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Denver commenters say city seizure of Mercury Cafe building shut out longtime arts communities
Summary
Multiple public commenters told City Council that a jeopardy assessment and changed locks at the Mercury Cafe building have denied access to separate long-standing arts communities — including a poetry open mic and a swing-dance group — and urged the city to restore entry for those groups while enforcement action proceeds.
Speakers at a Denver City Council public-comment session urged the council to restore community access to a building the city recently sealed as part of a tax-related jeopardy assessment, saying the move has harmed long-running arts and social groups.
"Denver has evicted and irreparably harmed two communities that have been in this building for over a decade," said Andrew Frieli, who identified himself as a resident and a member of the affected communities, describing a separate poetry open mic and a swing-dance community that used the Mercury Cafe building. He said personal property belonging to performers and patrons remains inside the sealed building.
Alexandra Wilson told the council the jeopardy assessment at 2195 California Street changed the locks and barred all entry, which she said improperly prevented other businesses and community groups that use different parts of the same structure from accessing their spaces. "It's like shutting down an entire fast-food court because one stand didn't take sales tax," Wilson said.
Anna Grandquist described the closure as a threat to decades of community ties: "Swing Nights is a swing dance organization that hosts classes, social dances, and live local bands," she said, and warned that loss of access would damage livelihoods for instructors, DJs and local bands and break community networks built over generations.
Commenters said the Pearl, a tenant alleged to have unpaid taxes, is the subject of the jeopardy action; they argued that the city's denial of entry affected other tenants and community groups that lease separate space or use common areas. Speakers requested the council consider allowing alternate access points or temporary entry for groups with property and equipment inside the building while the city's enforcement process continues.
The public comments did not include a response from council members or city staff during the session. The clerk closed the public-comment period without announcing any immediate council action on the Mercury Cafe matter. The council's next general public-comment session was announced as Monday, April 27, with sign-ups opening Thursday, April 23 at 5 p.m.
