If you’ve ever enjoyed an iconic sugar steak at Bastian’s, Banh & Butter’s famous crepe cake, or modern Ukrainian food at Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails, then you’ve eaten on Colfax Avenue. How about award-winning fare at Sap Sua, excellent sandwiches from Tessa Delicatessen, or stormed the pink castle that is Casa Bonita?
Yup, those are all on Colfax Avenue too. So, what happens when the street gets torn up, parking lost, and traffic thick and stressful? We’re finding out right now.
The Big Picture Project
One of Denver’s most iconic thoroughfares for both traffic and dining is in the midst of a once-in-a-century transformation. Colfax Avenue, already the city’s busiest bus corridor with more than 22,000 passengers riding the Route 15 and 15L daily, is undergoing a $280 million overhaul to make way for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
The BRT is meant to be a high-frequency, high-capacity transit system, and increase service to every 4.5 minutes. It will run from downtown’s Union Station to I-225 in Aurora, with a dedicated center-running bus lane from Broadway to Yosemite Street.
Led by Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), RTD, and other partners, the project began in October, 2024, and is expected to finish in 2027. Thirty-two steel-arched bus stations will eventually line the route, the first of which was installed earlier this month at East Colfax and Franklin Street. In the end, Colfax will be narrowed to one car lane in each direction.
“This is about making Colfax better for everyone who lives, works, and travels here,” Frank Locantore, executive director of the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District (BID), said.
While the project aims to ease traffic congestion and improve accessibility, some local businesses are already struggling with the ongoing disruptions, and aren’t sure they’ll survive long enough to see the benefits. That includes, by our count, the 90-plus independent restaurants and bars lining East Colfax from Broadway to Yosemite.
The Main Impact on Restaurants
In addition to dust, blocked sidewalks, and heavy machinery, early construction has disrupted the day-to-day flow of commerce on Colfax. Many of these iconic spots from Squire Lounge to Lion’s Lair and beyond, have reported significant decreases in revenue. “Normally we see about 70 people a day. Now we’re down closer to 50,” said Carrie Shores, executive director of SAME (So All May Eat) Cafe, which operates on a pay-what-you-can, participation-based model and serves customers ranging from nearby residents to unhoused individuals. “People sit on the patio less because of the noise, which hurts because when we’re busy, we really need those seats.”
A few blocks away at Le Clare’s, a small patisserie that opened just last year on the corner of York Street and Colfax, co-owner Tyler Clare observed similar dips.
“There is no parking anywhere,” said Tyler. “Construction is definitely going all day every day. It’s super noisy. I can’t have the door open, which helps bring people in a lot…and foot traffic is way down.”
His wife and co-owner, Maggie Clare, added, “The customers who still come in are making a deliberate effort. What we’ve lost are the out-of-towners and people who just happened upon us.”
Tyler also pointed out that the homeless crisis along Colfax has been exacerbated by construction as well. Maggie stated their neighbor had to help someone who was “basically dying” at the bus stop in front of the store.
“I’m at the shop every day, watching the window, working the front counter,” he said. “For every customer who comes in, at least 10 unhoused individuals walk by.”
Colfax Ave BID wants to address the issue but is constrained by limited funding and staffing. Locantore said hiring private security isn’t realistic either since guards patrolling 40 hours a week would cost $450,000 a year. The BID budget is just under $1 million.
Instead, the BID focuses much of its budget on maintenance, such as removing trash and graffiti. Locantore believes this contributes to a sense of safety.
“When a place looks like it’s being taken care of, it makes a difference,” he noted. “If there’s graffiti one day and it’s gone the next, that tells people someone cares.”
But the absence of a solid safety plan once the project is complete has left business owners disillusioned.
In For the Long Haul of Construction and Delays
The BRT project is expected to take 18 months per segment, with five segments total. However, with overlapping zones and early hiccups, that timeline is already proving flexible.
“As soon as you peel up the top layer of asphalt, you go, ‘Oh boy, there’s a lot here,’” Locantore said. “The intersection at Pearl Street is a good example. One of the stations will be located there, and when they started work on that intersection, they found something that was going to take much longer to address than expected.”
Locantore did note that, rather than having crews sit idle, they decided to move further east sooner than originally planned to keep working. But for businesses like Bourbon Grill and Champagne Tiger, located near Pearl Street, they are now facing even longer construction periods than anticipated.
“It’s a very old street, and I’m sure they’re going to keep running into problems as they dig. That’s just the nature of it,” SAME Cafe’s Shores observed.
The Clares were disheartened when they heard about the 18-month timeline for construction in front of their store.
“Eighteen months is a long time to just barely get by,” said Maggie. “No small business has money just sitting aside. This is everyone’s life savings. We’re not franchises. The Popeyes next door to us will be fine. But for us, it’s a daily hustle.”
Coming Up Short On Support
To help offset the impact, the city and the Colfax BID have offered support through grants, marketing, events, and outreach.
“We started financial forums last June,” said Locantore. “We advised businesses to prep for disruptions, apply for grants, or talk to their banks.”
Still, some say the reality is worse than they expected.
“I do think the Back the Fax team is really hustling to communicate and offer support where they can. But honestly, it feels more like emotional support than anything else,” Maggie shared. “They told us there was going to be a Colfax project, and it would be a couple years, but no one really knew what it would look or feel like.”
Shores shared similar concerns. “There’s still a lot of confusion about what’s happening. As a small business on Colfax, I haven’t received any real communication or outreach from the city since this started.”
Some tangible support has come in the form of grants. The City of Denver’s Business Impact Opportunity (BIO) Fund offers small businesses up to $15,000 (or $7,500 for those earning under $100,000 annually), though it’s a one-time award. Applications are open in waves aligned with construction phases. Both SAME Cafe and Le Clare’s plan to apply during the designated rounds.
Meanwhile, the BID also plans to launch its own microgrant program this summer that would offer a small award of between $500 to $1,000 for local businesses.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has even gotten involved, making several public appearances at businesses along Colfax, picking up a shift at the Bourbon Grill and serving drinks at 99ers Sports Bar back in April.
“A few weeks ago I heard that the mayor said he’ll come bartend at bars on Colfax, but I don’t know what that’s going to do,” Shores expressed. “I think there could definitely be more support.”
Cautious Optimism For the Restaurants on Colfax
“I personally always want to believe in the better, the good, the promise,” said Maggie. “We know our neighbors, and we want everyone to survive this and thrive. It’s a growing city, and it’s got to start somewhere.”
Tyler added that if their business survives, there may be more customers if people start riding the bus. Though, he added, “That remains to be seen.”
Shores, a strong supporter of public transportation, said she’s hopeful that the BRT project could bring positive environmental and mobility benefits. But she’s also protective of what makes Colfax special.
“When I think of East Colfax, I think of mom-and-pop businesses. It’s not corporate, it’s community,” she said. “I just hope the small cosmetic changes that come with this project don’t erase the heartbeat of what Colfax is. Colfax is rowdy, energetic, and that’s why we love it.”
So far the project is new, and businesses are hanging on. But if you can support the ones thrown into the fray during this time, it might just save one of the things that makes Denver’s, and in this case Aurora and Lakewood’s, restaurant scene something to be proud of.
Want to know more about the fabulous restaurants along Colfax Ave.? Check out our series, Just the ‘Fax, which includes a list of cheeseburgers and the ultimate bucket list…so far.
