Welcome to spring in Upper Downtown! It’s time for us to get back outside and enjoy the patios at our favorite restaurants, invite friends for coffee on 16th Street, enjoy the Glenarm Plaza Common Consumption Area, and participate in downtown spring activities. It’s also a great time to discover the art in Upper Downtown. Make sure to check out the alleyways on 16th Street.
Member Input Requested: As you know, the DDDA Board approved the funds to purchase the Denver Pavilions and the two adjacent parking lots on 15th Street. The vision is that the Pavilions will become the center point of activity in Upper Downtown. The DDDA Board has selected the Urban Land Institute to develop that vision, and I have been invited to participate on an Advisory Services Panel. To better represent UpDoNA members and Upper Downtown residents, I’d like to get your input. What would you like to see at the Pavilions – fun venues, a grocery store, housing? Please email me at lisapope@updona.org with any ideas that you have so that I can better represent the residents of Upper Downtown.
Legislative Items and City Council Decisions: There are several legislative items and city council decisions that we are monitoring and actively engaged in. Below is information about what we are working on and what is coming up in April.
Veo Micro Mobility Contract: Thanks to our UpDoNA members who emailed the City Council members serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committing expressing support for the Veo contract. Scooter Subcommittee Chair, David Kurth, along with committee members, Joe Capello and Adrienne Kraft, attended the Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 18th, and spoke in support. The committee postponed its vote until DOTI provides the VEO contract for them to review.
Axon Enterprise Contract for Automated License Plate Readers: On Monday, March 23rd, the Denver City Council considered a proposed contract with Axon to provide 50 ALPR cameras throughout Denver. These cameras would replace the FLOCK cameras that have been so controversial. Nonetheless, some city council members and Denver residents still have concerns and oppose ALPRs. Some of those concerns include data sharing and the use of data for immigration enforcement or reproductive healthcare investigations. Denver residents in favor feel that ALPRs are an important tool for the Denver Police Department assisting in the reduction of auto thefts, recovery of firearms, crime solving, and general safety. The negotiated contract has language that prohibits data sharing, prevents access by anyone outside of Denver, and includes bans on the use of data for immigration enforcement or reproductive healthcare investigations. Approximately 25 people representing both sides of the issues spoke. CM Flynn asked that the vote be delayed for one week.
Municipal Sentencing Bill sponsored by CMs Parady, Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Lewis: Per a Colorado Supreme Court ruling, several Denver Revised Municipal Code (“DRMC”) sentences must be reformed to be no harsher than what is mandated by state statute for the same offense. In addition, to the offenses specifically addressed by the Supreme Court, the Bill sponsors want to reduce the sentencing of several other municipal code violations. UpDoNA is in the process of determining which additional offenses are included in the proposed Bill and the possible impact to downtown safety. Currently, the city has the authority to use municipal and state sentencing guidelines.
The District Attorney’s office, City Attorney’s office, Mayor’s office, and the Denver Police Department prefer that all municipal sentencings, except those addressed by the Supreme Court, remain the same.
We will continue to gather information and keep you updated.
Denver Jazz Fest: The 2026 Denver Jazz Fest is April 7th through the 12th. Upper Downtown venues include Dazzle, and a new venue just outside Upper Downtown, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Complex. There will also be six Happy Hour pop-up performances at the Embassy Suites on Stout Street from 5:00-7:00 p. m. Denver Jazz Fest is offering a $10 discount per ticket for UpDoNA Members on selected performances shown in the article in this newsletter! For more information and tickets please visit the Denver Jazz Fest website at https://denverjazz.org/partners/ Denver Jazz Fest and Dazzle are UpDoNA Business Members!
Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22nd. UpDoNA has been invited to attend the Earth Day Celebration at the Colorado Convention Center in front of the Blue Bear. We’ll be handing out flowers and herbs. Make sure to shop by and say hello!
UpDoNA Needs Your Help: Are you a social butterfly or just love to plan social events? Then we have a place for you. UpDoNA needs a Social Committee Chair. We already have a wonderful group of committee volunteers. We need help planning and scheduling UpDoNA UNOs and the Annual Meeting. If you are interested, please contact me at lisapope@updona.org
Our Membership Committee, led by Carol Wayne, needs additional committee members to continue to grow our membership. If you like meeting and speaking with people, we can use your help to introduce UpDoNA to people who haven’t heard about us. UpDoNA’s membership is very important. The more members we have, the more work we can do in our community! If you can help, please contact me at lisapope@updona.org.
I’ll talk to you again in May.
Lisa L. Pope
President
Thumbnail attribution: Leo Marce
