Reader: El Diablo gets notice to vacate -- seriously, again?

El Diablo has big plans for Cinco de Mayo, but it has another important date earlier in May: Yesterday the city again handed First Avenue Hotel owner Jesse Morreale with a notice to vacate the building by May 3. Morreale opened El Diablo with a temporary occupancy permit from the...

By Patricia Calhoun

April 26, 2013

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El Diablo has big plans for Cinco de Mayo, but it has another important date earlier in May: Yesterday the city again handed First Avenue Hotel owner Jesse Morreale with a notice to vacate the building by May 3. Morreale opened El Diablo with a temporary occupancy permit from the city in August 2010; the first notice to vacate came in July 2012. After the Board of Appeals rule that Morreale could reopen, at least temporarily, a second notice to vacate came in early January. Morreale took that to court and he was allowed to reopen his restaurants, again temporarily. And after another Board of Appeals hearing yesterday, the city issued another notice to vacate -- this time with a week's warning.

Here's Aaron's take on this long-running saga:

Seriously, again?!

While Morreale and his attorney consider their options, regulars are lining up at El Diablo's bar -- and Baker residents are wondering about this latest turn in their neighborhood. The city helped fund the First Avenue Hotel project as a catalyst to economic development in the area -- and this stretch of Broadway has boomed over the last few years. What do you think of the changes? What do you think should happen with El Diablo? Post your thoughts below.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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