The neighborhoods closest to downtown, including Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Uptown, North Capitol Hill and parts of Baker and Five Points, hold a large share of the city's apartments. Many buildings date from the early twentieth century: brick walk-ups of two to four stories, large houses divided into units, and rows of attached homes. Mixed among them are mid-century apartment blocks and condo towers, plus newer mid-rise construction.
For biohazard situations, that density changes almost everything. Floors in older buildings are often hardwood over plank subfloor with gaps between boards, and the ceiling below is frequently plaster on lath. Fluids that reach the floor can travel into the unit below. Shared hallways, stair halls and sometimes shared ventilation can carry odor to neighbors. Parking is tight, there may be no loading zone, and many neighbors will notice comings and goings.
Who is usually involved in Denver
- Emergencies and welfare checks
- 911, or the Denver Police non-emergency line for welfare checks without immediate danger
- Deaths outside a medical setting
- Denver's Office of the Medical Examiner, as the City and County of Denver uses a medical examiner rather than an elected coroner
- Discarded needles on public property
- Ask Denver 311 how to report them
- Restaurants and food businesses
- Denver's public health and environment department for food safety questions
- Permits for rebuild work
- Denver Community Planning and Development; ask whether your repair scope needs a permit
Building types and what tends to matter
- Building type
- Early 1900s brick walk-up
- Typical concern
- Plank subfloor and plaster ceilings let fluids reach the unit below
- What to ask
- Will you inspect the ceiling of the unit beneath?
- Building type
- House converted to apartments
- Typical concern
- Irregular framing, shared ducts and old additions
- What to ask
- How are ducts and returns shared between units?
- Building type
- Mid-century apartment block
- Typical concern
- Concrete or wood floors, shared corridor ventilation
- What to ask
- Can corridor air be isolated during work?
- Building type
- Condo tower
- Typical concern
- HOA rules, elevator reservations, loading dock hours
- What to ask
- What does building management require before work begins?
- Building type
- Newer mid-rise
- Typical concern
- Engineered flooring and sound mats under finishes
- What to ask
- Which layers under the floor need to come out?
Questions for building management in central Denver
- Can a service elevator or back entrance be reserved, and at what hours?
- Is there a loading zone or parking space the provider can use without blocking neighbors?
- Does the HOA or owner need to approve the contractor or see insurance certificates?
- Who will check the units above, below and beside the affected one?
- Is the building in a designated historic district, and would any repair affect exterior features that need review?
Common questions
- Do I need permission to remove flooring in a condo?
- Usually you control your own unit's interior finishes, but many condo associations require notice, contractor insurance certificates and work-hour limits. Check your declarations and rules or ask the manager.
General information for the Denver area, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.