Latest news with #HistoricDenver
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Historic Denver calls proposed Lincoln Street walkway ‘wasteful,' ‘functionally useless'
DENVER (KDVR) — In 2026, Colorado is set to celebrate its 150th birthday, and the state is planning to construct 'an iconic pedestrian walkway connecting the Colorado State Capitol, Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park and Civic Center,' but some have concerns. The walkway would form a loop in the northern part of Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park before crossing Lincoln Street and ending at the steps to the Colorado Capitol building. On Facebook, Gov. Jared Polis touted the walkway as making it easier for visitors to the Capitol to 'access and enjoy Lincoln Veterans Park while enjoying and learning from art from local artists.' FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox 'This interactive experience will showcase Colorado's history and look to our even stronger future,' Polis wrote on Facebook on Sunday. Others are not quite as sold on the idea, including Historic Denver, a nonprofit that focuses on preserving urban history. The organization stated in a release that it does not believe the proposed design 'aligns with federal guidelines, city policy, nor the State's own 2019 Cultural Landscape Report.' 'Functionally, the raised walkway does not follow the paths naturally followed by pedestrians as they make their way between two places,' the organization said in a press release. 'Historic Denver questions whether the bridge will be utilized by most pedestrians, who will continue to utilize the at-grade crossings at Colfax and 14th Avenues. Indeed, many urban pedestrian bridges, once common in cities such as Minneapolis and Cincinnati, have since been dismantled due to underuse, safety issues, and their negative effect on street-level vitality.' The Governor's Office said the design reflects Colorado's topography, 'specifically the state's flowing rivers.' The walkway will include Colorado materials, like sandstone, marble and granite, and will also feature viewing platforms, sculptural monuments and new artworks from Colorado artists. Historic Denver also questioned whether the bridge would impact civic protests staged at the Capitol, such as the recent 50501 protests. 'Denver Civic Center Historic District is one of the city's most historic places, afforded the highest possible level of recognition at both federal and local levels,' wrote John Deffenbaugh, president and CEO of Historic Denver. 'Historic Denver supports the State's desire to use art to celebrate the anniversary, but we believe this is the wrong way to go about it. Plowing a functionally useless bridge through this historic site serves no purpose but does extensive damage.' These scenic train rides through Colorado are among the nation's best: USA Today Deffenbaugh added that he's aware that the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission must approve the overpass bridge before the project can move forward. 'We urge the Commission and the public to oppose this wasteful proposal and, instead, consider measures to prioritize pedestrians, enhance crosswalks, and calm traffic to create a safer and more pedestrian-friendly environment at street level,' Deffenbaugh said. To that end, Historic Denver has started a petition. Historic Denver also says the construction of the walkway would cost up to $20 million, and could be expanded to also span Broadway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado residents fume over Denver's $20M pedestrian bridge: 'Who is this for?'
Colorado residents have been left scratching their heads over a new $20 million walkway in the state capital, branding it as 'completely unnecessary' and a waste of taxpayer money, with one even questioning: 'Who is this for?' The renderings for the project – meant to celebrate Colorado's 150th anniversary as a state – were unveiled by Gov. Jared Polis earlier this week, prompting less than positive responses online. 'I'm thrilled that Coloradans can now visualize this walkway and its amazing positive impact on our community,' Polis wrote. 'Now, when Coloradans of all ages come to visit our State Capitol, they can more easily access and enjoy Lincoln Veterans Park while enjoying and learning from art from local artists.' Comments from members of the public on Polis' social media posts about the project have been, for the most part, negative. 'I understand no public funds are being spent, however this is a public space,' wrote one user. 'This bridge feels like a clunky, over the top solution. Isn't there a simpler way to approach this that doesn't destroy the experience of civic center?' Added another: 'This is so strange. Who is this for? Where are they parking and where are they walking to? Us peasants simply take the bus to Colfax and Lincoln and use the crosswalk.' 'Just think of all the good this money being used could have gone toward', wrote a third, with another adding simply: 'Waste of time and money. Completely unnecessary.' Polis announced the plans to build the bridge last year, with a price tag of between $18 million to $20 million that would use both private and public funding. According to the governor's office, the bridge is intended to resemble Colorado's flowing rivers. John Deffenbaugh, President and CEO of Historic Denver, said the bridge was out of place in Denver's historic Civic Center area and does 'nothing right.' "It doesn't take pedestrians from A to B in a way which is convenient for them,' Deffenbaugh told 9News. "It's a national historic landmark. It's a historic district. 'There are several layers of policy documentation to protect the evolution of this site to ensure it evolves in keeping with its historic characteristics. This bridge really plows right through everything that makes this park great." Historic Denver had been aware of the project since August of last year and was initially expecting a ground-level crossing improvement. "We were really hopeful that it was going to be a ground-level crossing experience with enhancements to crosswalks, enhancements to paving, really something to improve Lincoln and Broadway," Deffenbaugh Deffenbaugh told 9News. "Unfortunately, that's morphed into a huge raised overpass over Lincoln, which really just drops people off at the corner of Broadway and Colfax for no reason."
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Historic Denver opposes plans for walkway, says it's "a response to a problem that doesn't exist"
Historic Denver has voiced opposition to the governor's plan for a new walkway connecting the State Capitol Building and Lincoln Veterans Park, stating it "serves no functional purpose and is a response to a problem that does not exist." Gov. Jared Polis unveiled renderings of the proposed walkway Thursday, which he said would commemorate the state's 150th birthday. Polis said the Colorado 150 Pedestrian Walkway will improve accessibility among downtown Denver's public spaces and help revitalize the Civic Center area. Gov. Jared Polis Gov. Jared Polis "Historic Denver supports the State's desire to use art to celebrate the anniversary, but we believe this is the wrong way to go about it. Plowing a functionally useless bridge through this historic site serves no purpose but does extensive damage," said John Deffenbaugh, President and CEO of Historic Denver. Polis said the walkway would make it easier for visitors to access Lincoln Veterans Park and provide opportunities to learn about Colorado's history. But, Historic Denver said the walkway path would not follow the routes naturally followed by pedestrians and would require them to take a longer route instead of using the at-grade crossings. They said pedestrians may choose to use the crossings at Colfax and 14th avenues instead of using the new bridge. Gov. Jared Polis Gov. Jared Polis The Federal Highway Administration recommends above grade crossings be designed to optimize travel. "Grade separated crossings should be located conveniently so that pedestrians are not forced to go out of their way to use them. When a long detour is necessary, pedestrians and bicyclists will often choose to cross at-grade regardless of the safety conditions on the street." Texas A&M Transportation Institute's Transportation Policy Research said these crossings offer many benefits, including increasing speed and road capacity and reducing vehicle conflicts between pedestrians and other vehicles. Although raised overpasses can help reduce risks to cyclists and pedestrians, their construction can be cost prohibitive. According to the Federal Highway Administration, "Because they are expensive to construct, grade separated crossings should be reserved for locations where there is high demand for crossings by pedestrians, bicycles and individuals with physical disabilities and the hazards of crossing the roadway are high. Ideally, overpasses and underpasses should take advantage of the topography of a site—grade separations are less expensive to construct and more likely to be used if they can help pedestrians avoid going up and down slopes, ramps, and steps." Historic Denver also said the proposed overpass doesn't comply with federal guidelines, city policy or the State's 2019 Cultural Landscape Report. They urged the City and County of Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission to reject the proposal and consider other measures for pedestrian safety. The organization created a petition to allow the public to express their views on the overpass.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We're cooking up something big': El Chapultepec find architects for historic jazz venue
DENVER (KDVR) — The owners of El Chapultepec, a locally renowned historic jazz venue in downtown Denver, have a newfound excitement and goals in mind after selecting architects for the renovation project. Denver history: How jazz music formed the 'Harlem of the West' in Five Points The venue, located at 1962 Market St., hosted icons from Frank Sinatra to Mick Jagger over nearly nine decades in business before it closed in 2020. Monfort Companies purchased El Chapultepec and the neighboring Giggling Grizzly properties in 2022 with the intent to tear the deteriorating buildings down. However, the community came together to save the historic club from demolition, and Historic Denver joined the effort and filed for a landmark designation. Eventually, Historic Denver and the new owners reached a compromise to bring new life to the deteriorating building while preserving its historic value. Renovation plans were approved by the Lower Downtown Design Review Commission in October 2024, however, Matt Runyon, Director of Business Development at Monfort Companies, told FOX31 in a phone call interview Wednesday that some changes have since been made, and the plans will need approval again. But the changes have sparked motivation and brought a newfound sense of excitement for those working on the project. Runyon said that after months of planning, going back and forth with ideas and tedious logistical work, planners working on the project started to lose steam. Owners give an inside look at crumbling El Chapultepec building 'After the protracted kind of battle that we went through, I think on the project in general, we were kind of feeling like the project was feeling fatigued. I was fatigued, you know, some of our consultants were fatigued, and I think it started to show through and get some of our efforts we were putting into the project,' Runyon said. He said that as 2024 came to a close, he knew some new blood was necessary for the project, as the next phase is 'critical for not just us, but I think the city.' The owners told FOX31 that Denver-based 4240 Architecture has been selected as the architect of record for the project. The architects include Principal Matt Cecere, Senior Associate Jen Nieman and Lauren Sharpe. The architecture group has worked on various projects like resorts, multifamily units, commercial offices, residential homes, university buildings and more. Several of their projects have won awards, including recognition with Michelin Guide Keys. 'We were very thoughtful about making sure we went with a group that both the reputation of having a solid product, but also someone I've worked with and been able to view their project so we can make sure were putting our best foot forward,' Runyon said. Runyon said he found the architects through another project that he has been consulting. 'They're putting together what I would consider to be a high-end convenience location and a bodega, similar to what you might find in New York,' he said. Why are streets in downtown Denver crooked? History can explain Nieman was the architect on that project, and Runyon said he was impressed when he saw her work. He said she was great to work with and hence selected 4240 Architecture for the project. Local architects Chris Shears, SAR Plus, and Richard Farley are still helping with the plans from behind the scenes. Runyon said their experience and expertise continue to help planners with ideas and advice. Since the plans were approved, some changes have been made. Runyon said last year, they were striving for plans that would get through a commission hearing. But now that they have had time to investigate and do some studies at the site, they concluded that some changes would be better than the original plan. Updated plan renderings are not yet available, but Runyon described changes to these previously approved plans: An outdoor courtyard was going to be enclosed with walls, but Runyon said they opted instead to use skylights to enclose that space for a more operable space and to bring in the sunshine. He added that there will be a roof deck there. Why RiNo and LoDo aren't listed in Denver's neighborhoods Previous plans required a wall of glass windows at the top of an outdoor staircase due to fire code. However, Runyon explained that they were able to reconfigure plans that align with fire code and reposition the staircase so that it is not a big bulky piece in the front. This allowed them to remove the windows from the roof deck to allow for a more open-air space. He said planners kept in communication with Historic Denver to make sure they were on board with the plans. 'I will say that we're not quite ready to announce what the future holds for the inside of the space that relates to the program, but we're cooking up something big, and we're excited about it,' Runyon said. He said they are working with other groups for things like contracting work and landscaping. 'This is a major, major project. And I think it's awesome, too, that there's so many hands involved, a lot of people in the local community working on this very local project that's important to local people,' he said. With the new changes, Runyon said they are preparing updated documents to be submitted for approval by the committee, which is expected to happen in early April. He added that nothing is confirmed, but they hope to break ground on the project in the second quarter of this year. Runyon said they are doing everything in their power to open up next year and said he thinks there's no better time to open the doors than right in time for baseball season. 30 years, 30 photos: Denver International Airport through the years The timeline depends on how quickly the many other parts of the process go along. 'I think there's a bit of nostalgia that plays a role in their efforts here. And I think it, and I think it's really shown through in their level of effort in terms of getting any deadlines and stuff like that. I think people are excited to work on this project for sure,' Runyon said. In the meantime, planners, architects and engineers are preparing for the next steps and perfecting the plan as much as they can to ensure the smoothest process possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
05-02-2025
- General
- Axios
How Denver landmarks recognize Black history
Justina Ford's brick flat on Arapahoe Street didn't just serve as a home, but as a 20th century headquarters for a pioneering medical practice in Denver's Five Points neighborhood. Zoom in: Ford, Colorado's first licensed Black woman doctor, lived and treated people at 2335 Arapahoe St. from 1912 until she died in 1952, per the Denver Public Library. To save it from demolition, the house was moved to 3091 California St. in 1984. It now doubles as the Black American West Museum & Heritage Center. State of play: The preserved home is not an official city landmark, though it remains an emblem of Black culture in a city attempting to rectify the ways historically underrepresented people are elevated. City planning spokesperson Ryan Huff says the city conducts research on the histories of different ethnic, racial and cultural groups and how they contributed to local history. For instance, the city's currently completing a study on the Indigenous community. Context: Established in 1967 to encourage the preservation and improvement of historic structures and landmarks, Denver's Landmark Preservation office boasts 365 individual properties and 60 historic districts. Yes, but: Only about 11% of the individual landmarks are connected to historically excluded or underrepresented communities, Huff tells us. At least 13 properties in the city's program share direct ties to Denver's Black community, including the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance studio, Fire Station No. 3 and Zion Baptist Church. Caveat: Ford's former home resides near the Five Points Historic Cultural District, a landmark designation covering a swath of properties meant to celebrate and recognize an area once dubbed the Harlem of the West. "It was just an incredible space to make sure that our community was uplifted and taken care of," Terri Gentry, engagement manager for Black communities at History Colorado, tells us about Five Points in its heyday. Between the lines: Gentry says spaces with ties to the Black community weren't consistently considered culturally significant in the past. History Colorado's ongoing program, called Colorado Heritage for All, is trying to change that, she tells us. The program invites the public to identify and share stories of places with significant cultural ties to communities of color, women and LGBTQ individuals. Alison Salutz, director of education at the preservation nonprofit Historic Denver, says her organization has a similar local effort. It focused on lesser-known stories, including that of Julia Greeley, who was enslaved in Missouri before arriving in Denver in the 1870s and establishing herself as a philanthropist. Flashback: Historic Denver last year placed a plaque on Greeley's former home at 2911 Walnut St. (which now houses a photography company) with details about her life — a life that's earned her a potential canonization with the Catholic Church. "It's the building you'd walk by, you would never know, right? You would have no idea," Salutz tells us. What's next: Gentry will participate in a public conversation on Colorado Black history at the University of Colorado-Denver on Feb. 12.
