Unless you’re a political candidate preparing for the Aug. 10 primary, the first weeks of summer have offered much to enjoy. In particular, the activities and improvements in Civic Center demonstrate how far we’ve come in the four years since the protracted battle over locating Colorado’s History Museum in the park.
The re-emergence of Denver’s premiere public square owes a great deal to the vision and tenacity of Elaine Asarch. Inspired by the successes of community-based advocacy groups in New York’s Central Park and Battery Park City, Asarch formed the Civic Center Conservancy and nurtured a partnership with Denver’s parks department. Her initiative coincided with completion of the citizen-based Civic Center Master Plan, which called for the restoration and improvement of Denver’s historic gathering place.
A couple of controversial proposals — a too-bold master plan by architect Daniel Libeskind in 2006 and the 2007 history museum idea — broadened the public’s attention to this overlooked civic asset.
Controversy coupled with Asarch’s determination to build a constituency for the park forced Mayor John Hickenlooper’s administration to pay attention. City Hall issued numerous requests for proposals to rescue the Carnegie Library/ McNichols Building from decades of miserably executed remodels. The lack of public funds to invest in the building chilled a number of good ideas. In the meantime, Asarch and the conservancy brought concerts and movies to the park and began a Tuesday farmer’s market.
In February 2009, Hickenlooper’s former press secretary, Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, became executive director of the conservancy. At about the same time, Hickenlooper decided to launch a Biennial of the Americas, headquartered in the McNichols Building. The result? As many as 20,000 people celebrated the Fourth of July with fireworks and the Colorado Symphony in Civic Center. Private and public dollars paid for new lights and the restoration of the park’s historic monuments and infrastructure. Thanks to excess funds from the 2008 Democratic National Convention and private support, the McNichols building — headquarters for this month’s Biennial — is a showstopper.
Visit the beautifully restored space. The interior provides a glimpse of the Beaux Arts beauty of its Carnegie Library origins. The exterior, dressed up with colorful ribbons at the entry and garlands and greenery on the exterior, is delightful.
Perhaps the Biennial’s most impactful offering was the eight roundtables, held throughout July. Public dialogues in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House were held on subjects from philanthropy to health, education, women in leadership, poverty reduction and international trade. (Replays of the discussions are on Denver’s Channel 8, and a few tickets remain for the final roundtable this Wednesday.)
Jim Polsfut, who orchestrated a similar format for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, assembled a range of leaders from the Western Hemisphere. Nearly 10,000 have attended the sessions. A friend articulated the quality of the sessions: The roundtables “were in some ways life-changing for us by greatly expanding our understandings of the problems, opportunities, and potentials in our hemisphere.”
How to put the refurbished McNichols Building into daily, active use remains a challenge. The Biennial may or may not recur, depending on the appetite of Denver’s next leaders.
However, the month-long celebration, the transformation of one of Denver’s architectural treasures and engaging dialogues brought value and insight to the city. The re-emergence of Civic Center as a lively public square is proof that a few people with vision, commitment and tenacity make Denver a great city.
Susan Barnes-Gelt (sbg13@comcast.net) served on the Denver City Council.
