Thanks Aaron Goldhamer for sharing this info

From: Valencia, Johnny V. – Recreation Administration <Johnny.Valencia@denvergov.org>
Date: Wed, Aug 31, 2016 at 4:21 PM
Subject: Carla Madison Recreation Center Update
To:
Good Afternoon Stakeholders,

We have some great news and several updates to share.

Alternate Amenities and Fundraising

For the last several months, Denver Parks & Recreation leadership has been working diligently and creatively to find ways to fund the full build-out of the rooftop deck and event space. Through available contingency funds from the project, borrowing from various internal funding sources, in addition to a commitment of $100,000 from the Anschutz Foundation, the department has been able to secure the funding necessary to allow us to proceed with the full buildout of the rooftop deck and event space. This has been a high priority for the project team.  The rooftop deck and event space will expand the center’s capacity to provide additional programming that promotes health and wellness; will provide community gathering space; and will offer the public another reasonably priced, quality venue to celebrate special events, all while providing magnificent views of Denver and the Front Range.  This will be a treasured asset for the community.

However, we need to continue to invite partners and the community to be part of the construction of the Carla Madison Recreation Center. Our goal is to include the remaining alternate amenities that were a high-priority for the community. This includes an external climbing wall and external site amenities (climbing boulder, game tables, slacklining, etc.). Altogether, the cost to add these alternate amenities is $745,000.  At this point, we have exhausted all internal funding sources and the department will be approaching potential sponsors and launching a grassroots fundraising campaign.  Through a grassroots campaign, our goal is to encourage the community’s continued involvement in the completion of the recreation center. Community engagement has been fundamental in this project, from site location, to identifying center amenities, to the naming. This campaign will ask community members to donate toward the completion of the recreation center, while providing them permanent recognition within the building.  More information to come.

Schedule

The addition of the rooftop deck and event space has added scope to the project and has extended the expected completion to Fall of 2017.

Retail Pad Site

The project team has elected to remove the retail pad site from the market. The area will be built as part of the plaza and includes site concrete and landscaping features.  This land will remain a City asset and can be considered for future development at a later date.

Current Construction

Many of you have probably driven by the site of the future Carla Madison Recreation Center and seen the concrete, masonry, and steel structure that has been erected.  Starting last week large steel joists were delivered. These joists are very large and require street parking closures.  The project team tried to move the date of this work to occur before school started but was unable to do so.  Deliveries will be limited to the hours of 9:00am to 3:00pm in order minimize impact on school-related traffic. The street parking on the southbound lanes of the Esplanade are closed between 17th and 16th Ave. and there is a police officer stationed at the intersection of 17th Ave and Esplanade to assist in the safety of the operation.

Best Regards,