The Better Denver Program will improve some of the infrastructure that helps to make our City healthier by providing a vital "hand up" to our working poor.
Many of Denver’s low-income child care facilities have outdated heating, plumbing, and electrical systems. The East Side Denver Human Services facility lacks the capability to serve the needs of veterans, people having trouble with their heating bills, and people who need food stamps.
Denver Health is straining to keep up with dramatic increases in patient loads as other hospitals are moving out of Denver, and is forced to turn away paying customers who help support the hospital.
Our 25-year old animal shelter is so outdated that it does not meet 28 local, state and federal regulatory requirements for a municipal animal shelter. All of these facilities are critical components of the comprehensive system that protects the health of every Denver resident, not just the needy.
1B of the Better Denver 1B bonds will fund over $48.6 million in essential maintenance of our health and human services facilities.
Denver’s new Eastside Human Services Office Coming
The new Eastside Human Services facility will allow for more services and increased convenience for the public! Located at 38th & Steele on a 4.7 acre site, the building size is approximately 51,000 sf, 1-2 stories above street level.
View Poster (PDF) |
En Español
What are the benefits?
• More services closer to home
• New state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facility for our clients
• New building could improve property values
• An empty, dark, industrial lot that housed old trailers will be replaced by a new facility alive with residents and employees.
Services
The following services will be available at the new Human Services Office for qualifying applicants living in these zip codes: 80205, 80206, 80207, 80216, and 80218.
Family and Adult Services:
Food assistance, Old Age Pension (OAP), Aid to Needy & Disabled (AND),Medicare Savings Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF),Family Medicaid, Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) and EBT/Quest Cards.
Child Support Enforcement Services:
Begin child support claims: case initiation for applicants/recipients
Child Welfare Services:
Intake and on-going child protection services, foster care support, certification and recruitment; adoptions, kinship support services, youth services, Team Decision Making, and services for developmentally delayed children.
Next Steps:
1. Assess traffic patterns and develop plans to consider traffic, access, pedestrians, and safety.
2. Continue discussions with RTD regarding service to this new facility.
3. Study building design so that it blends with neighborhood.
4. Additional community meetings to get feedback on design.
Schedule:
The project is hosting several public meetings which will be posted on the
Events and Public Meetings section of this web site. For the most up to date information on timeframe for construction, please use the map feature on this web site and view the project summary information in the pop-up box. At this time construction is anticipated to begin in 2010.
New Animal Shelter Coming in 2011
Thank you for your patience
Thanks to Denver voters' support of the Better Denver Bond Program, a new Denver Municipal Animal Shelter will be built in 2011 (approx Q3). The new shelter will help us more fully achieve our goals and mission to protect animal and human health and safety, and animal welfare. The new Shelter will be located at 1271 W. Bayaud (Platte/Navajo), a short distance from the existing shelter.
New Denver Municipal Animal Shelter Design:
Click on image to enlarge
The new facility will have many benefits:
· Bigger - The shelter will be 35,900 sq feet - bigger than the current building
· More convenient - Offering more services under one roof
· More enjoyable surroundings - For people and animals
· Better care – New equipment, technology & accommodations to ensure humane care
Early Learning Center Celebrations
Preschoolers from West Denver joined Mayor John Hickenlooper, District 3 City Councilman Paul Lopez, child advocates and Better Denver Bond Program leaders and contractors June 18, 2009 to celebrate completion of bond-funded improvements at three City-owned child care centers.
| Improvement Projects |
| Project Name |
Bond Amount |
Description |
Denver Health - 5th Floor expansion
|
$5,800,000
|
Remodel the fifth floor of the older hospital building in order to gain 36 medical/surgical beds and to convert the existing 2-bed and 4-bed rooms to private rooms. This is part of a larger remodel project that the hospital is undertaking with their own funding to increase their total beds by 106, which are needed as other hospitals exit the core city. |
| Denver Municipal Animal Shelter |
$18,180,000
|
Replace existing functionally obsolete and non-compliant animal shelter with a new shelter to temporarily house stray dogs and cats, as well as accommodate the regulatory functions of the agency. |
| Lowry Child Care Center |
$91,000
|
This project will compete the exterior landscaping at Lowry Montessori, which serves low-income children. Project will complete the landscaping, including soil preparation and sprinkler system installation. |
| Westwood Child Care Centers |
$3,526,000
|
Upgrades to and expansion of the Westwood Child Development Center including: renovate interior and exterior, update plumbing, upgrade kitchen hood and flooring, construct a new playground, repair and expand parking, replace light poles, construct an addition. This center serves low-income children. |
| Edna Oliver Child Care |
$743,000
|
Repairs to existing child care center at Edna Oliver. Renovation work will include minor interior reconfigurations and building systems upgrades. The center serves low-income children. |
| Neighborhood House Child Care Center |
$743,000
|
Repairs to existing child care site at Neighborhood House ($618,000) which serves low-income children. |
| Westside Child Care Center |
$743,000 |
Repairs to existing child care sites at the Westside Centers ($100,000) which serves low-income children. |
| Northeast Child Care Centers |
$743,000
|
Repairs to existing child care sites at Northeast Center. The center serves low-income children. |
| New Construction Projects |
| Project Name |
Bond Amount |
Description |
| Eastside Human Services Offices |
$19,500,000
|
This project is to construct a new 51,000 square foot office building on a new site at 3821 Steele Street for the Department's Eastside facility (Five Points Community Center). |