The Squire Lounge’s owners say construction on the East Colfax Avenue bus rapid transit project caused flooding that filled the historic Denver dive bar with nearly 3 feet of water after a recent rainstorm, though city officials said the cause hasn’t been confirmed and that other factors may have played a role.
On Saturday, Squire co-owner Sudhir Kudva posted photos of the water-filled basement at the bar, located at 1800 E. Colfax Ave., and said flooding destroyed the water heater, walk-in cooler, liquor and anything else that happened to be on the lower level.
The bar is no stranger to flooding issues but typically sees 2 or 3 inches, not feet, of water, Kudva wrote on social media. He blamed the city for covering up storm drains and removing hard clay soil around the building and replacing it with soil cells during BRT construction.
“It’s never been that bad before,” co-owner Steven Alix said Wednesday.
The business complains to the city every time it rains and floods the bar, Alix said, and even built a special gate to try to keep some of the water at bay.
“This has been happening for a long time, but to a much less degree,” he said. “It’s been a real bummer, but this one was a nightmare. I don’t know how that much water got in when it only rained for 10 or 15 minutes.”
The flooding also damaged basements in the rest of the building, which includes two shuttered restaurants and a liquor store, Alix said.
Workers at those businesses could not be reached for comment on the flooding.
Nearby business owners unconnected to the Squire said their buildings were not flooded during last week’s rainstorm, though one noted that the intersection of East Colfax Avenue and North Williams Street — where the Squire resides — often forms a lake during storms.
The Regional Transportation District, Colorado Department of Transportation and Denver Department of Community Planning and Development referred questions about the flooding to the city’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Denver transportation spokesperson Nancy Kuhn said on Wednesday that several state permits require crews to try to stop sediment from entering the storm sewer system during construction, and barriers or filters around storm drains are standard practice because they allow for the flow of water but not sediment.
“On this project, these erosion-control measures are reviewed monthly and after every storm event,” Kuhn said in a statement. “We have no confirmation that sediment control caused the flooding at Squire Lounge.”
Kuhn added that the building is at a natural low spot that’s at increased risk for flooding, and that the storm drainage system in east Denver is undersized, but the city is working on upgrading it with “significant, annual investments.”
“Existing storm systems constructed decades ago are no longer adequate, and although we are actively working to upgrade stormwater systems on the east side of town, reaching this part of East Colfax will take many more years at current annual funding levels,” Kuhn said.
For the city, next steps include looking at the effects of Friday’s storm and working to make sure stormwater pipes are working as well as possible, she said.
The next steps for the Squire Lounge are a little more murky, as it’s still unclear how much repairs will cost, Alix said. But because damage is confined to the basement, the bar is still open for business and ready to serve thirsty customers.
“At this point we’re going to power through,” Alix said. “We’re wide open, and everything is good to go and safe.”
