Stapleton Property Owners Vote To Keep Name By A Landslide

by Mark Smiley | Aug 23, 2019 | Main Articles

by Mark Smiley

In June 2019, a neighborhood group, Rename St*pleton for All, launched a campaign to change the name of the Stapleton neighborhood due to former Denver mayor Benjamin Stapleton’s affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan. On Monday, August 19, 2019, property owners  overwhelmingly voted against the name change.

Of the 10,550 eligible voters, 3,590 people cast their vote, a 34% turnout. Sixty-five percent of the property owners around the land once occupied by Stapleton International Airport voted to keep the name which many felt was surprising due to the amount of publicity the name change had received. “I understand why people would want to change the name but, in the end, I voted to keep it as is because where does it end?” said Tara Johnson, property owner. “This is my neighborhood and I am proud of the name.”

“I was trained as an historian,” said Harold Scramstad in a statement to the Stapleton Front Porch. “If we start holding everybody in the past to the almost unreasonable standards that we’d set for ourselves, almost nobody is going to measure up. We should keep the name and invest it with all the qualities that we want a community to be — that 100 years from now, people will say, “Stapleton, that was the experimental community that really worked very hard to get it right.” Not, “There’s a community that in a smug or self-satisfied way thought it was solving its problems of the future by changing its name, because that didn’t really change anything.”

The Stapleton Master Community Association (Stapleton MCA) oversaw the election and indicated that the amount of voters nearly tripled the usual turnout. “We are disappointed and saddened by these results, but we are not especially surprised,” Rename St*pleton For All, said via Facebook. “Our work is not done. We love our neighborhood, and we invite all supporters to join us in doing the work to make our community one that truly welcomes and includes all.”

Stapleton served as mayor during the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s and appointed Klansmen to lead the police department and other city offices after his election to office in 1923 and to fight off a subsequent recall effort. But by 1925 he opposed the Klan and helped destroy its political influence in Denver and Colorado. “People seem to forget that Mayor Stapleton’s ties to the KKK were short-lived and he championed the eradication of them soon after he was elected,” said Tim Miller, property owner. “All of the good that Mayor Stapleton did seems to have been erased from history.”

The charge to change the name of the neighborhood dates back a quarter of a century. When the old airport was leveled in the 1990s and Denver International Airport opened, the neighborhood formerly occupying Stapleton Airport was named Stapleton. Backlash over the name dates back to this time and was revived in 2015.

Even though this name change was rejected by voters, the campaign has had an impact in other areas. In 2017 and 2018, the Rename St*pleton for All group was successful at having organizations drop the name Stapleton from their organization. The Stapleton Foundation became The Foundation for Sustainable Urban Communities, the former Stapleton Development Corporation now only uses the acronym SDC, and the Stapleton Citizens Advisory Board is now just the Citizens Advisory Board.

Those efforts have continued into 2019. Earlier in August 2019, Denver Parks and Recreation agreed to rename the Stapleton Recreation Center in Globeville, and this spring, the name of the Denver School of Science and Technology’s original campus changed from DSST Stapleton to DSST Montview.

Not all efforts of having organizations change their name have been successful. In May 2018, the SUN board asked Stapleton residents to vote on whether to change the RNO’s name from “Stapleton United Neighbors” to “Central Park United Neighbors.” A 66% vote in favor was needed and it fell short by eight percentage points.

The vote cast on August 19, 2019, needs to be ratified by the Stapleton MCA Board of Directors. Brookfield, the master developer has the ability to veto the board’s decision, but it is unlikely they will go against the vote.

“For an entire generation, Stapleton was an airport — it did not cause racial issues,” said Richard Caldwell in a statement to the Stapleton Front Porch. “It was the place the Space Shuttle landed on a 747; the Beatles, Nixon, and The Rolling Stones landed. We all lined the fences to watch planes come and go, people from all backgrounds and races — and we got along fine.”

For more information on the Stapleton MCA, visit www.stapletoncommunity.com.

Denver E-scooter War: Sidewalks Or Bike Lanes

by Mark Smiley | Aug 23, 2019 | Main Articles

by Marissa Smitton

Scooters have become an alternative to cars for many people, especially city residents with quick commutes. In 2018, Denver made over a thousand electric scooters (e-scooters) publicly available to citizens via companies such as Bird and Lime. Since, scooters are becoming an increasingly popular mode of transportation. With their increasing popularity lies a traffic jam and possible safety issues on sidewalks. Denver Public Works is considering a city ordinance that will ban e-scooters from sidewalks and allow them to be legally operated in the bike lane. This legislation has Denver citizens expressing polarizing viewpoints regarding where the scooters should operate. While some residents are in favor of scooters scooting left to the bike lanes, other citizens are opposed and offer their own safety concerns.

After reviewing citizens’ expressed opinions about the scooter program, Denver Public Works is considering the ordinance in an effort to increase the safety of people both on and off the scooters. With the recent influx of public scooters, insurance has had little time to catch up. “Currently, there is no mandatory liability insurance that e-scooter riders need to carry,” Daniel Foster of Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher, LLP informed Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle. This leaves potential victims of scooter riders with little recourse to retrieve compensation for injuries.

This and other factors prevail while Denver Public Works carefully considers solutions. When speaking with the Chronicle, Public Works Chief of Staff Nicholas Williams expressed that, “the main benefit of this ordinance change is that it will minimize instances of scooter/ pedestrian conflicts.” Williams went on to say, “the most common complaint I receive from residents involves a scooter rider traveling at a high rate of speed and endangering a pedestrian.” E-scooters can reach a speed of 15 mph.

This isn’t the first time legislation has been proposed for the e-scooters. Former Denver Councilperson Mary Beth Susman sponsored the original bill banning scooters from sidewalks. Susman admitted she was unsure as to what this new ordinance offered but ventured a guess that it would “get rid of” the stipulation of the original bill that stated scooters could use sidewalks if posted speed limits exceeded 30 mph. This would seem to be the case, as the new ordinance proposes a total ban of e-scooters from sidewalks.

Most Denver residents who spoke with the Chronicle were in favor of the bill. Denver resident Carson Cameron expressed that scooters “clog up the sidewalks” and hinder accessibility for people who utilize wheelchairs. If scooter riders used the bike lanes, it would provide more accessible space to move around. This sentiment was echoed by fellow resident, Sarah, who also utilizes a wheelchair. E-scooters are technically still allowed on the sidewalk if riders are traveling less than 6 mph, and their use can limit available space for people with physical disabilities or limitations. In highly populated areas such as downtown and Denver University, this is a concern.

Another pro of e-scooters being relegated to bike lanes is that more citizens may be encouraged to ride their scooters, thus reducing car emissions such as smog and other air pollutants. This is the case for resident Jenn Vaught. “I would ride more,” Vaught responded to the Chronicle when asked about the ordinance. Car emissions directly impact the ground ozone level and reduce air quality. This affects everyone, particularly people who are older or have asthma or other breathing concerns. During summer months, air quality alerts frequently report moderate to unhealthy levels of air quality. E-scooters may not be appreciated on sidewalks, but safe operation in bike lanes may improve the air we breathe.

The ordinance should also ensure scooters remain in congruence with other transportation and vehicle laws, which is important to some Denver citizens. This was confirmed by Public Works Chief Williams who said, “it will simplify the rules of the road to mirror those of bicycles, which most people are already familiar with.” Resident Brenna agreed with the idea of scooter riders following similar laws to cyclers and voiced concern for people who operate the scooters intoxicated. If e-scooters were held to similar standards as other vehicles, then citizens can better understand the regulations of operating the transportation devices.

Not all Denver residents are in favor of scooter legislation and have their own safety concerns if e-scooters are permanently banned from sidewalks. Some Denver commuters are concerned that scooters will create even more traffic on already congested streets. A negative of the bill expressed by citizens is that strictly relegating scooters to bike lanes and roads may cause an increase in vehicle accidents. The scooters have been known to cause accidents and most recently, a person died in a scooter related accident on August 4, 2019. The victim, Cameron Hagan, was struck by a car while attempting to cross the street on a scooter. He marks the first scooter-related death in Denver.

Some citizens feel e-scooters may simply be too slow to keep up with traffic flow. But research shows this may not be the case. Bike riders average around 12 mph in city bike lanes, which e-scooters can exceed. This would mean that scooter riders can at least keep up with typical bike lane traffic flow. But some cyclers don’t want the extra traffic. “I just think it’s already too congested,” Denver resident Michael Lewis said. Michael expressed frustration when commuting around the Park Avenue area. “The scooters would only add to that,” he concluded.

E-scooter riders who litter pose another concern. Although leaving a scooter on the sidewalk unattended is not allowed, many people do it. It contributes to clogging up the sidewalks and hindering accessibility, mentioned prior. If scooter riders were banned from sidewalks permanently, there could be an increase of scooters left in bike lanes or in traffic, which again could lead to an increase of motor vehicle accidents.

While the ordinance to ban e-scooters from sidewalks is well-intentioned and for many, long overdue, other Denver citizens pose practical questions to the logistics of adding another transportation device to the bike lane. There are numerous positive aspects of riding e-scooters including but not limited to decreased pollution, and increased sidewalk accessibility. But there are also cons such as increased road traffic and increased accidents. Regardless of where individual Denverites stand, the consensus on both sides is safety first. The safety of citizens on the road should not be compromised for the safety of citizens on the sidewalk and vice versa. Citizens for and against the bill want to feel safe, and they want others to feel and be safe as well.

Boulevard One: Lowry’s Big Finish

by Mark Smiley | Jul 26, 2019 | Main Articles

Final Neighborhood Development Nears Conclusion; Retail, Signature Condo Completion Likely In 2020

by Glen Richardson

Lowry’s 70-acre Boulevard One — an infill site about the size of Cherry Creek — has commenced construction of its retail zone and signature condos with buildout likely by mid-2020.

Unlike the rest of Lowry, Boulevard One has been built with very high-density and massive traffic concerns. Boulevard One is seen by some as a way to maximize the profits for developers at the expense of the rest of Lowry and surrounding neighborhoods.

Once the tail end of historic Runway One at the former Lowry Air Force Base, the multimodal, mixed-use community features mostly rowhomes, townhomes, attached homes and apartments. There are approximately only 130 detached single-family homes. According to developers, Boulevard One’s dense urban hum is a new way of thinking about how to live, work and interact as a community.

Bounded by 1st Ave., Monaco Parkway and Quebec St., it abuts both the old section of Lowry to the east and south and the Crestmoor neighborhood on the west that created community tension. There were 60-plus public meetings and a lawsuit against the project. Originally planned as 10-12 story buildings and 1,200 dwelling units, it was downsized to 800 units with a maximum of five stories for rowhomes, apartments and commercial space.

Final Projects

A curving “main street” named Lowry Blvd. is now open connecting Monaco Parkway to Quebec St. through the middle of the rectangular development. Mixed-use projects soon will anchor each end of the street. The Met, Boulevard One’s signature condominium community is already under construction on the west side. It is designed to be the project’s “artfully designed” gateway to Lowry Blvd. at Monaco Parkway. Located on 3.72 acres, it will feature a public and private art collaborative showcasing various artists within the project’s common spaces and communal grounds.

Two three-story buildings are taking shape on either side of Lowry Blvd. at Mon-aco with a total of 90 upscale condominiums being built. The one, two and three-bedroom homes will range from 1,000 to 1,850-sq.-ft. with 10-ft. ceilings, expansive windows and two-car underground parking.

A 350-unit luxury apartment block will face Quebec with single-family and rowhomes dominating the western two-thirds of the site. A five-acre community park forms the transition from the apartment block to the rest of the residential area. Except at the Lowry Blvd. intersection, a landscaped berm is being retained and will incorporate the site’s public art program. The berm was built as a buffer to the Crestmoor neighborhood in the 1970s when flight operations ended at Lowry.

Retail Zone Underway

Local firms Confluent and Kelmore Development broke ground in April on The Boulevard at Lowry, the development’s retail and commercial zone. The groundbreaking for the project coincided with the 25th anniversary of Lowry’s transformation from an Air Force base. When completed the project will have approximately 140,000-sq.-ft. of building space. The 1.5-block section is designated for restaurants, retail, office and entertainment venues. Boulder-based grocer Lucky’s Market will have 25,000-sq.-ft. on the ground floor of a three-story commercial building in the commercial zone at the site.

Situated on more than five acres at the northwest corner of E. Lowry Blvd. and Pontiac St., it is the last zone to begin development thus completion could be as late as the fourth quarter of 2020. Unlike the original Lowry development, however, it will be the only commercial development at Boulevard One.

Pedestrian trails throughout Boulevard One will lead residents to the commercial core with restaurants, cafés, boutiques, entertainment and other retail. The space will include professional offices plus community work-play spaces. A mixed-use center will feature a plaza, seating and public art.

Traffic Concerns Remain

Denver’s rapid growth plus the addition of Boulevard One has increased traffic congestion concerns for Lowry, Crestmoor and the entire northeast corridor. Quebec St. is a “high injury network” street according to the city, and the area between First Ave. and Lowry Blvd. is a “pedestrian priority area,” where families, seniors, children, people with disabilities, transit riders and others are trying to get to various destinations. Safety modifications are being completed at Quebec and First Ave. and at Quebec and Lowry Blvd.

LRA claims traffic volume and parking at Boulevard One will be the same as the office use at the demolished Air Force Finance & Accounting Center estimated at about 9,500 car trips. In addition they say car trips will be dispersed by the numerous connecting streets. As for parking, they say the same ratios have been applied at Boulevard One as the rest of Lowry. LRA installed a new signalized intersection at Monaco and Lowry Blvd. on the east side of Monaco Parkway. In addition to adding a neighborhood connection it has somewhat dispersed area traffic.

Improvements such as wider medians extended through the crosswalk to shorten the crossing distance; smaller turning motions for motorists; elimination of bus pullouts; and slightly narrower travel lanes have or will be made. These are not major changes but may improve pedestrian safety while helping to accommodate a growing volume of vehicular traffic. When completed the mixed-use center will include a mobility hub with bike racks, scooter parking, car share parking and a meeting spot for Uber/Lyft or a future shuttle. The “Flight Ride” art installation will be repurposed as a meeting spot and waiting area.

Grand Finale

When completed Boulevard One will contain about 800 residential units housing more than 1,800 people. Upon completion the total will include approximately 250 rowhomes and attached homes plus about 420 apartments. The total includes 14 townhomes and 72 apartments designated to offer “affordable prices and rents.” Multi-story buildings located within the interior of the site are rising a maximum of 4-5 stories.

Residents on the west side of Boulevard One will have an easy walk across Monaco to the established Crestmoor Park, which has a great trail that loops the park for power walks-runs. Crestmoor Park itself will likely become far less quiet and intimate than it was in the past.

On the east side of Boulevard One, the original Lowry is known for its green spaces, such as Sunset Park and Great Lawn Park, offering playgrounds, meadows and summer concerts. Housed in a former aircraft hangar, Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum exhibits aircraft from different eras. Big Bear Ice Arena has skate sessions and hockey games.

Is Denver Becoming One Of The Worst-Run Cities In America?

by Mark Smiley | Jul 26, 2019 | Main Articles

Despite $1.46 Billion Budget, City Among 50 Worst; Auditor Cites Pay-To-Play Politics At Public Works, Parks

by Glen Richardson

Albeit city salaries are about $1 billion annually, Denver can no longer crack a spot in America’s 100 best-run cities, falling into the 50 worst-run big cities in the nation, ranked 117.

A study released last month by WalletHub compared America’s 150 biggest cities to determine the best and worst run municipalities, based upon their operating efficiency. The online financial website constructed a “Quality of City Services” score — comprising 37 key performance indicators grouped into six service categories — that was then measured against the city’s total per-capita budget. The website that recently ranked Denver the 13th best city to live in is owned by Washington D.C.-based Evolution Financial Inc.

Among comparable big cities, Las Vegas (46th), Portland (65th), Boston (67th) and Houston (73rd) were ranked in the top 75 best run cities, providing residents with much more bang for their buck. Moreover, Aurora (54th) and Colorado Springs (58th) were significantly better at planning, coordinating and managing than was the City of Denver.

Spending Spree

Numbers have hinted at Denver’s dismal performance since Mayor Michael Hancock first took office in 2011. Rather than a city manager, Denver has a strong mayor, weak city council system. The mayor can approve-veto any council ordinance or resolution and is responsible for the city budget and appointments to city departments. The city now spends nearly $1 billion annually on salaries alone, up from $600 million just eight years ago. The city’s budget has grown each year since 2010. Denver’s $1.46 billion 2019 budget is up 3% from 2018.

The number of municipal employees has grown by more than 20%. General Administration — which includes the mayor’s office and the city attorney — has grown by 48%. Hancock’s 2019 budget calls for hiring another 260 full-time employees spread across 11 cabinet-level departments. Staffing in departments like Community Planning & Development has grown by more than 80% during Hancock’s first two terms.

Even more worrisome, during the May municipal election, the mayor proposed the creation of several new offices, including a Department of Transportation & Infrastructure. That division would replace and significantly expand the out of control Public Works Department.

Political Patronage

Neighborhood dissatisfaction with Denver’s quality of service — a key component in rating America’s best and worst cities — is reflected by the political patronage in appointments made by the Hancock Administration. Too often they have trouble using taxpayers’ funds wisely (if not improperly) or abusing their positions, critics claim.

Hancock named Eulois Clarkley Executive Director of Denver Public Works in November 2017. He oversees 1,300 employees responsible for city road maintenance, trash collection, design-constructions of streets, public buildings plus parking management.

Clarkley’s selection as Public Works Director was made chiefly to create and expand Denver bike lanes. His exceptional job of adding multiple bike lanes has incensed dozens of neighborhoods. The former Deputy Director of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, seemingly lacks experience managing the $340 million department budget let alone overseeing contracts for the city’s massive construction projects that created the Convention Center scandal.

Park-Rec Problems

Appointment of Allegra “Happy” Haynes as Executive Director of Denver Parks & Recreation nearly four years ago is another example. Besides the Parks & Rec job she remains the At-Large Board Member of Denver Public Schools.

The department which includes the Golf Enterprise Fund, has a budget of more than $150 million. A staff of 550 full-time plus 1,500 part-time employees manage 240 parks and parkways, plus 14,000 acres of mountain parks, 309 athletic fields and eight golf courses.

She has overseen the destruction of several city open spaces, including agreeing to the redevelopment of Park Hill Golf Course that’s outraged neighborhoods along with former Mayor Wellington Webb. Of 14 recommendations in the May 2017 Golf Enterprise Fund audit by Auditor Timothy O’Brien, CPA, Denver Golf fully implemented five, partially implemented three, and did not implement six at all.

Golf Double Bogie

Haynes and Denver Golf haven’t yet created a strategic plan and city officials think it will take through the end of 2020 to finish it. If this occurs, it will be two years from the time the agency stated implementation.

Denver Golf claims the delay is due to projects such as the music festival at the Overland Golf Course, and because the agency was waiting for Parks & Recreation to finalize a 10-year strategic plan. Financial procedure documentation, rotation of duties and performing accurate counts of assets have yet to be implemented.

“This should’ve been an eagle for Denver Golf,” Auditor O’Brien suggests. “It looks more like a double bogie.”

Bidding Scandal

Management has become so bad at City Hall that following the Public Works bidding scandal, the Denver Auditor’s Office began looking at the city’s Public Works, Parks & Recreation and Public Health & Environment departments. Audits discovered that the city allowed some contracts to be longer than recommended with inadequate justification and didn’t verify that some companies were in good standing to do business.

The auditor found that none of the three departments had policies for handling conflicts of interest for each project put out to bid. “You don’t want city employees that are part of the procurement process to be influenced by tickets to a ballgame or a meal or something like that,” Auditor Tim O’Brien explains. Right now in Denver, only vendors that are awarded non-competitive work must disclose contributions.

Auditors also found that when disclosures of political contributions were required, few contractors submitted the form to the Clerk & Recorder. The auditor sampled 41 city contractors from the three agencies and found that only five had provided the disclosures. Parks and Rec officials say they had discussions about conflicts, but the conversations were never documented.

Audits Ignored

Worse yet, two city agencies haven’t fully implemented recommendations made in three separate reports from Denver Auditor O’Brien. In addition to the Golf Enterprise Audit, personally identifiable information in the city’s July 2017 Salesforce audit and the November 2017 Software Asset Management assessment weren’t followed through.

“I’m disappointed to see so many of our recommendations not fully implemented or not implemented at all — especially after agencies agreed to them,” Auditor O’Brien worries. “The city needs to take our recommendations seriously because they help improve stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”

Meanwhile, in the Salesforce Personally Identifiable Information audit, Technology Services fully implemented five out of six recommendations. Technology Services fully implemented two of the four recommendations in the Software Asset Management assessment, conducted for the auditor’s office by Deloitte & Touche.

Public Works To Deface Historic Protected Parkway

by Mark Smiley | Jun 21, 2019 | Main Articles

Residents, Cyclists Warn Plan Would Harm Picturesque Stretch, Best Bike Ride In Denver

by Glen Richardson

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, South Marion Street Parkway is designed with a wide expanse of turf, flowering shrubs, and a natural coniferous forest of pine, spruce and fir. Many longtime local cyclists claim it is, “the best bike ride in Denver.” Residents have chosen to live here because of the serene beauty it affords as Denver continues to grow and expand.

Stretching four blocks, this linear parkway passes through a residential neighborhood before it terminates at the north edge of Wash Park. Appearing in a component of George Kessler’s 1907 plan for the Denver Park & Parkway System, the land was acquired in 1909 and the parkway was largely completed four years later. Landscape architect S.R. DeBoer bordered the parkway with an allee of deciduous trees: Elms line the parkway at its northernmost end as it connects with Speer Blvd., red oak and honey locust parallel the central segment, and sycamore trees were planted to create a dramatic formal entrance to Wash Park.

More than 105 years later, the bicycle bullies at Denver Public Works want to deface the historic parkway with curbs and plastic posts to physically buffer bike riders from cars. Led by bike activist Samuel Piper, the department is eager to spend the $18 million bundle it is getting. The money is the department’s share of cash from a 2017 voter approved billion buck loan to build stuff around the city.

Bike Lane Blasphemy

“Protecting these parkways with their tree-lined sidewalks creates the green oasis, visual beauty and character that defines Denver,” say about 180 neighborhood residents who signed a petition against the plan. They recently dropped the petition off at the Mayor’s office.

Maintaining the city should “leave the bike lane as is,” these residents believe the plan is “four blocks of unnecessary aggravation.” Noting that the bike path already exists, they suggest the proposed changes would be a marginal enhancement for a few to the detriment of the many local residents. Moreover, they submit it is dishonest and illegal. “The city’s proposal is a solution in search of a problem, they argue. “There are less intrusive ways to accomplish these goals,” they conclude.

Patsy Brown who attended a city hosted public meeting on the plan says, “I asked if they were aware the parkway is part of the Denver Landmark of Historic Places. They seemed unaware nor did they care,” she says in frustration and anger. Brown lives in one of several high-rises along S. Marion Parkway. In viewing the rather strict guidelines for single family homes that front to a designated parkway, it seems only logical that the parkways themselves should adhere to the same level of protection.

Biker Opposition

Despite backing for the city plan by former BikeDenver members — BikeDenver and Bicycle Colorado recently merged — many avid area cyclists oppose high-comfort lanes along the parkway. They say bike traffic is so light here changes simply aren’t needed. “Instead someone needs to monitor how fast the bicycles along here are traveling,” they submit.

Their point: “This is a special four-block stretch of bike lanes designed to be enjoyed for its tranquil, peaceful splendor. The lanes here were never designed to be used as a racetrack for bikers going to Wash Park.”

Citizens living in and around Marion Parkway are, of course, pleased local bikers within the area appreciate the parkway. Resident Patsy Brown say, “My concern, and that of most of the residents along the parkway, is that the proposed High Comfort bike lanes do not take into account the protected status of our parkway and would in fact, desecrate it.”

Residents Ignored

“There has been no transparency and our input has not been welcomed,” adds Ruth Ann Zisser displaying her annoyance and irritation. She lives in the parkway’s Marionpark Condominiums.

“Many of us believe the government of Denver and its departments involved with this project have been very careful to make sure none of us knew about their plans until the last minute,” Zisser tells the Chronicle.

“That,” she continues, “is after the city had input and planning from the bicycle transportation groups but not from the citizens who live in this neighborhood.”

School Concerns

Steele Street Elementary takes up a full block along the east side of the parkway and area parents worry that adding protected bike lanes will only add to the congestion and increase danger to both school children, parents and bikers.

Despite assurances to the contrary by the city, residents also express alarm that fire trucks answering calls to one of four condos on the east side of the parkway will not have enough room to navigate their trucks.

They point out that fire trucks are called to the parkway at least once a week “Any lessening of space would greatly impede their ability to answer calls in a timely fashion,” they fear.

A Higher Standard

“We just want to get the word out to our neighbors in Wash Park and elsewhere because there has been virtually no notice given, and our fear is that it will be another fait accompli as the city decides to move ahead with the design,” those living on Marion Parkway say.

Protected bike lanes are not new to Denver, but they are sparse compared to the traditional lanes painted on the periphery of roads. They exist mostly on downtown streets and along South Broadway, but never along a protected parkway registered on the National Register of Historic Places.

The significance of keeping these four blocks from being defaced by Denver Public Works is clarified faultlessly by the city’s own Designated Parkways & Boulevards Guidelines: “Denver’s designated parkways and boulevards elevate The Street to an even higher standard of urban design. They are both street and parkland and are the ribbon that ties our historic parks and neighborhoods together.”

Prominent Denver Attorney And 710 KNUS Radio Host Craig Silverman Joins Springer & Steinberg Law Firm

by Mark Smiley | Jun 21, 2019 | Main Articles

by Charles C. Bonniwell

One of Denver’s most experienced and successful attorneys, Craig Silverman, is joining one of Denver’s top law firms of Springer and Steinberg, P.C. He is also well known as a radio show host on Saturday mornings at 710 KNUS radio host and noted for his independent viewpoint. He launched his legal career at the Denver District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting some of Colorado’s and the nation’s highest profile criminal cases.

In 1997, he partnered with David Olivas at Silverman and Olivas, P.C., a well-known boutique law firm in the heart of Denver’s LODO area. There, Silverman successfully represented hundreds of civil and criminal defense clients. And now, Silverman is launching a new chapter in his legal career at the law offices of Springer and Steinberg, P.C.

Silverman says, “I was most interested, flattered, and excited about being recruited by Springer and Steinberg, P.C. Jeff Springer and Harvey Steinberg have been good friends of mine for many decades. I’ve played lots of sports with Jeff and plenty of poker with Harvey.”

Steinberg says, “I’ve known Craig for over 50 years. I followed his career as a prosecutor and marveled at his success. I watched Craig move into the world of civil practice and, as expected, his success there rivaled his prior accomplishments as a prosecutor. Given the closeness of our families, I am happy we will finally be able to join forces at the best and most effective law firm ever.”

Springer echoes those sentiments. “Craig and I go way back,” he says. “We’ve always respected Craig and his abilities as a trial lawyer and fierce competitor. Craig is fun to be around and fits in perfectly at Springer and Steinberg where we have a team approach to winning cases for our clients.

The law firm has close ties with the City of Glendale. Springer has served as Glendale City Attorney for over a decade and has been involved in Glendale’s remarkable development. Silverman points out he’s played a role in Glendale as well, and in 2013 was hired to help screen applicants to be the new Glendale Police Chief, a process which led to the hiring of Chief Joe Hoskins.

You could say Silverman’s love affair with “courts” began in the gym at Denver’s George Washington High School where he was a standout basketball player, earning seven varsity letters in basketball, golf and baseball. He continued his athletic career in college, setting a single season scoring record at Colorado College, over 20 points a game.

In June 1980, following his second year at CU Law School, he began work as an intern at the Denver District Attorney’s Office. He went on to become a Chief Deputy DA. “I prosecuted many violent Denver criminals,” Silverman recounts, “Including Quintin Wortham, the Capitol Hill Rapist, and Frank Rodriguez, Denver’s only modern-day death penalty verdict.”

Following the 1993 “summer of violence” in Denver, Silverman was the prosecutor in one of Denver’s highest profile murder cases. Shane Davis and Stephen Harrington were convicted of brutally murdering Tom Hollar and sentenced to life in prison plus 200 years. The two-week trial was televised live on Court TV. Silverman explains, “Tom’s widow, Christina Hollar, captivated good people everywhere as she bravely testified regarding the horror of her husband Tom being shot dead at 11th and Corona as he tried, in vain, to protect her from being carjacked.”

Silverman’s legal experience and engaging style were appreciated by local and national media outlets. He regularly appeared on local TV stations to provide expert analysis during the OJ Simpson murder case. Another Denver attorney, Dan Caplis, was doing a daily afternoon radio show on AM 760 covering the Simpson “Trial of the Century” and Silverman says, “He had me on regularly which began our friendship that lasts to this day.” In fact, the two started the Caplis and Silverman Show on KHOW Radio in 2004, a popular afternoon drive radio show that lasted over eight years.

Silverman’s legal and media careers converged in 1996, after he ran as an Independent candidate to unseat incumbent DA Bill Ritter. Silverman says, “I lost my race for Denver DA in November 1996, and in December 1996 JonBenét Ramsey was murdered in her Boulder home. Media outlets called me, and I again responded.” Silverman appeared on many network and national cable TV shows and that continued through other Colorado cases including Columbine, the Oklahoma City bombing trial, the Kobe Bryant case and the Aurora theater massacre.

In 2014 he began the Craig Silverman Show which continues to air every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. ’til noon on 710 KNUS radio. The schedule suits Silverman perfectly. He says, “I relish the opportunity to recap the week and express my thoughts about what happened, without having to worry about any interference with my primary job. My work as a lawyer for my clients is always my priority.”

In fact, Silverman explains, “Preparation is critical to putting on a great radio show and the same is true for putting together a client’s best case. Teamwork and a fierce desire to fight for justice make it happen at Springer and Steinberg.”

The firm is mid-sized with 30 some legal professionals dedicated to helping clients. Steinberg is famous as a pre-eminent criminal defense lawyer while Springer is an experienced and widely respected attorney who leads a large legal team working on serious injury and wrongful death cases.

Silverman says he will be focusing primarily on helping victims of bad driving and other injury-causing misconduct. “Helping people who have been victimized by the transgressions of others is what I most enjoy as an attorney and is a natural extension of my work as a prosecutor.” Silverman notes as a member of the Springer and Steinberg team, he won’t have to worry about administrative responsibilities like he did at his own firm. “That means more time with clients, preparing their cases and fighting for justice for our clients.”

For more information or to contact Craig Silverman at Springer and Steinberg, call 303-861-2800 or csilverman@springersteinberg.com.