HQ Moves Shows, Makes Fundraiser Following Flooding

HQ owners Scott Happel and Peter Ore are reaching out to fans to open their hearts and wallets after their venue at 60 South Broadway was forced to close on August 15, when a water pipe burst and flooded the basement. By the time Denver Water turned off the water main under South Broadway, HQ's basement wall had already buckled against the high-pressure spray, deluging the bottom floor with mud and standing water for hours until the 3,200-square-foot space with ten-foot ceilings was completely flooded.

While HQ Underground, the basement area that hosted drag and burlesque shows, won't reopen until sometime next year, Happel and Ore hope to raise enough money to open HQ for a temporary period in four to six weeks, before the venue will need to close for another six to eight weeks to repair the wall. In a statement alongside the fundraiser, the owners write that this would be "the best-case scenario."

The "likely worst-case scenario," they add, is "not being allowed to re-open until the damaged wall is completely rebuilt, which would mean being closed for three to four months at least."

The fundraiser is asking for donations in increments of $10, $25, $100 and $1,000, which are being sold in a manner similar to concert tickets, allowing donors to purchase up to ten of any category. The donations will be used for operating expenses as HQ works to return to the Denver scene, including staffing for essential employees who have not already pursued alternative opportunities.
Although both HQ and its landlords have insurance, the owners aren't expecting any help from that end, given the surface water exclusion found in most Colorado insurance policies, which does not protect properties from damage caused by water outside of the building. "Since the water main was located on city property underneath the street, we expect zero insurance coverage," Happel and Ore state.

They add that they don't expect much help from the city, either, at least "not voluntarily." Because the source of the damage was city property, liability must be established based on a forthcoming lawsuit in the next few years, which means that HQ will be acting out of pocket for any repairs, depending on fundraising.

"This will likely end in a lawsuit that will take a few years to resolve, while we must front all of the expense, including legal fees, ourselves," the owners predict.

Meanwhile, HQ is scattering its concerts to other venues in the area, including the Oriental Theater, the Moon Room, Herman’s Hideaway, Globe Hall and Larimer Lounge. The HQ website has been updated to list where each show has been moved.

"With your help," Ore and Happel write in the fundraiser, "HQ will 100 percent survive this, and come back better and stronger than ever once it is done."

HQ's fundraiser as well as a list of moved concerts can be found on its website. More updates can be found on Instagram.