Changing Denver

On Changing Denver this month, we visit Santa Fe Drive on the first Friday of the month and meet up with “an old friend” to share some stories from the West Side.

-

We bought our copy of Phil Goodstein’s new book, How the West Side Won, at one of Denver’s independent booksellers.

The thumbnail image for this episode can be found on page 129 of How the West Side Won.

-

As always, you can keep up with Changing Denver by signing up for our newsletter or following us on Twitter.

Looking for a way to support the show? Rate us on iTunes or Stitcher! Quality reviews will help us reach a wider audience and eventually expand our offerings.

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can find more of his music here.

Thanks for listening!

Presenting the first installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, shorter episodes comprising complementary or supplementary materials that didn't fit in our regular, monthly features.

Today's CDBBB highlights Josh Pollack, who you know from our episode on Five Points, and the special way he makes bagels at Rosenberg's.

Thanks for listening!

On Changing Denver this month, we dip our toes into the complex issue of gentrification and look at how it is changing Five Points. Specifically, we tell the story of the Welton St. Challenge, a grant-making opportunity the city designed to facilitate the re-development of the Welton St. Corridor, a couple of the grant recipients, and the impact of all their efforts have had on the neighborhood.

Paul Washington, executive director of Denver’s Office of Economic Development, gives the city’s perspective on the Challenge.

Reggie Norman and Wil Alston of Civil Technology talk about how they are managing the re-development of one of Five Points’ iconic landmarks, the Rossonian Hotel.

Josh Pollack, owner of Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen, describes why he applied for a grant through the Welton St. Challenge, how he pitched his project, and what it’s like to open a Jewish New York-style deli in a historically Black neighborhood.

Eric Cunningham, co-creator of Cold Crush and native of Five Points, relates some of his experiences in the new Five Points, including a run-in he had with Josh Pollack.

-

As always, you can keep up with Changing Denver by signing up for our newsletter.

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can find more of his music here.

Special thanks to Molina Speaks for the use of his song “Denver,” which features Randy Runyan. You can find their full album “Everyday Denver” on Bandcamp.

Thanks for listening!

On Changing Denver this month, we look at the Golden Triangle. Specifically, what the %#$& is it?

Jillian Allison, the assistant director at the Byers Evans House Museum, guides us into the history of the Triangle and tells us about the powerful families who shaped it.

David Price, president of the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association, tells us who is making the neighborhood's future and how his organization is influencing that process.

-

Recommended Reading:

Lisa Rab’s feature in Westword a few years ago about the developer responsible for three major high-rise apartment complexes in the Golden Triangle and the lawsuits he left in his wake.

-

As always, you can keep up with Changing Denver by signing up for our newsletter.

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can find more of his music here.

Thanks for listening!

-

Photo Attribution for this Episode:

"DenverPolice" by Jeffrey Beall - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

On Changing Denver this month, we look at big bad Colfax Avenue and the stories we all tell about it. Phil Goodstein, local historian, tells us how Colfax got its name and reputation. You can find many of his books at the Denver Public Library's Western History Reading Room and you can learn more about the walking tours he leads around Denver here. If you'd like to hear the full recording of our conversation with Phil, you can listen to it here. Judith Cohen, a resident of the Chamberlain Heights, describes what life on Colfax is like today and how it's different from what non-residents might expect. James Pachorek, owner of Lost Highway Brewing Company, explains why he themed his new brewery around Colfax and describes what it's like opening a new business on a long-maligned strip of the avenue. - Recommended Reading: Eric Peterson's account of a journey from one end of Colfax to the other. The Denver Post's feature on Colfax's history and significance. - As always, you can keep up with Changing Denver by signing up for our newsletter here. Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward. Special thanks to Babah Fly for the use of his song "I Know You" off his 2009 album Electro Sufi. Paul found his copy of the album at Mutiny Information Café on S. Broadway. Thanks for listening!