Updated 12:28 p.m.
The mayor’s office has released the price tags for its proposed package of $935 million of debt-funded city projects and made several changes to the list. The release comes a week after the mayor’s office released an initial list of projects without cost estimates — drawing criticism from the Denver City Council.
The project getting the biggest share of bond dollars will be a renovation of the 8th Avenue Viaduct, which is budgeted for $89.2 million.
Three other projects, all of which would build brand-new capital improvements, are budgeted to receive $70 million or more. Those are:
- The buildout of Park Hill Park.
- Marion Street Underpass for Globeville to Elyria and Swansea.
- And a new First Responder Safety Training Center, where Denver’s sheriff, fire and police departments could train new recruits.
The revision comes as the mayor wrestles with rising opposition from Denver City Council members, whose support he will need to place the proposal before voters in November.
In total, the bond package would pay for $935 million in infrastructure and capital projects. About $112 million of that is budgeted for contingency in case the price of labor, materials or land increases before construction starts.
The city said while the total bond package is more expensive than initial $800 million estimates, it would still be paid for with existing property taxes. If voters approve the measure in November, the city would keep property tax rates at their current level, rather than potentially allowing them to decrease.
You can find a full list of projects and their estimated costs here.
The city added some projects and cut others.
The initial list, released last week, was drafted by the executive committee overseeing the bond package, based on months of community meetings and outreach. The update released this week included price tags as well as changes to the proposal made by the mayor’s office.
The mayor’s office added 15 projects that weren’t in the executive committee’s initial recommendations. Notably, it added projects to districts that were excluded in the first draft of proposals. The far northeast now is recommended to receive four new projects, including a “shade plaza” at Montbello Civic Center Park and renovations for the Senior Center at the Arie P Taylor Municipal Center.
The earlier list of proposed projects — and the process for creating it — had drawn criticism from Denver City Council members, especially those who felt their districts were neglected.
The most expensive revision to the bond package comes from a line item for a “southeast recreation hub and skate park” in District 4. The project would build a skatepark in the Kennedy neighborhood and purchase land for a new southeast Denver recreation center.
The additions total around $66.2 million.
Meanwhile, four projects initially recommended by the executive committee have been cut in the mayor’s office’s latest list. The four are:
- A combination housing project and city facility in District 2 in West Denver, initially budgeted for $20 million.
- Funding for the city’s participatory budgeting program, which allows residents to vote on how a small portion of the city budget should be spent, initially budgeted for $3 million
- A replacement of the Quebec Street bridge over Airlawn Road in District 8, initially budgeted for $9.25 million
- Traffic signal improvements in districts 4, 6 and 11, initially budgeted for $6.75 million
The traffic signal improvements project has been broken up into two new separate projects: dedicated traffic signals for District 11 and improvements to Evans Avenue in Districts 4 and 6.
In addition, the revisions reduce funding for several budget items in the original recommendation list. Some projects, like Sun Valley Riverfront Park or trail lighting for the Highline Canal, were recommended for significantly fewer dollars in the mayor’s revisions compared to what the executive committee recommended.
What’s next for the bond?
Negotiations will continue. Soon, Denver City Council will get a chance to amend the list, potentially adding its own recommendations and revised pricetags.
The council has to decide by Aug. 25 whether to refer the bond proposal to the ballot.
Last week, council members criticized the bond effort, saying there wasn’t enough transparency in the process and that some districts wouldn’t benefit enough. Some indicated that without major changes to the package, they could vote to block the proposal.
