to — stating that all fines and fees must be paid by legal mandate. Finally, after one year, the file is turned over to a law firm which then pursues

aggressive private collection. An article published by The Denver Post in September 2019 reported that annual parking fee revenues for the previous year were in excess of $27 million. Believe it or not, that was the lowest figures reported in almost a decade. With that sort of money sitting in the city’s coffers, all streets should be free of potholes, every stoplight should sparkle, and shine and every street sign should be polished to a squeaky-clean sheen.

Shame Of The City

While Denver is known for many great things such as the Broncos and a certain omelet of the same name, it is also known for the infamous Denver boot. The aforementioned “wheel clamp” is deployed to disable any vehicle linked to unpaid parking violations. This blatant violation of Fourth Amendment rights (unreasonable searches and seizures) has spread to municipalities across the nations, giving the Mile-High City an unfair name among unfortunate motorists nationwide. Parking fines and additional fees notwithstanding, having a boot on a car entitles the owner to pay yet another fee to have it removed.

Supply And Demand

While parking enforcement has its place in keeping bike lanes and jogging paths obstruction-free, the aggressive policy of writing tickets, doubling fines and confiscating private property seems altogether overkill — especially in the midst of a pandemic — thus the vigilant residential blowback. As mentioned above, the issuance of tickets across Denver has leveled out over the last couple of years. The reason being for this? The economy was so good that the Department of Public Works couldn’t find enough people to fill all the parking agent positions — shedding light on what must be a truly lousy job.

A Temporary Standstill

Now that one-third of the labor force has been couched, the city probably won’t have trouble filling those empty ticket agent positions. Yet, for every hypervigilant meter maid scuttling about ruining people’s afternoons, there will be several dozen unemployed residents like Rez with enough time on their hands to post homemade signs warning others about being ticketed. Thankfully, by mid-April in this strangest of years, the issuance of parking tickets seemed to have dwindled even further. Perhaps city officials finally gave in to their human instincts to have a bit of mercy for their fellow citizens in the midst of a crisis.

One thing is for sure, though — as soon as things level out and the pandemic subsides — the ticket patrol will be back in full force … but so will Rez.

Denver Is Not Close To Achieving Its Vision Zero Goals

by Ashe in America | Mar 20, 2020 | Travel

by Robert Davis

In the two years since Mayor Michael Hancock’s administration implemented Denver’s Vision Zero Action Plan, the city appears no closer to making its streets safe for pedestrians and multimodal transportation than when it began.

Even though nearly 70 percent of Denver residents still support Vision Zero, according to a survey conducted by the Denver Streets Partnership, the results of the program, critics claim, are hard to justify.

According to the 2019 Vision Zero Report, traffic-related fatalities increased by 15 percent from 2018 while serious bodily injury resulting from crashes also increased. In contrast, Denver cited several case studies purporting to show that Vision Zero has made a positive impact. Those include setting up automated speed and distracted driving enforcement at the intersection of 6th and Lincoln, adding 24-hour transit-only lanes on 15th and 17th streets downtown, and improving signage at the 20th street and I-25 interchange.

However, these case studies show that Denver is focusing on solving only one side of a double-edged problem. While Vision Zero aims to eliminate traffic deaths by 2030 by focusing on infrastructure improvements and behavioral causes affecting Denver’s traffic-related deaths and serious injuries, Denver is only focusing on the infrastructure.

As an example, the report says the presence of a photo radar van at 6th and Lincoln for five days reduced excessive speeding (10+ mph) by 21 percent. But, reducing the number of overall speeding tickets has not influenced the frequency of accidents occurring at that intersection. Denver still lists the intersection as a hotspot for fatal accidents on its Vision Zero Data & Trends website.

Denver’s case studies also do not address the fact that most accidents do not occur at intersections and are not caused by speeding. In fact, over 40 percent of Denver’s accidents occur because of distracted driving, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The Vision Zero Data & Trends website also shows that most accidents occur in neighborhoods and on arterial streets.

Low-Hanging Fruit

The mixed messaging around Vision Zero has also caused some residents to believe the city is just going after low-hanging fruit to make it seem like it is doing more to protect pedestrians.

In May 2019, Mayor Hancock lamented that not enough was being done to protect Denver’s pedestrians during a memorial ceremony for those who lost their lives in traffic crashes.

“Every one of those lives lost is unacceptable and preventable,” Hancock said before listing the safety improvement projects the city is undertaking. Those include adding 19 miles of bicycle lanes and 12 new traffic signals.

One of the ceremony’s attendants, Michelle Roche, who lost her son after a reckless driver hit him in 2014, told Streets Blog Denver that the ceremony itself seemed like a propaganda campaign to make the city seem like it’s doing more to prevent traffic-related deaths.

“If you ask me, that little trickle of dollars that they’re putting towards the action plan … it’s like in marketing, we would call that greenwashing,” she said.

In its 2019 budget, Denver allocated just $2.6 million to implementing the recommendations of the Vision Zero Action Plan, accounting for less than 10 percent of funds allocated for transportation improvement projects. In 2020, Denver allocated just $1.65 million for the same cause.

Since the ceremony, Denver announced it will add up to 124 miles of bicycle lanes throughout the city and is upgrading 15 intersections across Colfax Avenue, one of Denver’s busiest streets. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) announced the upgrades consist of adding “bollards and paint to shorten crossing distances for people on foot and to carve out places where pedestrians can stop in the middle of the street.”

But, residents living along Colfax aren’t impressed with the upgrades. The bollards will cost $120,000 alone, and there is no guarantee they will improve safety.

One resident who walks Colfax regularly told The Denver Channel that he worries about his safety because drivers on Colfax don’t watch out for pedestrians.

“My neighbor got hit by a car down the street, I’ve yelled at several drivers because they’re not looking when I’m crossing over, they’re making turns without looking both ways,” he said.

Colfax is one of several streets listed on the High Injury Network (HIN) — the corridors in Denver with the highest number of fatal and injury crashes. HIN roads account for just five percent of the total roads in the city but have seen more than 40 percent of the crashes since 2013. Other HIN roads include Broadway, University and Evans.

Federal Intervention

Denver’s problems with Vision Zero haven’t gone unnoticed by people living outside the Centennial State.

In December 2019, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) sent officials to meet with CDOT, DOTI, and the Denver Police Department to discuss means of improving Denver’s Vision Zero plan.

Among the concerns raised by DOT officials during the meeting was increasing rates of fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists and other vulnerable road users. DOT found this fatality rate increased by 23 percent from 2018.

DOT’s nationwide data also showed that 76 percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred overwhelmingly after dark, 38 percent occurred when many pedestrians had some alcohol in their systems, and 74 percent occurred when they were outside of intersections. Half of accidents involving bicyclist fatalities occurred after dark, while only 26 percent of such accidents occurred with some alcohol in their systems.

“We clearly have more work to do to ensure that Denver’s transportation safety needs are met,” said James Owens, acting administrator of DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “I’m confident that with the help of our safety partners, we can make the Denver area one of the safest in America for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.”

In the past three years, NHTSA awarded Colorado $46 million to address its road safety concerns. Even so, nearly 600 people across the state were killed in traffic-related incidents in 2019, according to statistics from CDOT.

So far in 2020, 57 people have been killed in crashes.

Project Expansion

While Denver struggles to achieve its Vision Zero goals, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) plans to expand the program to become more regionally focused. DRCOG claims this approach will help cities and communities in the metro area deal with increasing traffic deaths.

“Vision Zero switches safety from being solely the responsibility of roadway users to a shared responsibility of system designers and roadway users,” the agency said in its announcement of the plan. “It is inevitable that roadway users will make mistakes, so roads should be designed to ensure these mistakes do not result in severe injuries or fatalities.”

However, the principles of Vision Zero and the implementation seem to be out of line with each other. Last year, DRCOG reported 242 fatalities resulting from crashes across DRCOG’s service area which includes Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Clear Creek, Douglas, Gilpin and Jefferson counties. This total is more than one-third of traffic-related fatalities reported in the state.

Denver admits there is still work to be done and plans to focus on improving the HIN in 2020. But, residents are still waiting for the program to make an impact.

How Now Brown Cloud?

by Luke Schmaltz | Feb 24, 2020 | Travel

Breaking Down Denver’s Rising Levels Of Air Pollution

It’s rush hour on a Denver weekday afternoon and bumper to bumper traffic is making the ride home a frustrating punishment rather than a jettison to freedom. Then suddenly a jogger flies past your window and a pang of guilt overcomes you that you are not getting your cardiovascular exercise for the day.

But is that wannabe Forrest Gump really engaging in a healthy activity? What the exercise-crazed spandex-clad hordes of Denver may not be aware of is that hyperventilating amid throngs of automobiles ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. The air circulating through your lungs is saturated with elevated levels of ozone. On many a smoggy day, (there were over 100 in 2019) the air hanging over the city is what the Environmental Protection Agency calls “in serious violation” of Air Quality Index (AQI) standards. Essentially, by breathing rapidly and deeply next to a busy Denver street, you may slowly be poisoning yourself.

A Man-made Hazard

A series of circumstances have coalesced to form what could be considered a perfect storm of pollution across the city. Increasing volumes of car exhaust due to population explosion, carbon emissions from oil and gas mining operations, smoke from fireplaces and woodburning stoves, emissions from power plants and industrial furnaces and sunlight reacting with molecular oxygen particles has elevated the ozone levels past the 70 parts per billion (PPB) maximum recommended by the EPA. The aforementioned 100+ days in 2019 involved ozone levels past 80 PPB. The national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) were redefined in 2015 after extensive research into the detrimental health effects of common air pollutants such as ground-level ozone, particulate matter, lead, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.

In Collaboration With Nature

What’s more, a global warming-driven weather phenomenon known as temperature inversions are acting like an invisible lid — trapping pollution in the troposphere rather than allowing it to dissipate up through the stratosphere. Yes, the infamous brown cloud of the 1980s that Denver was internationally mocked for is back once again. This time around, however, like fugly apartment buildings, a whitewashed retail landscape and gentrification itself — this phenomenon is taking place in metropolitan areas across the nation.

In a nutshell, ground-level ozone is volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacting with sunlight and atmospheric air molecules. The Denver Regional Council of Governments estimates that every day, between 250,000 and 350,000 cars are being driven across the metro region. This transportation sector is the second largest contributor of greenhouse gases next to industrial emissions. Plus, there are over 23,000 active oil and natural gas wells across the front range as well as numerous power plants across the Denver metro region.

A New Agency To The Rescue?

As of January 1, 2020, the Denver Department of Public Works was renamed the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) in a symbolic display meant to mark a new chapter of planned environmental objectives. Among DOTI’s concerns is the Climate Action Plan launched by the City of Denver in 2007 and rebooted in 2015. This “plan” presents an “80×50” objective — meaning that through new measures and policies the city aims for an 80% reduction of emissions (from the 2005 baseline) by 2050. A recent heavy-handed screed issued by Mayor Michael Hancock’s office outlines a protocol of “aggressive and decisive action” for reducing emissions through new renewable energy programs, energy efficiency and low operational cost of electric vehicles. This letter celebrates Denver as having “a long history of trailblazing when it comes to climate change.” If that is so, why do pollution levels continue to rise? All of the industrial facilities, oil wells and natural gas mines on operation require permits, correct? It would seem that progress, when left to bureaucracy, is inevitably hindered by the inherent sluggishness of government. Either that, or the tax revenue generated by these facilities is simply too hard to pass up. Regardless, it would seem that the climate action plan (CAP) is really just a bunch of crap.

It’s Up To You

Like traffic jams — where many people are involved but are usually no singular person’s fault, pollution is the cumulative result of many people simply going about their daily business. As willing participants, the responsibility to reduce emissions should be taken up by the populace without being prompted by finger wagging and knuckle cracking from the hand of big brother. The EPA outlines a simple protocol of steps anyone can take at any time to reduce pollution. For example, you can walk, ride your bike, carpool or take the bus instead of driving a single occupant vehicle. Use slow-burning logs instead of wood in your fireplace, properly inflate your times for better fuel efficiency, use environmentally safe cleaning products and paint, reduce use of air conditioners and furnaces and mulch yard waste instead of simply throwing it away. But, and be realistic, you already knew all this, didn’t you? The issue is whether or not you care enough to endure a bit of inconvenience to do your small part, or if you’re going to carry on as usual — assuming that your neighbors and fellow citizens will pick up the slack while you lumber forth in a smog-laden haze. Theoretically, that’s fine enough, but the problem is — they are probably thinking the exact same thing about you.

Old-School Holdouts: Treasures Of Denver’s Independent Business Landscape

by Luke Schmaltz | Jan 24, 2020 | Travel

“Mom & pop stores are not about something small; they are about something big. They are important … for providing us with intellectual stimulation, social interaction, and connection to our communities.” — Robert Spector

The commercial topography of Anytown, America, is changing due to a distinct set of economic circumstances. The buying power of large corporate entities and the low overhead of online retailers are undercutting the profit margins of independent brick-and-mortar businesses. As mom & pop shops give way to big box outlets, national chains and web-based sales platforms, the independent business model is becoming an increasingly difficult equation to balance.

Despite these daunting circumstances, a few independent proprietors have found a way to stand their ground against the seemingly unstoppable tsunami of hospital waiting room-like establishments and soulless, whitewashed, cookie-cutter stores. While Denver’s ongoing transformation into a generic urban sprawl mirrors that of most American cities, a stubborn patchwork of retail holdouts continue to express traits of their 20th Century DNA by operating with distinct, inimitable identities. These holdouts are singular brands that cannot be duplicated or synthesized any more than the personalities of their proprietors could be mimicked, molded or mass-marketed.

This is by no means a comprehensive index, rather, it is a suggestion of infamous standouts across several industries — a list intended to expand the perception of your daily commercial options. Whether you must drive an extra mile, rearrange your schedule to make “normal” store hours or spend an extra buck or two — spending your hard-earned money in businesses with soul is damn well worth it.

Cigars On 6th

(707 E. 6th Ave., Denver, CO 80203)

A circle of ornate, leather-padded chairs await tobacco connoisseurs, humidor aficionados and enraptured novices alike. Visitors can expect knowledgeable advice on the nuances of different cigar brands and can be reassured that at no point will they be harangued by salesy pretense or over-accommodating smarm. You can choose from a world-class selection, light up on the spot and relax into conversation with your companions and other patrons while the game plays in the background on a giant flat screen TV.

Rupp’s Drums

(2045 S. Holly St., Denver, CO 80224)

This retail percussion mecca was originally opened by the infamous Bob Rupp in 1984 and is revered among local musicians and internationally renowned rock stars alike. Just about every stackable square inch of space is occupied by the necessities of the percussive arts. Every member of the sales staff is either a seasoned drummer, an accomplished musician of another sort, a sound engineer or all three. You can expect expert advice on every facet of their product line and practical suggestions based on your specific needs. The difference between shopping here and going to a chain store is the difference between front row seats at your favorite band’s live concert and watching a video of said event shot on a wobbly smartphone.

Wax Trax Records

(620 E. 13th Ave., Denver, CO 80203)

This Capitol Hill landmark has been Denver’s go-to place for recorded music since the early 1980s. Unlike corporate retail stores, the staff are neither instructed nor inclined to adhere to the notion of “the customer is always right.” You will not be bombarded by insincere politeness or overly-helpful attention. Rather, you can expect to be left alone to browse a staggeringly comprehensive offering of music across all genres. The selection of domestic and imported music is unparalleled, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for because you don’t remember the artist’s name or you can’t spell — you may get the idea that you shouldn’t be there in the first place. This mainstay has outlasted several pivotal trends, including the file sharing fiasco, the music pirating era and the Independent Records location that set up shop a few blocks away and recently folded. Wax Trax is currently riding high on the wave of the vinyl record resurgence.

Mutiny Information Cafe

(2 S. Broadway, Denver, CO 80209)

A South Broadway landmark for years, this one-of-a-kind bookstore, coffee bar, comic book shop, used record rack and pinball arcade is what some refer to as Denver’s “epicenter of cultural mojo.” Proprietors Matt Meygasi and Jim Norris personally curate every piece of inventory — be it the latest issue of X-MEN or a newly-released, signed album by Steve Earle. You can order a Thai iced tea, an Americano or a matcha tea latte, grab a chair in one of the lounge areas and read, philosophize, play chess, work on your epic poem or just stare at all the shelves and wonder where to begin. Frequent poetry readings, musical performances, book signings and presentations by literary luminaries make this place a shining example of what can happen when you disengage from virtual media and go interact with people the old-fashioned way — in person.

Rockmount Ranch Wear

(1626 Wazee St., Denver, CO 80202)

In 1946, “Papa” Jack Weil founded this Denver institution that has organically grown into an international fashion phenomenon. For three generations, these western-themed stylings have enticed blue collar folks, alternative icons, country music legends and rock ’n’ roll superstars. The company has remained family-run since its inception, was passed down to Jack Jr. and is currently run by Papa’s grandson Steve Weil. Their LoDo storefront avails visitors to a museum-like stroll through a rustic setting abundant with western motif, custom embroidered shirts and everyday “ranch” wear. Papa Jack was also the inventor of the snap-up button shirt, which has been endorsed by the likes of Bob Dylan, Steve Buschemi and Elvis Presley. Although internationally acclaimed and often imitated, the store and its wares exude an undeniably genuine appeal to everyday people.

The Wizard’s Chest

(451 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203)

This family-owned gift-shopping paradise that first opened in 1983 has become a Denver institution. This 18,000 square foot behemoth hearkens back to a time when kids’ games were played in actual reality with tangible toys, inspired imaginations and physical human beings. The original Cherry Creek location was moved to South Broadway in 2015 and features, gifts, gags, gadgets and games of every imaginable stripe along with costumes galore and a professional theater makeup department. Such gargantuan retail overhead would spell disaster for a start-up, but decades of building a large clientele has enabled proprietors to leverage their brand loyalty into a real-life community of exciting weekly events. Meetups are held for fledgling magicians, board game experts, Lord of the Rings lovers, Dungeons and Dragons players, Star Wars geeks and much more. Their impressive calendar of constructive extra-curricular engagement is no doubt one of the keys to their long-lived success and a feature that would be impossible to replicate in a corporate bureaucracy.

The new Denver location boasts an assembly line of sparkling, brightly-lit retail facades adorned by careful corporate branding. Yet, a few stalwarts of the old business model dare to offer personality, sincerity and expertise rather than the bland, sterile mediocrity that seems to be all the rage. So, the next time you see a storefront that is not emblazoned with a generic logo that has been burned into your psyche through mainstream marketing, take a chance and pop in. You just might experience what yesterday was commonplace and what tomorrow may be but a dusty memory.

Mushrooms In Boomtown: How Commercial Psilocybin Could Boost Denver’s Economy

by Luke Schmaltz | Dec 16, 2019 | Travel

“Every now and then a man’s mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.”

• Oliver Wendell Holmes

by Luke Schmaltz

On May 14, 2019 Denver’s profile as a one-of-a-kind American city expanded in dimension. Initiative 301 passed by the slimmest of margins (50.6% to 49.4%) which enacted the decriminalization of psilocybin — the active substance in psychedelic mushrooms.

Those who are curious as to what may happen next can refer to the cannabis legalization history book and take note of a few crucial milestones. Firstly, psilocybin is not yet legal, it has simply been demoted to “the lowest legal priority” according to Decriminalize Denver, the grassroots political action group that introduced the measure. This important step toward legalization means that, at some point in the future, anyone over 21 will be able to legally purchase psilocybin mushroom products and services in a retail or clinical setting. Currently the City of Denver’s policy is to devote zero resources to the prosecution of psilocybin with a review panel in place which will intermittently assess public and fiscal impacts of the measure.

Just as the monetization of marijuana continues to prove, when a controlled substance with numerous benefits becomes legal, innovation and entrepreneurship flourish. In the case of psilocybin, however, consumption on a massive scale as in the cannabis industry is tentative, due to the distinct differences between the psilocybin and THC. The greatest of these being that magic mushrooms do not have the same widespread appeal as marijuana. Regardless, impending legalization harkens the creation of a new segment of commerce that will, for a while at least, be unique to the Mile High City.

An Element Of Familiarity

Like the marijuana flower, “magic” mushrooms occur naturally across the world in dozens of strains with varying potencies. Once mature, the dried caps and stems can be consumed raw or added to food and beverages for greater palatability. Also, psilocybin holds great allure for recreational substance users while presenting untold value for the medical and wellness fields.

A New Retail Market

Palatability has long been an issue with psychedelic mushrooms, as most who have partaken attest that chewing the dried fungi is less than pleasant. So, it stands to reason that the first retail products will address this objection — most likely with the same creative gusto seen in the cannabis industry. One can expect chocolate bars infused with “shake” — a term for ground-up mushroom caps and stems. Other anticipations could also include gelatin capsules, peanut butter (creamy or crunchy), green tea bags, jars of honey, pasta sauces, and smoothie-ready fruit medleys — all infused with specific doses per serving of psilocybin. Although tax revenue on these gross sales may pale in comparison to the cannabis numbers, there’s no doubt that this new market will produce jobs and stimulate commerce.

Guided “Trip” Tourism

Once psilocybin can be legally sold and openly consumed, all-inclusive magic mushroom experiences may further expand Colorado’s tourism appeal. These “trip” packages would most likely include measured doses in the preferred method of ingestion, a controlled environment based on the clients’ personal tastes and a shaman-type guide to administer the proper amounts and lead the weekend adventurers through each phase of their journey. These psychedelic retreats could be marketed as self-care vacations and consciousness-expanding getaways.

Alternative Treatment Clinics

The prescription opioid crisis has proven that assigning a pill to every affliction may not be the best long-term strategy. In a search for non-addictive compounds for treating difficult maladies, science and medicine have discovered some compelling therapeutic aspects of psilocybin. Studies by the Heffter Research Institute, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Beckley Foundation have proven the efficacy of psilocybin in treating depression, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, cluster headaches, anxiety and PTSD among other conditions. Upon legalization, health and wellness professionals may be setting up psilocybin therapy practices that treat the root of health problems instead of masking the symptoms.

Peace Of Mind Services

Aside from recreational allure and therapeutic potency, perhaps the greatest benefit magic mushrooms have to offer is inner peace. A 2016 FDA-approved clinical trial called the NYU Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety Project revealed that psilocybin had a profoundly positive effect on those struggling with end-of-life issues. Specifically, through measured, guided doses, cancer patients experiencing depression and anxiety in the face of impending death were able to confront their fears and find peace of mind. This profoundly valuable service will no doubt find a robust clientele when psilocybin becomes legal. Palliative care clinics designed to help patients enjoy their final days with clarity and mental tranquility may carve out a significant market share. Rather than being a sad and somber last chapter of life, hospice may present a final opportunity for the dying to celebrate the beauty of life.

Psilocybin has not been decriminalized in America since the 1970s, which puts Denver at the forefront of territory that has been unexplored for the last 50 years or so. With legalization a distinct possibility, so too are the possibilities for new segments of commerce forged by highly valued products and services.