[Eeyore]

How about this from the 80's, part of KKTV's "Hello Colorado" image campaign. It's delightfully awful. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6d_ld7ZKxc)

yes and I remember it, especially the ending lol

[Eeyore]

On this note I need to get to bed other wise I will sleep all day.... Have a good night....

[Front_Range_Guy]

Really? That's cuz you're old. Are you old enough to remember Hal Kennedy?

I know... and I have to work today. Blah.

[acw007]

I think we bored our friend from Fort Collins lol

Haha! Yes and No. I needed to stop ignoring my boyfriend, but now I'm definitely bored out of my mind so its off to bed! Good night yawl.

[CS-Urbanist]

Haha! Yes and No. I needed to stop ignoring my boyfriend, but now I'm definitely bored out of my mind so its off to bed! Good night yawl.

I feel that I may be dumber for sitting through and reading all of this!

Here are my responses to the conversations last night:
1. Pueblo Police Building: Looks good and I definately prefer it to the Fort Collins version. Really on the cost of the building? Seems high, are you sure that this was just for that one building?
2. Freeway to Fort Collins: If that is true, I'm proud of Ft. Collins saying that they didn't want it in their city! Freeways are roads to get to the Cities, not be put within and through the cities... Good for Ft. Collins!
3. Colorado Springs Police Building: Don't like anything about it, except that it is at least located somewhat close to downtown. They could have put it in the far reaches of the City afterall.
4. Sunshine Wheat: Awesome! I've never been to Fort Collins, but the fact that New Belgium Brewery is there puts it head and shoulders greater than Colorado Springs, site unseen.
5. Marijuana legalization: Why? Why legalize it? Just teach the police to turn the other cheek unless there is a lot...

[acw007]

I am so in love with this photo of Fort Collins I just found on flickr...

AMAZING (http://flickr.com/photos/georgeschockphotography/3171357412/)

[Eeyore]

007
That is a awsome pic of downtown Fort Collins. Is flicker hard to use?

[Front_Range_Guy]

That is the most flattering photo of the Fort Collins skyline I've ever seen.

[Eeyore]

I feel that I may be dumber for sitting through and reading all of this!

Here are my responses to the conversations last night:
1. Pueblo Police Building: Looks good and I definately prefer it to the Fort Collins version. Really on the cost of the building? Seems high, are you sure that this was just for that one building?
2. Freeway to Fort Collins: If that is true, I'm proud of Ft. Collins saying that they didn't want it in their city! Freeways are roads to get to the Cities, not be put within and through the cities... Good for Ft. Collins!
3. Colorado Springs Police Building: Don't like anything about it, except that it is at least located somewhat close to downtown. They could have put it in the far reaches of the City afterall.
4. Sunshine Wheat: Awesome! I've never been to Fort Collins, but the fact that New Belgium Brewery is there puts it head and shoulders greater than Colorado Springs, site unseen.
5. Marijuana legalization: Why? Why legalize it? Just teach the police to turn the other cheek unless there is a lot...

Not sure I agree with you on the freeways they are what make it so easy to get around Pueblo as compared to Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.

Yes Colorado Springs has I-25 but they have no direct way to go east - west that has hurt downtown as its hard to get to so people do not go and with the new Bannen Lewis Ranch being built east it will be even harder as more people will never go downtown.

Pueblo on the other hand is completely different, in fact CDOT does not like how we use the interstate so much and are doing their best to change Pueblo's pattern with no success. For example many will use the interstate just to go a block or two to avoid 1 or 2 stop lights. It is common to see people get on I-25 going south at 13th street only to get off at 6th street never even merging on the actual highway or first street where you do have to merge on for like 100 feet. I do it all the time as it makes it easy to get from the north part of downtown to the south part. I think that make Pueblo the only city in the state, including Denver, where taking the interstate from one part of downtown to another actually saves time. In Denver I would just use Spear Blvd. That is also common on the north side by Eagle Ridge and highway 50 and the Pueblo Mall exit to downtown. Pueblo has something like 13 exits in less then 10 miles so at times you have more then one exit per mile thus you see signs like exit 99 A and 99 B. The new developments to the north I talk about have even more exits planned, Serento has 3 new ones alone and they only go to exit 108 I believe Pueblo's use of I-25 wont change in the future. And highway 50 is planned out so they can make most of it a free way though the city when they need to by adding overpasses on the major interchanges from Pueblo to Pueblo West and they even want to build a new highway 50 from the University to north of the airport to the Kansas line that will be a free way type of road, once we get the money. I am for that as it will make it easer to get from Pueblo to the lower Arkansas valley and make highway 50 a more travled road.

A link to that project web site: http://www.dot.state.co.us/US50e/proj_overview.cfm

That being said the freeway up there would be mainly to make it easier for people to get from Fort Collins to Loveland and Longmount finally to Boulder Kind of like a "Golden Triangle". People in Fort Collins share your view about interstates, that they are only for ways to get to other cities like Denver so I don't see them ever really supporting any kind of highway though the city.

[acw007]

007
That is a awsome pic of downtown Fort Collins. Is flicker hard to use?
I have no idea. I just happened upon the photo lol.

That is the most flattering photo of the Fort Collins skyline I've ever seen.
Agreed. Skyline shots are a hard thing to capture here. Downtown is pretty much in a hole.

[Eeyore]

That is the most flattering photo of the Fort Collins skyline I've ever seen.

Yes I agree, makes them look like they have one lol

:omg:

[Eeyore]

I have no idea. I just happened upon the photo lol.


Agreed. Skyline shots are a hard thing to capture here. Downtown is pretty much in a hole.

Your downtown is in a hole.... So many jokes.....

:evil:

[acw007]

That being said the freeway up there would be mainly to make it easier for people to get from Fort Collins to Loveland and Longmount finally to Boulder Kind of like a "Golden Triangle". People in Fort Collins share your view about interstates, that they are only for ways to get to other cities like Denver so I don't see them ever really supporting any kind of highway though the city.

A highway threw the city would never happen and I've never heard anyone suggest one. In fact the city has been working on getting a bypass build 30 miles north of the city to divert the traffic from highway 287 away from the city.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I've never messed with flicker too much, but it seems easy to use. It's certainly easy to search, and I've already coming across some good stuff. (http://flickr.com/photos/b-thomas/511581431/)

[Eeyore]

I've never messed with flicker too much, but it seems easy to use. It's certainly easy to search, and I've already coming across some good stuff. (http://flickr.com/photos/b-thomas/511581431/)

Awsome shot of downtown Colorado Springs.

[Eeyore]

This is of downtown Pueblo

http://flickr.com/photos/wavy1/2984753493/

I think I am going to switch monday to them....

[Eeyore]

http://flickr.com/photos/chi_cowboy/3062390695/

From the 1950's my bad the car is from the 1950's

[acw007]

Yes I agree, makes them look like they have one lol

:omg:

:( We have a skyline... the city's website has Proof! (http://fcgov.com/visitor/galleries/foco/slide_0.jpg)
They wouldn't lie... would they? lol.
I should go to sleep one of these days...

[Eeyore]

This was in today's Chieftain and I support it 100%

Nick Gradisar is a lawyer and serves as president of the Pueblo Board of Water Works.

I believe that it is time for the citizens of Pueblo to revisit the question of whether we should elect a mayor to lead us to the future. For fifty-five years, we have had a council-manager form of government. In my judgment, it has not served us well and it is time for a change. The council-manager form of government does not encourage vigorous community debate about the future of our community and in those rare instances where it does, when the debate is over, no one is in charge. I am encouraged that a local citizens group is exploring changing our system of government to a strong mayor. The City Council's response of appointing a blue ribbon commission made up of individuals nominated by the council members suggests that the commission will do little more than defend the status quo. For the sake of our future, I hope that is not the case.

In 1954, when we adopted the council-manager form of government, Pueblo was the second largest city in Colorado, surpassed only by Denver. In 2007, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs ranked Pueblo as the ninth largest and we have been eclipsed by other communities.

It would be unfair to place all of the blame for the stagnation at the feet of our form of government, but, it must surely share some of the blame.
I don't intend to suggest that growth alone is the measure of a community's success, but our inability to thrive under the council-manager form of government has been remarkable.

One of the primary problems with the council-manager form of government is that the city manager, whom the council relies on for a vision for the community, has no political base.

As long as he (there have not been any female city managers in Pueblo) has four votes on the council, his job is safe. That is not the kind of political base that inspires citizens or a community to greatness.

The city manager is not directly answerable to the citizens and he depends on the elected council members to sell his vision of the city to the citizens.

Proponents of the council-manager form of government argue that it insures stability and professional management which they claim could be lost if leadership was vested in an elected mayor.

That is a myth dispelled by recent history. With few exceptions, the tenure of our city managers has been less than a two-term council member. And, while there have been some excellent city managers, there have also been some lemons.

The council-manager form of government has guaranteed us neither stability nor excellence. The only thing that it guarantees is that the voters cannot change course by putting a new leader in charge.

In a very real sense, the council-manager model is government by committee. The city manager has his vision and the individual members of City Council have their vision, but the fact of the matter is that no one is in charge. Any vision of the city manager is limited by the reality that four votes are required to keep his job.

In the case of an elected mayor, the voters have put him or her in charge and the mayor's continued tenure will be dependent upon satisfactory performance measured by the electorate. Proponents of the status quo argue that it will cost more to have an elected mayor. While that argument appeals to the taxpayer in us all, it is vitiated by the fact that once the voters have decided to make a change by electing a new mayor, there are no severance packages. There is simply a change in administrations.

I am unaware of any Pueblo city manager who has left without an attractive financial package that the taxpayers funded long after his services were terminated.

Surely there is a way to lead this community forward by having the citizens directly elect their leader after a debate on his or her vision for the future. Those debates have been sorely lacking in past City Council elections because everyone recognizes that the vision of one council member is just that, the view of one council member who was elected to be one of seven.

Our present system makes it virtually impossible for the citizens of this community to chart a new course when the old one isn't working.

:tup:

[acw007]

Neat-o! For comparison sake here is an ariel of downtown in the early 90's and a recent ariel:
http://www.fclakesidecg.com/Images/gallery/fort-c5.jpg
http://fcgov.com/visitor/galleries/foco/slide_0.jpg

[Front_Range_Guy]

This is of downtown Pueblo

http://flickr.com/photos/wavy1/2984753493/

I think I am going to switch monday to them....

Not bad. Apparently all of the talented photographers use Flicker. With that in mind, I think I'll stick with photobucket. :haha:

[Eeyore]

:( We have a skyline... the city's website has Proof! (http://fcgov.com/visitor/galleries/foco/slide_0.jpg)
They wouldn't lie... would they? lol.
I should go to sleep one of these days...

You have not slep! Wow....

[Eeyore]

Not bad. Apparently all of the talented photographers use Flicker. With that in mind, I think I'll stick with photobucket. :haha:

Thats a good point, I think I would take flicker down a few notches....

:haha:

[Front_Range_Guy]

There doesn't seem to be much different between the two Fort Collins photos. A little, but not much.

[acw007]

You have not slep! Wow....
I'm kind of on the work(party) at night, sleep during the day schedule now. It's driving me crazy. Thats one of the reasons I haven't taken any photos yet. The sun would melt me. lol.

[Eeyore]

Nice but that proves Pueblo has had more devlopment in our downtown...

Also I found this about highway 50:

Corridor Facts

US 50 is a 3,200 mile transcontinental highway reaching westward from Ocean City, Maryland to San Francisco, California.

From coast to coast, US 50 passes through a dozen states, four state capitols and the nation's capitol.

Time magazine has dubbed US 50 coast to coast "The Backbone of America".

The length of US 50 between Pueblo and the Kansas state line is 150 miles. This stretch of US 50 passes through southeastern Colorado's Pueblo, Otero, Bent, and Prowers counties.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I did that for about a year. I call it the lost year. Seriously, life stops when you work overnights. It was a nightmare.

[acw007]

There doesn't seem to be much different between the two Fort Collins photos. A little, but not much.

Yeah, crappy angle to see any difference. There are more than you can see there. Downtown in the early 90's was in complete disrepair.

[acw007]

I did that for about a year. I call it the lost year. Seriously, life stops when you work overnights. It was a nightmare.
The lost year of my life lasted a good three years but thats for entirely different reasons.

[Eeyore]

Yeah, crappy angle to see any difference. There are more than you can see there. Downtown in the early 90's was in complete disrepair.

Perhaps that is why I have such a bad view of downtown Fort Collins I was there from 1991 to 1996 and no one went downtown then....

[acw007]

Nice but that proves Pueblo has had more devlopment in our downtown...

Also I found this about highway 50:

Corridor Facts

US 50 is a 3,200 mile transcontinental highway reaching westward from Ocean City, Maryland to San Francisco, California.

From coast to coast, US 50 passes through a dozen states, four state capitols and the nation's capitol.

Time magazine has dubbed US 50 coast to coast "The Backbone of America".

The length of US 50 between Pueblo and the Kansas state line is 150 miles. This stretch of US 50 passes through southeastern Colorado's Pueblo, Otero, Bent, and Prowers counties.

No... and to prove it I think we should do a friendly round up of construction projects in our downtowns with in the past 5 years. I want to see pretty pictures. lol.

I've only driven 50 to go places I didn't want to, but I have driven on highway 80 for a good 2,000 miles and that was a bitch. I will never set foot in Nebraska again. During this road trip I got stuck in a Wallmart in Lincoln, Nebraska while a massive tornado went buy with all my boyfriends worldly possessions in the car.

[acw007]

Perhaps that is why I have such a bad view of downtown Fort Collins I was there from 1991 to 1996 and no one went downtown then....

Could be... you should visit again some day.

[Eeyore]

No... and to prove it I think we should do a friendly round up of construction projects in our downtowns with in the past 5 years. I want to see pretty pictures. lol.

I've only driven 50 to go places I didn't want to, but I have driven on highway 80 for a good 2,000 miles and that was a bitch. I will never set foot in Nebraska again. During this road trip I got stuck in a Wallmart in Lincoln, Nebraska while a massive tornado went buy with all my boyfriends worldly possessions in the car.

I am down for that challenge but as far as pretty pictures my ability is well shall we say less then steller so I cant make any promises on that front but I will try.

Omaha is a nice city but other then that its flat and nothing to do.

[Front_Range_Guy]

Wal Mart, Nebraska, Tornado... the only way that story would have been better is if you had said trailer park instead of Wal Mart.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I may join you guys in the construction photo challenge. Maybe. It takes forever for my computer to upload photos, so we'll see how much patience I have.

[acw007]

Wal Mart, Nebraska, Tornado... the only way that story would have been better is if you had said trailer park instead of Wal Mart.

Do the big haired folk make up for lack of trailer park? They were as classy. :)

[acw007]

I may join you guys in the construction photo challenge. Maybe. It takes forever for my computer to upload photos, so we'll see how much patience I have.

Sounds fun!

[Front_Range_Guy]

Do the big haired folk make up for lack of trailer park? They were as classy. :)

Totally.

[Eeyore]

Sounds fun!

It does! Maybe from say 2000 on? Call it the 2000 club...

:cheers:

[acw007]

It does! Maybe from say 2000 on? Call it the 2000 club...

:cheers:

Sounds good to me :cheers:

[Front_Range_Guy]

I don't think it needs a name. Especially a name that conjures images of Pat Robertson. Having said that, 2000 seems like a reasonable starting point.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I wish we could get TOTP to hook us up with some Downtown Manitou Springs photos. The funny thing about Manitou is, they are unquestionably a part of the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Area, and REALLY wish they weren't. I like Manitou, but I'm kind of an odd ball. I've lived right up against the mountains, and I've lived out east a bit, and I actually prefer being away from the mountains.

[Eeyore]

Sounds good to me :cheers:

BTW does a re-model count like taking a historic building and making it into condos?

[acw007]

I don't see why not.

[Eeyore]

I don't think it needs a name. Especially a name that conjures images of Pat Robertson. Having said that, 2000 seems like a reasonable starting point.

You are right, that's just me being my dorky self and trying to categorize everything....

[Front_Range_Guy]

LOL Eeyore, no worries, I have an obsessive need to categorize and define everything too.

Re-models count. They will be a big part of my collection, which I may have to do in a series of posts because of the geographic size of downtown, and my slow computer.

[Eeyore]

Two more lame questions. Should we keep it to one a day and see how long it goes or do you want as many as we want for a day. Both is kewl with me. Also, should we say all new pictures so I can't go back in my file and just take out the ones I already took or are they allowed?

[acw007]

I'll be doing mine in a series as well. I need time to amass photos and info. I probably wont start until Tuesday. I'm hosting a party tonight and I'll be in Denver tomorrow. So Tuesday I'll have lots of goodies.

[Front_Range_Guy]

It needs to be an ongoing thing. There isn't enough time in a day to do it all at once. I vote for no file photos. I think we need to start fresh.

[acw007]

It needs to be an ongoing thing. There isn't enough time in a day to do it all at once. I vote for no file photos. I think we need to start fresh.

Oh god... In that case this will be several days lol. I'm game.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I'll try to get my lazy butt out of bed and start tomorrow. Monday is my Saturday. I tend not to do much on Monday's, but I need to quit squandering my free time.

[Eeyore]

Thats fine with me too. I am still confused on one thing, if I want to take pictures of say two buildings one day is that ok or do we limit it to one a day? Just so I know.

[Front_Range_Guy]

Oh god... In that case this will be several days lol. I'm game.

Right. It can be an open ended, ongoing thing.

Also, if my talk with the city planner goes well Tuesday, I might start lining up other interviews.

[acw007]

We can do a few a day. It just might be nice to spread it out. I'll need to spread it out any how.

[Eeyore]

Right. It can be an open ended, on going thing.

Also, if my talk with the city planner goes well Tuesday, I might start lining up other interviews.

Fine step it up a notch... I should be able to do that too with the riverwalk people and the zoneing. I work with them anyway for Pride.

[Eeyore]

We can do a few a day. It just might be nice to spread it out. I'll need to spread it out any how.

One a day is fine with me... I dont want you to run out of pictues of downtown Fort Collins in a week...


:justkidding: :rainbow:

[Front_Range_Guy]

You can do as many as you want in a day, Eeyore. I'd ask that we try to size the photos down some to accomodate my 56k, but really that's my problem and if it becomes an issue, I'll use the computers at work, at the library, or at the total rip off cyber cafe.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I'll probably end up doing like 20 photos once a week or something like that.

[Eeyore]

You can do as many as you want in a day, Eeyore. I'd ask that we try to size the photos down some to accomodate my 56k, but really that's my problem and if it becomes an issue, I'll use the computers at work, at the library, or at the total rip off cyber cafe.

Are the ones I do to big now? Do I need to make them smaller? It took me a long time to find out you could do that as you download the pics. I would download them big then resize them having two pics of the same thing saved lol again more proof I should stay with photo bucket.

[acw007]

Out of curiosity do downtown Colorado Springs or Pueblo have free WiFi like Fort Collins does?

[Front_Range_Guy]

Yours usually aren't too bad Eeyore. Maybe a little smaller would be good.

Colorado Springs used to have a WiFi network downtown, but I think the company that owned it went bankrupt. If I'm remembering right, the city took over the network and is going to use it to fill downtown with cameras to spy on criminals. There are still plenty of hot spots (including free ones) at businesses downtown, but I think the network is gone.

It was never free. You had to pay to use it.

From a Gazette article dated 2007

Meanwhile, SkyTel Corp. shut down two pilot networks it operated for 11/2 years in downtown Colorado Springs and near Chapel Hills Mall. SkyTel officials said the network didn't attract enough customers to be profitable.

[Eeyore]

Out of curiosity do downtown Colorado Springs or Pueblo have free WiFi like Fort Collins does?

LOL I don't think downtown Pueblo has WiFI at all.... Again Pueblo is a industrial city a lot of my friends are not even on the Internet yet down here. The paper is still the main place for local news why it has the number 1 penetration rate in the country.

[Eeyore]

This will be fun, I am going to map out how I want to do this to make sure I don't miss a single project. And its kind of easy for me since downtown did not really take off before 2000 as the first phase of riverwalk was not done till then, second just a few years ago.

[CS-Urbanist]

I'm excited to see all of the pictures! I will not be participating because I don't have that kind of time, but am excited to see your pictures, nonetheless!

Was it just going to be new construction? I have a few suggestions:

1. Manitou Springs Spa building and adjacent Soda Springs Park.
2. Isn't there a quasi-new pizza place along the riverwalk in Pueblo, parking garage, condo development, etc. all right near the new police building?
3. Palisades building at South Academy and Hwy 115.
4. New construction at Flying Horse? and also the stuff at Interquest?
5. Anything happening out at Banning Lewis Ranch?

That's about all I can think of right now... Maybe I'll snap a couple of photos as well if I can figure out how to get pictures posted on here... Will it be a new thread of just photos and stuff?

[Eeyore]

I'm excited to see all of the pictures! I will not be participating because I don't have that kind of time, but am excited to see your pictures, nonetheless!

Was it just going to be new construction? I have a few suggestions:

1. Manitou Springs Spa building and adjacent Soda Springs Park.
2. Isn't there a quasi-new pizza place along the riverwalk in Pueblo, parking garage, condo development, etc. all right near the new police building?
3. Palisades building at South Academy and Hwy 115.
4. New construction at Flying Horse? and also the stuff at Interquest?
5. Anything happening out at Banning Lewis Ranch?

That's about all I can think of right now... Maybe I'll snap a couple of photos as well if I can figure out how to get pictures posted on here... Will it be a new thread of just photos and stuff?

If I understandwhat we are doing, for this "challenge", this is just new construction going on in the downtown's.

[CS-Urbanist]

If I understandwhat we are doing, for this "challenge", this is just new construction going on in the downtown's.

Oh, not a whole lot then... Pueblo would have way more going on then CS...

[Eeyore]

Oh, not a whole lot then... Pueblo would have way more going on then CS...

That's why I agreed to once picture a day so it lasts longer but if I think right you guys did have the Wells Fargo building and the red high rise built since 2000 plus the USOC building so it should be interesting. Pueblo has just had more smaller projects but still waiting on a new high rise, with agony I might add!

:haha:

[Eeyore]

This was in the Gazette and I liked it so I decided to post it here.



Want to strengthen religion? Then pray this Sunday the devoutly religious will adopt a default mode that keeps religious agendas out of politics, whenever possible, with the exception of policies involving life or death. Needless entanglement of moralistic religious agendas in the political process does more to marginalize religion than to promote its genuine values, which are essential to a thriving, free society.

State Rep. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican, provides the latest example.

He's promoting strong opposition to a bill in the Legislature that would make it easier for homosexuals to leave property to their partners, visit them in hospitals, make funeral arrangements, and designate partners as beneficiaries. He argues the law represents an attempt to circumvent a decision by voters to reject civil unions.

It's easy to understand why opposing this bill would be politically expedient for any politician from the Springs, where conservative, Christian principals prevail in most elections. It's great that Christian morality guides a large segment of our city. But the religious should mostly seek victory for their ideals in the free market of ideas, and should seldom seek ratification of those ideals at the Capitol. Religious communities do better by winning hearts and minds than passing laws that impose government force.

Gardner's opposition to this bill seems unkind. It's unconscionable in a free society for state government to decide which adult relationships are valid, and which are not. The terms of adult relationships, and what they are called, should be determined by the individuals involved, and by God and a church if they choose to include them. The state should have no role. The governor and the state police belong in no bedrooms other than their own. Furthermore, voters of a state should have no role in deciding the validity of a personal contract between two adults of sound mind, any more than they should determine who has the right to speak or to own a gun. In a free society, we all have the right to freely associate. The individual has far more rights than the electorate.

One can respect religious or moral objections to homosexuality. Most major religions condemn homosexual activities. But most religions also condemn a great variety of activities frequently engaged in by heterosexuals. Drug and alcohol abuse, infidelity, gluttony and pornography are just a few common examples.

It's one thing to respect religious morality, and quite another to legislate it. In Colorado, homosexuals should be allowed to make reasonable personal contracts with one another in complete absence of government interference, regardless of what voters want. This is a country established to celebrate and defend the individual above the collective. That means homosexuals have rights. Churches, which help form the backbone of our great society, must respect this fact.

[Front_Range_Guy]

The plan, as I understand it, is to provide photos of anything built or remodeled downtown since the year 2000. That should give all of us plenty of material.

Wells Fargo was built in 1991, Eeyore, so it doesn't count.

[Eeyore]

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_0661.jpg

This building was actually built a while ago but the top two floors were added on recently....

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_0663.jpg

The parking garage built the same time as the addition to the building above.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_0662.jpg

The new tower being constructed..

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_0664.jpg

The pedestrian bridge was built the same time as the addition to the building as well. You can, also, see the new tower being built....

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/josseppie/IMG_0665.jpg

The new tower being constructed..

Today I am focusing on Pueblo's downtown medical center, Parkview Medical Center. It is a level 2 trauma center. As a side note when they complete this tower they will begin construction of a new tower that should be even taller...

[Eeyore]

The plan, as I understand it, is to provide photos of anything built or remodeled downtown since the year 2000. That should give all of us plenty of material.

Wells Fargo was built in 1991, Eeyore, so it doesn't count.

WOW, it has been that long... I would of guessed 2001 but as you said I am a old man!

:old:

That will be my problem is knowing when things got built, things that seemed like they just got built might have been around longer then I realize....

[Front_Range_Guy]

Yeah. I'm going to divide downtown up into sections, photograph things that I'm relatively sure are new or updated, then look it up to make sure before I post it.

How tall will the tower that Parkview is currently building be?

I don't know if you ever watch KRDO since you are such a big KOAA fan, but they have a weather camera on Parkview and show the construction site almost everyday. It seems like the new tower may eventually block the view of downtown from the old part of the hospital.

It was nice to see some active construction in your first set of photos. We're off to a good start.

[Eeyore]

Yeah. I'm going to divide downtown up into sections, photograph things that I'm relatively sure are new or updated, then look it up to make sure before I post it.

How tall will the tower that Parkview is currently building be?

I don't know if you ever watch KRDO since you are such a big KOAA fan, but they have a weather camera on Parkview and show the construction site almost everyday. It seems like the new tower may eventually block the view of downtown from the old part of the hospital.

It was nice to see some active construction in your first set of photos. We're off to a good start.

I have not seen the camera angle, I can't remember the last time I sat down and watched a Springs station :haha: ... I think its only going to be about 6 stories but I know they got a variance for the other tower they want to build so they can go higher but that is going to be across the street and not sure how tall but since they went though the trouble of getting the variance I would guess over 10 stories....

That's a good idea and I think one I will do as well. There are some senior towers but I am not sure if they were built in the late 90's or early 2000's....

The thing about Pueblo is a lot of our "recent" construction did not start till after the construction of the Riverwalk and that was in the late 90's as that was the catalyst for much of the growth.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I think I know which senior buildings you are talking about. They do look pretty new, but it's hard to say. You should be able to look it up online or give them a call.

You should be able to look at the parkview camera I was talking about by clicking here. (http://www.krdo.com/Global/category.asp?C=97323)

It says Spencers Lawn and Garden for some reason, but it's the right camera.

[Front_Range_Guy]

Actually, that's kind of a cool image right now. I'll go ahead and direct link it here.

Image courtesy KRDO-TV (http://www.krdo.com)

http://krdo.images.worldnow.com/images/incoming/weather/localcamnet/pueblo_parkview.jpg

[Eeyore]

Nice view, shows that KRDO is trying to do a better job in Pueblo....

Downtown Pueblo is nice but would look sooooo much better with some 20 plus story buildings.....

[Fir Na Tine 343]

I might have to get in on some of these pictures of recent buildings. Im just starting my weekend so Im catching up on everything. Ill try not to double up or get in your way FRG, Ill just throw a few in as I take them.

[Eeyore]

I might have to get in on some of these pictures of recent buildings. Im just starting my weekend so Im catching up on everything. Ill try not to double up or get in your way FRG, Ill just throw a few in as I take them.

I can only speak for my self but I don't think any of us would mind if there was two pictures of the same building posted by two different posters. As someone said give us pretty pictures and we will shut up!

[Front_Range_Guy]

Go for it. I'm trying to decide where to start. I plan to start on the south end of downtown and work my way north... how far south is the only question. I was sort of thinking of hitting the area south of Cimarron, north and east of I-25, and west of Wahsatch today, but I'm not sure.

Most of the recent construction has been north of Cimarron, so in some ways my choice for a starting point is a little anticlimactic, though the area I'm talking about would include Lowell, and there have been some new additions to the neighborhood since my last photo thread there.

[Front_Range_Guy]

In general, I'm defining downtown inside the following boundries:

West - I-25
South - I-25
East - Hancock
North - Uintah

I'm probably being a little liberal with my boundries on the north and east.

[Front_Range_Guy]

Fort Carson is shooting the big guns today. I don't think they should be able to do that on red flag days.

With that, I guess it's time for me to head downtown.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

I dont think thats off base for your boundries. Thats what the majority of the city what consider downtown. Covers the 80903 downtown zip code boundries.

[Eeyore]

For Pueblo I am considering the downtown boundaries as:

North - Mineral Palace Park
South - I-25 and where it crosses the Arkansas River
West - The Arkansas River
East - The Fountain River

Note: The Pueblo Library is on the boarder and technically in the junction area but I think I will post another picture of it, sometime, as most people in Pueblo consider it in downtown unless you guys really think that it is not in downtown. Also, I think it was built after 2000 but given my memory I need to double check.....

[Front_Range_Guy]

I sort of felt like the library was on the boundry between downtown and the south side. If you want to call it downtown, I think that's fair.

I'm back from south downtown with 47 photos. Not all of them will make the cut, and there are a couple of things I didn't get to, but I still think I have a pretty fun collection of photos to share with you guys. Hopefully before the night is over. Uploading takes forever on dial up, so we'll see.

[Eeyore]

"I think you are doing a good job but I think you are getting a big following and people are interested in Pueblo, but not too interested in the broncos or sports. That is how I feel.

What I would like to know, if you do not object is the feelings and issues of being gay in Pueblo. You have indicated that you are gay and I think many readers would like to know: Why Pueblo vs. a bigger city where you would find more acceptance. FYI, I am not gay but I think a Gay culture brings much to an environment and having lived and worked in NYC--I know the advantages of a gay people at all levels of society."

This is a post I got from city data on the Pueblo is not great thread so now I need to sit down and come up with a reason why I like to stay in Pueblo even though I am gay. This one will take me some time, not because I do not know why but because I want to articulate it good.

[The Dirt]

but because I want to articulate it good.

Lesson 1: Use "well" instead of "good". ;)

[Front_Range_Guy]

Because Pueblo is your hometown. It's where your family is, where your life is, and you love it. If the goal is a truly accepting society, then a person should be able to live wherever they chose with the expectation of being accepted, regardless of their sexual orientation, or anything else. Bottom line, you happen to be a gay man who lives in and loves Pueblo. Being gay does not define you, or dictatate where you have to live.

[Eeyore]

LOL well here was my responce so people who do not go there can see it:

Edit: I was laughing about the comment on my bad grammer not your idea FRG.

Ok, that's a good point and I have no problem discussing why I like it in Pueblo being a gay person.

There are two parts to that question 1) Pueblo acceptance of gay people and 2) the size of the gay community in Pueblo.

First the acceptance of the gay community in Pueblo:

I do a lot of volunteer work for the gay Pride and the Southern Colorado Equality Alliance in Pueblo (SCAP) and have found that Pueblo tends to be more accepting of gay people and events then other cities our size or a little bigger. I talk to the people who put on Colorado Springs Gay Pride all the time and we have a much easier time working with our officials then they do theirs. This goes from the city council, who has to approve any street closing, to the public library, where we have a free movie, to the building department, who has to give us permits, to the health department, again they give us permits, to the actual event at the Riverwalk, where they work with us because as they say if we have successful event that means they have a successful event. We have NEVER had a issue and any band I have asked to play at the event has been more then happy. KOAA, KRDO, KKTV and the Pueblo Chieftain has even been great giving is nice and positive exposure of our event.

As far as the citizens of Pueblo, we have our issues just like any city, when I was going to school in San Diego they had hate crimes so unfortunately that is a issue facing the gay community everywhere. With that being said what me and my friends have noticed though is Pueblo seems to be more accepting then other cities our size and even a little big bigger including the Springs. Our theory is this: Pueblo is not more gay friendly then other cities but the people that live here want Pueblo to be this metropolis and they think like you do about the gay community so they think that by having gays here it makes us cosmopolitan like NYC or San Franco. Its like "look at Pueblo we have a gay community with gay pride just like the big boys do"!

Now the size of the gay community:

Granted this has been a challenge I admit. Pueblo only has 2 bars and no clubs. One reason I would like Pueblo to be a little bit bigger, I think it would naturally mean a larger gay community. Why do I stay when its small then? Because it is so accepting from the straight community that I can go straight bars with no issue and I have many straight friends who don't care that I am gay. There is also enough of a community so I can do things and Colorado Springs is only a 30 minute drive so when I feel the need to go to a club I just go there and Denver is only a 2 hour drive so if I want to visit a big club I just go there for the weekend. As far as dating it has been more difficult then in a major city but again people in Springs date people from Pueblo and Canon City so in a way that makes our dating pool a population of about 1 million people.

Overall would life be different if I was in NYC or San Francisco or Chicago as a gay person? Yes it would but I think the advantages of living in Pueblo far out weigh the disadvantages and the advantages I would gain from being a gay person and living in a major metro area. Keep in mind I say that as a person who has a MBA from the University of San Diego so I can live anywhere I want and find a good job, I just love my Pueblo and choose to live here.

Other topics about Pueblo:

Going on to talking about other topics, I know I am a dork and things I tend to focus on at times are only of interest to me so if anyone has any questions about Pueblo I have not fully answered I would be more then happy to address them here. If I do not know the answer I will do the research necessary to find the answer and report back. Thanks for all your interest in the city I love!

[Eeyore]

FRG I borrowed what you said for my post, I said it was from one of my friends, I hope you dont mind....

[Front_Range_Guy]

That kind of thinking sort of makes me angry. People question how I can be gay and live in Colorado Springs. For starters, there are at least 10,000 of us. Besides that, what am I supposed to do? Put a scarlet GAY patch on and move to the city with my "own kind." That is not how you achieve a diverse, accepting society... by telling everyone they belong here or there based on their race, class, religion, or sexual orientation.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I don't mind.

[Eeyore]

That kind of thinking sort of makes me angry. People question how I can be gay and live in Colorado Springs. For starters, there are at least 10,000 of us. Besides that, what am I supposed to do? Put a scarlet GAY patch on and move to the city with my "own kind." That is not how you achieve a diverse, accepting society... by telling everyone they belong here or there based on their race, class, religion, or sexual orientation.

I see your point but I don't mind as long as people are asking because they truly don't know and being straight want my perspective. To me I would rather have them ask and gain more knowledge from the gay community then not ask and stay ignorant and come up with ideas on us based on that. So I tell all my straight friends they can ask me anything they want, I will answer it, they just have to want to know the answer because I wont filter my responce! Most are ok with it.

I did have one issue at the University of San Diego when I was in Mexico on a study abroad program. But I just filed a formal protest with the dean based on the school's non discrimination policy which includes sexual orientation and from what I am told people almost lost their jobs and after that I had no issue!

[Front_Range_Guy]

I see your point. I've learned to question the motives of anyone who would ask such a question.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I'm making pretty good progress on the uploading. There's no doubt you'll have photos from me before the evening is out.

[Eeyore]

I'm making pretty good progress on the uploading. There's no doubt you'll have photos from me before the evening is out.

Nice!

:cool:

[Front_Range_Guy]

I don't know why I feel the need to give constant updates. I guess I'm a little self concious about my dial up.:haha:

[Eeyore]

LOL its all good I am actually looking forward to seeing pictures of downtown Colorado Springs.....

Did I say that!

:omg:

[Fir Na Tine 343]

Really a crappy day to take pictures. Dark and cloudy outside. I have a few to post but not nearly as many as I wanted to. Hope you had better luck FRG. So here they are, nothing you all havnt seen before but they are nice projects from the 2000 time period.

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/BuildingDowntown011-2.jpg
Plaza of the Rockies south tower. Completed 2001

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/BuildingDowntown022-1.jpg
City Walk Building. 12 stories of lofts and penthouse suites were completed in 2003. This was a complete remodel from the original building.

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/BuildingDowntown002-1.jpg
The Conover Building. I dont remember when this was completed, definetly after 2000.

I think I will take some more tommorow. It is supposed to be really nice weather in the next couple of days.

[Fir Na Tine 343]

One more I took that I had to add in. Just turned out nice.
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/FirNaTine343/BuildingDowntown001-1-1-1.jpg

[Eeyore]

Nice! I want a building like the Plaza of the Rockis to be built in Pueblo...

The city walk building looks eerily like the one in Pueblo, must have been built the same year...

It was dark there today? It was in the mid 70's here, my car said 77!