Denver OK's redevelopment plan for historic Evans School

The Denver City Council on Monday approved an urban redevelopment taxing plan to give a face lift to one of Denver’s historic landmarks in the Golden Triangle neighborhood.

The council voted 10-1 to approve the Evans School Urban Redevelopment Plan, which focuses on redeveloping the interior of Evans School, a 120-year-old building that was built as an elementary school.

Since 1974, the building has sat dormant at 11th Avenue and Acoma Street.

The Denver Urban Renewal Authority, which is involved in urban redevelopments, developed a plan to restore what DURA officials are calling a “blighted” area in and around Evans School.

What the council approved Monday is a DURA proposal to commit $26 million in to redevelop Evans School. The move includes a tax incremental financing (TIF) deal of $3.3 million “due to cost associated with environmental remediation, life safety repairs,” according to DURA’s presentation to councilmembers on Monday.

The TIF establishes a funding base from what is generated in sales tax, exclusively from businesses within the redeveloped area. It's also supported by property taxes within the area, according to DURA Executive Director Tracy Huggins.

The plan is to fix up the interior of the school. Afterward, the intention is to remodel the first floor into a beer garden, restaurant, coffee shop, ice cream parlor and retail space for other businesses.

The second floor is envisioned to retain and upgrade the existing auditorium to host private and community events. On the third floor is space for retail, office, and studio rooms in existing classrooms. Retail spaces are to be leased to wellness providers, makers and craftspeople, according to DURA.

“There’s a reason this building has been vacant,” Huggins said, citing “underutilization” of the building that has led to it “deteriorating.”

“This is an opportunity to give it new life, new activation, so people can flow inside and out,” said District 10 Councilmember Chris Hinds.

Robert Bailey, a common speaker at City Council meetings, insisted that the building’s area isn’t blighted, and that the development is “stealing” tax dollars away from residents.

“The development of the Golden Triangle is A+, it’s not blighted,” he argued, pointing to DURA representatives during the meeting. “You don’t have the authority to steal money from the citizens.”

The only councilmember to vote no was Shontel Lewis.

“I have concerns for long term affordability for artists to have an opportunity to access low cost options long term, and that’s very concerning for me,” Lewis said, citing added concerns about displacing residents in the area.

“How do we invest in the community and benefit from the amenities we are putting in their communities,” Lewis said.

Hesitating while voting yes, Councilmember Sarah Parady said the council needs to investigate how the council approves TIF developments moving forward.

In other action Monday, the council postponed two notable items.

Auditor subpoena powers

Postponed until Sept. 9 is the final vote to approve a proposal to give the city auditor powers to subpoena the city's contractors and compel them to produce records.

Councilmember Amanda Sawyer motioned to postpone the vote for over a month, citing the need for the council to discuss amendments and because Auditor Timothy O'Brien is out of town.

Under the new proposal, the auditor would be able to compel a city contractor to produce records if they are relevant to an ongoing financial or performance audit. The auditor will have to first send a written request for the records, and the contractor will have 14 days to comply. If not, the subpoena powers kick in.

On July 8, the City Council preliminarily approved the proposal expanding the city auditor’s subpoena authority, with supporters saying it would give the office better access to documents when internally investigating the performance of departments.

Some weren't onboard with it.

Councilmember Kevin Flynn, in opposition of the proposal, previously said he was ready to support auditor subpoena powers, but when he dug into the issue a little bit, he came to the conclusion O'Brien's office doesn't need the expanded authority.

"They utterly failed to provide a case where they were not able to get the information they wanted," Flynn told The Denver Gazette.

Homeless navigation campus

The council delayed approving two grants combining for roughly $25.5 million for a homeless navigation site in northeast Denver.

The Denver-metro Regional Navigation Campus (DMRNC) grant program, funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, is focused on reducing homelessness among populations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Mike Johnston's administration, and the Department of Housing Stability (HOST), requested to postpone the vote for a week, according to Councilmember Serena Gonzalez Gutierrez, who motioned for the postponement.

The center aims to reduce homelessness "by integrating services in a campus setting that are collectively focused on expediting and streamlining access to the housing and services needed to thrive," HOST's grant proposal said.

The city is eying 4040 Quebec St. – the former Double Tree hotel now-turned homeless shelter – to serve as the navigation center.

The 4040 Quebec St. site already serves as a temporary non-congregate shelter for 300 homeless people. Those people were moved off the streets under Johnston's ongoing temporary housing initiative.

Denver Gazette reporter Alex Edwards contributed to this report.