Last November, Denver voters passed Bond Issues “A” through “I” which will raise over $500 million for dozens of civic projects ranging from new libraries to repaved streets to park irrigation system upgrades to a new symphony hall. One of the bond projects is a new $39 million Crime Lab for the Denver Police Department. Our current DPD forensic crime and DNA lab is outdated, overcrowded, and must be replaced to maintain its accreditation.
Did you know that the new DPD Crime Lab is a new DenverInfill project too? From the city’s website, here’s the project description (emphasis added): “Replace the existing Crime Lab with a new facility. The new lab will be constructed on the existing surface parking lot adjacent to the Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility (PADF) and the Police Administration Building.” That’s right, the new Crime Lab facility will be constructed on the surface parking lot facing W. 14th Avenue on Block 021-E.
That stretch of 14th Avenue is becoming greatly improved. The new Denver Justice Center parking garage, already complete, was built on a former surface parking lot. Across 14th from the garage, the Courthouse and the Detention Facility components of the justice center, currently under construction, also replaced surface lots that faced 14th Avenue. With the new Crime Lab, yet another surface parking lot along 14th will be removed and the street wall reinforced.
It gets better: one of the bond improvements under the Transportation category is the installation of pedestrian improvements along W. Colfax Avenue and W. 14th Avenue between Speer and Bannock to provide a green link between Civic Center and Speer. Nice.
That entire block is like a fortress- surrounded almost entirely by 5-foot cement walls. Those buildings are pretty dreary as well. A new modern building would help soften up that area.
It's nice to hear that they are putting it on an existing parking lot. That part of the GT has a shameful amount of surface parking.
It's tough to sell land that is adjacent to detention facilities and "bail bond row". I know I wouldn't want to live or work right there. The sad part is that it is so close to the new museum and civic center park.
Imagine if the pedestrian improvements crossed Speer…it would be like the City acknowledging that Lincoln Park exists!
For the record, pedestrians do attempt to cross Speer. OMG! Like, could we get some decent crossings too?
I agree with 8:54–the whole pedestrian experience around Colfax and Speer is miserable, and you'd think that with Auraria and the back end of the Convention Center there this would not be so. The city needs to do a major re-working. I'd also suggest bicycle/pedestrian bridges to cross Speer at one or more points between Colfax and Broadway.
I have also heard 14th Street will get more pedestrial friendly as well from Colfax to Market.
Anon 10:20 is right, big pedestrian improvements on the way for Colfax and Market.
You know, I wouldnt care about living next to the detention center. Besides, there's so much cool and new stuff in the GT that it really wouldnt matter.
wouldnt it be nice if they put up a bridge at larimer st and at stout and at colfax.