EL MERENDERO WORKFORCE CENTER PROJECT PROSPECTUS
DRAFT DENVER, COLORADO AUGUST 12th, 2020
CONTENTS 4
IMPACT STATEMENT
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ABOUT EL MERENDERO WORKFORCE CENTER
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PROJECT TEAM GOALS VISION TIME-LINE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
With the expression of culture at its core, the programs which build on BuCu West’s long history of developing entrepreneurs, will focus on creating a collaborative network of businesses, jobs and career skills that revolve around food, coffee, and music.
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VISUAL PRECEDENT SITE CONTEXT SITE PLAN FLOOR PLAN SPATIAL STRATEGIES IN RESPONSE TO COVID- 19 RENDERINGS SITE AXONOMETRIC
IM PAC T S TAT EM E N T EL ME R E N DE R O WO R K FO RC E C EN TER In 1987, local merchants formed the Morrison Road Business Association in order to address blight and chronic difficulties facing the business community along a mile-and-a-half commercial strip bisecting the southwest Denver neighborhood of Westwood. In 2010, the organization shifted from a membership-based business association to a Community Development Corporation and rebranded itself BuCu West (BuCu signifies the critical link between business and culture). Today, BuCu West is a respected 501c3 non-profit corporation actively delivering on its mission to create a destination that promotes and supports entrepreneurs, small businesses, cultural organizations, and residents in an authentic, energetic, and colorful environment along Westwood’s Morrison Road corridor. Westwood is a densely populated neighborhood of over 17,000 residents, 79% who are Latino, and 36% who are under 18. With an annual household income less than half of that of the sevencounty Denver Metro Region ($49,224 vs $97,824), it is no surprise that 33% of Westwood families live in poverty—a rate five times greater than the metro region. For decades, the neighborhood suffered from neglect, crime, a lack of parks and open space, lack of access to fresh and healthy food, and its main thoroughfare was full of urban blight including bank-owned buildings and underutilized properties with absentee property owners. Without a solid economic base, Westwood historically did not attract market-rate investment. Yet, over the past decade and through extensive coalition building and local community input, a groundswell of activity has taken place creating a shared vision for the neighborhood and the Morrison Road corridor. And it is in service to this vision—a need for business development and support for the area’s rich and unique cultural diversity—where BuCu West has taken the lead. Today, BuCu West’s services cover the gamut including support, expansion, relocation, and development of local businesses; facilitating community revitalization projects; connecting developers to resources; purchasing and managing key commercial real estate; beautifying
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the corridor through art, design, and consultation; and hosting cultural/community events. With its community-centered approach, BuCu West is committed to highlighting Morrison Road’s unique assets, infusing the neighborhood with pride and excitement to continue this type of work, and demonstrating the importance of continued investment in the community’s locally grown entrepreneurs, artists, youth, leaders, infrastructure, and heritage. This project’s immediate goal is for BuCu West to secure the funds needed to purchase El Merendero Event Center, a commercial space located at 3892 Morrison Road, and then transform it into public and private community space that supports small businesses and work-skills programs and initiatives. El Merendero sits right in the heart of the recently-formed Westwood Arts District, directly abuts a future public plaza, and is across the street from 2-acres owned by ReVision and Lifespan Local who are working to develop their site into a food hub that could include a community grocery store and aquaponics greenhouse. Together, these mission-aligned and collaborative projects provide an unparalleled opportunity to provide jobs and assets for Westwood residents, catalyze tourism and commercial investment, and unite and engage the community across multiple shared living experiences. Once purchased, the vision is to collaboratively turn El Merendero into a paragon of the long-desired community plaza uniting the neighborhood and bringing the area to life with art, music, food, and skills-based training opportunities. After 16 years of running this family owned business, Sonia Ramirez is retiring with no heir to the well-known event center in the Westwood community. BuCu West is under contract to purchase the property from Sonia. Planned facility improvements include three new outdoor seating areas the build out of a full service coffee shop, rotating food trucks, artisan and music events, and the addition of a flex space adjacent to the building for community meetings, classes, and recordings.
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PROJECT TEAM EVENTS BUCU WEST
The team includes three established organizations and three start up programs in partnership to provide economic stability, community outreach and social enterprise expertise that is the backbone of this community based workforce development center.
BuCu West: Jose Esparza and BuCu West bring an expertise in outreach to the surrounding community entrepreneurs and creatives with a decade of experience event planning and coordinating for the Morrison Road corridor. As the lead applicant for the Westwood Creative District, only the 4th State Certified Creative District in the City of Denver, and the lead advocate coordinating the design and fundraising for the Morrison Road Streetscape ($12.24M awarded in 2017 for full reconstruction of Morrison Road), BuCu West has been behind the implementation of some of the most catalytic culturally-based projects on the corridor. To find out more about BuCu West visit www.BuCuWest.com
AB O U T E L ME R E N DE R O WO R K FO RC E C EN TER Once purchased, the vision is to collaboratively turn El Merendero into a unifying asset for a disinvested neighborhood by bringing the facility alive with art, education, food, and skills-based training opportunities. After 16 years of running this family owned business, Sonia Ramirez is retiring with no heir to the well-known event center in the Westwood community. Planned facility improvements include three new outdoor seating areas, the buildout of a full-service coffee shop, rotating food trucks, arts and music events, and the addition of a flex space adjacent to the building for community meetings, classes, and recordings. In partnership with Unit-E productions, BuCu West will focus on preserving the El Merendero Event Center, continuing to support its role in community events while integrating professional development opportunities for musicians, artists, youth, and offering skills-based experience in event-based careers. Lifespan Local will create a coffee shop and barista incubator, Grounds Up. This program will be tailored to serve the at-risk youth of Westwood and bring together immigrants from Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico giving it a uniquely Westwood mix and providing a safe place for the community to gather and express culture. For the full “Plaza Experience,” the Kitchen Network will partner with Mariscos El Malecon (an established food truck and current tenant of the building) to deliver a Mexicanbased food experience that incorporates rotating food trucks, live entertainment, and outdoor vendors, while serving as a training ground for local youth to learn about service and restaurant industry basics. The timeline for this project is to purchase the building by November 30th, 2020. Then BuCu West and its partners will work together to raise the remaining $685,525 to complete the building remodel.
UNIT E PRODUCTIONS
COFFEE LIFESPAN LOCAL & FROM THE GROUNDS UP
Unit E was founded in 2011 as an art and cultural space in the historic Art District on Santa Fe. From its initial launch as a physical space up through today as a community-minded production and events operation, Unit E has been successful in its mission to provide opportunities for diverse forms of art and creativity to reach their full potential. Producing a multitude of concerts, bazaars, workshops, art exhibitions, music recordings and more, Unit E is often referenced as a fundamental catalyst for creating the current generation of local creatives.
Lifespan Local was founded by Dr. Lydia Prado. Before starting Lifespan Local, Dr. Prado spent 17 years with the Mental Health Center of Denver as the Vice President of Child and Family Services. She is the project visionary behind the Mental Health Center of Denver’s Dahlia Campus for Health and Well-Being, an innovative community center in Northeast Park Hill that promotes well-being across the lifespan. Lifespan began doing outreach in Westwood and the surrounding neighborhoods in 2017 and is currently working to activate community-driven solutions. From these community conversations the idea for and International Café was born. From the Grounds Up is a safe place for community to gather and express culture and secondly, it’s a coffee shop and a barista incubator. Learning from friends like Prodigy Enterprises, another non-profit social enterprise, this Lifespan Local program will be tailored to serving the at-risk youth of Westwood bringing together immigrant backgrounds from Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico giving it a uniquely Westwood mix. To learn more about Lifespan Local visit www.lifespanlocal.org
FOOD KITCHEN NETWORK & MARISCOSELMALECON
Kitchen Network Commissary is Denver’s longest running shared kitchen annually incubating approximately 150 specialty food businesses. Purchased by BuCu West in 2016, the facility is the largest specialty food incubator in the state and primarily serves minority and woman owned businesses. As one of Morrison Road’s anchor institutions, the expert staff has consulted food businesses up and down the corridor and will be partnering with Mariscos El Malecon (an established food truck and current tenant of the building) to deliver a Mexican based food experience that incorporates rotating food trucks, live entertainment, outdoor vendors and the full “Plaza Experience.” Out of demand from restaurants along the Morrison Road corridor, the restaurant and plaza experience will serve as the training grounds for young service staff to learn the basics of the service and restaurant industry. To learn more about the Kitchen Network visit www.KNDenver.com
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PROJECT GOALS • • •
ENHANCE THE LOCAL ECONOMY
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ENHANCE A PEDESTRAIN ACTIVITY ON MORRISON ROAD
PROVIDE CAREER TRAINING WITH A FOCUS ON YOUNG ADULTS PROVIDE A FOCAL POINT FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL OVER DENVER, PRIMARILY FROM WESTWOOD TO CELEBRATE LATINO CULTURE. COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROJECT THAT SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR LOCAL MEMBERS OF THE WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD
VISION This project’s immediate goal is for BuCu West to secure the funds needed to purchase El Merendero Event Center, a commercial space located at 3892 Morrison Road, and then transform it into public and private community space that supports small businesses and work-skills programs and initiatives. El Merendero sits right in the heart of the recently formed Westwood Arts District, directly abuts a future public plaza, and is across the street from 2-acres owned by ReVision and Lifespan Local who are working to develop this site into a community grocery store and aquaponics farm. Together, these mission-aligned and collaborative projects provide an unparalleled opportunity to catalyze tourism and commercial investment for Westwood and unite and engage the community across multiple levels.
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PROJECT TIMELINE
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July 2020
July - October 2020
November 30, 2020
January - June 2021
June - August 2021
Fall 2021
PROJECT UNDER CONTRACT
DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD
COMPLETE ACQUISITION
ENGAGE COMMUNITY IN PROGRAMMING AND DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION
GRAND OPENING
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FUNDRAISE $1,625,000 FOR ACQUISITION
FUNDRAISE $685,525 FOR CONSTRUCTION
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PROGRAM OVERVIEW
A RTIS T D E V E LOP M E NT A N D J O B TR A INING
FOOD T RU C KS A ND V E ND OR S
A considerable barrier keeping people from pursuing a life as an artist or musician is access to professional resources. We would like to eliminate this barrier for our community by providing professional consulting for potential creatives in our community, so they can compete at a national and international level. For an emerging musician, for example, access to our professional rehearsal and event space will give them the chance to hone their performance skills on a professional-grade stage and equipment, while also preparing them to work in supplementary positions such as front of house engineer, monitor technician, lighting designer, stage manager, or stage designer for other musicians. There are many roles integral to achieving the next level of a musician's career; however, there is currently no easy path to develop the skills needed or to train for these jobs. By training creatives to fill these roles as well as pursue their artistic talent, we will be setting them up for a successful career in the arts, regardless of if they make it big as the musician, or as part of the team that supports the musician.
This Kitchen Network serves between 50 and 80 food trucks annually many of which are startups. By programing this community plaza the Kitchen Network will be able to provide a built in clientele to new food trucks that are just starting to get noticed.
I N TE R N ATIONA L COFFE E S H O P A N D WOR KFORC E TR A I N I N G
R ESTAU R A NT The Westwood community has made significant progress in the pursuit of healthy food access for all residents and the development of an economically robust food system. The food system is comprised of producers, processors, distributors, retailers and consumers; all are sectors that Westwood can support to create a resilient healthy food system. In addition, access to culturally relevant food is also critical to the food system of multiethnic neighborhoods like Westwood. The development of Westwood’s local food system will create economic opportunities, increase health equity, strengthen the community, and respects the culture and history of Westwood.
Lifespan Local plans to work with community members and local community champions, youth and adults both, to design an international coffee shop/ workforce training site that will be safe and affordable and reflect community cultures. they are taking this approach because they believe that residents should be core decision makers on issues and projects that impact them directly, and the public participation evidence indicates that outcomes are better when community participation happens over the life of a project.
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VISUAL PRECEDENTS
BOL D C OLORS
EXTE RIO R /INTE RIO R CO NNECTIO N
WA LK UP SE RVI CE
Re si d e nt s and s t a ke ho l d e rs s eek to h ave t he i r culture b e ex p re sse d t hro ug h archi te ct u ra l s ty les , co l o r s, tex t u res , a nd tho u g ht f u l ly d es ig ned p u b li c sp a ces . T his p l a n a i m s to not only m a i nt ain the au t he nt i c co m p o nents of We st wo o d , b ut to ce l e b rate a n d p res erve the se e le m ents of the n e i g hb o r ho o d thro ug h ar t , u r b a n d es ig n a nd u n i q u e e co n o m ic op p o r t u ni t i e s , ens uring We st wo o d evo lves wi t ho u t l o si ng w hat m a ke s i t u niq ue.
CULTRUA L INFLUENCE
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SITE CONTEXT W NEVAD A PL
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We st wo o d i s a neig hb o rho o d u nl i ke a ny other in Denver. T h e co m b i natio n of its vib ra nt co m m u ni t y, neig hb o rho o d a s s et s, r ich cu lt u ra l la nd s c a p e inc lud ing Mex i ca n, V i etna m es e, a nd Native Am e r i ca n cultures , s erves a s th e fo u nd at i o n of a celeb rated We st wo o d . The neig hb o rho o d is p re d o m i nately Latino , m o s t of w hi ch a re firs t o r s eco nd ge ne rat i o n Mexic a n im m ig ra nts. Mu ch of t he Mexic a nA m eric a n bu si ne ss a nd c ulture is co nce nt rate d a lo ng Mo rriso n Road a nd sho uld b e celeb rated as We st wo o d b eco m es the lo c al an d re g i o nal d es tinatio n fo r this aut he nt i c cultura l exp erience.
E L ME RE N D E RO WO RK FO RC E C E N TER 38 92 MO RRI S O N RD, D E N V E R, CO 8 0219
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SITE ZONE: E-MX-3 PARCEL # 164018671 & 161412731 SITE AREA: SITE 1:
11,461 S.F.
SITE 2:
5,977 S.F.
TOTAL AREA
17,438 S.F. FUTURE VACATION OF INTERSECTION BY CITY
CURRENT USE: EVENT CENTER AND RETAIL GROSS BUILDING AREA: 6928
N SO I R D OR OA M R
PARKING CAPACITY : 11 SPACES
CUSTER PL
3 SHORT TERM PARKING SPACES
MONUMENT SIGN BUILDING AWNING
CAFE ENTRANCE
SHADE STRUCTURE OUTDOOR SEATING
RESTAURANT ENTRANCE
RETAINING WALL
SHADE STRUCTURE
EXTERIOR STAIRS
OUTDOOR SEATING SHIFT CURB CUT
OVERHEAD DOOR
RESTAURANT WALK-UP WINDOW
OVERHEAD DOOR
CAFE WALKUP WINDOW
8 PARKING SPACES
EVENT HALL ENTRANCE
OVERHEAD DOOR
OUTDOOR SEATING
EXISTING LOADING DOCK
PROJECT NORTH TRASH ENCLOSUR E
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3892 Morrison Rd
SITE 1" = 30'-0"
THIS IMAGE IS CONCEPTUAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE
8/13/2020 9:58:44 PM
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3264 Larimer Denver CO Radia 720.7
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NOTE: THIS IMAGE IS CONCEPTUAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
FLOOR PLAN
NEW STOREFONT NEW WALK-UP SERVICE WINDOW
NE
NEW NEW OVERHEAD DOOR
CAFE NEW 2 OVERHEAD 1031 SF
DOOR
OCC. 68
NEW WALK-UP SERVICE WINDOW
EXISTING RESTAURANT 23 626 SF CAFE OCC. 44 2 1031 SF
EXISTING KITCHEN 24 217 SF OCC. 68
OCC. 2
RR 25 30 SF
NEW WALK-UP SERVICE WINDOW
NEW EVENT SPACE VESTIBULE
OCC. 3
RR 4 143 SF
RR 3 149 SF
CAFE BOH 2A 337 SF
RR 26 33 SF
NEW SPACEOCC. 1 EVENT SPACE VESTIBULE
EXISTING RESTAURANT 23 626 SF
STORAGE 30 74 SF
OCC. 2
RR 25 30 SF
OCC. 430
DEMOLITION PLAN 1/32" = 1'-0"
1
DEMOLITION PLAN 1/32" = 1'-0"
RR 4 143 SF
MO
NEW ACOUSTIC FOLDING WALL
NE FLEX ROOM 5 454 SF
OCC. 30
OCC. 430
1
STORAGE 30 74 SF
MODIFIED RESTROOMS OCC. 1
BAR 28 138 FLEXSF ROOM OCC. 15 454 SF EVENT SPACE OCC. 30 6 2151 SF
6 2151 SF
RR 26 33 SF
OCC. 1
RR 3 149 SF
OCC. 3
NEW
OCC. 44
EXISTING KITCHEN 24 217 SF
CAFE BOH 2A 337 SF
BAR 28 EVENT 138 SF
NEW OVERHEAD DOOR
EXISTING OVERHEAD DOOR NEW RAISED OUTDOOR SEATING
PLUMBING COUNTS
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NE OU
PLUMBING PLUMBING COUNTS ARE BASED ON BUILDINGCOUNTS OCCUPANCY: 602 PLUMBING COUNTS ARE BASED ON BUILDING OCCUPANCY: 602 A-2 OCCUPANCY - 602 OCCUPANTS
OCCUPANCTS
A-2 OCCUPANCY - 602 OCCUPANTS LAVS DRINKING FOUNTAINS 1/200 OCCUPANCTS TOILETS
TOILETS 1/75 MEN
WOMEN
MEN
WOMEN
301 OCC MEN/WOMEN
4
REQUIRED TOTAL
4
301 OCC 4 MEN/WOMEN 2
4
REQUIRED TOTAL 4 3 3
ACUTAL TOTAL
2
4
ACUTAL TOTAL
3892 Morrison Rd 8/14/2020 4:43:26 PM
3892 Morrison Rd 8/14/2020 4:43:26 PM
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NOTE: THIS IMAGE IS CONCEPTUAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
2 2
EXISTING LOADING DOCK
STAGE 29 288 SF
LAVS
1/500 1/75
DRINKING FOUNTAINS
1/200
MEN
WOMEN 2
MEN
WOMEN
1/500
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4 2
2
2
2
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4 2
2
2
2
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EXISTING LOADING DOC
STAGE 29 288 SF
OCC. 19
OCC. 19 GREEN ROOM / STORAGE 8 422 SF
MECH. 9 181 SF
OCC. 4
OCC. 1
GREEN ROOM / STORAGE 8 422 SF
OCC. 4
2
FLOOR PLAN 1/16" = 1'-0"
MECH. 9 181 SF
OCC. 1
FLOOR PLAN 1/16"AND = 1'-0" THIS IMAGE IS CONCEPTUAL SUBJECT TO CHANGE 2
3264 Larimer St Unit D Denver CO, 80205 / 19 / Radianinc.org 720.708.5424
SPATIAL STRATEGIES IN RESPONSE TO COVID- 19
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LEG E ND U TI LI Z E OU T DOOR S PAC E O P E N U P WA L L B E T W E E N RE S TAU R A N T A N D CA FE TO P ROVI DE A DEQ UAT E S OC I A L D I S TA N C I N G FO R B OT H BU S I N E S S E S . WALK U P W I N DOW FO R RE S TAU R A N T A N D CA FE TO S U P PO RT N O CO N TAC T S E RVI C E S P RO PE R VE N T I L AT I ON ( PAS S I VE AN D AC T I VE ) U TI LI Z E PA R K I N G LOT FO R LARG E R S O C I A L E VE N T S
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RENDERINGS
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RENDERING B - INTERIOR CAFE
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RENDERING A - EXTERIOR RESTAURANT PLAZA
RENDERING C - EXTERIOR CAFE PLAZA
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SITE AXONOMETRIC N O S
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