Latest news with #ColfaxAvenue
CBS News
30-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Micro grant program launched for Denver businesses affected by BRT construction on Colfax Avenue
As construction continues on East Colfax Avenue, Walter McDonald waits and watches. "We're doing okay, we're getting by," he told CBS News Colorado. "But other businesses, you can really see that it can shut them down." His tattoo shop, Lifetime Tattoo, has been in business on the stretch just past Lafayette Street and Colfax Avenue for 24 years. But now he's seeing the effects of the Bus Rapid Transit, or "BRT," construction on businesses and neighbors. "[The disruption is] definitely on par with COVID in terms of the impact it's had on our business," McDonald said. Walter McDonald, owner of Lifetime Tattoos in Denver, talks about the impact on business the ongoing construction on the Bus Rapid Transit system is having. CBS Earlier in 2025, the city of Denver unveiled grant applications to help businesses impacted by the construction. Among the various criteria to be eligible for up to $15,000 per business, owners had to prove that they suffered a 20% loss or higher directly tied to the road work. CBS Colorado talked to many business owners who expressed concerns that the city was trying to disprove the impacts more than they were trying to help the businesses that were hurting. The Colfax Ave Business Improvement District has been working closely with owners up and down the strip. Denon Moore, business support director for the district and a Colfax Avenue business owner herself, told CBS Colorado that they've rolled out a program of microgrants entirely funded by private sources to be able to provide individual businesses with somewhere between $500 and $1,500 to those who need it. Unlike the city grants, a business would have to prove a 10% loss directly tied to the impacts. Denon Moore, business support director for the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District, talks about grants being offered to business owners along Colfax Avenue to help offset the hit they've experienced during construction of the Bus Rapid Transit system. CBS "We think of it as a tool," Moore said. "They can put $1,500 towards a project to stimulate sales for some type of promotion. I'm on the street every day speaking with operators. I don't think it's hard for many of them to see a 10% loss has occurred." The micro grants could serve a variety of purposes, Moore said. It could be seed money for projects or marketing campaigns to drum up business or add another revenue stream. They could also be used as a stopgap for a bill or unexpected expense that an owner already on the margins due to construction could absorb. McDonald is thankful for the grants but worries it might be too little, too late. The impacts have already been significant, with some businesses announcing they will be shutting down directly due to the BRT construction. Construction for the bus rapid transit project on East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images "It is a nice gesture, but it's not gonna help us," McDonald said. "But the lack of foresight, the lack of planning on the impact to small businesses is unbelievable." As Moore and the district continue to try and find ways to help their neighbors, while others like McDonald aim to survive and keep Colfax's culture alive in a post-construction era. The work is expected to continue through 2025.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- CBS News
Suspect shot during confrontation with Lakewood officers, police say
A man was shot after he reportedly threatened Lakewood police officers Friday afternoon. Authorities said around 2:35 p.m., the man shoplifted merchandise from Home Depot on Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard and then left the store on foot. As he was heading west on Colfax Avenue, police reportedly made contact with him near the Easy Pawn. Lakewood Police Department According to the Lakewood Police Department, the man had a tool he was "brandishing as a weapon" when he confronted officers. Authorities said one officer opened fire, striking the suspect. The department said officers immediately began performing lifesaving measures, and the suspect was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect's condition has not yet been released. No officers were injured in the incident Lakewood police said the officer who fired the shots will be placed on administrative leave. The shooting is under investigation by Jefferson County's Critical Incident Response Team. Authorities said they expect Colfax Avenue to remain closed for several hours while the investigation is underway.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Longtime Denver salon owner says Colfax construction could put her out of business: "Sometimes it makes me so depressed"
The East Colfax Avenue bus rapid transit project involves a long stretch of Colfax Avenue through Denver which has crews adding bus-only lanes along the heavily traveled road. A view of the construction on Colfax Avenue in Denver that will bring in bus rapid transit. CBS The construction has cut traffic down to one lane and is blocking storefronts along the road, and business owners are now saying it's hurting their businesses. Tucked away behind the construction is Martha's Beauty Salon at 516 Colfax Avenue. It's been a staple in the community for decades. Martha Valadez has owned the salon for 30 years. She says her loyal clients are the ones who are keeping her in business. "I say all the time, thank you," said Valadez. "Thank you for helping me, and thank you for coming, because this area is not safe for them." Martha Valadez cuts hair at Martha's Beauty Salon in Denver. CBS Throughout the years, she's seen the neighborhood change and become more dangerous after the pandemic. "Every single day we have problems over here because there's drugs around. We need to call the police all the time," Valadez said. Those same loyal customers have even pitched in to replace the glass in front of her store when it was busted. Now, Valadez has been dealing with construction right outside her salon since November that's crippling her business. She says she barely makes enough money to pay the rent. "Sometimes it makes me so depressed," said Valadez. "Can you believe, three customers a day, it's almost only for the rent. And I'm here because I need the money." CBS Valadez needs the money now more than ever after her husband suffered two heart attacks last year. She even applied for a grant available to businesses impacted by this construction, but she says she was denied due to her previous year's tax records, which doesn't reflect her current situation. "Yeah, look at this. Nobody's here now," Valadez said, pointing to her empty salon during store hours. Valadez said she was told the construction in front of her salon would only last three months. Now six months later, she says it's affecting every business, not just hers. The portion of Colfax just west of Martha's salon is completely torn up, and although it's unclear whether the same type of construction will occur in front of her salon, she says next week they're going to remove the sidewalk and put a bridge up to her door. For the businesses in the area, there's no end in sight.
