DENVER — For years, the Evans Medical Center has been a space of hope and help for 6,000 patients.
Patients like Juan Vazquez and Angel Guma, who came to the medical center when they needed the most help and found answers to medical issues they'd had for years.
"I was like, hallelujah, finally a place I've gone to help," said Guma.
"Ever since I've been here, I've been having more speedy recovery on everything else," Vazquez said.
Their health concerns were top of mind when they first found the Evans Medical Center, but now, they say they're worried about the future of the center.
"It would be sad to lose them because it's it's hard to explain in words the service that they give us," Vazquez said.
Their concerns revolve around proposed rezoning for the building.
It's currently zoned as a healthcare campus, which allows for the current building to grow to six stories.
Proposed rezoning would change the building to general mixed-use, which would in turn change the height restriction to three stories.
Ramin Vatan, the CEO of the medical center says he doesn't have a problem with the proposed height change, but rather what that would do to the value of the building.
"Right now we have one story, but that height gives us extra value. And using that extra value, what would enable us which has to borrow against it or when we applied for a loan we were priced it based on that because that was the value of the land with the new zoning the value of the land comes down and that will put us into immediately into negative equity," said Vatan.
He says his business and his patients, a majority of whom are immigrants are being unfairly targeted but neighborhood residents say that's not the case.
"We welcome the clinic to the neighborhood. We don't have any problem with immigrants, them being immigrants or their clients being immigrants. It strictly has to do with being consistent with the area plan and having consistent height restrictions in the neighborhood," Paul Leone, the incoming president of the University Hills North Neighborhood Association.
Leone says the proposed rezoning is all about making sure huge buildings don't start popping up next to smaller homes.
"The new zoning would prevent a large structure that is not consistent with the area plan, and it's not really consistent with what is occurring in that neighborhood," he said.
Denver City Councilwoman Kendra Black, who represents the district, doesn't believe the proposed rezoning jeopardizes the medical center and its ability to stay open even if the changes are approved.
"I am doing this for the neighborhood," Black said.
City council is set to hear about the proposed rezoning and make the ultimate vote on it during their Tuesday meeting.
