By Cindy Lindsay
I believe downtown Boulder should be for everyone, especially our last and best open space with views of the Flatirons. Back in the early 2000s when the St. Julien Hotel was being built, there was an adjacent space to the east that was specifically set aside for community use called the “civic use” pad.
Now that space is in danger of being eliminated.
The proposal, currently before the City of Boulder Planning Board, is for an approximately 56,900 square-foot structure — a 55-foot-tall, five-story building directly east of the St. Julien and over the existing underground city parking garage. Current plans call for an 8,600-square-foot ballroom (described in the proposal as a “civic use event space”) and 39 extended-stay hotel rooms.
The space was originally set aside as an extension of the Civic Area, which includes the park area adjacent to Boulder Creek, the library, the theatre and the bandshell. Many in downtown and throughout Boulder are concerned about this building for many reasons.
As a result, we have formed a coalition to encourage discussion and generate community input on the commercial development of the last remaining civic space with a view of the Flatirons in Downtown Boulder.
The proposed building is both out-of-character for the neighborhood and is not sensitive to either the commercial or residential neighbors. Its immense size and close clustering with neighboring buildings, spanning over two lengthy city blocks, degrades Downtown Boulder’s character. Further, the proposed development encroaches into the High Hazard Zone of the floodplain. We believe there are traffic, safety, access and parking issues. The traffic study that has been done to date is, we believe, inadequate to fully access what are sure to be myriad issues for both surrounding businesses and residents. We also believe there is a lack of adequate emergency access in the event of a fire.
Furthermore, the proposed development fails to provide any additional parking for the substantial structure. The original intent of this space was for “civic use.” While the projects proposed — ranging from a children’s museum to the Boulder History Museum and more — did not come to fruition, we believe fostering a dialog will allow the St. Julien to construct a commercially viable project through community input to both maintain the civic intent and protect the character of the neighborhood. We don’t believe a “Ballroom” is a civic use space.
Our goal is to facilitate a conversation and enable community input regarding the last downtown civic use space with a view of the Flatirons. We’d like to begin to develop a better solution that works for the space, for the St. Julien, for Downtown Boulder and for the original civic intent of the pad.
What about other ideas for the space? Those include a glass pavilion with greenery, a café that would be accessible to everyone and also be available to rent for private occasions.
Our coalition includes people who live downtown, business owners and others who are concerned about developing the last best open space downtown. We invite you to join us to receive updates and provide input at www.ProtectBoulderCivicSpace.com.
There will be an informational meeting to discuss the project on April 30, 2024, from 5:30 to 7:00 at Industrious, 1919 14th St, 7th Floor.
We believe that downtown should be for everyone, preserving the expansive views of the Flatiron and open space for public enjoyment of everyone — not just those who can afford to rent a ballroom.
Cindy Lindsay lives in downtown Boulder and frequently enjoys the civic use space.
