Denver will rip out City Hall bluegrass, replace with waterwise plants
Denver will transform the landscape around its iconic City and County Building into a waterwise shortgrass prairie, tearing out thirsty bluegrass turf and creating a demonstration showcase for conservation. The rip-out-and-replace project, scheduled for completion by next fall, will slash 44% of water use on the traditional bluegrass lawn surrounding City Hall, dropping water use in that area from 1.2 million gallons a year to 670,000 gallons. The 1932 neoclassical building has historic landmark designation, but the grounds do not, so Denver Parks and Recreation is free to design and build the $400,000 project, parks spokesperson Stephanie Figueroa said. The money will come from the Parks Legacy Fund, created by a special sales tax Denver voters approved in 2018 for open space acquisition and renovation.