PLEASE READ MY “REPORTING” INFORMATION IN THIS MESSAGE!
Welcome to fall! October is a busy month for travel and for football. Hopefully you have some time in your schedule to attend the 16th Street Grand Opening on October 4th celebrating the official completion of 16th Street and its 43rd anniversary. There will be lots of activities and events including live music, food vendors, business deals, and a scavenger hunt for 16 hidden Golden Tickets for great REI gifts. Make sure to attend to support 16th Street, our businesses, and Upper Downtown!
The great news is that we no longer have to endure the construction. We can enjoy tree-lined streets, outside patios, and people watching. None can be happier about that than downtown business owners. Recently some business owners along 16th Street were asked how things are now that construction is completed. Restaurant owners stated that they have had a 50-85% increase in sales. Some estimate that downtown is back to about 85% of its former glory. In fact, a recent Downtown Denver Partnership report showed that foot traffic is at 86% of 2019 levels. Some additional stats: so far in 2025, 52 new businesses have opened downtown, and occupied apartment units have increased by 880 units. The Downtown Denver partnership tracks many downtown stats. You can review the most current stats using this link: https://www.downtowndenver.com/_files/ugd/f83d72_2f2205b61c8e4cd58ddecf31f765a398.pdf
As you recall, the Downtown Denver Development Authority announced investments in 10 projects – housing, businesses, and parks. One of those projects is Green Spaces, a mixed marketplace with storefronts, art spaces, co-working spaces, coffee shop, and a bar owned by young, creative, Denver entrepreneurs. Green Spaces will occupy almost a full-city block between Welton and California streets in Upper Downtown! Here is a link to a video report from 9News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlQcR_s-Xq4
Soon the Downtown Denver Development Authority Board will be announcing additional projects in Upper Downtown.
Now for some important business – REPORTING! When you see something, you must report it using the Clean and Safe app, 311, or 911. You should be reporting issues such as vandalism, maintenance, outreach, safety, graffiti, disruption by a person, sidewalks, emergency needs, and more.
Every morning, the Mayor’s office holds a meeting with the following: Cole Chandler, Sr. Advisor for Homelessness, Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Denver Sheriff’s Department, Department of Housing Stability, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Denver Department of Health and Environment, District Attorney, City Attorney, Street Engagement Team, Roads to Recovery, Abandoned and Derelict Buildings, Downtown Denver Partnership/Allied Security, and the Park Rangers. All 311 and Clean and Safe app reports are reviewed daily by this team and are assigned for follow-up to each group that needs to be involved, including the police department’s Homeless Outreach Team. Reports that come in throughout the day are also assigned to city agencies with review the following morning.
In addition to general issues like those listed above, there has been an uptick in the number of homeless who are hanging around 16th Street and surrounding areas in Upper Downtown. I have received numerous messages, and have had several conversations, with UpDoNA members and Upper Downtown residents about the increase. Some individuals are simply sitting, but others are harassing people, shouting and being generally raucous, openly doing drugs, etc..
Gil Vondrasek, Paul Melinkovich, Ron Townsend, and I recently met with Cole Chandler and Erin Atencio, the Director of Roads to Recovery, to discuss concerns about the homeless activities in Upper Downtown. Cole and Erin are very aware of the situation and continually monitor the homeless activity in downtown. In fact, Cole has a heat map in his office that he monitors all day long. Street Engagement Team activities and all “outreach” reporting from 311 and the Clean and Safe App are shown on the map. Cole and Erin have asked that we report all downtown homeless activity. Outreach teams will be directed to them so that they can be given assistance, directed to services, or, when necessary, have police response.
Roads to Recovery, the Mayor’s initiative, is a diversion program from the court system into a city-coordinated network of intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation for homeless individuals who have committed low-level crimes. The program is intended not only to help the homeless get out of the cycle of homelessness, but to also hold them accountable for their behavior. For more in-depth information about Roads to Recovery, please read Gil Vondrasek’s Safety Committee newsletter article in this month’s newsletter.
Gil and I have an upcoming meeting with Sterling Simms, our D10 Rep for Mayor Johnston, to discuss several issues including the Vibrant Denver GO Bond, closure of hotels, micro-communities, and shelters (what that could mean for downtown), and more. I’ll update you on that meeting in November – right before we vote on the Vibrant Denver GO Bond.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS. On Wednesday, October 22nd, from 5:30-7:00 p.m., UpDoNA will be hosting a fall event. Recently, Senator Matt Ball and At-Large City Council Member Sarah Parady asked to meet with UpDoNA members to introduce themselves. We are going to take this opportunity to discuss the subject of the homeless, lack of mental health, and drug addiction facilities, current laws, etc. Additional invited guests will be Cole Chander, Erin Atencio, and Council Members Hinds and Watson. The location and other details will be emailed to you later. However, we will be providing food, beer, and wine.
Thank you for your continued involvement and support! We cannot run this organization without you
I’ll talk to you again in November!
Lisa L. Pope
President
