Reader: I Don’t Get What the City Is Doing With the Denver Pavilions

When was the last time you went to the Denver Pavilions? When Bennito L. Kelty was growing up in Aurora, spending a day at the two-block complex in downtown Denver was a family treat. But as he learned on a recent Saturday night visit, the Pavilions — only a few years older than Kelty himself –— hasn’t improved with age. Few shops are open after 8 p.m., and even fewer escalators work.

But big changes are in the works. In August, the Downtown Development Authority announced that it was buying the two parking lots behind the Pavilions for $23 million; a month later, Denver officials revealed that the DDA would facilitate the purchase of the Pavilions itself for $37 million plus another $8 million for improvements. With the two lots under city control, the plan is for Denver to come up with a financially feasible development proposal for the entire complex, and then attract interested developers.

On December 1, Denver City Council is slated to vote on the planned $68 million purchase of the two parking lots and the Pavilions. In the meantime, readers have plenty of opinions about what Kelty found on his Saturday night visit, and what could be in store for the place. Says Doug:

Thanks for your piece. As a resident of Five Points, I do hope the redevelopment is successful. And that the escalators are fixed. Like you, we go to movies often, and I think the theaters are also struggling.

Adds Joel:

This should be the heartbeat of downtown. Instead, it looks like it’s on life support.

Responds Chachi:

This is last year’s news. And the year before.

Wonders Fan:

Is this the same specialist who rebranded the 16th Street (Mall)? I can see it now…presenting “DenPav”?

Offers Rebekah:

I don’t get what the city is doing with the Pavilions. When I was working in a trade job, those parking lots are where I’d park sometimes if I had to be downtown. They actually are useful lots to have.

The article also mentions that adding a hotel might make it attractive to investors. I think the Hyatt Regency is like a couple of blocks away and I believe the Sonesta is like right behind; you just walk a block. (I was a stagehand; we would set up and take down events at a lot of hotels.)

I’m concerned because the city isn’t managing properties well — the Post building is way behind on rent, no? I know the trend culturally is “cars bad,” but if you turn all the parking lots into hotels,where are the literal work vans, like Sturgeon Electric’s vans with ladders on top, going to park? Is everyone in this vision who does actual work trudging to the downtown core from the Ball Arena lot?

I just don’t get this, it makes no sense. There are already nice hotels right there. The city’s like a patsy for these CRE people, and they clearly don’t know what they’re doing in the CRE space. They’re like marks for these people. It’s unreal.

Recalls Richard:

I went to the Pavilions on Wednesday afternoon to see a movie. We parked in the garage and went to the elevator. I pressed the button to go up and heard a faint knock and muffled yell for help coming from inside the elevator. We yelled through the door to the person on the other side; they had been stuck inside for about ten minutes. I called the fire department while my friend called security. When security got there, we left. Took the stairs down ifve flights after the movie, though.

Says Maria:

That elevator is broken all the time!

Responds Monte:

Mitch Hedberg ia smiling from beyond the grave.

What do you think the city should do with the Denver Pavilions? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.