I finally got tired of looking at all the trash sitting on our block, so I went out the other morning to pick it all up.
Two kitchen-size garbage bags later, I again heard the voices of some members of our neighborhood saying "It's a great neighborhood, we don't want it to change..."
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
The True Victims of Gentrification
Anyone that reads this blog (there aren't many as of yet) knows my position on gentrification. If you don't, I'll help you out here: I am from the school of thought that gentrification is simply an inevitable and cyclical process, not an evil to be avoided, as it is portrayed as in so many liberal circles.
Anyway, just when I thought I had heard every explanation on the evils of gentrification, I had a conversation with a young man that gave me some pretty amazing material to write about. While you might expect to hear what I'm about to share with you on a sitcom, or maybe in a Will Ferrell movie, this is my best recollection of an actual conversation my wife and I had just the other night at a local restaurant.
We were sitting in the lounge area of a new restaurant in the Cole/Whittier/Five Points neighborhood, having a conversation with our server, who was a mid-twenties, African American guy. Really nice guy--Always smiling, clearly very bright, and very gregarious.
Anyway, he had just dropped us our check, and I think to be friendly asked us if we lived in the neighborhood. We explained how we had just purchased a home a few blocks away, and were excited at the progress the area was enjoying.
"The neighborhood sure is changing," he said. He went on to explain that he had lived there his entire life, but that it really started to change about five years ago.
"I can still remember when we first saw white people walking their dogs by our house," he said. "We (were) scared! Me and my friends ran inside, we didn't know if they were under-cover cops or something!" He continued, "We used to hustle right up the street here," he said, gesturing in the direction of Manual High School. "You could make a million dollars!"
Did we look like we wanted to hear this? Did we look like the kind of people that would relate to being disappointed about not being able to hustle on a streetcorner anymore? Did he think this would endear the average customer to him? Did he notice we hadn't tipped him yet?
He went on: "There's a dog park there, right where we used to hustle! We knew it was changing then, because the only reason they put a dog park in is for white people. Black people don't walk their dogs anywhere," he exclaimed.
"The changing neighborhood is certainly good for your business here," I said, trying to subtly change direction. But it was no use.
"Change is OK, but it sucks when people are pushed out. All my old friends, they're crips (gang members), and they've all gotten scared away by all the white people and moved over to Park Hill. I'm not into that stuff, I mean I went to college. But all my friends, they got scared away."
I'll just end my recount there. I say again that I haven't fabricated or exaggerated this account at all. Someone actually told us that it's a bad thing when drug dealing, violent gang members are pushed out of a neighborhood by the dog-walking, coffee-drinking white people.
Those evil yuppies!
gentrification
Anyway, just when I thought I had heard every explanation on the evils of gentrification, I had a conversation with a young man that gave me some pretty amazing material to write about. While you might expect to hear what I'm about to share with you on a sitcom, or maybe in a Will Ferrell movie, this is my best recollection of an actual conversation my wife and I had just the other night at a local restaurant.
We were sitting in the lounge area of a new restaurant in the Cole/Whittier/Five Points neighborhood, having a conversation with our server, who was a mid-twenties, African American guy. Really nice guy--Always smiling, clearly very bright, and very gregarious.
Anyway, he had just dropped us our check, and I think to be friendly asked us if we lived in the neighborhood. We explained how we had just purchased a home a few blocks away, and were excited at the progress the area was enjoying.
"The neighborhood sure is changing," he said. He went on to explain that he had lived there his entire life, but that it really started to change about five years ago.
"I can still remember when we first saw white people walking their dogs by our house," he said. "We (were) scared! Me and my friends ran inside, we didn't know if they were under-cover cops or something!" He continued, "We used to hustle right up the street here," he said, gesturing in the direction of Manual High School. "You could make a million dollars!"
Did we look like we wanted to hear this? Did we look like the kind of people that would relate to being disappointed about not being able to hustle on a streetcorner anymore? Did he think this would endear the average customer to him? Did he notice we hadn't tipped him yet?
He went on: "There's a dog park there, right where we used to hustle! We knew it was changing then, because the only reason they put a dog park in is for white people. Black people don't walk their dogs anywhere," he exclaimed.
"The changing neighborhood is certainly good for your business here," I said, trying to subtly change direction. But it was no use.
"Change is OK, but it sucks when people are pushed out. All my old friends, they're crips (gang members), and they've all gotten scared away by all the white people and moved over to Park Hill. I'm not into that stuff, I mean I went to college. But all my friends, they got scared away."
I'll just end my recount there. I say again that I haven't fabricated or exaggerated this account at all. Someone actually told us that it's a bad thing when drug dealing, violent gang members are pushed out of a neighborhood by the dog-walking, coffee-drinking white people.
Those evil yuppies!
gentrification
Monday, November 06, 2006
Oh, city life
When's the last time you saw a human being urinate in public? Never you say? Well welcome to Cole--I saw two people--Yes, two--urinate within 1/2 block of our house in one week. How cosmopolitan!
Round one: I was home working when I noticed a strange, heavyset woman sitting on the curb in front of our house. As usual when someone strange catches my eye, I parked myself on the front sofa and watched her closely to see what she was up to. After a couple minutes she hoisted herself up from the street (no small feat) and then walked across the street to our friend Liz's house. I then saw her walk into Liz's side yard and apparently sit down. What happened next will likely scar me for life. Yup, Voila! She dropped her drawers, squatted, and let it fly--ten feet from Liz's house. Want a visual that'll stick with you all day like gum in your hair, imagine Rosanne Bar baring her fat white ass in the blazing mid-day sun and using your neighbor's lawn as a latrine. I was shocked, so much so that it took me an above-average 20 seconds to call the police. By the time I had described her to the officer on the phone, she had walked around the corner onto Bruce Randolph and out of site. Not that they could have likely done anything to her anyway.
But wait-- Then there was round two (Ding!) Fast forward two days and again I find myself watching a suspicious lady in front of the house. This time it's a short, chubby, sketchy-looking African-American woman wearing unsnapped coveralls (in retrospect I'm betting she chose that clothing for its easy-access features. I think they've been marketing coveralls all wrong. "When you need to urinate in the street--I mean when you REALLY need to urinate in the street, choose Red Kap Coveralls for their easy-open fasteners...)
Anyway, cut to the chase, one minute she's talking to our alcoholic neighbor from across the street, then when he walks into his house, voila! She drops the coveralls and starts urinating on the curb right in front of our house! Needless to say, I had already exceeded my tolerance level for disgusting people urinating in my field of vision, so I flipped out. This time I leaned my head out the window, carefully avoiding making direct eye contact with the offending act, and yelled "What do you think you're doing?"
"I have a small bladder!" was her reply.
"I don't care if you don't have a bladder at all, this is a neighborhood, nobody wants that here!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said, pulling up her coveralls and hurrying away from the house.
During these two experiences I couldn't help but remember the woman at our neighborhood association meeting who said something like "This is a great neighborhood, we don't need a police presence." Not if you enjoy people urinating in your yard, I guess.
The funniest thing about this is that I came to realize that both offenders are friends of the biggest problem individual on the block. Namely the alcoholic, likely drug dealing 60-year-old freeloading nephew of the nice old lady that owns the big house across the street. In typical Denver fashion, we have a pretty nice and responsible block overall, but it's that one problem house that always is the source of the drama. ALWAYS.
If we can just clean up that one last house, maybe we actually won't need a police president after all on our block. Stay tuned, I'm sure there's more drama right around the corner.
Round one: I was home working when I noticed a strange, heavyset woman sitting on the curb in front of our house. As usual when someone strange catches my eye, I parked myself on the front sofa and watched her closely to see what she was up to. After a couple minutes she hoisted herself up from the street (no small feat) and then walked across the street to our friend Liz's house. I then saw her walk into Liz's side yard and apparently sit down. What happened next will likely scar me for life. Yup, Voila! She dropped her drawers, squatted, and let it fly--ten feet from Liz's house. Want a visual that'll stick with you all day like gum in your hair, imagine Rosanne Bar baring her fat white ass in the blazing mid-day sun and using your neighbor's lawn as a latrine. I was shocked, so much so that it took me an above-average 20 seconds to call the police. By the time I had described her to the officer on the phone, she had walked around the corner onto Bruce Randolph and out of site. Not that they could have likely done anything to her anyway.
But wait-- Then there was round two (Ding!) Fast forward two days and again I find myself watching a suspicious lady in front of the house. This time it's a short, chubby, sketchy-looking African-American woman wearing unsnapped coveralls (in retrospect I'm betting she chose that clothing for its easy-access features. I think they've been marketing coveralls all wrong. "When you need to urinate in the street--I mean when you REALLY need to urinate in the street, choose Red Kap Coveralls for their easy-open fasteners...)
Anyway, cut to the chase, one minute she's talking to our alcoholic neighbor from across the street, then when he walks into his house, voila! She drops the coveralls and starts urinating on the curb right in front of our house! Needless to say, I had already exceeded my tolerance level for disgusting people urinating in my field of vision, so I flipped out. This time I leaned my head out the window, carefully avoiding making direct eye contact with the offending act, and yelled "What do you think you're doing?"
"I have a small bladder!" was her reply.
"I don't care if you don't have a bladder at all, this is a neighborhood, nobody wants that here!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said, pulling up her coveralls and hurrying away from the house.
During these two experiences I couldn't help but remember the woman at our neighborhood association meeting who said something like "This is a great neighborhood, we don't need a police presence." Not if you enjoy people urinating in your yard, I guess.
The funniest thing about this is that I came to realize that both offenders are friends of the biggest problem individual on the block. Namely the alcoholic, likely drug dealing 60-year-old freeloading nephew of the nice old lady that owns the big house across the street. In typical Denver fashion, we have a pretty nice and responsible block overall, but it's that one problem house that always is the source of the drama. ALWAYS.
If we can just clean up that one last house, maybe we actually won't need a police president after all on our block. Stay tuned, I'm sure there's more drama right around the corner.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Kiva Denver Restaurant Update
Folks,
After a couple of cynical posts about our new neighborhood partner, Kiva Restaurant, I thought it prudent for me to provide an update, considering Ashleigh and I have become big fans, as evidenced by our frequent meals there.
It's clear to me now that the restaurant is simply finding their way, or even their identity. They're creating their menu, their processes, their culture in fact, and determining how they will carve out their niche in Denver--Especially in a neighborhood that still has some room to grow into the ideal setting for such an ambitious project.
Bottom line is that the food is fantastic, the general manager (Rodrigo Steliaev) is extremely friendly, and they seem committed, and financially able to give the business some time to grow.
In particular, all you carnivores out there must try their steak. Whether it's their skirt steak ($8.95 at last check, amazing!), steak burrito or fajitas, the steak is perfectly marinated, and clearly of higher quality than most southwestern restaurants. Or, give the Kiva Burger a try for $5.95--And be sure to add a couple strips of their phenomenal bacon to finish it off.
The menu is pleasantly eclectic, and contains enough variety already to keep me coming back--And they have big changes still to come, including a variety of smoked meats.
They have some fantastic grand-opening coupons on their website, making it even easier to give them a try.
After spending some time with Rodrigo, it's clear Kiva is going to continue to grow and evolve into a cornerstone for the neighborhood. It's up to us, the residents, to do our part to support them, by voting for their presence in our neighborhood with our pocketbooks.
Give 'em a try, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. And tell 'em Ashleigh and Paul sent you.
Thanks for reading.
After a couple of cynical posts about our new neighborhood partner, Kiva Restaurant, I thought it prudent for me to provide an update, considering Ashleigh and I have become big fans, as evidenced by our frequent meals there.
It's clear to me now that the restaurant is simply finding their way, or even their identity. They're creating their menu, their processes, their culture in fact, and determining how they will carve out their niche in Denver--Especially in a neighborhood that still has some room to grow into the ideal setting for such an ambitious project.
Bottom line is that the food is fantastic, the general manager (Rodrigo Steliaev) is extremely friendly, and they seem committed, and financially able to give the business some time to grow.
In particular, all you carnivores out there must try their steak. Whether it's their skirt steak ($8.95 at last check, amazing!), steak burrito or fajitas, the steak is perfectly marinated, and clearly of higher quality than most southwestern restaurants. Or, give the Kiva Burger a try for $5.95--And be sure to add a couple strips of their phenomenal bacon to finish it off.
The menu is pleasantly eclectic, and contains enough variety already to keep me coming back--And they have big changes still to come, including a variety of smoked meats.
They have some fantastic grand-opening coupons on their website, making it even easier to give them a try.
After spending some time with Rodrigo, it's clear Kiva is going to continue to grow and evolve into a cornerstone for the neighborhood. It's up to us, the residents, to do our part to support them, by voting for their presence in our neighborhood with our pocketbooks.
Give 'em a try, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. And tell 'em Ashleigh and Paul sent you.
Thanks for reading.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Autumn is here
Well, fall has arrived in Cole. Though the last couple days have brought 70+ degree, sunny weather, the pungent smell of Denver's ubiquitous Alanthus has long since faded, and winter is coming fast.
Even with the warm weather lately, fall is in the air. It always amazes me how the subtle movement of the sun into its lower fall trajectory just "feels" like fall. And even at 70 degrees, one can smell the distinct scent of the falling leaves. I've also noticed the more frequent scent of a wood-burning fireplace in walking the dogs in the evenings as of late--Yes, fall is here!
Though I truly despise the "sport" of baseball, I find Coors Field's bellowing silence a bit depressing as I head through downtown on my bike at the start of my training rides. The end of baseball season signifies the nearing of leaf-less trees, short, cold days, and fanatical (some might even say extremist) Bronco fans. But, that could be a topic of an entirely different blog.
But it's not so bad. One of the things we truly love about Denver after our time in Tucson, is the seasonal change. Rather than four seasons of brown, where each day's relative calendar location is identified by its proximity to the 100 degree mark, Denver is blessed with four distinct seasons, each with its own beauty.
In Denver, fall certainly has its charm. The fall colors, the perfect Tucson-winteresque crisp sunny days, and even the anticipation of the first snow of the season all make autumn a special time of the year in Denver.
When I lived in Michigan, I can recall watching end-0f-season advertisement's for Cedar Point, Ohio's famous roller-coaster-filled amusement park every August and becoming profoundly sad. The ads would always show the park's roller coasters in full summer swing, then empty and buried in winter snow, followed by the tagline "Get to Cedar Point, because... Summer is fading fast." Just like the years fly by now that I'm older, back then the days of each summer vacation proved increasingly fleeting as I made my way through school. Cedar Point's ads were quite literally the equinox of my moods, and my secret signal to become depressed for the next five months.
Denverites likely can't understand what I'm talking about. Winters out here are a joke. We get more snow in March and April than all the other months combined, and the rest of the winter is largely beautiful, 50-65 degree sunny days. Heck, the more time I spend out here, the winters in Denver (as long as you can tolerate a cold snap here and there) rival Tucson's. And the summers here are infinitely more tolerable.
So bring on the early season snow-storms, bring on fall, and bring on winter. It could be worse. I could still live in Michigan.
Even with the warm weather lately, fall is in the air. It always amazes me how the subtle movement of the sun into its lower fall trajectory just "feels" like fall. And even at 70 degrees, one can smell the distinct scent of the falling leaves. I've also noticed the more frequent scent of a wood-burning fireplace in walking the dogs in the evenings as of late--Yes, fall is here!
Though I truly despise the "sport" of baseball, I find Coors Field's bellowing silence a bit depressing as I head through downtown on my bike at the start of my training rides. The end of baseball season signifies the nearing of leaf-less trees, short, cold days, and fanatical (some might even say extremist) Bronco fans. But, that could be a topic of an entirely different blog.
But it's not so bad. One of the things we truly love about Denver after our time in Tucson, is the seasonal change. Rather than four seasons of brown, where each day's relative calendar location is identified by its proximity to the 100 degree mark, Denver is blessed with four distinct seasons, each with its own beauty.
In Denver, fall certainly has its charm. The fall colors, the perfect Tucson-winteresque crisp sunny days, and even the anticipation of the first snow of the season all make autumn a special time of the year in Denver.
When I lived in Michigan, I can recall watching end-0f-season advertisement's for Cedar Point, Ohio's famous roller-coaster-filled amusement park every August and becoming profoundly sad. The ads would always show the park's roller coasters in full summer swing, then empty and buried in winter snow, followed by the tagline "Get to Cedar Point, because... Summer is fading fast." Just like the years fly by now that I'm older, back then the days of each summer vacation proved increasingly fleeting as I made my way through school. Cedar Point's ads were quite literally the equinox of my moods, and my secret signal to become depressed for the next five months.
Denverites likely can't understand what I'm talking about. Winters out here are a joke. We get more snow in March and April than all the other months combined, and the rest of the winter is largely beautiful, 50-65 degree sunny days. Heck, the more time I spend out here, the winters in Denver (as long as you can tolerate a cold snap here and there) rival Tucson's. And the summers here are infinitely more tolerable.
So bring on the early season snow-storms, bring on fall, and bring on winter. It could be worse. I could still live in Michigan.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Oh, the irony
We have a friend that has hired a couple of Mexican gentlemen to do some brickwork for his house. It's very likely they're illegal immigrants from what I know, as they don't speak much English, don't have local addresses, bank accounts, drivers licenses, etc. Nice enough guys, and they seem to know what they're doing, as several "white" households on our friend's block have similarly hired them to work on their homes and have been happy with their handiwork.
I had a Carlos Mencia moment as it struck me that while many affluent whites in these neighborhoods make it clear they'd like all the illegal immigrants and non-English speaking Mexican families to move elsewhere, they're sure not averse to having them in the neighborhood--To work! Every time they pay an illegal some cash under the table, they're providing a story to be told to hundreds of other potential immigrants in Mexico, of how easy it is to come across to America (illegally) and make a living. By providing them work, they're reinforcing the "American Dream" of the typical illegal immigrant, and giving more of them the motivation to come to our country.
As I shared these thoughts with my wife, she pointed out something even more ironic. Each house that lower-income, illegal immigrants help fix up hastens the gentrification, and thus, hastens their imminent departure from the neighborhood as property values climb and they're "driven out" (as some people put it).
Which, again brings me back to the questions: Whose fault IS gentrification? Or is it even really a bad thing (or just progress)?
I had a Carlos Mencia moment as it struck me that while many affluent whites in these neighborhoods make it clear they'd like all the illegal immigrants and non-English speaking Mexican families to move elsewhere, they're sure not averse to having them in the neighborhood--To work! Every time they pay an illegal some cash under the table, they're providing a story to be told to hundreds of other potential immigrants in Mexico, of how easy it is to come across to America (illegally) and make a living. By providing them work, they're reinforcing the "American Dream" of the typical illegal immigrant, and giving more of them the motivation to come to our country.
As I shared these thoughts with my wife, she pointed out something even more ironic. Each house that lower-income, illegal immigrants help fix up hastens the gentrification, and thus, hastens their imminent departure from the neighborhood as property values climb and they're "driven out" (as some people put it).
Which, again brings me back to the questions: Whose fault IS gentrification? Or is it even really a bad thing (or just progress)?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
You want to borrow my what?
No news or earth-moving knowledge to share with you here. Just one of those "colorful" moments I love to pass along to friends and family (especially from rural white-bread Michigan, where I grew up) to convey the ever interesting neighborhood we live in.
Ashleigh and I returned from the dog park the other day to find one of our high-school age neighbors running down the sidewalk towards us. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you all afternoon!" she said.
I explained to her that we had been gone most of the day, at work, and then the park. Why, I asked.
"Can I borrow your cat?" she asked. Ashleigh and I looked at each other simultaneously as if to confirm that we had heard the same thing.
"Borrow our what?" I asked.
"Your cat," she replied, not flinching, as if it was as normal a request as borrowing some flour, or sugar.
"Why do you want to borrow our cat?" I asked, barely restraining my shit-eating grin, as I couldn't wait to hear the explanation.
"Because my brother has pink-eye," she replied. Ashleigh and I shared another quick glance.
"What does your brother having pink-eye have to do with borrowing our cat?" I asked.
"We need his tail. You know, to cure my brother's pink-eye." (Another Ashleigh-Paul glance.)
At this point, she finally caught on that we didn't have a clue what she was talking about.
"We have this friend, he's a doctor, and he told us that to cure pink eye you rub the eye with a cat's tail."
I just caught myself before I blurted out something like "What kind of doctor is your friend?"
After a quick conversation with Ashleigh, determining that first of all, there was no way they could get one of our cats over to their house without incurring a much more serious injury than pink-eye as the cats flipped out and clawed them to shreds; and second of all, the last thing we need is to catch pink-eye from our cat's tail, we declined the loaning of our cat for her brother's medicinal purposes.
Coming straight into the computer, I consulted my friend Google and confirmed that the only mention I could find about the "cure" she mentioned was an article describing Halloween myths. Turns out the original myth is that a wag of a black-cat's tail on Halloween cures Pink-eye. Somehow this holiday myth morphed into some sort of folk medicine. (I still would love to meet this "doctor" she referred to...)
Lucky for Sonny and Noah (our cats), it isn't Halloween, and neither of them is black.
Thanks for reading.
Ashleigh and I returned from the dog park the other day to find one of our high-school age neighbors running down the sidewalk towards us. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you all afternoon!" she said.
I explained to her that we had been gone most of the day, at work, and then the park. Why, I asked.
"Can I borrow your cat?" she asked. Ashleigh and I looked at each other simultaneously as if to confirm that we had heard the same thing.
"Borrow our what?" I asked.
"Your cat," she replied, not flinching, as if it was as normal a request as borrowing some flour, or sugar.
"Why do you want to borrow our cat?" I asked, barely restraining my shit-eating grin, as I couldn't wait to hear the explanation.
"Because my brother has pink-eye," she replied. Ashleigh and I shared another quick glance.
"What does your brother having pink-eye have to do with borrowing our cat?" I asked.
"We need his tail. You know, to cure my brother's pink-eye." (Another Ashleigh-Paul glance.)
At this point, she finally caught on that we didn't have a clue what she was talking about.
"We have this friend, he's a doctor, and he told us that to cure pink eye you rub the eye with a cat's tail."
I just caught myself before I blurted out something like "What kind of doctor is your friend?"
After a quick conversation with Ashleigh, determining that first of all, there was no way they could get one of our cats over to their house without incurring a much more serious injury than pink-eye as the cats flipped out and clawed them to shreds; and second of all, the last thing we need is to catch pink-eye from our cat's tail, we declined the loaning of our cat for her brother's medicinal purposes.
Coming straight into the computer, I consulted my friend Google and confirmed that the only mention I could find about the "cure" she mentioned was an article describing Halloween myths. Turns out the original myth is that a wag of a black-cat's tail on Halloween cures Pink-eye. Somehow this holiday myth morphed into some sort of folk medicine. (I still would love to meet this "doctor" she referred to...)
Lucky for Sonny and Noah (our cats), it isn't Halloween, and neither of them is black.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Extending Denver's Light Rail To Connect To The East Corridor
Many of you know that there are plans to connect Denver's existing light rail system (currently ending at 30th and Downing near Cole) to the proposed "40th-4oth Station", which will provide a much needed link between these light rail systems and Denver International Airport (currently located in Nebraska, from what I remember, LOL).
What many likely don't know is the debate on what this "link" will look like. Light rail, enhanced bus service, and even streetcars are all being proposed.
There was a meeting on this project on August 15th that my wife attended. I'm looking at some of the handouts they provided at the meeting right now. I'd love to tell you that there are copies at the website they refer to (http://eastcorridor.com) but if they're there, I can't find them.
From what I can tell, the likely solutions are either light rail, or streetcars. And, the major considerations are as such:
1. Cost. According to RTD, the light rail solution will cost between $75 and $80 million. The streetcar solution, they say, will be significantly less expensive, at $50-55 million.
2. Why the difference in cost? Because of consideration #2 I'm guessing: To do light rail, it will require RTD to aquire a significant amount of real estate to put the light rail on. They put the number at "27 buildings and portions of 15 properties on the west side of Downing Street".
3. Traffic disruption. RTD interestingly doesn't mention this, but I can't see how putting a streetcar in the middle of Broadway, Lincoln, and Downing, in the middle of rush hour isn't going to cause gridlock. These streets are already nightmares, without a streetcar taking up the space a Denver yuppie could park two SUV's in.
4. Handicap accessibility. According to RTD light rail requires ramps for people with disabilities for access. The streetcars, however, they say have lower floors and are more accessible. I'm a little fuzzy on this point, as I don't see why they couldn't just build ramps at every stop (like they do now for light rail).
5. Ease of travel to DIA. If they extend light rail through the neighborhood, one could board one train, and ride it all the way to DIA. Streetcars would require one to transfer from the light rail to the streetcar at 20th and Welton, and then, the best I can tell, transfer again at the 40th-40th station, back to light rail to get to DIA. If I have these points incorrect, someone please correct me.
Here's my take on the situation. First, I've walked up and down Downing a lot, and frankly, I don't see many historic gems that we'll risk losing if RTD has to aquire some land for the light rail. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I was a homeowner of an affected property, but I'm not, and I'd actually welcome the removal of many of the neglected structures on the west side of Downing.
Second, Denver's traffic is already bad enough, so unless I see data suggesting a streetcar won't disrupt traffic anymore than a light railcar running on the side of the road (while you're at it, can you get me a document showing how water will flow uphill?), I'm leaning again towards light rail.
Third, having uninterrupted light rail from far south of Denver, through Union Station, through our neighborhood, and out to DIA sounds as convenient as it gets. I'd just as soon have as few transfers as possible, and, I'm guessing, most travelers who might consider using the line would too.
So, I'm leaning towards the light rail, overwhelmingly so. What are your thoughts as Cole residents? And, what should you do if you'd like more information, or would like to be heard on this topic? Well, you can call RTD at 303-299-2401. Or, you can go to their awful website for updates, and, hopefully, upcoming meetings, at http://eastcorridor.com. The flyer I see here also mentions "joining Transit Working Group" and "subscribing to newsletters", but interestingly offers no instructions on how to do so, so I guess I'd start by giving them a call.
The good news is that whether it's light rail, or street car, its completion would be a huge step forward for Denver in providing a viable alternative to the automobile for people's travels to Nebraska... er... I mean, DIA. And, more directly for Cole residents, add a very, very tangible benefit to living in our neighborhood, likely significantly increasing our property values.
Thanks for reading.
What many likely don't know is the debate on what this "link" will look like. Light rail, enhanced bus service, and even streetcars are all being proposed.
There was a meeting on this project on August 15th that my wife attended. I'm looking at some of the handouts they provided at the meeting right now. I'd love to tell you that there are copies at the website they refer to (http://eastcorridor.com) but if they're there, I can't find them.
From what I can tell, the likely solutions are either light rail, or streetcars. And, the major considerations are as such:
1. Cost. According to RTD, the light rail solution will cost between $75 and $80 million. The streetcar solution, they say, will be significantly less expensive, at $50-55 million.
2. Why the difference in cost? Because of consideration #2 I'm guessing: To do light rail, it will require RTD to aquire a significant amount of real estate to put the light rail on. They put the number at "27 buildings and portions of 15 properties on the west side of Downing Street".
3. Traffic disruption. RTD interestingly doesn't mention this, but I can't see how putting a streetcar in the middle of Broadway, Lincoln, and Downing, in the middle of rush hour isn't going to cause gridlock. These streets are already nightmares, without a streetcar taking up the space a Denver yuppie could park two SUV's in.
4. Handicap accessibility. According to RTD light rail requires ramps for people with disabilities for access. The streetcars, however, they say have lower floors and are more accessible. I'm a little fuzzy on this point, as I don't see why they couldn't just build ramps at every stop (like they do now for light rail).
5. Ease of travel to DIA. If they extend light rail through the neighborhood, one could board one train, and ride it all the way to DIA. Streetcars would require one to transfer from the light rail to the streetcar at 20th and Welton, and then, the best I can tell, transfer again at the 40th-40th station, back to light rail to get to DIA. If I have these points incorrect, someone please correct me.
Here's my take on the situation. First, I've walked up and down Downing a lot, and frankly, I don't see many historic gems that we'll risk losing if RTD has to aquire some land for the light rail. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I was a homeowner of an affected property, but I'm not, and I'd actually welcome the removal of many of the neglected structures on the west side of Downing.
Second, Denver's traffic is already bad enough, so unless I see data suggesting a streetcar won't disrupt traffic anymore than a light railcar running on the side of the road (while you're at it, can you get me a document showing how water will flow uphill?), I'm leaning again towards light rail.
Third, having uninterrupted light rail from far south of Denver, through Union Station, through our neighborhood, and out to DIA sounds as convenient as it gets. I'd just as soon have as few transfers as possible, and, I'm guessing, most travelers who might consider using the line would too.
So, I'm leaning towards the light rail, overwhelmingly so. What are your thoughts as Cole residents? And, what should you do if you'd like more information, or would like to be heard on this topic? Well, you can call RTD at 303-299-2401. Or, you can go to their awful website for updates, and, hopefully, upcoming meetings, at http://eastcorridor.com. The flyer I see here also mentions "joining Transit Working Group" and "subscribing to newsletters", but interestingly offers no instructions on how to do so, so I guess I'd start by giving them a call.
The good news is that whether it's light rail, or street car, its completion would be a huge step forward for Denver in providing a viable alternative to the automobile for people's travels to Nebraska... er... I mean, DIA. And, more directly for Cole residents, add a very, very tangible benefit to living in our neighborhood, likely significantly increasing our property values.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Kiva Fusion Restaurant is now open!
Just an update on an earlier post:
Kiva Fusion Restaurant (http://kivadenver.com), after a week-long "soft opening" is open for lunch and dinner in the old Tosh's building at 31st and Downing.
We ate there several times during their soft opening, when entrees were $5. Today as I understand it is the first day they're open for both lunch and dinner, and, I think, at regular menu prices.
While they haven't had time to decorate, the quality of the food was encouraging (try the skirt steak!), and they seem very ambitious in what they want to do with the space.
A successful Kiva would be an important step forward for the neighborhood, so be sure and check them out! And come back here and record your comments on your experience.
Kiva Fusion Restaurant (http://kivadenver.com), after a week-long "soft opening" is open for lunch and dinner in the old Tosh's building at 31st and Downing.
We ate there several times during their soft opening, when entrees were $5. Today as I understand it is the first day they're open for both lunch and dinner, and, I think, at regular menu prices.
While they haven't had time to decorate, the quality of the food was encouraging (try the skirt steak!), and they seem very ambitious in what they want to do with the space.
A successful Kiva would be an important step forward for the neighborhood, so be sure and check them out! And come back here and record your comments on your experience.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Swain Burger and Barbecue: A Welcome Blast From The Past
I abandoned my current healthy-eating initiative for a good old-fashioned burger the other day. And, rather than go to one of the numerous corporate Mc-burger stands surrounding our neighborhood, I decided to get some local flavor (quite literally) instead.
Heading East on Bruce Randolph from our street, between York and Colorado Boulevard, I had noticed in the past a place called Swain Burger and Barbecue. Located on a quiet block and in a quaint house, it was very inviting, at least for a fan of roadside-cuisine like myself.
Walking in the door, I was instantly greeted by a nice younger lady behind the counter. Her smile was sincere, and quite a contrast from the blank stare I have grown accustomed to in fast-food drive throughs over the years.
My eyes instantly were drawn to their menu posted on the wall. Catfish, Ribs, Chicken, Whiting (which I learned was fish), and, lo and behold, "Swain Burgers", their signature item, which, as the hostess shared, had been made here since before she was born. I thought, how can I go wrong with one of those? So I ordered a Swain Burger with bacon and cheese combo. Parting with just over $7 for the meal, I realized again: This isn't McDonalds. But, I reassured myself, this was going to be made fresh! And I was supporting a local, independent business.
There is no dining area at Swain Burger, only a few chairs pushed up against the walls of the limited floorspace in front of the counter, where I sat to await my order. I soon noticed funky, Fat-Albert-ish paintings depicting urban, African-American neighborhoods adorning the walls. A young girl came in who the staff knew by name. She informed them she had only $2.00 to spend, at which point the woman behind the counter began listing off all the possibilities on the menu that would fit her budget. The young girl settled on Peach Cobbler A la mode.
A moment later, cobbler and ice cream in hand, she was on her way. "My Mom will probably be back later," she said, walking out the door. "Because I'm not sharing!"
A few minutes later I was presented with a brown-paper sack containing my burger and fries. My soda came in a medium-sized styrofoam cup with one of those coffee lids with the pull-top. No Biggie Size here, but my waistline didn't need it. My combo also came with a very warm and sincere "Thank you darlin', come and see us again!", which warmed my cheeks like a beautiful girl's kiss. This was definitely not McDonalds.
I felt like I had traveled back in time, back to the day of the independent corner store and burger stand, before the days of 7-Eleven and McDonalds. Back when providing a quality product at a reasonable price was enough. Back when inexpensive food still was prepared with tender loving care, and before it became discount-driven, homogenous and highly processed.
I drove my food a few blocks home so I could enjoy it at the back yard table. The burger was huge, and well garnished with a big slice of tomato, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, and, of course, thick slabs of cheese and bacon. The bun, devoid of sesame seeds, had a welcome sweetness to it. The fries, clearly fresh-cut and fried, were nothing short of fantastic.
This was not McDonald's--And I was thrilled! Good, simple food, from even better people. How can you go wrong?
I only hope that others in the neighborhood catch on to their offerings so they don't disappear. In this day of corporate, cost-driven fast food, I can't imagine it's easy to profitably run an old-fashioned, independent burger and barbecue joint.
Give 'em a try next time you're in the neighborhood! I'll be there as much as my diet allows!
Heading East on Bruce Randolph from our street, between York and Colorado Boulevard, I had noticed in the past a place called Swain Burger and Barbecue. Located on a quiet block and in a quaint house, it was very inviting, at least for a fan of roadside-cuisine like myself.
Walking in the door, I was instantly greeted by a nice younger lady behind the counter. Her smile was sincere, and quite a contrast from the blank stare I have grown accustomed to in fast-food drive throughs over the years.
My eyes instantly were drawn to their menu posted on the wall. Catfish, Ribs, Chicken, Whiting (which I learned was fish), and, lo and behold, "Swain Burgers", their signature item, which, as the hostess shared, had been made here since before she was born. I thought, how can I go wrong with one of those? So I ordered a Swain Burger with bacon and cheese combo. Parting with just over $7 for the meal, I realized again: This isn't McDonalds. But, I reassured myself, this was going to be made fresh! And I was supporting a local, independent business.
There is no dining area at Swain Burger, only a few chairs pushed up against the walls of the limited floorspace in front of the counter, where I sat to await my order. I soon noticed funky, Fat-Albert-ish paintings depicting urban, African-American neighborhoods adorning the walls. A young girl came in who the staff knew by name. She informed them she had only $2.00 to spend, at which point the woman behind the counter began listing off all the possibilities on the menu that would fit her budget. The young girl settled on Peach Cobbler A la mode.
A moment later, cobbler and ice cream in hand, she was on her way. "My Mom will probably be back later," she said, walking out the door. "Because I'm not sharing!"
A few minutes later I was presented with a brown-paper sack containing my burger and fries. My soda came in a medium-sized styrofoam cup with one of those coffee lids with the pull-top. No Biggie Size here, but my waistline didn't need it. My combo also came with a very warm and sincere "Thank you darlin', come and see us again!", which warmed my cheeks like a beautiful girl's kiss. This was definitely not McDonalds.
I felt like I had traveled back in time, back to the day of the independent corner store and burger stand, before the days of 7-Eleven and McDonalds. Back when providing a quality product at a reasonable price was enough. Back when inexpensive food still was prepared with tender loving care, and before it became discount-driven, homogenous and highly processed.
I drove my food a few blocks home so I could enjoy it at the back yard table. The burger was huge, and well garnished with a big slice of tomato, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, and, of course, thick slabs of cheese and bacon. The bun, devoid of sesame seeds, had a welcome sweetness to it. The fries, clearly fresh-cut and fried, were nothing short of fantastic.
This was not McDonald's--And I was thrilled! Good, simple food, from even better people. How can you go wrong?
I only hope that others in the neighborhood catch on to their offerings so they don't disappear. In this day of corporate, cost-driven fast food, I can't imagine it's easy to profitably run an old-fashioned, independent burger and barbecue joint.
Give 'em a try next time you're in the neighborhood! I'll be there as much as my diet allows!
Saturday, July 29, 2006
A vote for churches
Anyone that really knows me also knows my religious affiliation--Or lack thereof in reality. If you don't, just so you know, I'm agnostic. I've never been a fan of organized religion of any flavor, for many reasons I won't go into detail about here.
However, taking the dogs for a walk in the Cole and Whittier neighborhoods today, I realized that having lived in some of these more diverse neighborhoods since moving to Denver, I've begun to understand what a church, in its purest sense, can bring to a neighborhood.
This realization came to me as I walked by a Baptist church a few blocks from our house. An African-American boy had approached me and asked to pet the dogs, which was a welcome surprise, rather than one of the million colorful comments ("Them is some big ass dogs!") we normally get walking "the ladies" as we call them in the neighborhood.
As the boy pet the dogs, I looked around the church yard, and saw several other boys hanging out, from their attire and the sweat glistening on their foreheads, I hypothesized that they were in between games of basketball in the church gymnasium. Near them a large man was tending an equally larger barbecue grill, quite possibly the largest grill I've ever seen, and each and every square inch of cooking space was covered with beef ribs and chicken. I hadn't had breakfast at this point, so my mouth was watering profusely. There was a pleasantness about the yard and these people--They were friendly and easily approachable, which I can't say about every person or gathering we happen across in Cole. It again didn't hurt that they too had abstained from making comments about my "Rock-wilers".
In a neighborhood with so much ambivalence between people, even animosity, I see how a church can truly bring people together. And, in a time and place where kids seem to be given every opportunity and excuse to take the wrong path in life, I see now how a church, no matter the denomination, can provide a safe haven, and positive influence on neighborhood children.
Coming from rural white-bread America, I don't think I ever was exposed to this side of Churches, at least until I lived in Tucson, and at that tender age I was so self-centered I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed it even if it hit me over the head.
Where I'm from, Church is simply somewhere you go to reassure yourself that you're a good person, and that you're still in God's favor, no matter what mistakes or sins you committed the week before. I'd even go so far to say that many of the kids I grew up with never really knew why they even went to church in the first place, other than the fact that their parents told them to. But there's my bias creeping in again...
I'm sure there are many people suffering from that disease in the churches in our new neighborhood, too, but regardless, I now see the churches, any churches, as a welcome and invaluable neighbor to have nearby.
However, taking the dogs for a walk in the Cole and Whittier neighborhoods today, I realized that having lived in some of these more diverse neighborhoods since moving to Denver, I've begun to understand what a church, in its purest sense, can bring to a neighborhood.
This realization came to me as I walked by a Baptist church a few blocks from our house. An African-American boy had approached me and asked to pet the dogs, which was a welcome surprise, rather than one of the million colorful comments ("Them is some big ass dogs!") we normally get walking "the ladies" as we call them in the neighborhood.
As the boy pet the dogs, I looked around the church yard, and saw several other boys hanging out, from their attire and the sweat glistening on their foreheads, I hypothesized that they were in between games of basketball in the church gymnasium. Near them a large man was tending an equally larger barbecue grill, quite possibly the largest grill I've ever seen, and each and every square inch of cooking space was covered with beef ribs and chicken. I hadn't had breakfast at this point, so my mouth was watering profusely. There was a pleasantness about the yard and these people--They were friendly and easily approachable, which I can't say about every person or gathering we happen across in Cole. It again didn't hurt that they too had abstained from making comments about my "Rock-wilers".
In a neighborhood with so much ambivalence between people, even animosity, I see how a church can truly bring people together. And, in a time and place where kids seem to be given every opportunity and excuse to take the wrong path in life, I see now how a church, no matter the denomination, can provide a safe haven, and positive influence on neighborhood children.
Coming from rural white-bread America, I don't think I ever was exposed to this side of Churches, at least until I lived in Tucson, and at that tender age I was so self-centered I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed it even if it hit me over the head.
Where I'm from, Church is simply somewhere you go to reassure yourself that you're a good person, and that you're still in God's favor, no matter what mistakes or sins you committed the week before. I'd even go so far to say that many of the kids I grew up with never really knew why they even went to church in the first place, other than the fact that their parents told them to. But there's my bias creeping in again...
I'm sure there are many people suffering from that disease in the churches in our new neighborhood, too, but regardless, I now see the churches, any churches, as a welcome and invaluable neighbor to have nearby.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Gentrification in Cole--Good or bad?
I tagged along with Ashleigh to the Cole Neighborhood Association Meeting a couple weeks ago, and decided that some thoughts regarding the experience would make worthy material for this forum.
The meeting was called to discuss the proposed re-zoning of the Phillips Center, a commercial building near our home. The current owner, is considering selling the property to a developer that wants to re-zone it as mixed commercial and residential, and put in a mixture of apartments, lofts, and potentially, store fronts (think coffee!).
There were about 12 Cole residents present for this meeting, with a diversity commensurate with our neighborhood--A mixture of black, white, and hispanic, including one woman that didn't speak a lick of English.
Most of the discussion centered around the proposed usage of the building, and whether this renovation would potentially add or detract from the neighborhood. Most of the people in attendance were relatively positive about the proposed changes, as if done correctly, it could add much-needed local retail space, as well as take what is largely an industrial building and give it some additional curb appeal. It also could potentially draw even more responsible neighbors into the area in my opinion--But admittedly if the new developers do the right thing in their work. And heaven forbid if it would possibly help our homes grow in value.
What amazed me at this meeting, and has in a general sense since we've moved into the neighborhood, is some residents' fear of the inevitable gentrification of the neighborhood.
First up, what is gentrification? Dictionary.com defines it as:
"The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people."
For a more comprehensive account of gentrifications and it's origins, see:
http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/001671.html
In simple terms, some residents of the neighborhood, from what I can see, mostly African American and Hispanic, are afraid of developers, largely generalized as white people, coming into the neighborhood and fixing and "flipping" properties for a profit. Their concern seems to be that in renovating the neighborhood, higher-priced homes and structures will replace the lower-priced ones, drive property taxes up, and as a result, displace those that can't afford the higher taxes. In regards to the Phillips Center, it seems they're afraid that there is no guarantee that the re-development will in fact provide at least some low-income housing, accelerating, and contributing to, the displacement. I share their concern, though, I must admit, I'm more concerned about the development's future owners not screening and monitoring the rental units in the new structure more than anything--We have enough sketchy characters and "independent pharmaceutical reps" (a.k.a. drug dealers) in the neighborhood. I'd rather see a well-maintained, high-priced rental property than a poorly-run, poorly-maintained low-income housing property. (In all fairness, there are several multiple-family rental properties just north and east of our neighborhood on the way to Downtown Neighborhood that I think qualify as "low income" or Section 8 housing, and they're beautiful, well maintained by their residents, and a welcome addition to the neighborhood, so I have no problem with lower-income housing if it's done correctly).
What the current residents don't seem to comprehend about gentrification, however, is the "restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property" part. How is this a bad thing? Can somebody please tell me that?
I'm all for diversity, both cultural and architectural. I would hate for this neighborhood to get largely scraped and re-built ala what is happening on the border between Lodo and the Highlands. I also would hate to see the neighborhood get developed into an overpriced, urban-hipster-type area like Ballpark or even Stapleton has become. I personally have seen enough "lofts" to last me for the rest of my life. I love the taco stand on the corner of Bruce Randolph and Downing, less than a block from our home, as well as the small fruit and vegetable stand there. I love the street vendors selling helados and elote, and would hate to see that flavor lost.
I also would be a little disappointed if I saw an Evil Empire (Starbucks) pop up in the neighborhood instead of a Peaberry's (at least a Colorado company) or an independent coffee shop, but anything--ANYTHING would be better than the mix of ghetto liquor stores and Mexican clothing stores we have now. Yes, we have local shopping, as long as you want to by a 40 of King Cobra, a pair of shrink-wrapped boot cut jeans and a ten-gallon hat.
I apologize for that rant-ish digression: My point is, our neighborhood is clearly "deteriorated" and in need of "restoration and upgrading", and it seems to me that gentrification is the only way this is going to happen. There are more old homes in this neighborhood that are falling apart due to neglect as their are that have been lovingly restored. Personally, if the existing residents aren't going to fix them up, I say give someone else a chance. It's understandable to not be financially able to rebuild or completely renovate your house (God knows Ash and I can relate, as we're really scraping by to make this home-ownership thing fly) but we're just asking you to take the stair-climber off your porch, pick up a beer bottle and pull a weed once in a while. In other words, take some pride in your home, and your neighborhood.
Take us for example. Our house was owned by a drug dealer, and was in a terrible state of disrepair before the developers fixed it up and we purchased it. Since we've moved in, we've greened the grass, planted trees and flowers, and regularly pick up rubbish on our block. Heck, I pick up rubbish on OTHER PEOPLE'S BLOCKS. I would think that folks would be thrilled to have us here, rather than the previous owner.
However, for example, at this neighborhood meeting, The current owner of the building in question seemed to single out my wife and I as the deserving recipients of a soapbox tirade (not too far removed from a rant) about how much he has done for the neighborhood (honestly, which he has, but we're not the enemy here), and implying that it wasn't the place of someone who just moved in to question his motives and plans for selling and renovating the Center.
Another woman there, who lives a few blocks away in a bordering neighborhood, supported his feelings about newcomers, and, interestingly, commented that there was "too much police presence" and racial profiling in Cole and that we didn't need it as "this is a great neighborhood". (Let me say here that I will be the first to admit I have no idea what it is like to be an African American in Denver, and if the police racially profile. I'm sure it happens from time to time, and that is a shame in this day and age. But I would hope that even the most liberal African American would agree that an increased police presence, especially in this neighborhood, will reduce the drugs, and crime in general, and that is a good thing. I would also hope that they would at least consider the probability that the DPD as a whole has our best interest in mind--and like any other group or organization, there can be bad members that reflect poorly on an otherwise admirable whole.) Oops, tangent alert--Anyway, she made it clear that she resented the newcomers to the neighborhood as they (we) were diluting the diversity. Ironic, since as one of the few white couples in the 'hood, by moving in we actually are increasing the diversity--do the math folks. But anyway, my point here is that newcomers (we, basically) were portrayed almost like colonialist invaders or something. Reverse discrimination anyone? So what if Cole is a historically black neighborhood. Should that prevent us from moving in? Do you think it would fly if Thornton, a largely white suburb, discouraged blacks from moving in? It's not any different.
Bottom line, if the folks that are moving in are fixing it up and taking more pride in the neighborhood, and you're against these folks moving in, then you're against the neighborhood being fixed up. This is simple logic here folks (A=B, B=C, therefore, A=C; one of the few benefits of my liberal arts education). With this in mind, it seems pretty clear to me that there are in reality many residents here that are anti-progress, anti-revitalization, and would rather have the neighborhood remain run-down, trash-filled, and crime infested, which I find quite sad. Can anyone tell me why one would take low property taxes over living in a safer, cleaner, nicer neighborhood?
And don't try to convince me this neighborhood doesn't still have a ways to go. We still have a terrible trash problem, and still have the occasional gang banger and druggie pass through our overall very benign block. Unless residents want to drive these dirt-bags out, a vigilant police presence is essential. And whether it's trash, vandalism, drugs, or other crime, many of the long-time residents that still live here don't seem to care in my opinion. They still keep old furniture on their porches, drop trash and beer bottles in the street, look the other way when someone is selling crack on the corner, and don't maintain their homes.
If this is the diversity that we risk losing, I say let it happen. Yup, you can add me to your "most hated" list right below President Bush. It'll be hard, but I'll get over it.
I personally don't care whether the "gentrifiers" are black, white, Hispanic, Native American, whatever, as long as they care about the neighborhood and take some pride in ownership in their homes, they're welcome additions to me.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, too many minorities simplify the gentrification issue into a purely racial subject--Namely white people moving in and displacing blacks and hispanics. No doubt, in Denver, that's largely the case.
But that illustrates some sort of larger social question I guess--Namely, why aren't there more affluent blacks and hispanics moving into these urban neighborhoods? Why is it generally affluent whites that see treasure in another man's trash and are investing their time and money in renovating historic neighborhoods like ours? I don't know. I know this, though: If more affluent blacks and hispanics were making a commitment as many younger whites are to move into, and stick it out in these urban neighborhoods, get involved, and make a difference, no one would have a problem with the gentrification. Heck, gentrification might not even be a term in our lexicon. It would simply be called "progress".
With that in mind, I, a white guy from Podunk, Michigan (I'm holding up my hand and pointing to my palm right now), invite anyone, white, black, hispanic, anyone, to join me in revitalizing the Cole neighborhood. Buy an old home here, clean it up, become involved in the neighborhood, and help maintain the diversity of this great old neighborhood! But if you aren't willing to maintain your house, pick up your own trash, and call the police when you see something suspicious, I don't care what race you are, it's time you moved on.
Thanks for reading.
gentrification
The meeting was called to discuss the proposed re-zoning of the Phillips Center, a commercial building near our home. The current owner, is considering selling the property to a developer that wants to re-zone it as mixed commercial and residential, and put in a mixture of apartments, lofts, and potentially, store fronts (think coffee!).
There were about 12 Cole residents present for this meeting, with a diversity commensurate with our neighborhood--A mixture of black, white, and hispanic, including one woman that didn't speak a lick of English.
Most of the discussion centered around the proposed usage of the building, and whether this renovation would potentially add or detract from the neighborhood. Most of the people in attendance were relatively positive about the proposed changes, as if done correctly, it could add much-needed local retail space, as well as take what is largely an industrial building and give it some additional curb appeal. It also could potentially draw even more responsible neighbors into the area in my opinion--But admittedly if the new developers do the right thing in their work. And heaven forbid if it would possibly help our homes grow in value.
What amazed me at this meeting, and has in a general sense since we've moved into the neighborhood, is some residents' fear of the inevitable gentrification of the neighborhood.
First up, what is gentrification? Dictionary.com defines it as:
"The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people."
For a more comprehensive account of gentrifications and it's origins, see:
http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/001671.html
In simple terms, some residents of the neighborhood, from what I can see, mostly African American and Hispanic, are afraid of developers, largely generalized as white people, coming into the neighborhood and fixing and "flipping" properties for a profit. Their concern seems to be that in renovating the neighborhood, higher-priced homes and structures will replace the lower-priced ones, drive property taxes up, and as a result, displace those that can't afford the higher taxes. In regards to the Phillips Center, it seems they're afraid that there is no guarantee that the re-development will in fact provide at least some low-income housing, accelerating, and contributing to, the displacement. I share their concern, though, I must admit, I'm more concerned about the development's future owners not screening and monitoring the rental units in the new structure more than anything--We have enough sketchy characters and "independent pharmaceutical reps" (a.k.a. drug dealers) in the neighborhood. I'd rather see a well-maintained, high-priced rental property than a poorly-run, poorly-maintained low-income housing property. (In all fairness, there are several multiple-family rental properties just north and east of our neighborhood on the way to Downtown Neighborhood that I think qualify as "low income" or Section 8 housing, and they're beautiful, well maintained by their residents, and a welcome addition to the neighborhood, so I have no problem with lower-income housing if it's done correctly).
What the current residents don't seem to comprehend about gentrification, however, is the "restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property" part. How is this a bad thing? Can somebody please tell me that?
I'm all for diversity, both cultural and architectural. I would hate for this neighborhood to get largely scraped and re-built ala what is happening on the border between Lodo and the Highlands. I also would hate to see the neighborhood get developed into an overpriced, urban-hipster-type area like Ballpark or even Stapleton has become. I personally have seen enough "lofts" to last me for the rest of my life. I love the taco stand on the corner of Bruce Randolph and Downing, less than a block from our home, as well as the small fruit and vegetable stand there. I love the street vendors selling helados and elote, and would hate to see that flavor lost.
I also would be a little disappointed if I saw an Evil Empire (Starbucks) pop up in the neighborhood instead of a Peaberry's (at least a Colorado company) or an independent coffee shop, but anything--ANYTHING would be better than the mix of ghetto liquor stores and Mexican clothing stores we have now. Yes, we have local shopping, as long as you want to by a 40 of King Cobra, a pair of shrink-wrapped boot cut jeans and a ten-gallon hat.
I apologize for that rant-ish digression: My point is, our neighborhood is clearly "deteriorated" and in need of "restoration and upgrading", and it seems to me that gentrification is the only way this is going to happen. There are more old homes in this neighborhood that are falling apart due to neglect as their are that have been lovingly restored. Personally, if the existing residents aren't going to fix them up, I say give someone else a chance. It's understandable to not be financially able to rebuild or completely renovate your house (God knows Ash and I can relate, as we're really scraping by to make this home-ownership thing fly) but we're just asking you to take the stair-climber off your porch, pick up a beer bottle and pull a weed once in a while. In other words, take some pride in your home, and your neighborhood.
Take us for example. Our house was owned by a drug dealer, and was in a terrible state of disrepair before the developers fixed it up and we purchased it. Since we've moved in, we've greened the grass, planted trees and flowers, and regularly pick up rubbish on our block. Heck, I pick up rubbish on OTHER PEOPLE'S BLOCKS. I would think that folks would be thrilled to have us here, rather than the previous owner.
However, for example, at this neighborhood meeting, The current owner of the building in question seemed to single out my wife and I as the deserving recipients of a soapbox tirade (not too far removed from a rant) about how much he has done for the neighborhood (honestly, which he has, but we're not the enemy here), and implying that it wasn't the place of someone who just moved in to question his motives and plans for selling and renovating the Center.
Another woman there, who lives a few blocks away in a bordering neighborhood, supported his feelings about newcomers, and, interestingly, commented that there was "too much police presence" and racial profiling in Cole and that we didn't need it as "this is a great neighborhood". (Let me say here that I will be the first to admit I have no idea what it is like to be an African American in Denver, and if the police racially profile. I'm sure it happens from time to time, and that is a shame in this day and age. But I would hope that even the most liberal African American would agree that an increased police presence, especially in this neighborhood, will reduce the drugs, and crime in general, and that is a good thing. I would also hope that they would at least consider the probability that the DPD as a whole has our best interest in mind--and like any other group or organization, there can be bad members that reflect poorly on an otherwise admirable whole.) Oops, tangent alert--Anyway, she made it clear that she resented the newcomers to the neighborhood as they (we) were diluting the diversity. Ironic, since as one of the few white couples in the 'hood, by moving in we actually are increasing the diversity--do the math folks. But anyway, my point here is that newcomers (we, basically) were portrayed almost like colonialist invaders or something. Reverse discrimination anyone? So what if Cole is a historically black neighborhood. Should that prevent us from moving in? Do you think it would fly if Thornton, a largely white suburb, discouraged blacks from moving in? It's not any different.
Bottom line, if the folks that are moving in are fixing it up and taking more pride in the neighborhood, and you're against these folks moving in, then you're against the neighborhood being fixed up. This is simple logic here folks (A=B, B=C, therefore, A=C; one of the few benefits of my liberal arts education). With this in mind, it seems pretty clear to me that there are in reality many residents here that are anti-progress, anti-revitalization, and would rather have the neighborhood remain run-down, trash-filled, and crime infested, which I find quite sad. Can anyone tell me why one would take low property taxes over living in a safer, cleaner, nicer neighborhood?
And don't try to convince me this neighborhood doesn't still have a ways to go. We still have a terrible trash problem, and still have the occasional gang banger and druggie pass through our overall very benign block. Unless residents want to drive these dirt-bags out, a vigilant police presence is essential. And whether it's trash, vandalism, drugs, or other crime, many of the long-time residents that still live here don't seem to care in my opinion. They still keep old furniture on their porches, drop trash and beer bottles in the street, look the other way when someone is selling crack on the corner, and don't maintain their homes.
If this is the diversity that we risk losing, I say let it happen. Yup, you can add me to your "most hated" list right below President Bush. It'll be hard, but I'll get over it.
I personally don't care whether the "gentrifiers" are black, white, Hispanic, Native American, whatever, as long as they care about the neighborhood and take some pride in ownership in their homes, they're welcome additions to me.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, too many minorities simplify the gentrification issue into a purely racial subject--Namely white people moving in and displacing blacks and hispanics. No doubt, in Denver, that's largely the case.
But that illustrates some sort of larger social question I guess--Namely, why aren't there more affluent blacks and hispanics moving into these urban neighborhoods? Why is it generally affluent whites that see treasure in another man's trash and are investing their time and money in renovating historic neighborhoods like ours? I don't know. I know this, though: If more affluent blacks and hispanics were making a commitment as many younger whites are to move into, and stick it out in these urban neighborhoods, get involved, and make a difference, no one would have a problem with the gentrification. Heck, gentrification might not even be a term in our lexicon. It would simply be called "progress".
With that in mind, I, a white guy from Podunk, Michigan (I'm holding up my hand and pointing to my palm right now), invite anyone, white, black, hispanic, anyone, to join me in revitalizing the Cole neighborhood. Buy an old home here, clean it up, become involved in the neighborhood, and help maintain the diversity of this great old neighborhood! But if you aren't willing to maintain your house, pick up your own trash, and call the police when you see something suspicious, I don't care what race you are, it's time you moved on.
Thanks for reading.
gentrification
Friday, June 09, 2006
Farewell Tosh's Hacienda
When Ashleigh and I first moved to Denver back in 2001, Denver was a scary place. As small and lazy as the town seems to us now, it felt huge, and foreign to us back then.
My friends always laugh at me for saying this, but one of the hardest things to adjust to when we moved was the transition from the motherland of Mexican food (Tucson) to a city blatantly lacking for good, authentic Mexican food. (While we now have found a few diamonds in the Denver rough per se, it still amazes us that a city with one of the largest Hispanic populations in the country has such consistently horrid Mexican food.)
Denver became a bit more like home when we stumbled upon Tosh's Hacienda in Five Points, which was less than a mile from our first place here. It was one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Denver, and was a sister-restaurant to one in of all places, Tubac, Arizona. Their burritos featured phenomenal spiced chili beef, reminiscent of the Carne Seca of Tucson, and actual New Mexico green chili (not the creamy, bland, "orange swill" that the lemmings of Denver think of as green chili).
One of the perks of buying a home over here was moving back close to Tosh's, and we've eaten there probably 20 times since we returned in September. It was almost like being back in our first place together on Sonoita in Tucson, with Casa Molina a block away--We even had a favorite server (Jesus, a younger guy that lives across the street from us), just like we did at Molina's.
However, we got word a couple months ago that Tosh's was in bankruptcy proceedings, and finally, they closed about a month ago. The one decent restaurant in our neigborhood was gone forever.
A couple days after they closed their doors, however, we noticed activity on the site. Walking by, we noticed a sign announcing that the space would soon by occupied by the Kiva Fusion Restaurant. A visit to their website instantly made me concerned--Click through the techno-music introduction (what does techno music have to do with Mexican food?) and you learn that the restaurant will feature a combination of "history and tradition with modern and dynamic food and atmosphere elements".
Sounds like California Mex to me. Bah humbug!
They also claim that the building now "will host 2 separate restaurants, 4 bars, 5 cocktail lounges, 3 patios, a cafeteria, retail area and a mini-boutique organic market." Are you as concerned as I am now? This isn't Cherry Creek, this is Five Points, folks. Not to mention that it sounds like an awefully ambitious plan given how far this neighborhood still has to go.
Nonetheless, as my wife (I call her "The Voice Of Reason") pointed out, no matter what this restaurant is like, it's encouraging to see that the building won't remain vacant, and that businesses, especially ambitious businesses, see an opportunity in investing in our neighborhood. Even if the place turns out to be more Cherry Creek than Mexico, I guess it will be a step in the right direction.
My friends always laugh at me for saying this, but one of the hardest things to adjust to when we moved was the transition from the motherland of Mexican food (Tucson) to a city blatantly lacking for good, authentic Mexican food. (While we now have found a few diamonds in the Denver rough per se, it still amazes us that a city with one of the largest Hispanic populations in the country has such consistently horrid Mexican food.)
Denver became a bit more like home when we stumbled upon Tosh's Hacienda in Five Points, which was less than a mile from our first place here. It was one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Denver, and was a sister-restaurant to one in of all places, Tubac, Arizona. Their burritos featured phenomenal spiced chili beef, reminiscent of the Carne Seca of Tucson, and actual New Mexico green chili (not the creamy, bland, "orange swill" that the lemmings of Denver think of as green chili).
One of the perks of buying a home over here was moving back close to Tosh's, and we've eaten there probably 20 times since we returned in September. It was almost like being back in our first place together on Sonoita in Tucson, with Casa Molina a block away--We even had a favorite server (Jesus, a younger guy that lives across the street from us), just like we did at Molina's.
However, we got word a couple months ago that Tosh's was in bankruptcy proceedings, and finally, they closed about a month ago. The one decent restaurant in our neigborhood was gone forever.
A couple days after they closed their doors, however, we noticed activity on the site. Walking by, we noticed a sign announcing that the space would soon by occupied by the Kiva Fusion Restaurant. A visit to their website instantly made me concerned--Click through the techno-music introduction (what does techno music have to do with Mexican food?) and you learn that the restaurant will feature a combination of "history and tradition with modern and dynamic food and atmosphere elements".
Sounds like California Mex to me. Bah humbug!
They also claim that the building now "will host 2 separate restaurants, 4 bars, 5 cocktail lounges, 3 patios, a cafeteria, retail area and a mini-boutique organic market." Are you as concerned as I am now? This isn't Cherry Creek, this is Five Points, folks. Not to mention that it sounds like an awefully ambitious plan given how far this neighborhood still has to go.
Nonetheless, as my wife (I call her "The Voice Of Reason") pointed out, no matter what this restaurant is like, it's encouraging to see that the building won't remain vacant, and that businesses, especially ambitious businesses, see an opportunity in investing in our neighborhood. Even if the place turns out to be more Cherry Creek than Mexico, I guess it will be a step in the right direction.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
A start
I haven't been in the writing sort of mood lately, but figure I've got to start somewhere, right?
We're in the midst of spring... almost summer here in Denver. All the trees are leafed out, our grass has come back to life, and the temperatures have been unseasonably hot for May.
News in the 'hood? Well, there is a lot going on here that is very favorable. All three homes that were being "flipped" on our block have sold, so our block is very different from when we moved in last fall. We've met two of our three new neighbors, and they're nice, younger people, possessing the same potential and intentions to improve the neighborhood as we.
Rumor has it there will be a Whole Foods and a Super Target going in somewhere on Welton Street in Five Points (less than a mile from here) which will eliminate the one big problem of this neighborhood--The lack of close and desirable shopping. We've also heard that it's about 75% settled that there will be street car service up Downing from the last light rail station to the soon-to-be-constructed transportation hub up on 40-something avenue. This "hub" is to offer light rail service all the way to Denver International Airport, and as such its construction should boost the value and desirability of our neighborhood.
Ashleigh attended a meeting of the Cole Neighborhood Association, where she learned that an old commercial building at 35th and Franklin is likely going to be renovated into a mixed commercial and residential building. Very encouraging! We're also hoping that with three new neighbors having just purchased their homes on our block we can make the neighborhood watch program a reality.
So, life is good right now in the Cole Neighborhood in Denver. Hopefully I'll have more interesting and colorful posts to come.
We're in the midst of spring... almost summer here in Denver. All the trees are leafed out, our grass has come back to life, and the temperatures have been unseasonably hot for May.
News in the 'hood? Well, there is a lot going on here that is very favorable. All three homes that were being "flipped" on our block have sold, so our block is very different from when we moved in last fall. We've met two of our three new neighbors, and they're nice, younger people, possessing the same potential and intentions to improve the neighborhood as we.
Rumor has it there will be a Whole Foods and a Super Target going in somewhere on Welton Street in Five Points (less than a mile from here) which will eliminate the one big problem of this neighborhood--The lack of close and desirable shopping. We've also heard that it's about 75% settled that there will be street car service up Downing from the last light rail station to the soon-to-be-constructed transportation hub up on 40-something avenue. This "hub" is to offer light rail service all the way to Denver International Airport, and as such its construction should boost the value and desirability of our neighborhood.
Ashleigh attended a meeting of the Cole Neighborhood Association, where she learned that an old commercial building at 35th and Franklin is likely going to be renovated into a mixed commercial and residential building. Very encouraging! We're also hoping that with three new neighbors having just purchased their homes on our block we can make the neighborhood watch program a reality.
So, life is good right now in the Cole Neighborhood in Denver. Hopefully I'll have more interesting and colorful posts to come.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Welcome to the Cole Neighborhood Memoirs
My Wife and I are new homeowners in the Cole Neighborhood, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado.
Like so many neighborhoods in Denver, the Cole neighborhood in Real Estate-ese is vibrant (they were calling it sketchy, but weren't selling any units). In all reality the neighborhood is up-and-coming as more and more young people like us (I guess we can still call ourselves young?) buy and renovate homes here.
The neighborhood has a lot to offer, I think--Close proximity to downtown, old homes with history and character, and lots of potential--but living here is not like living in the 'burbs (Thank GOD). Our neighborhood is an eclectic mix of rich and poor; white, African American, and Hispanic; lifetime Cole Residents and immigrants like my wife and me from places like Arizona, and Michigan.
Living here has taught, and continues to teach us more about ourselves, about other cultures, and about how to be more tolerant and better people.
I anticipate this blog to be a motley mix of daily records of life in the 'hood, armchair observations on culture and humanity, and good old sarcasm.
Living here isn't for everyone. If this blog helps push someone considering purchasing a home in Cole, or one of Denver's other vibrant neighborhoods off the fence--I really don't care to which side--then I guess I'll feel like this blog was worthwhile.
I hope you enjoy reading.
Like so many neighborhoods in Denver, the Cole neighborhood in Real Estate-ese is vibrant (they were calling it sketchy, but weren't selling any units). In all reality the neighborhood is up-and-coming as more and more young people like us (I guess we can still call ourselves young?) buy and renovate homes here.
The neighborhood has a lot to offer, I think--Close proximity to downtown, old homes with history and character, and lots of potential--but living here is not like living in the 'burbs (Thank GOD). Our neighborhood is an eclectic mix of rich and poor; white, African American, and Hispanic; lifetime Cole Residents and immigrants like my wife and me from places like Arizona, and Michigan.
Living here has taught, and continues to teach us more about ourselves, about other cultures, and about how to be more tolerant and better people.
I anticipate this blog to be a motley mix of daily records of life in the 'hood, armchair observations on culture and humanity, and good old sarcasm.
Living here isn't for everyone. If this blog helps push someone considering purchasing a home in Cole, or one of Denver's other vibrant neighborhoods off the fence--I really don't care to which side--then I guess I'll feel like this blog was worthwhile.
I hope you enjoy reading.
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