When money’s involved, even good intentions can be suspect. If it’s a gift, we often wonder what the donor wants.
The Aspen Institute learned that, with embarrassment, this month. For 56 years the institute has been a sterling example of great and exciting ideas inspired and exchanged by individuals powerful and modest from around the world. With the Aspen Music Festival, the International Design Conference at Aspen, the science center, health center and even glorious skiing, the institute epitomizes a unique philosophy of mind, body and culture nurtured by the vision and devotion of the late Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke more than half a century ago. In honor of their leadership, the main building on the institute campus was named for the Paepckes.
Recently a gift of $4 million was offered, and public perception became that the Paepcke Building would be renamed for the new donors. Outrage. Incensed letters to the editor. The fear wasn’t surprising, since institutions of all kinds have exchanged naming rights for dollars for years.
Wednesday, an institute spokeswoman assured me that renaming the Paepcke Building had never been considered, and that changing the name of any structure was not in the works. The donors have rescinded the offer but hopefully will make another gift later.
In Denver there was equal concern and fury in February when I reported the proposed redesign of Civic Center by Daniel Libeskind, architect of the $90.5 million Hamilton wing of Denver Art Museum. (Frederic C. Hamilton gave $20 milllion to that, and it’s assumed that after all the hoopla of October opening, there will be a discreet search for a donor to “name” the existing museum building, designed by Gio Ponti in the 1960s.)
Though the Civic Center concept was cloaked in secrecy, a source who had seen drawings and a model gave a description that put a lot of us in panic: a 300-foot tower in the center, buildings jutting out over the street and a huge shallow pond.
What might happen to our venerated historic park? I served on a citizen committee that met for over a year forging a Civic Center Master Plan, so what happened to our findings? A new Civic Center Conservancy appeared, its role vague. There were oblique references to big donors just waiting to make their mark on the park, and spare references to Libeskind “refining” his design.
After months of silence from city employees, the public gets to see what’s proposed for this most significant public space, nestled between the Denver City Hall and the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, the main library, the state courts building and the Pioneer Fountain.
A public meeting will be held Wednesday, Aug. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St., with Libeskind presenting his proposals. Other public meetings at the same hours will be held Sept. 14 at the Webb Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave.; Oct. 2 at the Denver Public Library, at Broadway and East 13th Avenue; and Oct. 10 at the Webb Building.
Another important public-policy decision also is approaching, this one about roadless areas in national forests. The extractive industries that make money off these lands – timber, mining, oil and gas – want more roads. The task force that held public hearings across the state strongly backs continued protection of these areas. (In spite of that, the Bureau of Land Management included 17 parcels of roadless land in its Aug. 10 leasing auction.) So much for the federal government’s proclamation that the decision would be made by each state. Nonetheless, it would be valuable for members of the public to inform Gov. Bill Owens of continued support for protection, before he makes his decision by Sept. 15. Write governorowens@state.co.us, or call 303-866- 2471, or write Gov. Bill Owens, State Capitol, Denver, 80203.
Joanne Ditmer’s column on environmental and urban issues for The Post began in 1962 and now appears once a month.
