Multiple caskets and as many as 50 bones have been recovered at the site for the new multistory parking garage at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver’s chief deputy coroner said today.
Construction at the site was halted Friday when construction crews clearing the site for the new three-story parking structure discovered human remains at the site of what used to be a cemetery.
Michelle Weiss-Samaras, chief deputy coroner, and members of her staff were at the site at 1005 York St. Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.
“We did find bones at the site – multiple caskets were found, many of which were empty,” she said today. “Some had a few bones in them, some more than a few, and some bones were found in the soil.”
As of today, about 50 bones have been recovered, she said.
Construction on the garage, which will have two levels below ground, resumed Tuesday.
But Weiss-Samaras said she will be returning to the site later in the week.
“We have one more area that will be checked on Friday when they remove a pipe and we can look under that area,” said the chief deputy coroner.
After the final inspection, she said, the bones will be given to Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Wheat Ridge for reburial.
“They (Mt. Olivet) are aware of what is planned and we actually had one of their staff on site with us. But we are waiting to see if anything else comes up on Friday, then they will be asked to pick up the remains and they will re-bury them,” said Weiss-Samaras.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
