Toasty Warm For Winter
Quality Inn Soon To Be Quality Living At 37th and Quebec
By Cara DeGette
Editor, GPHC
The old signs have been removed and work is underway at the former Quality Inn at 37th Avenue and Quebec Street. Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has moved in, and is converting the old hotel into 139 apartments for people who currently have no home.
Coalition Executive Director John Parvensky provided an overview about the project during the September meeting of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.
In recent years, the organization has developed 2,000 housing units to provide affordable housing and support services for people who are experiencing homelessness. Their projects in Denver are, among other neighborhoods, in Lowry, at 40th and Colorado Boulevard in Park Hill, and at 20th and Broadway downtown. Generally the projects take about three years, from concept to completion.
As Denver currently has a critical shortage of 27,000 low-income housing units, and the coalition has a current waiting list of 3,600, Parvensky said he and his team jumped at the chance to acquire the now-closed Quality Inn, in northeast Park Hill.
“We see this acquisition as giving us the ability to do in six months what should normally take 36 weeks to do,” he said.
The coalition closed on the hotel property in early October. The former hotel rooms are being retrofitted into 300 square-foot micro-units apartments designed to be long-term low-income housing for singles and possibly some couples.
A new fire sprinkler system and new fire alarm system are being installed. “Otherwise it’s pretty much in move-in condition,” Parvensky said. The previous owners spent about $1/2 million on beds, linens and other essentials.
The project, Parvensky said, is being funded from several sources, including coalition reserve funds, from the Colorado Division of Housing, and from the Denver Housing Authority. Residents will have access to a myriad of services, and the property is large enough to justify a full-time property manager, 24/7 front desk assistance and security. The former hotel is across the street from ample shopping and restaurants, and next to Interstate 70 and public transit.
Parvensky said the plans are to have the new studio apartments partially reoccupied by Thanksgiving, with full occupation by the end of year.
After he finished his presentation, the packed house burst into applause.
“I have been doing this for many, many years, and have been to many, many meetings to explain our programs and what we do,” Parvensky said. “I have to say, I’ve never gotten any applause.”
One Park Hill neighbor offered to sweeten the moment with a standing ovation.