DENVER Sustainable Design Build has been building along the Front Range since 2016. But co-owner and general contractor Zach McKendry says he still doesnt know what to expect while trying to get construction permits approved by the City of Denver, something he calls a huge pain.

Our experience is kind of this ad hoc application of new code... How that code gets applied just seems kind of willy-nilly, he told Denver7 Friday. We have a lot of hurdles just on the business side, and then when you introduce all the regulation and the timing through the city, it just creates a really tense relationship.

Last year, an audit of the citys residential permitting process found a lack of consistent, documented processes and unreliable data contributed to longer permit review times.

Those delays cost developers both time and money.

We're currently at 283 days [waiting] for a residential permit, McKendry said.

This week, the city announced it is now committed to nearly sawing that figure in half with a new, one-stop Permitting Office, combining responsibilities that had been scattered across several departments.

After 180 days in the citys hands plus another 30 days for an executive committee to review the holdup the city will refund developers up to $10,000 in application fees. The commitment is to encourage faster processing of those permits.

When you submit that proposal, if its a complete proposal, we will start a shot clock, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said during a press conference announcing the news on Monday. This makes Denver, we think, the national model for how get permitting done efficiently effectively, cheaply, and high quality if we do it well.

McKendry said he is encouraged but also has his hesitancies about the promise.

I've heard a lot of words regarding the city and permitting and our interactions with them, he said. We've seen very little action that's been consequential and moved the needle.

At the same time, McKendry said he understands the scope of the citys challenge handling so many permits in a timely fashion.

They're dealing with a really high volume, he pointed out. Denver is growing really fast.

McKendry said he is hopeful the overhauled process could be the streamlined solution builders have been looking for.

I would love to see that 180 [day] mark happen, he said. We're really eager and cautiously optimistic to hopefully see some action that that will swing the needle back in the right direction.

Denvers new permitting office will launch next month.

WINTER PARK, Colo. Construction of a workforce housing complex at Winter Park Resort is complete and residents have started to move in, the resort announced on Thursday afternoon.

The complex, called Conifer Commons, is located off of U.S. Highway 40 and Winter Park Drive near the resort's main entrance and yards away from the resort's Cabriolet lift. The resort relocated a parking area so the complex could be built on resort property close to the slopes and public transportation. The complex has more than 330 beds in a mix of studio and single-room units. Each of the two buildings has communal kitchens, living spaces and bathrooms.

Conifer Commons is one local solution to the increasing need for housing for seasonal and yearround workers a problem that is affecting people around the country. This issue has escalated in recent years alongside increasing home prices and a labor shortage post-COVID-19 pandemic. Locals were getting pushed out of where they worked.

Sky Foulkes, Winter Park Resort president, said the resort is one of the largest employers in the area and wanted to ensure its workers had access to affordable housing.

"After all, Winter Park Resort is as much about our people and quality of life, as it is about our unspoiled forest and slopes," Foulkes said.

This process began with research and conversations with employees, the town, partners and construction companies. The need for workforce housing quickly grew into a priority that was moved ahead of the resort's plans to expand its offerings for guests.

The modular construction which is an environmentally friendly option that leads to less waste than traditional construction began in June 2022. In October 2022, crews celebrated setting down the foundation for the buildings. Nashua Builders built the project in Idaho and then shipped the components to Colorado, where they were assembled. Because of its design, the work was faster and more controlled, so wintry weather did not interrupt the process.

Project leaders said Conifer Commons is one of the largest modular projects in the United States. Its construction finished in December 2023, resulting in two buildings comprised of 96 modular components stacked side by side and on top of each other. It took just 60 days for crews to put up both four-story buildings.

The total project cost was approximately $60 million, the resort said.

The resort is now exploring using solar panels on the buildings.

Winter Park will subsidize rent to help keep the housing affordable for employees.

Conifer Commons was a joint effort between Winter Park Resort, Alterra Mountain Company, which is Winter Park Resorts parent company, the Town of Winter Park, Winter Park Recreation Association, Winter Park Water and Sanitation, and Saunders Construction.

SALIDA, Colo. All along F Street in Salida, you can find the businesses and the people that give this place its small-town charm.

That sense of community is why so many people care about what happens on the street. In February, Salida City Council began discussing a proposal to shut down F Street this summer for a fourth straight year. This started during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The Salida F Street closure is set to begin Memorial Day weekend and continue through Labor Day weekend, if approved by city council.

The roadway is lined with an art gallery, hair salons, jewelers and plenty of restaurants and other retail.

I keep my door open in the summer because its so beautiful out, said Nicole Brin, owner of Structure Gallery on F Street.

She has her work, along with her husband's work and friends' work, on display and has done art shows for about 26 years.

The owner of Krivanek Jewelers, Mark Krivanek, on F Street, has been in Salida for 28 years.

We try to stick with all natural gemstones, Krivanek said of some of their jewelry. That's kind of what my love is.

But in Salida, the people are real gems, too.

Donna Martinez, owner of a salon on F Street, moved to the area in 1962 and has been in Salida for about 20 years.

This is a quaint, neat, little laidback town," she said. "I get to meet all kinds of people. And I know their pets, their family, everybody. I consider them all friends and customers.

One of her long-time customers, Donna Troutman, said she gets her hair done every week.

Its those friendships and businesses that make the small town so special.

Business owners said closing down the road also closes parking, which makes it difficult to get around downtown. It also gives restaurants more breathing room with the option to expand their patios into the streets.

Some people, like Brin of Structure Galley, fully support the closure.

I think it's nice, she said. It promotes people coming. They put a pergola up and its very inviting to families and kids... You can sit outside and just relax a little bit more. You dont have to worry about the kids, which is nice.

Other people say the yearly tradition is now outdated and unnecessary.

I think with COVID it was OK," Martinez said. "But to continue it on and on. Its not good. I do have some clients that will not come down here because of the street closures.

Troutman said the closures make it difficult for senior citizens to get around.

At the jewelry store, Krivanek said hes on the fence about the renewed discussion to close F Street.

Its hard to determine whether or not weve actually seen if the closure is beneficial financially, he said.

The new Salida mayor, Dan Shore, said he hears those concerns.

Obviously, there were people that were unhappy with it, Shore said. And I respect that.

But he said an overwhelming majority of people support closing F Street during the summer. The proof is in surveys the town conducted.

"This is a town of about 6,000 people and we got approximately 1,200 survey responses," Shore said. "And of those, 80% of respondents either supported it or strongly supported it.

Both Martinez and Troutman did not agree with those results. Martinez estimated that in her experience, about 50% of people would support it. Krivanek agreed, guessing the town is split 50-50 on the issue.

Whatever the case, its a debate that will continue not only in Salida, but across the state of Colorado.

Cities big and small throughout the state are struggling with how to implement both temporary and permanent street closures moving forward.

Many cities are discussing a charge or fee for restaurants and businesses that choose to expand their space. Salida ultimately decided against a fee. Golden reversed its fee structure, which totaled thousands of dollars for a single business, after pushback from the public and business community.

The City of Denver charges a nominal fee of around $600 for permanent patio expansion.

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. Just in time for the Avs' and Nuggets' playoff runs, one of Wheat Ridge's most beloved batch of chicken wings is back on the menu.

King of Wings, which has been out of operation since its kitchen fire in December of 2021, returned this past month to serve up its signature "Bourbon Buffalo" chicken wings.

Childhood best friends Eddie Renshaw and Evan Pierce started the business back as a food truck back in 2015, before opening a tap house in 2020. However, that electrical fire nearly a year-and-a-half ago forced them to close their doors until March 25.

"It's just awesome to see everybody back and have the team together, cooking wings again," said Renshaw, before graciously letting me sample a "Mild Buffalo" drumstick. "And seeing the sauce on people's face - we love it."

In the video above, you can learn more about their story, and just salivate for a couple minutes.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. A photo submitted to our Discover Colorado | Through your photos Facebook page of a mom and her kids looking up at the Milky Way caught a lot of eyes, but it was the caption that really captured hearts.

When I was in active addiction, I struggled connecting with my kids. It was hard for me to have an interest in activities where I was required to be sober Last night I shared my love of the stars and astrophotography with my children I will never regret a day I stayed sober or choosing life over drugs and alcohol, Lindsay Brady wrote.

Brady, of Boulder County, took her kids to Rocky Mountain National Park to share her love of astrophotography last week. She showed them how to use the camera as they got a glimpse of Starlink. When they saw the final product in the viewfinder, she says the moment was priceless.

They were just beside themselves with everything that their little eyes and minds and souls were experiencing and taking in, Brady said. The fact that I could do that with them and show them just a fraction of what our universe is was incredibly powerful for all of us.

Brady was taking in more than the view. She was cherishing the experience of connecting with her kids sober.

I went through years of trying to get sober and it not working, mainly because I hadn't fully conceded that I was truly an alcoholic and that I truly had substance use disorder. There's a lot of shame and guilt, I felt, for that potentially being a part of me, and I did not want to acknowledge that, she said.

In 2017, she relapsed and checked herself into rehabilitation in Estes Park. She has chosen recovery every day since.

There's never a day I have woken up sober where I have regretted it, Brady said.

During the pandemic, Brady taught herself photography as a way to keep her idle hands busy during a period that has been difficult for those in recovery.

"I'm just really excited that photography has turned into just this beautiful gift that I can use to creatively connect with my community, she said.

Brady started a nonprofit called Recovery Rising. It provides those in recovery with no-cost family portraits so they can mark a new beginning. Recovery Rising covers their portrait sessions through donations, and they are looking for more photographers to volunteer.

Editor's Note:

Editor's Note:

DENVER The GC Lounge, a full-service bar and restaurant that features golf simulators, will open this weekend on 17th Avenue in Denver.

The 3,849-square-foot business features three TrackMan golf simulators where guests can practice perfecting their swing.

TrackMan is the number one golf simulator. The tracer you see during PGA tournaments is TrackMan technology, said GC Lounge Owner Michael Burbage.

But Burbage said guests do not have to be professional golfers to enjoy the space.

I am a terrible golfer, but I love golfing, Burbage said. I wanted to make it comfortable, so if you dont know how to golf at least you can have fun and not feel like youre spending a bunch of money trying to learn something you might not want to do later.

GC Lounge can accommodate 50 guests outside on the patio and 148 inside.

Burbage said there are plans to expand to Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte, and other big cities over the next few years.

Editor's Note:

DENVER Construction has started on a new housing development in Denvers Jefferson Park neighborhood that will take up a full city block formed by 26th Avenue, 27th Avenue, Alcott Street and Bryant Street.

Denver-based company Grand Peaks owns the land, which will soon be turned into a large apartment building.

The latest development plan submitted to the City of Denver calls for a 15-story multifamily building with 530 units.

The development will include nearly 200 studio apartments, 238 one-bedroom apartments, and 103 two-bedroom units.

The building will also include more than 550 parking spaces.

The area where this development will be located was once home to La Loma, a popular Mexican restaurant.

A few years ago, La Loma relocated to a space on Broadway.

As more and more passengers come to rely on Denver International Airport, the airport is simultaneously working to support the increased volumes of travelers something its CEO compared to living in a house during major renovations.

During a press conference Friday morning, airport CEO Phil Washington explained the current and future projects that will help alleviate some of the pressures around the airport. Denver City Council voted unanimously in mid-July to confirm Washington as the next CEO of the airport.

Watch the press conference in full below.

The airport opened in 1995 26 years ago to support 50 million passengers annually. By 2019, DEN better known locally as DIA was at 69 million annual passengers. Based on trends, Washington said he expects to see 72.8 million passengers this year. Now, the airport is preparing for Vision 100, which outlines the preparations needed in the next five to eight years to support 100 million passengers, Washington said. This is the first phase of Operation 2050, which is focusing on the possibility of 150 million passengers at DEN in 2050.

Washington said they have a lot of work to do to retrofit the airport.

"I like to say that this is the same airport, but more people," he said.

Based on passenger traffic since June, DEN was the third-busiest airport in the world, behind Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and the HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport. While Washington said it's hard to put a finger on the exact reason for the enormous increase, it likely has something to do with the airport's location in the middle of the country. It is just two hours from the west coast and roughly three hours (give or take) to the east coast.

But whatever the reason, it's tied to, and negatively impacting, travelers who are finding long wait lines at security. Washington said he is in the terminal every day and sees the lines. He said he knows it's not ideal for those passengers and expressed his appreciation for their patience.

On Monday, Washington met with the TSA Administrator to discuss how they could improve the security process.

"One of the things that we need to do is build more infrastructure. Infrastructure meaning we need to build more lanes," he said. "And right now, at max, when we have all lanes open, we're at about 28 security lanes. With the full build out, if the council approves, we will go to 42 lanes. That will make a drastic difference."

In the meantime, he said they need to build out four additional lanes. Those four lanes will move 600 people through security every hour, he said. The TSA has already committed to staffing those extra lanes, he said, and are offering various types of bonuses to hire and keep employees. These lanes likely won't open until early next year.

"But I think what this boils down to is an understanding that there's going to be an impact as we continue this construction project," he said. "But this work is necessary for the increased volumes... It's like renovating your house while you're still living in it, because we're still operating. And we're building new infrastructure."

Washington said the airport plans to publish wait line times on its website and signs along the security lines to inform passengers how long of a wait they can expect, sort of like an amusement park.

Currently, 80% of passengers through DEN are traveling for leisure and 20% are for business. Typically, that split is more like 60-40, with 60% for leisure, Washington said. Experts are not sure when the business traveler numbers will start to tick up again.

Washington also addressed the issue of parking at DEN.

One of the reasons for some parking lots remaining closed is a lack of drivers, he explained. To solve this problem, he said they are proposing and planning to waive some requirements in the contracts that call for a commercial drivers license, and to hire individuals who can drive smaller vehicles to the parking lots while earning their CDL.

The Pikes Peak shuttle lot will temporarily open once again this weekend as DEN anticipates another busy weekend of travel.

Regarding the janitorial strike in early October, Washington said that the union and contractor are continuing negotiations.

To help curb the growing pains, DEN is currently undergoing multiple projects, the biggest being the Great Hall project and gate expansion project.

The building of the Great Hall was broken into three phases and the first, in the middle of the terminal, will open on Oct. 27. It will be operationally ready by Nov. 10.

In phase two, security on the north end will move from Level 5 to Level 6. This has already started and will be completed in the next 15 to 18 months. The final phase of the project involves moving south security to the north end on Level 6.

The gate expansion project includes 39 new gates something that is "really indicative" of the increased passenger volumes at the airport, Washington said. Even with these new additions, airlines are still asking for more. Those 39 new gates will open in the next six to eight months.

Washington also recognized the problem in August, when trains had to run at reduced capacity due to a mechanical issue, creating hours-long delays for travelers. DEN does not have walkways between security and the gates. The repairs took about 10 hours.

"So what I've directed is for us to put out what I call a problem statement, or request for information, to the private sector on how we can resolve this issue," he said, noting it will go out early next week.

He called the incident "unprecedented" and said it was the first and only time that has happened at the airport.

"I think we have to understand and do a cost-benefit analysis to say, do you spend $200 or $300 million to do a walkway or a tunnel or something like that? You have to do a cost-benefit analysis to say, you've had this happen once in 26 years. Do you spend that money to solve something that is like the 100-year flood?"

Washington said he wants to ask passengers who plan to travel through DEN in the next few months to stay patient through the growing pains.

"Were doing everything we possibly can to reduce wait times in security lines and to open up off-site parking lots and to make sure concessions are open and restrooms are clean," he said. "Increased passenger volumes has had an impact on how airports operate. That is undeniable. I think having said that, we are also going to take advantage of these challenges by creating opportunities for young people in the aviation industry and engaging them in this industry."

Passengers headed to the airport should continue to arrive at DEN two hours ahead of their flight. This will be even more important during the holidays, Washington said.

Editor's Note:

DENVER A new restaurant concept that includes three restaurants under one roof recently opened in Denvers Lower Downtown (LoDo) neighborhood.

In August 2020, Knitting Factory Entertainment, one of three companies behind the new restaurants announced plans to transform a 25,000-square foot space on Market Street into three distinct restaurants: El Tejano, Loaded, and Smash Face Brewery and Taproom.

El Tejano is a two-story Tex-Mex bar, Loaded has a Rock n Roll theme, and Smash Face Brewery and Taproom is a gastropub.

We opened Smash Face first and it took a long time to find employees, much longer than its ever taken before, said Morgan Margolis, CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment.

Margolis said once staffing issues were resolved, national supply chain problems halted construction while crews waited for parts needed to repair the HVAC system and stoves.

I couldnt open without heating and HVAC, said Margolis. I couldnt open without stoves and so that just look a little bit longer.

With construction issues behind him, Margolis said hes excited to offer something different to LoDo.

I dont want to be just a weekend warrior spot, were open all week long, said Margolis. Im not delivering rocket ships to the moon but Im delivering an escape from reality and a time to kick back and enjoy a margarita with some friends.

Margolis said the restaurants welcome sports fans and families as well.

Editor's Note:

GOLDEN, Colo. Construction has started on a section of land in front of the Molson Coors brewing plant in Golden to address several infrastructure issues.

According to city documents, crews are working on drainage and trail improvements.

They will also connect the Vanover Park Bridge with the below-grade trail under the Ford St. Bridge and construct a new pedestrian bridge.

Last October, Coors announced plans to begin upgrades to plant facilities in honor of the companys 150

anniversary.

Coors plans to overhaul the infrastructure between the Golden brew house and packaging facility.

The company is also building new fermenting and filtration facilities, upgrading ones that date back to the 1950s.

Work will continue through 2024.

Editor's Note:

LAKEWOOD, Colo. A new income-restricted apartment option is under construction in Lakewood on Simms Street.

Notable Apartments is a five-story building that will offer 218 affordable housing units.

The building plans to welcome artists, teachers, and others who work in the area as an affordable option if they want to live around where they work.

The 160,000-square-foot former office building is currently undergoing renovations.

The building will include amenities such as a rooftop deck, dog park, and fitness center.

The building will also include retail space and an area that will be home to the Lakewood School of Music with a performance hall, practice room, fine art studio and a recording studio.

According to Notables website, the building will open early next year.

DENVER A 100-unit apartment building in downtown Denver that is focused on providing housing for people experiencing homelessness is getting a revamp from head to toe.

Excitement is starting to build for residents of the Forum Apartments, which sit directly across from City Hall.

"Everything will be brand new," said Jon Lonardo, who lives in the building.

In about a year, the building that since 1995 has served as long-term housing for people who were once homeless will finally get a much-needed renovation.

"There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, and certainly there needs to be some really major stuff done," said Carl Huey, who lives in the Forum Apartments.

Renovations include changes to the air conditioning system, elevators, electricity, plumbing, and more. For the Colorado Coalition for Homeless, which owns the building, the face lift provides residents with a better quality of life.

"To be able to have a new kitchen and new appliances, new counters, new furnishings; to have elevators that don't break down every other day or every other week, and to have upgraded community space so that the 100 people who are living here can get together to work on issues ... you know, [to] have a quality of life that they all longed for," said John Parvensky, CEO and president of the coalition.

The renovations were made possible because of $10 million in bonds that were approved by city council.

"And then the city will get in return a commitment that this building will stand for 60 years to provide housing for low-income individuals, particularly targeted to those who are homeless," said Parvensky.

"I am grateful for what I do have. And any improvement, I am grateful for that as well," said Huey.

People who live at the Forum Apartments pay 30% of their income in rent and if they dont have a job, there are social workers here to help. Currently, the building is 100% occupied.

Renovations will begin in November and should be done by next fall.

Somewhere between the breathtaking beauty and bustle of business youll see it: a little town becoming a little bigger. All over Winter Park, the sound of construction can be heard in the distance as the town grows to try to accommodate all its residents.

Like other mountain communities, Winter Park is facing a home affordability crisis that has been exacerbated by COVID. On top of a previous housing shortage, more remote workers are moving to the area, further straining the home stock.

"The market has skyrocketed and essentially thats created a scenario where our housing inventory is not attainable for any of our local workforce, said Winter Park Mayor Nick Kutrumbos.

The town council has stopped short of declaring it an official emergency, but Kutrumbos says it is a crisis that will require local, state and federal solutions.

The housing shortage is so bad, businesses are being forced to adjust their hours or close for a couple of days a week because they cannot find employees to work. Kutrumbos is worried this is quickly becoming a health and safety that could impact response times during emergencies.

In an effort to help, the town has annexed some areas, nearly doubling in size over the years, and it has mechanisms in place to negotiate with developers on some land. Kutrumbos credits the town councils from 15 to 20 years ago for the foresight.

The current town council is considering changing its building codes and designs for new projects. It has also set up the Winter Park Housing Assistance Fund with the help of the Grand Foundation that helps buy down the rent of some residents by $400 a month.

That money goes directly to the landlord for up to one year before the renter needs to reapply for the program. Almost 400 families have been able to receive financial aid during the current application cycle.

The town is also moving forward with an emergency ordinance to address short-term housing in the area. It formed a short-term rental panel two years ago to do a deep-dive on the issue.

The town council has dedicated $325,000 to a program that would try to incentivize property owners to convert their short-term rentals (like AirBnB and VRBO) into long-term rentals for people living in Winter Park. The town council is hoping its enough to house at lease 40 workers.

What we are trying to do is compete with short term rentals. In Winter Park I would speculate or guess that over 80% of our housing inventory is on the rental market, Kutrumbos said.

For a studio or one-bedroom home, the current town plan is to offer property owners up to $5,000 for a six-month lease or $10,000 for a 12-month lease.

For a two- or three-bedroom home, the current plan is to offer property owners up to $10,000 for a six-month lease and $20,000 for a 12-month lease.

The town council doesnt want to ban short-term rentals because there are not many hotels in Winter Park and the town needs short-term rentals to help bring in tourism.

We know that we want them and need them. We dont want to take them all away, we dont want to limit them right now. But, I think that the dollars and the incentives that this program offers will be enough to make people think twice, Kutrumbos said.

The town would ask realtors to help out by advertising the program to anyone who buys a property from them

The money to pay for the program will come from the towns general fund. The way Kutrumbos sees it, if Winter Park cant figure out its housing issues, businesses will close down, and the town will lose revenue regardless.

However, some worry about the message this move will send to current long-term rental property owners.

David Jamison is a real estate broker in the area and says he has seen the number of long-term rental units start to quickly decline.

Jamison blames two factors for the decline: a booming housing market where homeowners can sell properties for much more than they originally bought them and an increasing number of people moving to the mountains thanks to the prevalence of remote work.

He doesnt believe the housing affordability issues are new, but he does think COVID is exacerbating the problems.

While he agrees that the town needs to do something to help, hes worried that the property owners who have already been doing long-term rentals will feel let down but the town council with the emergency ordinance.

Certainly, it will bring up a lot of people who are already doing the long-term rentals wondering where is their paycheck from the town, Jamison said. How do you compensate the people who have been doing it for 20 years already?

Some of the short-term rental owners might also not like the fact that they wont have access to their home for a visit.

The emergency ordinance also doesnt limit the amount property owners can charge for those rentals, meaning the homes might not necessarily be more affordable.

The town has received positive feedback on the idea and plans to launch a website with the program details in the near future. The program will last for one year but could be extended in the future.

One companys approach

While Winter Park tries to incentivize property owners, Mountain Parks Electric, Inc. is taking matters into its own hands. The electric cooperatives 65 employees service roughly 22,400 customers in Grand County.

Mountain Parks Electric has had a difficult time recruiting qualified employees to the area because of the housing affordability issues. Previously, the co-op had wanted its employees to live within 30 minutes of the office.

In recent years, however, its increased that radius to 45 minutes, possibly lengthening the time it takes to respond to an outage.

On top of COVID and more remote workers, the East Troublesome Fire also put a strain on the housing market in the area. The fire destroyed more than 300 homes north of Winter Park.

Two of Mountain Parks Electric's employees lost their homes in the fire and another several were displaced due to damage. The fire made an already tight housing market even tighter.

A lot of the people that were displaced, others who owned homes, have now had to find places to rent while they rebuild their homes, said Scott Simmons, the assistant general manager for the co-op.

In an effort to help, the company has decided to sell a parcel of land it has owned for more than 30 years to put the money toward employee housing.

Mountain Parks Electric had originally purchased the 2.7-acre plot for around $60,000 with the intention to use it for a substation.

Over the years, though, Simmons says the co-op determined a substation in that area was not feasible.

The land is now in the process of being purchased for roughly $1.25 million.

We will use the money to either build housing for our employees or to purchase some existing housing, Simmons said. We would like to have some kind of a program where we can help people purchase homes.

The company plans to set up an endowment fund with the proceeds from the sale to help employees.

All across mountain communities, housing availability and affordability are becoming major issues. Towns and even individual employers are trying their hand to help is issue, knowing it will take years of effort and a number of ideas to truly solve the issue.

Editor's Note:

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. The Denver-metros newest food hall, Grange Hall, opened in Greenwood Village on Thursday.

Located on Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Grange Hall features six food stalls including Rado Burger, Uptown & Humboldt, Crazy Love Pizza, Eiskaffee, the Crack Shack, and Bubu Better Bowls by Chef Troy Guard.

Grange Hall has been in the making for about a little over 3 years, said Chef Troy Guard, a Grange Hall business partner. COVID-19 hit and then we didnt know what to do. We just stuck with our gut and postponed opening.

Now that the food hall is open, Guard said theyre feeling great about their decision.

Its got a little something for everybody and thats not always easy to do, said Guard. We also brew our own beer. So on site, we make everything from our cocktails to our food to beer.

Guard said as they prepare to welcome customers, he thinks theyve achieved their goal of creating a fun, casual atmosphere.

Take a drive along I-70 toward the mountains from Denver. Before you reach any of Colorados many well-known ski resorts, youll pass by the tiny town of Frisco. A little more than 3,100 people currently call the town home.

Like many other mountain communities, though, the town is facing a housing crunch. The issue is so serious Friscos town council even considered declaring a housing emergency.

The housing emergency is still something were in, we just havent officially declared it because its kind of known at this point. Its not news, we didnt need to belabor something that was already there, said Frisco Mayor Hunter Mortensen.

The COVID pandemic only exacerbated the problem since people were able to begin working remotely and some chose to relocate away from cities and into the mountain communities.

That was the big change is the size of people that can work from anywhere now working from here, said Mortensen. Thats when we really started seeing real estate sales skyrocketing and prices going through the roof and more people now living here on a full-time basis.

The median home price in the area is now around $1 million. Mortensen says some people are even buying those pricey homes just to tear it down and build an even bigger one.

The rise of short-term rentals like VRBO and Airbnb arent helping matters. Like other mountain communities, more homes and condos are being offered on these platforms for visitors than ever before.

Frisco is averaging about 10 license requests for new short-term rentals per week. The trend is becoming so popular the town is creating a new full-time position for a short-term rental manager.

Its not just restaurant workers or ski resort employees who are having a difficult time finding housing; doctors, lawyers, health care workers and other employees with good-paying jobs are also struggling to find a place to live.

We are in a moment where we are beyond our own means to address a critical, critical problem for our community, Mortensen said.

Mortensen is a Frisco native and a professional ski patroller. Hes been so focused on the housing shortage for years and says the problem is so serious the town council has put it on every single one of its agendas moving forward until they feel they have a handle on the issue.

MORE:

While the town council takes a closer look at the housing crisis, one Frisco resident has started a petition to limit short-term rentals in the town.

James Hayes Walsh is not someone who normally gets involved in town politics. He has a mullet, rides a bicycle to get around in the summer and almost always has a Frisbee ready to go for his dog, whom he carries around with him everywhere.

Walsh decided to start a petition when he noticed the makeup of his neighborhood changing.

The short-term rentals, specifically of single-family homes, is diminishing the quality of life and neighborhood culture, said Walsh. We are going to protect our community and protect a resource that is, the people that live here by prioritizing them when it comes to single-family homes.

The petition would prohibit single-family, detached homes from being used as short-term rentals unless its the owners primary residence.

The ban would not apply to condos or townhomes, and he contends it offers enough leeway for families who want to rent their home out.

If somebody is living in the house and subsidizing their mortgage by doing short-term rentals, thats great. If they have a guest house that they live in and they Airbnb out the house, great. If they divide it up into multi-levels and you can live in one level and Airbnb out the other level, great. If they live in the house for six months and one day and rent it out the rest of the year, great, Walsh said.

However, Walsh says he has noticed more real estate groups with better buying power scooping up houses and renting them out to tourists.

Instead, he wants to see families who live and work in the communities given the option to either buy or rent the homes by transitioning them to long-term rentals.

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A short-term rental ban is not a completely novel idea. Residents in Telluride, Steamboat Springs, Buena Vista and other mountain communities are considering placing more limits on these types of rentals while Crested Butte issued a one-year suspension of all vacation rental permits.

Cities like Denver have also placed restrictions on short-term rentals and requires the houses to be the owners primary residence.

However, some rental companies argue that this is the wrong solution and could end up hurting the towns overall economy.

Short-term rental is not the cause of housing problems. Its really the byproduct of a deeper economic issue of supply and demand, said Mary Waldman, the owner of Summit Mountain Rentals. Banning short-term rental is not going to create more long-term housing.

Summit Mountain Rentals is a property management company that oversees more than 250 properties in Breckenridge and Frisco.

She doesnt like the idea of the government telling people what they can and cannot do with their own properties.

For one thing, Waldman says almost all of her clients are not making a profit from short-term rentals and are only using it to help cover some of the mortgage and HOA costs.

Many also come to stay in the home for a few weeks a year and say converting to a long-term rental would remove that option.

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She also doesnt believe that requiring the homes to convert to long-term housing will make them any more affordable since the owners will have to charge more to make the same amount.

If they were to go long-term, $4,000, $5,000, or $6,000 a month for a two or three bedroom house, its just not affordable. So, the math simply doesnt work, Waldman said.

Beyond that, Waldman argues that the town is run by tourism dollars and so the short-term rentals are helping with the areas overall economy.

If the rentals are taken away, she believes tourists wont visit as frequently and the town wont have a need for more employee housing.

Were going to become a sleepy town with day trippers from Denver. I believe I know that these businesses are going to suffer and affordable housing for workers will become a non-issue because there will be plenty of housing available with not a lot of demand, she said.

Walsh disagrees and says he doesnt buy the argument that putting more guardrails around these rentals will hurt the town.

Frisco is in the process of hiring a full-time short-term rental manager to take a closer look at the issue to help the town council understand the impact these units are having on the area.

Mortensen is hoping to get a better understanding in coming months of how many homes are not used as a primary residence and how often they are being used by the owners.

He believes there might need to be more fees on these rentals or more limits to the licensing.

I think there needs to be something addressed with it and definitely scope is the big question and what that looks like, he said.

He has not taken a stance on the petition but says it has certainly gotten people all over Frisco paying closer attention to the housing crunch, which might help bring new ideas or solutions to the table.

Perhaps ironically, Walsh himself works for a short-term rental company as a maintenance man. He knows his petition could end up affecting his job but says its worth the risk to try to help the community.

I see people leaving because they cant afford to live here. I see the town trending towards this identity of being a resort vacation town, he said. Im fighting to preserve these relationships.

He doesnt believe this petition is perfect, nor is it the silver bullet for the housing issues in the community.

Still, hes continuing to collect signatures, hoping to spur a conversation about how Frisco should address its housing issues.

Sometimes life comes down to a little luck. For Robyn Smith, a life-changing moment involved a bingo ball and a lottery with 22 other people.

Smith is a small business owner in in Vail working on business development, strategy and consulting while her husband works at the resort.

Both of them work full-time and are paid a decent salary. And yet, even with their dual incomes, the couple has not been able to afford a house in town.

Instead, the couple has bounced from one rental property to another over the years. They paid roughly $3,200 a month in rent.

One place she stayed in had a broken refrigerator along with the high rent; another didnt have any heat. Still, the couple considered the rental pricing a great deal for the area.

To make it in Vail youre going to make it 12 months at a time, Smith said. If you ask somebody in Vail how long theyve been here, theyll tell you in seasons how long.

The couples story is not unique in Vail. In mountain communities across the state, housing is unavailable and unaffordable. The average price of a single-family home in Vail is around $2.3 million.

When the average price of a home in a community is $2.3 million, you have a real challenge in front of you, said George Ruther, the housing director for the town.

During the pandemic, more people who have the ability to work remotely are also moving to the area, making housing more expensive and more difficult to come by. Short-term rentals are also impacting the housing supply.

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One of the biggest challenges with the area, though, is the lack of land available. The town is surrounded by U.S. Forrest Service land with very few opportunities for expansion. Ruther describes it like an island in a sea of trees.

He doesnt see a way for the town to build its way out of the housing problem.

I dont have the ability to grow and expand our municipal boundary and so we have identified that we need to do a better job of protecting those existing homes that are already here in town, Ruther said.

In 2018, the town came up with the Vail InDEED program. It is a program where the town pays property owners to put a deed restriction on their homes. The goal is to place restrictions on 1,000 homes by 2027.

When the property owner goes to sell the home, they must sell it to someone who will live in it full-time and not treat it as a second home or a rental property. The restriction also buys down the purchase price of the home to make it more affordable for residents.

So far, the town has purchased 162 deed restrictions on homes, investing roughly $11 million in total.

InDEED, Ill be honest, it has been a game-changer. It was that program that kind of moved the needle for us in town, Ruther said.

He said the more deed restrictions the town purchases, the more employee housing it can offer without new construction, traffic, and more.

Its really about taking advantage of what you already have in place in your community, he said.

The town is also in the process of building some new employee housing that will have deed restrictions. The deed restriction program is so popular that the town has a waiting list of applications for people looking for an affordable home.

Vail now uses a lottery system to determine who will have a chance to pay for a deed-restricted home when it becomes available.

Smith was one of the recent winners of the InDEED lottery system. She will now have the chance to buy a townhome for $525,000.

I was crying, I was screaming, I was jumping around in the car. It was the best thing to ever happen to us, she said.

While she was celebrating the opportunity, the excitement was tempered because Smith knows 22 other families were not as lucky and will have to wait for another opportunity to be able to afford a home in the community.

Once the couple is finally able to move in, she says this will be their forever home since they likely will not ever be able to afford another house in town.

She applauds the town for intervening and hopes it will expand the program in the future.

It isn't a charity event to have affordable housing. Its an investment in the community. Its an investment in businesses that thrive off of that workforce, she said.

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The Vail InDEED program is so popular it has been replicated by towns across Colorado, as well as in other states.

The deed restrictions are not going to solve all of Vails housing affordability needs, but Ruther says they are an important part of the equation as the town looks for short and long-term solutions to a problem that isnt going away anytime soon.

CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. In just about every window of every shop along Elk Avenue in Crested Butte, theres a Help Wanted sign. All across the town, businesses are struggling to find enough employees to keep their doors open. These signs tell the story of a town thats struggling.

Some have had to change their hours of operation or close down several days each week entirely, simply because they cannot find the people to work.

Theres tons of jobs, no people, said Crested Butte Mayor Jim Schmidt.

Its not the pay or pandemic unemployment benefits that businesses blame for the worker shortage it's the lack of affordable housing.

Like many mountain communities, the average price of homes has been skyrocketing for years. The average home price in the town is now nearly $900,000.

Housing here is going for ridiculous prices. Its still cheap compared to Aspen, but very ridiculous for us, Schmidt said.

Things have become so bad that the area decided to stop marketing to tourists to come visit for the summer. For a town thats economy runs on tourism, this was a big decision.

We sell tourism. We sell hospitality. Its a concern that we cant feed everybody that comes here. They have to wait, Schmidt said.

Its not just retail and restaurants that are struggling. For months, the towns parks and recreation department wasnt able to fill five positions because theres no affordable place for the would-be employees to live.

Some workers are even camping in tents or vans in the U.S. Forest areas nearby just to have some place to live.

Theres a lot of people who are living out of the woods, Schmidt said.

However, the Forest Service recently changed some of its rules to limit long-term camping in certain areas due to things like trash in the area.

While the housing affordability issue isnt new for mountain communities like Crested Butte, it is growing. The COVID pandemic and new prevalence of remote work has created a new migration of people looking to live away from big cities.

The newfound popularity of short-term rental options, like Airbnb and Vrbo, has also presented its own set of challenges for these towns.

The town council has taken a number of steps to try to help. It has already been limiting the number of short-term rental licenses given out each year to 30%. It has about 305 deed-restricted homes to keep the price of some housing from appreciating too quickly.

Then in June, the town council took an unprecedented step and declared a local disaster emergency over the affordable housing issue.

I dont think we wanted to send a message. I think we wanted to get things done. We wanted to get things done rapidly, Schmidt said.

The declaration allows the town to work around some building and municipal codes. In some cases, it makes constructing a new home or a mother-in-law suite a little easier. In others, it makes it so that units dont have to have two parking spaces per residence.

The declaration also eased some of the restrictions on camping in town over the summer.

We said that people, if they have a friend who has a camper, they can put the camper in the backyard for the summer if theyre working here. Not if theyre just visiting. We really want to take care of people who are working here, Schmidt said.

The town was also able to use the declaration to buy a hotel to help house some employees.

The old Ruby Inn bed and breakfast was a staple of Crested Butte. It has six rooms, two common areas, and a shared kitchen that will serve as dormitory-style living for some town employees.

Schmidt is also hoping that the declaration will help free up some state and federal resources to help.

Meanwhile, the town council has decided to move forward with a one-year moratorium on new licenses for short-term rentals in town.

It is also considering asking voters to raise the sales and use tax as well as the vacation rental tax to pay for affordable housing programs and impose a tax on homes that are not the property owners primary residence for at least six months of the year.

While the town council continues to look for ways to help, local businesses are also stepping in.

Over at Secret Stash Pizza on Elk Avenue, the days are very busy. With other restaurants adjusting their hours or closing down for a few days each week, owner Kyleena Falzone said her business is up 38% this year.

The added business is a challenge, though, because the Secret Stash is down 20 employees. Some of her workers live in vans and camp out. She occasionally lets them use her home to do laundry.

Falzone has started taking housing matters for her employees into her own hands.

We built three, two-bedroom triplexes and it was almost a $900,000 investment. Its deed-restricted, so this isnt a for-profit venture. This is like we care about employees, and we are walking the walk and we are talking the talk, she said.

Falzones investors advised her against the purchase, but she said she felt compelled to get involved because her restaurant cannot survive without its workers.

We have to take care of the dishwashers and the bartenders and the busboys and the retail clerks, Falzone said.

She even tried to buy the 14-room hostel in town to create some dormitory-style living for employees.

The only way she sees the town being able to accommodate all of the need for affordable housing is high-density development, though she knows there has been pushback against the idea for years.

Theres this conflict of, Ill just say it, the rich against the poor. Its everywhere and we need to take care of the people that are taking care of the people that live here, Falzone said.

She said she doesnt necessarily agree with putting limits on short-term rentals. Falzone owns two Airbnbs in town and said she rents them out in the winter and rents them out to employees in the off-season.

She said the short-term rental time allows her to be able to charge those employees less per month when they stay there.

In the end, she said she doesnt believe there is a short-term solution to the long-term affordable housing problems.

All across mountain communities, affordable housing is becoming more of a crisis by the year. The issue is now rippling into a serious employment shortage.

For now, restaurants and businesses are asking visitors to have patience when they visit and understand they might not be able to get the same level of service as they experienced in previous years.

Editor's Note:

DENVER Denvers Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC) gallery is in search of a new home.

The gallery was located at 222 Santa Fe Drive, but was forced to close its doors during the pandemic and it remains closed due to rising rent prices.

We probably cant stay in the Santa Fe Arts District. Were basically priced out, said CHAC Gallery Executive Director Brenda Gurule.

Gurule said for the past few months, the gallery has been hosting virtual events and art shows.

Theyve also partnered with other galleries in the city to showcase their exhibits.

We have a generation show at one of our partner galleries, which is at Converge in the RiNo district, Gurule said. The generation exhibit is about trying to combine the seasoned artists with the younger generation.

CHAC was originally created in 1978 and has been providing educational classes to the community.

Gurule said despite some major challenges the gallery is planning to reopen in a new location and they are currently searching for a new space.

DENVER A construction project that's disrupting traffic patterns near the Cherry Creek Shopping Center will continue for several more weeks.

The construction is a part of the Gray Peak General Storm project.

The goal of the project is to improve local drainage in the Cherry Creek East neighborhood by intercepting water on Ellsworth Avenue and transferring it to the Steele Street sewer.

According to the city, the project will address multiple complaints from homeowners and business owners in the areas regarding flooding and winter ice.

Right now, the project is in phase one. Traffic disruptions are expected to continue through the end of the year.

Have a question about a place or object spotted in Colorado? Email WhatsThat@Denver7.com, and we'll try to figure it out.

Editor's Note:

DENVER The ArtPark Community Hub in Denvers Five Points neighborhood is nearing completion at 35

St. and Arkins Ct.

The space is going to feature three wonderful partners: Denver Public library, Redline Contemporary Arts Center, and Focus Points Family Resource Center. Really, the whole objective is to create a center of community in this evolving neighborhood that is open and accessible to all, John Deffenbaugh, the RiNo Arts District Projects Director said.

The ArtPark Community Hub includes a park, eight artist studios, a culinary incubator and caf, as well as a library.

This is a community which has been historically underserved. Before this, there was no park, there was no library so were so excited to bring these to the community in this format, Deffenbaugh said.

Deffenbaugh said the building used to belong to the Denver Police Department.

Weve taken a building that was slated for demolition and turned it into something that I hope is quite beautiful for the local community, Deffenbaugh said. This was one building and its been split into two with this wonderful landscape plaza in the middle. Before this occurred, this is actually where police vehicles were maintained, and bikes were stored.

Deffenbaugh said as Denver continues to experience gentrification and displacement, this is a space that will be inclusive for all.

This community is where some of those issues are most pronounced. Its so important to have a center of community which is anchoring the area and is open, Deffenbaugh said.

The grand opening for the community hub will be September 24-26.

Editor's Note:

DENVER On Friday, the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art will reopen following months of closures.

We moved into our new building in March of 2018. Enjoyed a very successful year 2018 to 2019. Then, of course, 2020 is when the pandemic hit and we unfortunately had to close, said Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art Associate Director Rene Albiston.

Shortly after reopening following the pandemic closure, the museum faced another challenge.

In February of 2021, we had the polar vortex come through Denver and unfortunately our building was one of the buildings affected by that, Albiston said. There were numerous buildings throughout Denver that suffered from burst pipes and we were one of them.

The museum was able to save all its artwork, but construction to repair the building took months.

Now, with the repairs complete and artwork in place, the museum is reopening this weekend.

Weve missed everybody, weve missed visitors. We are so excited to have people back and we cant wait to show off our beautiful collection, Albiston said.

The Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Albiston said due to the salon style layout, the museum is only welcoming visitors 13 years old or older.

Editor's Note:

DENVER Summer at Sculpture Park, a series of events held in the green space located in front of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, continues its line up of events this summer.

To host the series of events, a pop-up venue was constructed at the park and includes a stage, space for food trucks, bars, and a merchandise sales area.

Nearly every week, the venue hosts a different concert or event.

The next event will be a concert featuring the band Spafford on Sept. 2.

Tickets for all events are general admission and can be purchased on summeratsculpturepark.com.

Editor's Note:

DENVER A new small-format Target store recently opened on Colorado Boulevard near Yale Avenue at the University Hills Plaza shopping center.

The store is 40,000 square feet which is a third of the size of most Target stores. It employs 50 staff members.

Its the second small-format store to open in the City of Denver, the first is on the 16th Street Mall.

Despite its size, the Target store offers a clothing section, pharmacy, groceries and home dcor.

In a statement to Denver7, a Target spokesperson said: "Nationwide, Target is focused on opening small-format stores in urban areas, dense suburban neighborhoods and near college campuses places where a traditional-sized Target store may not fit to serve new guests and communities. We plan to open approximately 30-40 of these stores every year for the next several years."

The company said the next small-format store will open in the Exchange at Boulevard One Complex.

DENVER As students head back to the classroom, one Denver Public School is receiving help to preserve its historic building.

Stedman Elementary School recently made Historic Denvers 50 Actions for 50 Places list. The list highlights places, spaces, and people that are significant to Denvers history.

We wanted to invite the community to tell us what spaces and places in the city were important to them and that they couldnt imagine Denver without, said Annie Levinsky, Executive Director of Historic Denver, Inc.

Stedman Elementary is one of the only schools on Historic Denvers list.

Stedman was built in the 1920s and by the time the school turned 50 years old, it was a focus of the Civil Rights Movement and the push to integrate schools.

It became part of a really important effort around school integration along with several other elementary schools in Northeast Denver, where a lot of parents, and especially parents of color were concerned about defacto segregation happening in our school system, Levinsky said.

Levinsky said at one point a bomb was even thrown at the school to protest integration.

Stedman was a really big part of that story and has really been a landmark in this part of Northeast Park Hill for many years with a strong diverse student population ever since, Levinsky said.

Now, current students and teachers want to preserve their school's history.

One thing you might not know is we are a small community school and we are responsible for maintaining this historic building, Michael Atkins, Stedman Elementary School Principal said in a video addressed to Historic Denver in which he asks for the organization's help.

Atkins and the parent of a Stedman Elementary School student told Historic Denver the school needs its exterior walls cleaned, 1920s windows replaced with energy efficient windows, a new boiler system, and a new air conditioning unit.

Next, Historic Denver will sit down with Stedman Elementary School leaders and other leaders of places that made the list to create a strategic plan on how to save and maintain these places that mean so much to the city.

Editor's Note:

DENVER A new apartment building with a unique living concept just opened in downtown Denver near Coors Field.

In April, X Denver gave virtual tours of its dorm style co-living spaces and members-only club.

We are a community for the constantly curious, said X Denver Community and Membership Manager Katie Litzsinger.

Now that X Denver is open for business, Litzsinger said members have access to beverages and food made by a professional chef, a state-of-the-art gym, exercise classes, co-working spaces, and a rooftop pool and bar.

Our demographic is young professionals, young creatives, people really looking to have somewhere to express their talents, express their interests with other folks, Litzsinger said.

Membership is free for residents and $275 a month for non-residents.

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. Starting on July 30, all visitors to a popular 14,000-plus-foot peak in Summit County and its trailhead will need to either reserve parking online or use a free shuttle.

The county will start the Quandary Peak Shuttle & Parking pilot program this summer to address safety issues related to limited parking and access at the trailhead for the 14,265-foot mountain. The program was started through a partnership between Summit County, the U.S. Forest Service, Towns of Blue River and Breckenridge, and Colorado Springs Utilities.

These new rules also apply to the McCullough Gulch trailhead, which shares the same parking area as Quandary visitors.

In past years, Quandary Peak's visitation numbers have grown, leading to a parking lot that's often full early. Drivers who arrive to a full parking lot have resorted to illegally parking on county roads and in neighbors' lawns, county officials said. This parking challenge has endangered hikers on the roads and creates challenges for emergency vehicles trying to access the trailhead.

READ MORE: Stories behind the summits: The history, origin behind the name of every Colorado 14er

In 2020, visitation to Quandary Peak surpassed Mount Bierstadt as the most-climbed Colorado 14er. An estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people visited the mountain last year. The combo of a Class 1 standard route and drive time under two hours from Denver means the mountain is almost always crowded during the summer, especially on the weekends.

The nearby McCullough Gulch Trail runs parallel to the route up Quandary, just to the north. Visitors headed to this trail will need to reserve parking at the Quandary Peak Trailhead or take a shuttle to the parking lot, and then ride an on-site shuttle from there to the McCullough Gulch trailhead. Ten spaces in the Quandary Peak parking lot are designated for short-term use for the McCullough Gulch Trail.

The program officially begins Friday, July 30.

To make a parking reservation, visit ParkQuandary.com. The site will go live July 26.

Visitors can reserve a spot up to two weeks in advance for the following times and fees for the Quandary Peak trailhead:

For McCullough Gulch, three-hour shifts will start at 4 a.m. for $5. Ten spaces are allotted for these shifts.

Without a reservation, visitors can use the free shuttle from the Breckenridge Airport Road Lot anytime between 5 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., seven days a week. The shuttle will run every 30 minutes and is first come, first served.

The last pickup from the trailhead is at 7 p.m.

In addition, a second shuttle the McCullough Gulch shuttle will run from the Quandary Peak Trailhead to McCullough Gulch Trailhead and back.

Visitors with dogs are encouraged to reserve a parking spot, but dogs are allowed on the shuttle.

Any car found in the parking lot not associated with a reservation will be ticketed and towed, county officials said.

There is no cell service at the base of Quandary Peak, McCullough Gulch, or the trailheads.

This pilot program will remain in place until Oct. 31.

For more information, call the Quandary Peak & McCullough Gulch Parking and Shuttle Hotline at 970-668-4169.

Editor's Note:

DENVER The City of Denver recently unveiled a new public art installation along the new High Line Canal Trail overpasses in south Denver near Colorado Boulevard and E. Hampden Avenue.

The installation includes three large glacial boulders from Salida that are painted with colorful stripes.

The colors are based on the natural colors that are found in nature in the sunsets and landscapes throughout Colorado, said the installations artist Mike Buckley of Salida.

Buckley said the installation is called We are Future Strata.

I had seen strata in rock and it made me think about how some day, this whole human environment that we hold so precious, someday its just going to be a thin layer in a rock somewhere and that kind of reminds me that its time to start doing the things we want to do in this life.

The installation falls under Denvers 1% for Public Art Ordinance that requires 1% of capital improvement projects worth more than $1 million to be set aside for public art.

Buckley said it took several pieces of heavy machinery and about $50,000 to get them to the trail and complete the installation.

Editor's Note:

DENVER As MLB All-Star Game week events wrap up, an art exhibit inspired by the Negro Leagues will remain open for several more weeks.

Shades of Greatness, a traveling art exhibit inspired by Negro Leagues Baseball is currently on display at McNichols Civic Center in downtown Denver.

In 2003, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo., made the exhibit available to the public.

President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Bob Kendrick said the exhibit features 35 original works of art created by 28 diverse artists from all over the United States.

I think what makes this exhibit so powerful is the diversity in this exhibition. You have Black, white, and Hispanic artists. You also have young, old, men, and women, Kendrick said. They all saw the Negro Leagues through different lenses and it comes across beautifully in this collection.

The exhibit opened during the week leading up to the MLB All-Star Game and will be in Denver until September 7.

Less than a block from McNichols Civic Center, another art installation is open and free to the public.

This year, Denver's Black Love Mural Festival has returned to Civic Center Park.

The curator for the exhibit is called "Rob the Art Museum", a company dedicated to making art more accessible to underserved communities.

One of the featured artists, Elijah Minton, also known as the Art Alchemist, said he enjoyed taking part in this year's festival.

"I painted the entire pandemic to be honest...but as a whole, it's nice to see everybody coming along and joining me now," Minton said.

The murals will remain on display until August 1.

Editor's Note:

DENVER The National Ballpark Museum is preparing for MLB All-Star Game visitors this weekend.

The self- and community-proclaimed best kept secret in baseball is located on Blake Street, less than a block from Coors Field.

Im a third-generation native so this means a whole bunch to me to have this for the community and theres less than a handful of baseball museums in this country, said museum curator Bruce Hellerstein.

Hellerstein said in terms of baseball, his museum has a little bit of everything.

Theres five or six that are main items theyre one of a kind, they dont exist any other place, said Hellerstein.

Those items include part of a light fixture from Ebetts Field where the Dodgers used to play, a piece of the cooper faade of Yankee Stadium and much more.

Baseball always has been and always will be our national past time, Hellerstein said.

Hellerstein said kids can visit the museum for free.

Baseball and ballparks have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Baseball has always been a companion and a best friend. I have a lifetime of experiences and memories that I cant wait to share with you, Hellerstein said.

Hellerstein said hes excited to welcome out-of-towners and Coloradans to the museum during such a special time.

Editor's Note:

DENVER A large new development project that pays homage to the old Stapleton Airport is underway in Denvers Central Park neighborhood.

The 31-acre project is called Runway 35. The majority of the development is located near the old Stapleton airport runway.

The area is divided up into three sites: Runway North, Runway South, and the Control Tower Project.

Runway North and South are located near Interstate 70 and Central Park Boulevard.

So far, nine businesses have announced they will locate here, including Chilis, QuikTrip, Raising Canes, PNC Bank, Go Church, Superstar Car Wash, Fairfield by Marriott Inn and Suites, and SCL Health Medical Group.

The Control Tower Project will be located at the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Central Park Boulevard near the old Stapleton control tower.

Natural Grocers has chosen the Control Tower Project as a new location.

Construction on the entire project is expected to be complete by 2022.

This project is an equal partnership between Equity Ventures Commercial Development, Wall Development Group and Evergreen Development.