By Don Ireland
PAGE 14 | WEEKLY REGISTER-CALL • April 20, 2023
Last week, the city council
also unanimously gave Roche
the green light to conduct an
assessment to rehabilitate the
“Lace House” building on
Gregory Point. Council wants
to use the building to tribute
to the area’s mining past after
replacing wallpaper, carpets,
plumbing fixtures and im-
proving the structure’s electri-
cal system. The City’s 2023
budget includes $250,000 for
the project.
According to the City, “the
Lace House is considered
Colorado’s premier example
of Carpenter Gothic Architec-
ture. It was restored in the late
1970s and opened for tours.
In 2008, it was moved from
its original location on Main
Street to its current location
in Gregory Point. It is the
City’s vision to lead guided
tours through the Lace House
once again. The exterior of
the Lace House is in excellent
condition. However, all inte-
rior finishes must be restored
to bring the Lace House up
to museum-quality standards.
Additionally, electrical,
HV AC, and plumbing systems
will need to be modified to
meet current building code re-
quirements. The Lace House
Renovation project would
restore the interior of the Lace
House to a high-quality show-
case of Black Hawk mining-
era interior finishes.”
The forthcoming Copper
Kitchen Pizzeria building
at Gregory Plaza was also
boosted by the aldermen,
who approved $17,500 for
pre-construction services with
MW Golden Constructors,
which previously designed the
St. Charles Carriage House
parking garage across the
street.
Last month, the city council
approved a $291,170 contract
with PEH Architects to design
the forthcoming pizzeria
featuring a copper-colored
roof and wood-fire ovens to
bake pizzas. The restaurant
will feature a taproom, indoor
seating and a covered outdoor
patio. Construction on the
project is expected to begin
this summer and be completed
before July 31, 2024.
The bay window and other
historic parts of the green
building at 271 Gregory Street
– just across Church Street
from Gregory Plaza, will be
used to construct the Cop-
per Kitchen Pizzeria on the
former Lilly Belle’s Casino
lot. The new pizzeria will be
next to the Mountain Poppy
Boutique and wine bar in the
plaza.
According to the City’s
budget, the completed Copper
Kitchen Pizzeria project could
top $2 million. Sometime next
year, city leaders will seek a
restauranter to lease and oper-
ate the new restaurant, which
is expected to bring additional
visitors to Gregory Plaza.
Last week, the council also
approved a $5,000 contract
with MW Golden for pre-
construction services at the
police department on Church
Street. The renovation of the
department’s first floor could
cost $500,000, according to
city figures.
City leaders said the first
floor contains “several inef-
ficient and wasted spaces. In
particular, the dispatch room
is due for an upgrade. The
police station renovation proj-
ect would renovate most of
the lower level of the Police
Station, including dispatch,
records, the restroom, and
the prisoner holding cell. It
would add a centrally-located
kitchenette for staff conve-
nience. A raised-access floor
would be added in dispatch
to allow easy access to the
multitude of cables necessary
for Dispatch equipment. Secu-
rity measures will be included
with this project to enhance
safety.”
Black Hawk has money
for the various projects – and
others – set aside in its $58.38
million budget. Last year, the
City’s 15 casinos reported
record incomes following
the recovery from the 2020
pandemic. Colorado’s gaming
regulations give Black Hawk
10 percent of the casino taxes
it collects, plus additional
money for historical-preserva-
tion projects.
The success of Black
Hawk’s casinos, several
of which offer resort-style
amenities and hotels, have
accounted for an estimated
75 percent of all revenues
generated in Colorado’s three
casino towns in recent years.
During 22 of the past 23
months, Black Hawk’s casi-
nos have reported increases
in Adjusted Gross Proceeds
– the amount of all money
wagered less the amounts paid
to players. Since the state’s
annual gaming year began last
July 1, Black Hawk’s casinos
have enjoyed eight months of
improved revenues, despite
nationwide concerns with
inflation and other matters.
During the state’s 2021-22
fiscal year, revenues climbed
39 percent from the previous
year to $148.66 million.
As the most successful
gaming city in the state, Black
Hawk has reaped the benefit
of millions of dollars for its
various projects, which are
expected to include spending
up to $1 million for additional
efforts to expand the hiking
and biking trails around the
City. The council also is con-
templating plans to remodel
the former Bobtail Mine
Building, across from Grego-
ry Plaza, into a tourist attrac-
tion that will offer visitors a
glimpse into the gold-mining
era that spawned the area to
become organized as the City
of Black Hawk in 1964.
As the casino revenues con-
tinue to roll in, so do Black
Hawk’s plans to expand its
reputation as a resort destina-
tion.
Or, in the words of another
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
song, Black Hawk is attempt-
ing to
T
aking Care of Busi-
ness.
Black Hawk to spend millions for outdoor elevator at
Gregory Point, police station renovation and other projects
Casino access ending for Black Hawk Chase Street residents
Chase Street won’t have to
worry about casino patrons
zooming into their quiet
residential thoroughfare in the
future.
During last week’s meeting,
Black Hawk City Council an-
nounced that a casino parking
lot entrance on Chase Street
would go away forever. For
years, some patrons driv-
ing into the parking lot for
the Z Casino, Silver Hawk
and Gold Mine casinos used
Chase Street to reach the three
casinos, which Maverick
Gaming owns.
The Silver Hawk and
Gold Mine properties, which
haven’t been open for over a
decade, are being demolished.
Most of the Silver Hawk,
which borders Chase Street,
was leveled by bulldozers
during recent weeks. The
driveway into the casino lot
was closed temporarily for
the demolition work and will
likely remain closed. Mayor
David Spellman said boulders
would be placed across the
casino lot driveway entrance
at Chase Street once the de-
molition is completed.
Black Hawk’s 2023 bud-
get includes $250,000 to
rebuild Chase Street, includ-
ing installing new sidewalks
and curbs. The reconstruction
won’t include a driveway
entrance to the casino lots,
Spellman said, noting Chase
Street will be strictly residen-
tial in the future.
In other business during the
April 12 meeting:
Liquor license
As the city’s Liquor Licens-
ing Authority, Black Hawk’s
aldermen granted a liquor-
sales license to the new Peak
to Peak Market at 7320 Black
Hawk Boulevard, next to the
post office.
Owners Nicolas Spencer
and Sage Loftland, who are
engaged, opened the new mar-
ket on the ground floor of the
city-owned retail and com-
mercial building last month.
Their new alcohol sales sec-
tion of the convenience store,
called Peak to Peak Liquors,
will be more than 100 square
feet larger than the one of-
fered by the previous tenant.
Hazard plan okayed
Council approved a reso-
lution to be part of Gilpin
County’s 2023 hazard mitiga-
tion plan at the request of Fire
Chief Christopher Woolley.
Black Hawk, Central City and
county leaders update the mit-
igation plan once every five
years, establishing procedures
in the event of a widespread
emergency.
Gregory Hill lots
Council authorized city staff
to negotiate the purchase of
21 small, old mining claim
properties along Miners
Road and the forthcoming,
relocated Lake Gulch Road
on Gregory Hill.
Most of the lots
are less than one-
tenth of an acre in
size.
If the city can-
not reach agree-
ments, the council
could acquire the
lots using con-
demnation.
The forthcom-
ing Lake Gulch
Road will be used
by workers and
visitors traveling
to the planned
Proximo Lake
Gulch Whiskey
Resort, a $50
million distill-
ing facility that will be used
to create Proximo’s Tincup
Mountain Whiskey. The new
section of Lake Gulch Road
will be paved and replace the
existing street, an unpaved
road adjoining the Black
Hawk Public Works Depart-
ment building.
The final plans for the
distillery, expected to be the
largest in the state, will be
given to the city for approval
later this year.
Hiking land purchased
The council approved
purchasing six vacant lots
uphill from the Gregory Point
development for the future
expansion of the city’s hiking
and biking trails.
Support authors and subscribe to content
Subscribe to read the entire article.
