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AN UPTOWN, HEALTHY WORKPLACE By J. Patrick O’Leary On Oct. 5 Colorado Health Foundation (CHF) broke ground for its new three-story, 32,500 sq. ft. headquarters on a former public parking lot at 1780 Pennsylvania in Uptown. Currently working out of leased space in Glendale, the Foundation purchased the parcel from the Denver Housing Authority in
January. Although current commercial, mixed-use zoning (C-MX-8, DO-1) allows for up to eight stories, the CHF’s Chief Financial Officer, Rahn Porter, said the building was designed only to accommodate the present and future needs of the Foundation, and three stories was adequate. All office space will be occupied by the Foundation, which anticipates
Colorado Health Foundation board members and staff at Oct. 5 groundbreaking (left to right): Board Member John Hughes, CFO Rahn Porter, CEO and President Karen McNeil-Miller, Board Member Grant Jones, Chair of the Board Don Murphy, Director of Communications Taryn Fort, Board Member Jerome Buckley, Senior Program Officer Tanya Weinberg, Board Member Eileen Byrne, Former CEO and President Anne Warhover, and Board Member Steve Shogan. PHOTO COURTESY
moving its 60 employees into the new offices in late 2016. The new building will feature “health-positive” design and development standards that aim to improve the health of both staff and visitors, in line with the Foundation’s goal of making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation, according to CHF. “The civic-oriented, mission-driven design allows greater interaction and accessibility to partners, the community and to a wide array of transportation options for staff and visitors,” per a recent CHF press release. “The location was selected because of the centralized proximity in Denver and the high health scores of the neighborhood.” The design allows direct access to outdoor areas via rooftop decks and gardens, and to 17,500 sq. ft. of below-grade parking, visually appealing construction materials and what the Foundation describes as “an inviting experience for pedestrians and local residents in its efforts to conform to the neighborhood surrounding the site.” Davis Partnership Architects designed it with specific project guiding principles and health-positive building metrics co-developed by CHF, including natural ventilation and daylight. “Healthy building attributes include active stairways (one placed in a location that encourages people to use it), interior plantings, careful attention to room acoustics, an employee cafe offering healthy food, fitness area, outdoor spaces for work and exercise, bicycle facilities, and rooms for private contemplation,” said Porter. “Careful attention has been paid to interior layouts that encourage collaboration and communication while still affording opportunities for privacy and focused work. The continued on page 27
OF CHRIS SCHNEIDER FOR COLORADO HEALTH FOUNDATION
PROTESTERS’ OUTBURST STUNS DENVER CITY COUNCIL MEETING
By Keith Lewis On October 26, an otherwise routine meeting of the Denver City Council was vocally interrupted by homeless-rights activists who suddenly burst into the room to protest Denver’s urban camping ban. The subject of the protesters’ ire is a 2012 Denver ordinance, which prohibits sleeping in non-permanent structures within the city. Homeless-rights activists view this law as a “War on Homeless” which essentially makes homelessness a crime by criminalizing sleeping in the park. According to protesters, this law forces the homeless to sleep in hidden, but often more dangerous places in the city. The 2012 Denver ordinance banning outdoor sleeping has been controversial since its inception. The ordinance took effect on May 30, 2012 after a tense 9-4 Denver City Council vote in favor of its passage before another group of protestors
three years ago. The four council members who opposed the ordinance in 2012 – Lopez, Shepherd, Kneich, and Ortega – voiced concerns at the time that the law sought to punish poverty. In 2012, then-councilwoman Susan Shepherd opposed the measure, telling the crowd to “watch them like a hawk,” alluding to the city officials who would be enforcing this ban. Some others on the Denver City Council thought the ban might be acceptable if there were first sufficiently available homeless shelters and services. Despite these concerns, the ordinance passed in 2012 before an uproarious crowd shaming proponents of the bill and taping dollar bills over their mouths in protest. Councilman Wayne New, who represents District 10, including Capitol Hill, Cherry Creek North, and Congress Park was not continued on page 27