Council District 1 Annual Report 08

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Council District One Annual Report

Councilman Rick GarciaAugust 2008 Volume Five

A Publication of Council District One

Northwest Denver has seen some very positiveshits in recent years that are leading to higherhome values, less crime, trendy restaurants andneighborhood boutiques that have become desti-nations or the rest o the city. Northwest Denveris deservedly known as one o the hip places toeat, shop and live.

Ive thought about these changes to the area alot over the years: what sparked the change, whendid it start to happen, how ar-reaching is it, andwhat are the actual numbers behind it?

Several other large cities throughout the coun-try, such as Washington D.C., Atlanta, Detroitand Dallas, have seen similar shits in recentyears. Tere has been a denite move away rom

car-based suburban living (long beore the mas-sive spike in the price o oil over the last year), towhat has been termed by Christopher Leinberg-er, one o Americas top real estate analysts andnow a Brookings Institution ellow, as walkableurbanism.

Walkable urbanism is dened as places withthe mix o things that people want to have ac-cessible in their lives on oot: shops, parks,schools, entertainment, restaurants Since the1990s, downtown areas that were once run down,riddled with unsightly properties, vacant lots andhigh crime, have been undergoing a revitaliza-tion process by well-educated young proession-als and empty nesters who do not want to live a

car-based existence, with long drives to and romwork, schools and entertainment.

Although the term walkable urbanism is newin our lexicon, the reality behind it is centuriesold. Just look at all the major cities in Europeto understand what walkable urbanism reallyis: small communities as well as big cities char-acterized by ecient mass transit systems, andhigh-density developments that allow and indeedencourage residents to walk everywhere becauseo the ease and pleasure in doing so.

Walkable urbanism, whether we have realizedit or not, has been steadily shaped into being inDistrict One over the last 15 years or so, as oursmall and vibrant primary business streets such

as West 32nd Avenue and ennyson Street havenot only revitalized, but have become known asdestinations or shopping and dining throughoutthe city.

Tis has been in conjunction with a citywidedevelopment called Neighborhood MarketplaceInitiative, whose goal is to better dene retaildevelopment and to work with surrounding areasto create a retail plan or the areas that havehousehold income that can support tenants withlonger-term staying power. Tis brings stabil-ity to an area, and in eect helps to brand it, asennyson and West 32nd have inarguably beenbranded.

Demographics Bring Change to Northwest Denver

Areas Targeted for Revitalization

Continued on page two

Continued on page four

Te business areas in District One are vibrant,orward-looking and adaptable. Four o our busi-ness districts are currently working hard on updat-ing and improving their image: the West ColaxBusiness Improvement District, the ennysonStreetscape Project, Federal Boulevard Revitaliza-tion, and the own Center at Jeferson Park.

In this years annual report I would like to tellyou about recent developments in the latter twoprojects.

Town Center at Jeferson ParkEarly in July, the Jeferson Park own Square

Committee ( JPSC) met to begin to dene thedirection that Jeferson Park own Square will take.

Jeferson Park is bounded by Federal Boulevard onthe west, Decatur Street on the east, West 24th Aveto the south, and West 26th Ave to the north.

JPSCs ocus is to create a vibrant, mixed-use,mixed-income own Square, and the rst ownSquare that will be truly green. In addition, JPSC

will apply to the City to become part o the Neigh-borhood Marketplace Initiative.

Te vision or Jeferson Park own Squareincludes re-use o existing, viable and contributingstructures, and promoting modern design. It will

also ocus on economic viability, promoting a vari-ety o businesses and uses, and providing adequateparking. Te area will be accessible or pedestriansand bicycles, and it will have community-riendlyamenities such as community gardens, green space,and water ountains. Finally, on the green ront,a recycling program will be implemented, andsustainability will be promoted through the use osolar panels, energy-saving programs and greenbuilding techniques.

Next up or this group is a meeting this monthto nalize the Mission Statement, the JefersonPark own Square Vision and Bylaws.

Federal Boulevard RevitalizationAnother area that is beginning to plan or some

exciting renewal is Federal Boulevard. Te broadscope o the project is to turn Te Boulevard intoNorthwest Denvers Main Street.

With Federals proximity to downtown, InvescoField, the act that it is a connecting corridor toColax another area that will undergo majorrevitalization and I-70, we need to get startedon changing the ace o Federal now, and takeadvantage o its location and vitality so that it will

Save the Date!

Councilman Garcia and his wife, Loretta Martinez.

Councilman Garcia receives the Community Advocate of the

Year award from the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado.

Date Day(s) Time Event Location

August 12 Tuesday Primary ElectionAugust 25-28th Monday-Thursday Democratic National

Convention

Mainly downtown, plus over

1500 private events city-wide

August 28 Thursday Presidential

Nominee Acceptance

Speech

Invesco Field

Sept. 6 Saturday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunnyside Music

Festival

Chaffee Park at 44th and

TennysonSept. 18 Thursday 6:00-8:00 p.m. District One Fall

Community Forum

2701 Alcott Street, Room 280

Sept. 27 Saturday 9:00-11:00 a.m. Councilman Garcias

Mobile Ofce

Sunower Market, 38th &

Wolff

October 3 Friday 8:30a.m.-2:00p.m. 5th Annual Senior

Resource Day

Riverside Baptist Church

2401 Alcott Street

November 4 Tuesday General Election By Mail, Early Vote Sites, or

Precinct Locations


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be able to handle the increased business and tracthat Light Rail and continued development in thegreater downtown area will surely bring.

We all know what Federal looks like now, soIm sure there is no doubt in any o our minds thatthis is going to be a big, exciting challenge. With ave-year planning process being shaped up, Federal

will look quite diferent in 2018, when the project is

slated to be nished.One o the major

construction items beingdiscussed is eliminating thecloverlea at West Colaxand Federal, as the existinginrastructure is a signi-cant neighborhood and pe-destrian barrier, in additionto being an inecient useo valuable space.

One long-standing issuehas been how unriendlyFederal is to pedestrians, so

we will look at ways to pro-vide pedestrians sae access across the busy street,

with a mix o pedestrian-auto trac bufers, use ogood median designs, and other methods. Another

way o making Federal saer or pedestrians, andindeed in general, will be to establish measures toslow trac, such as larger trees in the medians anddestination businesses.

Another undamental task will be to give Federala acelit, making it more attractive, uniorm, anda place where people will

want to go to shop and eat,rather than just zooming upand down it on their way tosomewhere else. o do this,

we will need to support MainStreet Zoning and mixeduses along Federal.

Some o the main tenetso Main Street Zoning in-clude promoting the sustain-able development o Den-

vers commercial corridors,preserving and protectingpublic health, saety and welare, promoting ecientutilization o land or housing and business devel-opment, improving the unction and appearance ocommercial streets and enhancing the convenience,ease and enjoyment o transit, walking, shopping,and public gathering.

Councilman Garcias Committee &

Special Assignments for 2006-2007

Councilman Garcia is participating in the followingcommittees:

Chair: NCBR (Neighborhood, Community & BusinessRevitalization), covers topics such as: Affordable Housing Ordinance

Review CDBG Allocations to RLF Program &

Operations Division of Workforce Development Environmental Health Department Housing & Neighborhood

Development

Human Services Department MOEDs Small Business

Development Metropolitan Districts Neighborhood Bond Project Ofce of Human Rights and

Community Relations Mayors Ofce for Education and

Children Proposed CDFI CDBG & Proposed

Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Regional Air Quality Commission SBE Compliance & MWBE Program Small Business Assistance Centers &

Entrepreneurialship

Vice Chair: Blueprint Denver

Member: Economic DevelopmentFasTracksGeneral Government

Special Assignments: Chair: Crime Prevention & Control Commission Vice Chair: DRCOG Board of Directors Member: DRCOG Subcommittees:

Regional Transportation CommitteeMetro Vision Issues CommitteeAd Hoc Committee on TransportationFinance Solutions

Member:Denver Sports CommissionMile High Youth Corp.NACo Transportation & TelecommunicationCommitteeNational Association of Latino Elected Ofcials(NALEO)Saint Anthonys Redevelopment Task ForceStrategic Transportation Plan Task ForceTransit Alliance, Inc.

District Ofce2785 Speer Blvd, Suite 246

Denver, CO 80211(27th & Alcott)303-458-4792

303-458-4791 faxwww.denvergov.org/rickgarcia

[email protected]

Many o us have mixed eelings about St.Anthonys Hospitals relocation to Lakewood:rom sadness at seeing an institution that hasbeen at its current location or so long leaving, toanticipation about the mixed-use developmentpossibilities that are being discussed.

St. Anthonys relocation will be completedin 2012, and the act is that there is signicant

interest in the market or redevelopment othis strategically placed site. New CEO PeterMarkowsky is now on board to oversee redevel-opment as well as the hospitals move to Lake-

wood, and in act St. Anthonys recently receivedapproval or 100% o the acility to und its move.

Mr. Markowsky is currently supervisingdevelopment o the RFP (Request or Proposal)or redevelopment o the West Colax campus.A redevelopment consultant will be employedin the coming months to help prepare the RFP.

Te RFP will include the Vision Recommenda-tion made by the task orce a ew years ago, thusrespecting the goals and objectives o the worko this task orce. Te nal RFP will be reviewedby the Economic Development Oce and me

beore it is sent to the marketplace or bids.St. Anthonys remains committed to oferingthe city donated land to site the new West Den-

ver Library Branch. Te nal library branch site

has not been determined, but the West Colaxrontage between Raleigh and Stuart Streets o-ered by the hospital is most certainly a candidateor a uture site.

St. Anthonys will maintain a communityhealth acility o some type at the West Colaxredevelopment. While no denite decisions havebeen made about what buildings and structures

will be eliminated or retained, St. Anthonys hasexpressed its wish to keep the Kuhlman buildingon the campus to serve as a continued trainingacility or the hospital.

In conjunction with the West Colax BID(Business Improvement District), I have contin-ued to engage the hospital during the past severalmonths about planning, and we have ensured thatthe Vision Recommendations are supported andrespected as the relocation and campus redevel-opment plan moves orward.

Te hospital has agreed to include a commu-nity advisory group (likely some members o theoriginal task orce) to evaluate the RFP responseslater this year on the redevelopment consider-ations or the 16-acre campus.

West Colfax, as it appears today

West Colfax, after revitalization

A Publication of Council District One Page 2

St. Anthonys Hospital sets newmove-out date

One o our big challenges is that Federal Blvd.was designated as a parkway by the Parks Depart-ment, which means that any new development mustbe set back 20 eet rom the street. Tis is a directcontradiction to Main Street Zoning. My plan is totalk with the Planning Department and the ParksManagement Department, and come up with acompromise to allow Main Street Zoning whereit is appropriate in the business-ocused areas o

Federal and to leave theparkway designation on theresidential parts o Federal.

General consensuson the Federal acelit todate includes providingconsistent landscaping,improving the existingmedians, improving theoverall streetscape intothe Historic District and

Jeferson Park by usinghistoric streetlamps andsignage, and establishingan architectural design and

streetscape that is uniorm; in essence, branding

Federal as a signicant, historical street in the cityo Denver.As we work to beautiy Federal, we expect

to attract more redevelopment and business op-portunities, with a ocus on pedestrian-riendly

walkability and the establishment o attractive andsuccessul mixed-use buildings. A balance will haveto be ound between maintaining existing historical

architectural orms, andbuilding new, modern-looking developments.

Tere has been somediscussion o changingland uses along Federaldirectly north and south othe gulch so that we can

take advantage o the newLight Rail station at De-catur. Desirable businessesinclude restaurants, art gal-leries, cofee shops, antiqueshops, and other small

businesses that will draw inand retain people. Tese new businesses will requiremore parking, and options are being discussed, suchas building a parking structure or developing sharedparking arrangements with the stadium complex.

In summary, the main points or Federal include

Federal, Jeferson ParkContinued from page one

promoting easy transportation, walkability, con-nectivity, cohesive architecture and streetscapingor a branded and unied look, and creation o aplace and community that will draw people in to yetanother historic and vibrant part o Denver.

Funded by the bond initiative that was passed inthe November 2007 election, signicant upgradesand maintenance are being perormed on our o

District Ones most-used parks. Tis work on theparks will help keep them clean, sae, attractive,and places where residents will enjoy relaxing andrecreation.


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Tanks to the voters who supported the pas-sage o bonds rom the November 2007 election,the ollowing projects are being implementedthis year:

Jeerson ParkRestroom Rehabilitation, design phase:

$66,000 Sloans Lake ParkNew restrooms, design phase: $315,900Ongoing maintenance: $2,045,000

Te upcoming public process will determinehow best and where to spend this $2 millionin relation to the marina and boathouse build-ing. Priority items to be addressed include anew pump, renovating the ailing lake edge and

jetty, and renovating the boathouse or publicuse. Other ideas may come up during the publicprocess. Parks Planning has hired URS designconsultants to lead a conceptual planning eortin order to determine a design scheme and aprioritization or spending the unds.

Highland ParkMaster Plan, design phase: $700,000.

Tis amount includes $300,000 or an up-grade o the irrigation system.

Berkeley ParkNew restroom, design phaseScheitler Recreation Center renovation, con-

struction phase: $160,000Irrigation replacement: $355,200Smiley Library Branch (in Berkeley Park at

46th & ennyson)Replace boiler and hot water heater: $63,000Upgrade re alarm system: $16,000Park Roads & Parking Lots, design phase

Tennyson Streetscape, Planning/District/Concept, 38th-44th Avenue: $2.5 millionTe District is in the process o ormation,

which is scheduled to be completed by the end othis year. In addition, the general scoping o theimprovements is also scheduled to be completedby the end o 2008. When both o these are com-pleted, a consultant will be retained to completethe design in 2009, and the construction phase othe project will start in 2010.

Tennyson Street Reconstruction Project,26th-32nd Avenue

Street paving, curb and gutter reconstruction:$700,000

District One street and alley paving: $3

million Colfax Avenue, Federal to Sheridan, Plan-

ning/District/Concept: $1 million

Noise is a act o city living. But too much noiseis unpleasant and unhealthy, detrimentally aectingindividuals, the communitys enjoyment o its sur-roundings, and the ability to conduct business. Dueto changes in urban living trends, and based onanalysis o noise complaints and public input, Den-

ver City Council has revised two municipal codespertaining to noise emitted by all types o motor

vehicles, as well as noise caused by things suchas construction, snow removal, lea blowers, yard

equipment and even your neighbors loud music.Te ordinance amendment is intended to

provide the police with a better tool to stop andinspect operating motorcycles that are obviouslyloud or proper ederal EPA approved stamps onthe tailpipes. Councilman Garcia, as chair o theCity Councils NCBR (Neighborhood, Community& Business Revitalization) Committee heard testi-mony rom the Environmental Health Departmentand the Police Department or better enorcementneeds, taking a lot o heat locally and nationallyrom motorcycle clubs and riders who interpretedthe amendment as discriminatory. Te law has beenheld up in county court since last July, and residents

Bond Projects

Implemented in 2008And plans in the coming years will turn areas

like Federal Blvd. and West Colax into attractiveshopping and dining destinations as well, buoyedby their proximity to the coming light rail, Lodo,the 16th Street Mall, the Pepsi Center, InvescoField and Coors Field. Denver has truly become amodel nationwide o how to rescue an inner city,and our trajectory in Northwest Denver is simply

a continuation o that success.Our light rail system is also being looked atnationwide as the right way to connect the di-erent parts o a city. Our light rail is 80% undedby taxpayers, which shows our dedication to thishealthier, more community-based, less-pollutingtype o liestyle. We will end up with 119 miles onew track, and plans are already under way to cre-ate mixed-used buildings around and anning outrom light rail stations. Tese plans or develop-ment also have walkable urbanism as one o theirmain tenets.

Tere are some interesting demographics thatgo along with this years-long revitalization andimprovement o District One.

For example, while the total population and

number o households have decreased by morethan 4% since 2000, the average householdincome has actually increased by 19%. Tis hasmeant a nearly 14% increase in aggregate neigh-borhood income. Tis higher income per capitatranslates directly into cleaner, saer neighbor-hoods, with lower crime rates and residents whocare deeply about the value o their propertyand the property surrounding theirs. New hom-

A Publication of Council District One Page 4

Continued from page one

Changes transorm Northwest Denver

Councilman Garcias District One Ofce Staff: (l) Pat Defa, (c) Rita B. Contreras

have reported much quieter major thorougharessince the amendments enactment.

Te rst revision to Chapter 36 o theDenver Revised Municipal Code was made in2007, in response to complaints o excessive vehiclenoise rom residents on or close to busy streets likeFederal, Sheridan and West 38th Ave. Te result

was requiring all vehicles, including motorcycles,to have mufers, and not allowing vehicles weigh-ing less than 10,000 pounds to emit noise above 82

decibels at 25 eet.Another revision to Chapter 36 was made

earlier this year, to amend noise ordinances inrelation to large estivals, snow removal vehiclesand construction to make the city more livable orneighborhood residents.

In general, certain types o constructionnoise, snow removal, yard maintenance, streetoperations, etc. are permitted between 7AM and10PM at decibels (dB(A)) no higher than 65 orcommercial activities, and 80 dB(A) or industrialactivities. Residents have to keep their noise downto 55 dB(A) during the day. From 10PM to 7PM,allowed noise levels are lower, diering between

Updates to Noise Ordinance

eowners average household income is more than$75,000, which is 70% higher than it was in 2000.All o this has contributed to increasing the me-dian home sale value, which rom 2000 to 2007rose rom $156,352 to $220,135.

Tere are our basic components that urbandesign experts call a return on perception:

Green: parks, plazas, greenbelts and openspaces

Blue: rivers, lakes, waterways, oceansransportation: transit systems, surrounding

streetscapes, highways and roadsArchitecture: the historical, cultural, economic

and visual character created by the vertical ele-ments o a community.*

We have parks and lakes in abundance (Sloans,Berkeley and Rocky Mountain Lake), an openspace (Rollandet) right smack in the middle othe city, several areas that have been set aside ashistorical districts (Wol Place, Witter-Coeld,or example), and as I mentioned, our transporta-tion corridor is shaping up to be a model or therest o the nation to ollow.

In District One, and indeed city wide, we areboosting our image and desirability by makingmajor investments in basic image inrastructure,which has the result o attracting a new type oinner-city resident and business opportunitiesthat increase the tax base, and building a stronginner-city community that is well educated, con-cerned and involved.

residential (the lowest allowed levels o noise),commercial, industrial (construction, or example)and public (such as airs, or outdoor concerts).

o ensure that the decibels are kept withintheir permitted ranges, City Council has autho-rized the Manager o Environmental Health andthe Chie o Police to inspect all noise sources, andto take measurements and tests whenever neces-sary to determine the quantity and character onoise. I police are denied access, they can get a

court warrant to enter the premises. O course thereare several exemptions, such as emergency vehiclesirens, school or church bells.

Tis increased ease o access will help keepthe noise down in our neighborhoods and ourbusiness districts, helping us to maintain a peaceul,healthy and inviting community.

Documents

Council District 1 Annual Report 08