All the News About Denver’s Best Residential Community Since 1961 • Volume 58, Issue No. 9 • September 2019
INSIDE THIS ISSUE PAGE 2
Not So Fast
PAGE 10
By Cara DeGette Editor, GPHN
PAGE 16 From left, Lisa Weber Hewitt, Tracey MacDermott, Caroline Carolan, Jeanne Lee and Blair Taylor. The women organized the group Denver East Neighborhoods First in response to the city’s proposed East Area Plan. Photo by Cara DeGette
Check Out Five Stylish Digs And Party At The Daylong Street Fair On Sept. 8 Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair Organizer
Sneak Peek: Five Homes, Street Fair Fun On Sept. 8 Colorado Summer’s End: Tilting At Sunflowers
UPCOMING GPHC MEETINGS
Park Hill Home Tour Turns 41 By Jessica Howard
Park Hill Character: Dan Recht’s Passion For Justice, And Riding
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continued on page 12
Education Update: Smith Elementary Is A Vibrant Place For Learning
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East Area Plan Hits Roadblocks: Concerns Raised Over Proposed Density and Traffic; Rapid Transit Funding Stalls On Colfax
A plan to dramatically increase the density of residential areas close to Colfax from Colorado Boulevard east to Yosemite has drawn fierce opposition from many residents who fear their modest neighborhoods are at risk of the same type of intense development that has altered other areas of Denver. The public outcry coincides with the early August announcement that a $125 million funding shortfall for the city’s planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along Colfax could delay the project for a decade or more. A July 25 meeting drew dozens of residents from Park Hill and surrounding neighborhoods who would be impacted by
Heads Up! A Neighborhood Survey May Land In Your Mailbox Soon
Visit the Zone
At the Street Fair, check out the Sustainability Zone, where experts will be on hand to talk about how you can reduce your ecological footprint. Sustainability demonstrations (plus giveaways) will occur every hour, on the hour, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’ll have information about coral reef
The 41st Annual Park Hill Home Tour & Street Fair takes place on Sunday, Sept. 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tour five homes in Denver’s most architecturally diverse neighborhood and enjoy a daylong free Street Fair on the parkway at Montview and Forest with vendors, live entertainment, food trucks, wine & beer, kids activities, and a sustainability zone. This year’s tour features a collection of beautiful homes built from 1926 to 2016 in various architectural styles, including Craftsman, Georgian, Tudor, and English Cottage. Check out pages 14-15 for descriptions of the homes featured on this year’s tour, along with artist renderings and a photographic preview. Early ticket sales are available online and in retail locations. Prices are $20 for adults (13+), $15 for seniors (65+), and $10 for children (7-12). File photo from last year’s Street Fair. Children 6 and under are free. Adult and senior ticket prices increase by restoration, beekeeping, composting, refill $5 on the day of the event. and terracycle, bicycling, public transit and Visit parkhillhometour.org for tickets sustainable habits. Bring your kiddos and and more information. come have a great time for a great cause. The Home Tour & Street Fair benThe Denver Water Truck will be on hand, efits Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. so bring your reusable water bottle to stay (GPHC), a Registered Neighborhood Orhydrated. ganization that promotes the character and Did you know it is both illegal and hazvibrancy of Park Hill, provides resources, ardous to dump your old electronics in information, and advocacy, and preserves the trash? This year will feature a free Equality of life and the history of the neighrecycling event at the south end of the fair borhood. at Forest and 17th Avenue. Bring your old,
broken or unwanted electronics for drop off with PCs for People and you can rest assured that your electronics will be properly disposed. Nearly everything computerrelated will be accepted for free, with exceptions for CRT (tube) computer monitors and televisions (those cost $.55 per pound to recycle). Home appliances and lightbulbs are not accepted. Visit pcsforpeople.org for a complete list of items.
Rich In history The Home Tour began in 1978 when a local realtor organized a tour of Park Hill homes to showcase the rich history and diverse architecture of the neighborhood. Over the years, the event has evolved into an important community fundraiser. The Park Hill neighborhood itself was established at the end of the 19th century. Over the course of several decades, Greater Park Hill grew, with the most significant growth occurring between the 1920s and the 1950s. The boundaries of the neighborhood are Colfax Avenue to the south, I-70 to the north, Colorado Boulevard to the west, and Quebec Street to the east. Greater Park Hill is known for its diverse homes, ranging in style from historic Victorian to modest mid-century. Residents and visitors alike love the tree-lined streets and parkways, the meticulously maintained gardens, the charming strips of retail shops and restaurants, and the neighborhood’s central location. See you on Sept. 8!
Thursday, Sept. 5 at 2823 Fairfax St. beginning at 6:30 p.m. See below for details about the Oct. 3 annual meeting. All are welcome to attend.
Save The Date
The Greater Park Hill Community Annual Meeting is Thursday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at the rooftop event space at the Carla Madison Recreation Center, 2401 E. Colfax Ave.
Dinner is provided and the program includes a keynote presentation, board elections, and volunteer recognition. Join your neighbors to socialize, honor this year’s Babbs Award recipient, and elect new and returning members of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s recipient
of the Babbs Award for Community Service. Check out page 20 for details on nominations, how to run for the board, and how to RSVP for the annual meeting.