Now Reading
The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Five Points

The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Five Points

Once known as the Harlem of the West, Five Points is one of the oldest neighborhoods this city has to offer. Situated at the spot where the downtown city grid meets the first ’burbs of Denver, it’s steeped in a rich history, as well.

Picture it: Denver, 1860s. In large houses that cast great shade throughout the neighborhood of Five Points resides the town’s aristocracy. The governor, the mayor, the well-to-do businessman — all of them enjoy the comforts of convenience near the intersections of 26th, 27th, Welton, and Washington. As the nation regrew itself after the Civil War, so did Denver. The introduction of the freed slaves proved a new day was on the horizon, and among the gold and land prospectors were the first African-American settlers of the west. After the tension of the next “great war” — WWI — the Roaring 20s brought a freedom and joie de vivre to the state, with Five Points being the most notable of neighborhoods for the good stuff.

Jazz was upon us. It’s estimated that 50+ bars speckled Welton Street with life never before seen. Because segregation was still very much in place, visiting jazz artists — think Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Dizzy Gillespie, and the likes — booked rooms and gigs at the black-friendly Rossonian Hotel. The African-American population in Five Points were the majority in the 1920s, bringing a vibrant scene to the Queen City — hence, the Harlem of the West.

Known for its diversity by the end of WWII, many Japanese-Americans moved into the neighborhood that, by now, was also well-settled by a large Jewish population. Out were the richer families of a Denver era gone by, leaving to join those in Capitol Hill’s newly established prominence.

But fastforward to the 1950s, where decay began a slow-creep throughout the area. What was once a bustling area for both commerce and residents found itself in a steepening decline. In a matter of four short decades, the neighborhood was wracked by urban flight, followed by drugs and crime. By the 1990s, Denver’s Harlem was a veritable ghost town.

Before too long, the light rail expanded from downtown to Five Points and a steady thrum of business, though quiet at first, meandered its way through the neighborhood.

Today, Five Points is thriving, and most of the deserted parking lots are being turned into much-needed housing for current and future residents of the city.

In Arapahoe Square, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has provided Denver with transitional housing for the downtown area. (See: Off Broadway Lofts, Renaissance Riverfront Lofts, Renaissance Uptown Lofts, Renaissance Stout Street Lofts, and soon, the Renaissance Downtown Lofts.)

Curtis Park is now home to the Mile High United Way, The Wheatley, and a head-spinning number of upcoming, high-rise housing projects along the Welton Corridor that’ll replace gravel yards and unkempt lots.

The River North (RiNo) district is making room for neighbors with the Broadstone RiNo and the Modera River North (to name a few). The Source, an artisan food market, is getting an expansion with The Source Hotel and Market Hall slated for late 2017. Ballpark has given rise to 2020 Lawrence, Broadstone Blake Street, Point 21, The Douglas, and other brand-new options for stylish city-dwellers.

Even the Rossonian is getting herself a rebuild! While incorporating the original building itself, builders plan for the finished product to house 105 guestrooms, two restaurants, a fitness center, 60,000 square feet of collaborative office space, 152 public parking spaces, and (what else?) a jazz club. Will a taste of Harlem return to the Mile High?

Only if we’re lucky.

Many thanks to DenverInfill.com for keeping the city up to date on what’s up and coming with Denver’s transformation.

What's Your Reaction?
Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0
Scroll To Top