Your Daily Guide

🚪 Before You Grade Downtown, Take a Look Around

The local architecture celebration Doors Open Denver returned yesterday and runs through this Sunday, giving Denverites a closer look at the buildings, public spaces and big changes reshaping the city center. This year, organizers are also pushing back on simple narratives about whether downtown is thriving or struggling. [Westword]

• See what’s behind closed doors: Doors Open Denver gives the public access to some of the city’s notable spaces, with guided tours of distinctive local buildings like the Mayan Theatre, and the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, plus self-guided stops including the Denver Woman’s Press Club and Oxford Hotel. [5280]
• Don’t grade downtown yet: “I feel like there’s a scorecard out there, and people want to give Denver’s downtown a grade or a mark,” Denver Architecture Foundation CEO Meg Touborg told Westword. She argues that treating downtown as something static misses how quickly it continues to evolve. [Westword]

🚨 Denver’s Public Safety Gets a Checkup

Denver public safety departments faced some tough questions during City Council budget hearings this week, with increasing 911 wait times and police surveillance among the top concerns. Council members also pressed Police Chief Ron Thomas for a clearer accounting of the department's surveillance technology at its costs. Thomas agreed to provide the council with a breakdown. [Denver Gazette]

🏗️ Surprise! A Data Center Might Be Your New Neighbor

Some Aurora and Green Valley Ranch residents say they were blindsided by plans for “Project Trident,” a nearly 900,000 square foot data center near East 48th Avenue and E-470. A City of Aurora spokesperson said the industrial zoning allows the project to move through administrative review without a neighborhood meeting, but residents want to be a part of the conversation. [Denver7]

💧 Aurora Bottler Turns to Greeley for Water

Aurora ordered its biggest water users to cut consumption amid drought restrictions, and its largest water consumer, Niagara Bottling, found another way to comply: They’re trucking water in from Greeley. Aurora approved the arrangement, which lets the bottling company reduce its use of Aurora’s water supply while continuing business. [9News]

⛰️ What are Denver’s unwritten rules?

I think we can all agree Denver has got its own unique set of charms, and they can take some getting used to. So that’s why I wanted to hop on the podcast today with host Bree Davies and one of our favorite regular contributors Michelle Jackson to share the love. We brainstormed up a bunch, and we’re sharing our list of Denver’s unwritten rules. Check it out at the link below 👇