Here's why developer of El Chapultepec says iconic Denver jazz club should come down
The controversy of the survival of the old El Chapultepec bar building at 20th and Market Streets in Denver is getting more intense, with alternate views of the condition of the structure.
Historic Denver and two citizens have filed for protective landmark status for the building, while the developer that owns the property, Monfort Companies, seeks to tear it down and rebuild.
"We knew that we might face opposition here as we pursued our plan and went through this two-year journey of designing this building," said Monfort's executive vice president Kenneth Monfort. "But we have conviction around where we've arrived in designing something that, to the best of our ability, honors that legacy."
Plans released by Monfort show the construction of an open patio on the first floor of the corner property, with a floor above it connecting to the old building next door, owned by Monfort, that currently houses the Giggling Grizzly. That property does have historic designation and cannot be torn down. The classic El Chapultepec sign that remains lit at night to this day would be incorporated into the new design.
Monfort and Historic Denver are at odds over the 130-year-old building.
"It's a complication but we're having conversations with Historic Denver. In fact, last Friday we toured them through the property," Monfort said.
Monfort showed reporters the property today. CBS News Colorado has shown before that the old bar and booths were ripped out by a tenet who came in after El Chapultepec shut down. They are believed to have gone to a landfill. Also damaged and removed were supporting elements of the building.
"The removal of all of that structure resulted ultimately in an unsafe building," said Monfort.
The exterior walls show degradation from moisture. Some of the brick easy crumbles. "If we were to shore up the walls that you see here today, because of the materials and the degradation that has taken place over time, the simple process of shoring up those walls will just crumble those walls," said Monfort.
On the second floor, which was used during later years of the Pec's existence for storage, there are cracked roof beams and holes. Development partner Matt Runyon put more blame on the interim tenet who did unpermitted work: "Not to throw him under the bus completely, when you tear all that stuff out, it left a shell of the previous building."
El Chapultepec was a family-owned bar for 87 years. First, it had mariachi music, and later; jazz. Historic Denver is asking the city to add the historic designation based not on the architecture of the building, but on the cultural significance of its history.
"I think they're grossly exaggerating structural issues," said Historic Denver President and CEO John Deffenbaugh. "It's a 130-year-old building that hasn't had much love."
Deffenbaugh pointed out that other historic buildings that have been saved have had structural issues as well.
"The engineering report says nothing about condemning the building," he said.
"Essentially it's about 6 and 1/2 inches lower over on that side, which speaks to the building's shifting and settling over time," said Runyon as he looked across the second floor. "I wish that we could find an appropriate use for the condition of the building."
But he said with the condition it's in, "and economic drivers at hand, unfortunately, this is just one of those things that just kind of creates a perfect storm."
Still, the two sides are talking. Deffenbaugh says Historic Denver is still "very keen to reach a compromise."
The Denver City Council has the ultimate vote on the historic designation that would prevent the destruction of the building. The first step is the Landmark Preservation Commission, which has a public hearing scheduled for May 7.
