“Over the Colfax Clover” reimagines possibilities

WEST COLFAX — The West Colfax BID is working on their latest improvement project, “Over the Colfax Clover.” Its goal is to improve the quality of transportation and connectivity in the neighborhood. Brainstorming sessions started in March this year to create a design demonstration that envisions a bold step in land use and safer transportation. […]

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North Denver Tribune

Gentrification in Denver: The Challenges, The Possibilities and the People

DENVER — The SEED Institute at Regis University College of Business & Economics has joined forces with the Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado to organize a three-night event that will examine in depth the pros and cons of gentrification in the Denver, Colorado metro area.

The first night will focus on the challenges that Denver residents face as population rapidly rises along the front range and competition for housing increases. Some of the key challenges include rising rents, rapid inflation in housing costs and property taxes; however, threats to neighborhood identities is also a pressing issue. These tensions will be examined by a panel of experts who will also facilitate a discussion with attendees. Panelists include: Tammy Lewis & Ken Gould (Professors at Brooklyn College in New York City and authors of _Green Gentrification: Urban Sustainability & the Struggle for Environmental Justice_ (Routledge)), Damien Thompson (Director of the Food Justice Center at Regis University), and Beth Schaefer Caniglia (Director of the SEED Institute and author of _Resilience, Environmental Justice & the City_ (Routledge)).

The second night’s panel will focus on solutions to gentrification that stave off displacement and foster diversity as neighborhoods are renewed. Two neighborhood regeneration projects – Sun Valley and the Federal Corridor – will take center stage as examples of regenerative development that places community engagement and social justice at the center. Three development professionals will be featured on the panel: Callahan Seltzer, CityCraft Ventures; Chris Parr, Sun Valley Eco-District; and Michael Leccese, ULI Colorado. Tammy Lewis and Ken Gould will moderate this panel and the discussion that follows.

The third night of the conference is focused on constructing a local, collaborative vision of the Denver residents want to create in the face of gentrification struggles. Attendees from the first two nights, as well as newcomers, are encouraged to join this visioning exercise, which will be led by Ken Sagendorf, Beth Schaefer Caniglia, and Damien Thompson from Regis University. The outcome will be a collaborative vision of the challenges facing our rapidly growing city and the possibilities for how to shape housing, diversity and neighborhood identities in the face of these challenges.

All conference events are free to the public; however, registration is encouraged. Each evening’s events will begin at 5:30 p.m. with networking, heavy hors d’oeurvres, and a cash bar. Panel discussions and the visioning exercise will take place 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and the evening will close at 8:30 p.m. Children are welcome at the conference on all three nights, and simultaneous translation will be available for monolingual Spanish speakers.

Those interested in attending can register for each night individually at the following links:

DAY 1: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2730027 [1]

DAY 2: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2730030 [2]

DAY 3: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2730033 [3]

Questions can be directed to Jenna Oliver at [email protected]

gentrification conference flyer with links embedded

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North Denver Tribune