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What a place. I know from the 50's-late 90's, neighborhoods around East Colfax were African American predominant and had a character about them. Of course if you ask the random person, it still has a rough and hard reputation. However, I think in the last 10-15 years it has really changed.
From Broadway to Monaco on East Colfax seems to have been gentrified like crazy in the past 10-15 years. Granted, once you go far enough north into Five Points, Whittier, Skyland, North Park Hill, and far enough east on Colfax to the East Colfax neighborhood and North Aurora...all bets are off. However, the neighborhoods surround that specific part of East Colfax seem to be "yuppified" if you know what I mean. Capitol Hill, Uptown, City Park, City Park West, South Park Hill, Congress Park, Cheesman Park, Hale, Montclair, etc. Those neighborhoods use to be African American predominant and have a character about them, which was great. Now it seems like they are just the new spot for yuppies to move back into the city, at least at the moment. Granted, Five Points, Whittier, and North Park Hill have seems ome pretty significant gentrifying, but its going to take much longer to complete in those neighborhoods. Im also not saying that Northeast Denver does not have strong character in their neighborhoods, because many still do.
I may be wrong, but East Colfax Ave and the neighborhoods surrounding it kind of remind me of areas I have seen in NYC. Places in Brooklyn, Queens, Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, etc. For example, in those areas you can see druggies, prostitutes, gang bangers, homeless, business professionals, yuppies, couples walking dogs, and artsy college type kids, all on the SAME street and in the SAME area together. Wide varieties of people. I see the same on East Colfax Ave from Broadway to Monaco and the neighborhoods immediately surrounding it. you can literally see every type of person along East Colfax Ave, the same as places in NYC. That seems to be what has made the area somewhat even more interesting than it was from the 50's to the late 90's. Of course a brief stroll or drive along East Colfax will quickly remind you of its reputation for drugs, prostitutes, gang bangers, homeless, etc. I mean I can't think of a time (day or night) that I have driven along East Colfax and not seen people dealing drugs from the bus stop at Boradway to Dowing St a few blocks down. But, it will also remind you of a new yuppie type area with professionals, college age people, couples, etc.
While, I love the way East Colfax use to be with its strong African American community and character (and it still has that, as does much of Northeast Denver), I think its an even more interesting kind of place with the new wide varieties of people that can be seen on that section of East Colfax Ave. While I am completely opposed to the gentrification in the North Denver areas, and some of the West Denver areas, I believe the gentrification of the East Colfax areas has made it a interesting place to see people and even visit on certain days.
What does everyone else think of how East Colfax Ave from Broadway to Monaco has evolved???
What a place. I know from the 50's-late 90's, neighborhoods around East Colfax were African American predominant and had a character about them. Of course if you ask the random person, it still has a rough and hard reputation. However, I think in the last 10-15 years it has really changed.
East Colfax has never been predominantly African American. Obviously you don't know as much about Denver's history as you think you do.
East Colfax has never been predominantly African American. Obviously you don't know as much about Denver's history as you think you do.
Actually, East Colfax was the epicanter of the Denver civil rights movement back in the 60's in Northeast Denver. Many neighborhoods around east colfax such as Capitol Hill, Uptown, City Park, City Park West, etc. were strong African American communities from the 50's well into the 80's and 90's before gentrifying. Not 100% African American, but atleast over 50% to make it predominant. Five Points is nicknamed the "HARLEM OF THE WEST" for a reason, and it wasn't just because Billie Holliday and others use to perform there back in the day. In college, my African American studies teacher from the City Park West neighborhood showed us statistics, books, and videos of how Denver's african american population/percentage in the 50's, 60's, and 70's was three to four times what it is today. Our African American population/precentage is decreasing. Five Points statistically became an African American community way back in the 1920's. Read some history about Northeast Denver. When busing was going on in the 50's, 60's and even the 70's, the great white flight moved most all white people that were still left in Northeast Denver out to the suburbs. Denver's minority percentage during busing sky rocketed to 83% of the population during these years. After World War 2, the neighborhoods around East Colfax ave suffered from the great white flight, and also with the construction of I-70 through Denver in the 50's i believe. That affected the number of people that would drive on east colfax through those neighborhoods and they suffered from the 50's well into the 90's. That has been well documented. Read some history of Northeast Denver before you dismiss its great history of East Colfax being the epicenter for Denver's civil rights, and neighborhoods arounds it that use to be at least 50% african american.
Without getting into a history debate, can you answer the question? Clearly, East Colfax ave has developed into a different area than it was 10-15 years ago. What do you think of it?
Last edited by CO.Native.SW; 04-12-2011 at 11:01 PM..
I like it, and find it interesting. I drive down E. Colfax a lot and enjoy seeing all the different types of people. I like that there are nice restaurants, stores, and condos along side thrift shops, porn stores, etc. It's a crazy combination. I like the new zoning that now prevents suburban style development on E. Colfax, so it will evolve in a more urban manner. (for instance, the McDonalds that was torn down next to Immaculate Conception and replaced by a more urban McDonalds built right up on the street, or the new Argonaut's). It'll be interesting to see how E. Colfax continues to evolve.
Actually, East Colfax was the epicanter of the Denver civil rights movement back in the 60's in Northeast Denver. Many neighborhoods around east colfax such as Capitol Hill, Uptown, City Park, City Park West, etc. were strong African American communities from the 50's well into the 80's and 90's before gentrifying. Not 100% African American, but atleast over 50% to make it predominant. Five Points is nicknamed the "HARLEM OF THE WEST" for a reason, and it wasn't just because Billie Holliday and others use to perform there back in the day. In college, my African American studies teacher from the City Park West neighborhood showed us statistics, books, and videos of how Denver's african american population/percentage in the 50's, 60's, and 70's was three to four times what it is today. Our African American population/precentage is decreasing. Five Points statistically became an African American community way back in the 1920's. Read some history about Northeast Denver. When busing was going on in the 50's, 60's and even the 70's, the great white flight moved most all white people that were still left in Northeast Denver out to the suburbs. Denver's minority percentage during busing sky rocketed to 83% of the population during these years. After World War 2, the neighborhoods around East Colfax ave suffered from the great white flight, and also with the construction of I-70 through Denver in the 50's i believe. That affected the number of people that would drive on east colfax through those neighborhoods and they suffered from the 50's well into the 90's. That has been well documented. Read some history of Northeast Denver before you dismiss its great history of East Colfax being the epicenter for Denver's civil rights, and neighborhoods arounds it that use to be at least 50% african american.
Without getting into a history debate, can you answer the question? Clearly, East Colfax ave has developed into a different area than it was 10-15 years ago. What do you think of it?
I don't think I'm qualified to answer that, since I haven't lived in Denver for over ten years. But I did live in Denver from the 1970s to the 1990s. So I'm very familiar with what those neighborhoods where like at that time.
First, you should take a look at a map of Denver. You will see that Colfax doesn't even run close to Five Points. I'm more then well aware that Five Points is the historic African American community of Denver. But that has nothing to do with East Colfax. Certainly as Denver neighborhoods became integrated more black people lived near East Colfax, but it has never been predominantly African American.
Second East Colfax is not Northeast Denver, it is East Denver. Or if you prefer, the dividing line between Northeast and Southeast Denver. Southeast Denver has always been predominantly white. Including the part near Colfax.
If you want to know where the African American community was located in Denver was from the 1950s to the 1990s, the answer is simple. When the city council was looking for a street to rename in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. They choose East 32nd Ave. because that was the heart of the African American community in Denver. The area was predominantly African American for a good half mile on either side along the entire stretch. So there was almost no opposition to the name change.
So Martin Luther King Blvd. was a predominantly African American area. East Colfax was never. Just saying.
I don't think I'm qualified to answer that, since I haven't lived in Denver for over ten years. But I did live in Denver from the 1970s to the 1990s. So I'm very familiar with what those neighborhoods where like at that time.
First, you should take a look at a map of Denver. You will see that Colfax doesn't even run close to Five Points. I'm more then well aware that Five Points is the historic African American community of Denver. But that has nothing to do with East Colfax. Certainly as Denver neighborhoods became integrated more black people lived near East Colfax, but it has never been predominantly African American.
Second East Colfax is not Northeast Denver, it is East Denver. Or if you prefer, the dividing line between Northeast and Southeast Denver. Southeast Denver has always been predominantly white. Including the part near Colfax.
If you want to know where the African American community was located in Denver was from the 1950s to the 1990s, the answer is simple. When the city council was looking for a street to rename in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. They choose East 32nd Ave. because that was the heart of the African American community in Denver. The area was predominantly African American for a good half mile on either side along the entire stretch. So there was almost no opposition to the name change.
So Martin Luther King Blvd. was a predominantly African American area. East Colfax was never. Just saying.
Yes it was. I don't want to get into a history debate, as I am a history major and studied more about the history of Colorado and Denver than most people on these forums. Also, I was talking in general about the areas surrounding East Colfax Ave. I only brought up Five Points to point out the strong history of African Americans in Denver, seeing as the southern boundary of Five Points is only a few blocks north of East Colfax Ave.
Yes I would say that North Park Hill and Skyland up by MLK Blvd. had the most African Americans in Denver, and still do. However, the neighborhoods of Uptown, City Park, City Park West, Hale, Montclair, Capitol Hill were African American predominant, at least until the gentrification that started in the early to mid 90's. I'll give you the fact that much of the Congress Park and Cheesman Park neighborhoods weren't african american predominant, but even the northern tip of those areas near East Colfax ave was where the African Americans were living in those neighborhoods. Since the mid 90's, its the first time that immediately around east colfax, the neighborhoods have been predominately white since the 50's. Denver's african american percentage during the busing in the 50's and 60's was about 30-35%, 3-4 times what it is today at only 9-10%. Most of Uptown has been completely rebuilt since the mid 90's and almost all original people who lived in the neighborhood now have moved to other areas. The same can be said for Capitol Hill, City Park, City Park West, etc. Sure there was probably still white people who lived in the areas immediately south of east colfax (Capitol Hill, Montclair, Hale, etc.) but those neighborhoods were at least 50% african american up until the early to mid 90's. I give you that Cheesman Park and Congress Park near the governors mansion were not, but even the northern tip of those neighborhoods north of 13th ave and south of colfax were.
Anyways, gentrification effected the east colfax area and neighborhoods around in a great deal. If you read up on history of colfax ave, after WWII and the construction of I-70 in Denver, east colfax suffered and the great white flight happened in neighborhoods like Uptown, City Park, City Park West, Montclair, Hale, Congress Park, Cheesman Park, Capitol Hill, etc. Up until the white flight, those neighborhoods were full of the wealthy "white" elite, but after the neighborhoods and old style homes were transformed into places for the low income and they became run down mansions in those neighborhoods immediately around east colfax. With the construction of I-70, no longer did tourists and other people go through east colfax, and the businesses suffered along with the demand to live in these neighborhoods down there. Thus, neighborhood immediately around east colfax became low income and the white flight happened.
Last edited by CO.Native.SW; 04-13-2011 at 03:13 PM..
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