Downtown population doubled, retail sales broke a half-billion dollars, and more than 800 arts/culture/sports events took place downtown in 2025. These are just a few highlights of the highlights Downtown Partnership CEO Chelsea Gondeck shares from the State of Downtown Colorado Springs 2026 Report.

Note: we discussed the “rumored” sale of Poor Richard’s in this episode, apparently just minutes before the sale was announced.

LINKS:

2026 State of Downtown Report: https://downtowncs.com/sod

Front Range Passenger Rail Community Q&A: Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs:

https://www.mobilize.us/ridethefrontrange/event/927199/?followup_modal_context=email_shift_followup_other_events

April 17, 5:30 to 7 pm at Kinship Landing

Become a patron of Studio 809 Podcasts: https://www.patreon.com/join/studio809

MENTIONED:

Condo defect legislation

OneVeLa 27-story high-rise apartment project

Cottonwood Center for the Arts

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Fan Fest

Parade of Lights

Pride Fest

Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off

CSPD

Elevate Downtown Plan

Revel: The Urban Arts Party

AdAmAn Alley

Mom’s Day Out

Acacia Park

Dizzy Charlie’s Music & Events

Downtown Rotary Club

Front Rail Passenger Rail District

Kinship Landing

Windsor

Loveland

Castle Rock

Peregrine

Briargate

Ski Broadmoor

Sharktooth Ski Area

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum

Switchbacks FC

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Poor Richard’s

Richard Skorman

Kimball’s Peak Three

Chuck Murphy

Thunderball

Bingo Burger

Borriello Brothers Pizza

Eric Brenner

Red Gravy

Perry Bolts

Eclectic CO

Yobel

Emily and Clay Ross

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

We get important perspective on the value and meaning of Black History Month from a remarkable young Black man who lives and breathes civic engagement. Chauncy Johnson has worked in the Colorado State Capitol, pitched in on important initiatives, and run for Colorado Springs City Council in 2025. He is currently seeking the Democratic Party nomination for Colorado State Representative in House District 17.

Pikes Peak Bulletin Managing Editor Heila Ershadi also updates us on the Mill Street Community Benefits All Coalition’s efforts to get a community benefit agreement related to construction of a luxury Catbird Hotel south of downtown Colorado Springs.

LINKS:

Chauncy Johnson for HD17: https://chauncyjohnsonforhd17.com/

$10.3 Million Subsidy for Luxury Hotel Must Come With Community Benefits Agreement, Neighborhood Coalition Says: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/10-3-million-subsidy-for-luxury-hotel-must-come-with-community-benefits-agreement-neighborhood-coalition-says/

Church’s Pride Banner Removed. Again.: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/churchs-pride-banner-removed-again/

Pikes Peak Bulletin Listening Tour: https://www.facebook.com/events/2456923024770015

MENTIONED:

Leah Withrow

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

Conejos Neighborhood

William Jackson Palmer

The Tuskegee Airmen

Donald Trump

Rep. LaMonica McIver

Don Lemon

Elijah McClain

Breonna Taylor

George Floyd

The Olympic Games

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Laila Edwards

Juneteenth

Fiestas Patrias

Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off

OneBodyENT

Citadel Mall

Norris Penrose Event Center

America the Beautiful Park

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum

Norwood Development Group

Mill Street Community Benefits All Coalition

Manitou Art Center

Freedom to Thrive: The American Experience in Colorado Springs

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

Colorado Springs City Councilor Gold was reprimanded recently, for comments “in violation of the rules and procedures of City Council,” when in fact her comments were an example of the civility and decorum council rules strive to achieve. We share what went down in the January 13, 2026 Colorado Springs City Council meeting – in which faith leaders made comments about Martin Luther King Jr. Day which incited City Councilor Dave Donelson to walk out, refusing to participate in a photograph commemorating the mayor and council’s proclamation. Councilor Kimberly Gold reminded the room that, “Doctor MLK was a fiery person. He had to be in order to create change. And we need that same fiery spirit today and beyond to create the continued change that we need in our country.”

At its next public meeting, City Council heard from several citizens who praised Gold’s behavior and comments. In this episode we speak with Kimberly Gold to get her take, and we discuss the incident, the reprimand, and subsequent events with Pikes Peak Bulletin Managing Editor Heila Ershadi.

LINKS:

Pikes Peak Bulletin Coverage:

Councilmember Gold Reprimanded for MLK Proclamation Remarks:

https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/councilmember-gold-reprimanded-for-mlk-proclamation-remarks/

Juicy Public Comments on No Black History Month Proclamation, Gold Reprimand, ICE:

https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/juicy-public-comments-on-no-black-history-month-proclamation-gold-reprimand-ice/

Discover Downtown Pass: https://downtowncs.com/pass

2026 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Celebration: https://usopm.org/gamesexperience/

Nike Team USA Collection: https://www.nike.com/w/medal-stand-collection-7q64t

Downtown Colorado Springs on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/downtown_cs/

Downtown Colorado Springs on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DowntownColoradoSprings

MENTIONED:

City Councilor Kimberly Gold

City Council President Lynette Crow-Iverson

City Councilor Dave Donelson

Rev. Josh Rumple

First Congregational Church

Rev. Candace Woods

Seth Palmer Harris

League of American Bicyclists

Bicycle Colorado Springs

PikeRide

2026 Winter Olympics

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

U.S. Olympic pommel horse champion Stephen Nedoroscik

Galentine’s Day

Good Intentions

Novis Mortem Collective

Painting With a Twist

Comfort & Joy Cat Café

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

The Local Motive

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

Our beloved Trails and Open Space Coalition is sure to be up to something you didn’t already know. Executive Director Glenn Carlson shares his vision, what TOSC has been up to since he took the reins, and exciting news about a new web tool that will help us all enjoy our trails, parks and open spaces that much more.

We also get tips for trail etiquette when mud is the order of the day. Great news that TOSC is looking into bringing Starlight Spectacular back to life – but reimagined. Plus, Heila Ershadi, managing editor of the Pikes Peak Bulletin, shares an interesting story about a proposed new luxury hotel and what the Mill Street neighborhood is trying to do to avoid the gentrification shuffle.

LINKS:

Trails and Open Space Coalition (TOSC): https://trailsandopenspaces.org/

Colorado Springs Parks Assessment and Master Plan: https://coloradosprings.gov/ParkSystemMasterPlan

Downtown neighborhood seeks dialogue with Norwood Development – Pikes Peak Bulletin story: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/downtown-neighborhood-seeks-dialogue-with-norwood-development/

MENTIONED:

Susan Davies

Mesa Ridge High School

Widefield

Colorado College

Arrow Electronics

Running for Colorado Springs City Council

The Legacy Loop

Allen Beauchamp

Botanic garden

Denver Botanic Garden

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

Garden of the Gods Foundation

Garden of the Gods Dog Park

Pikes Peak

Blodgett Open Space

Pikeview Quarry

Timberline TrailCraft

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

Spoken word artist, idealist, and entrepreneurial cheerleader Judy Pearring shares some of her poetry and explains the vibe we love at The Next Us. The Next Us is home to Studio 809 Podcasts’ community podcast studio, as well as a family of extraordinary entrepreneurs. “We’re all the weirdos,” she tells us, and she means it with affection and respect. We also find out Carrie is a “recovering poet,” and Al wants to take one of Judy’s poems to Burning Man.

LINKS:

The Next Us: https://thenextus.spaces.nexudus.com

Clean & Safe Pilot Program - episode 23 of a Place for everyone: https://studio809podcasts.com/clean-and-safe/

Studio 809 Podcasts: https://studio809podcasts.com/

Get Involved. Get Engaged. - Episode 61 of Elevating Pikes Peak Women: https://studio809podcasts.com/get-involved-get-engaged/

MENTIONED:

One Million Cups

First Fridays

AI

TEDx

Open Mic Night at Rico’s

Downtown Colorado Springs

Sara Vaas and Dizzie Charlie’s Live Jazz

Acacia Park Bandshell Renovation Project

Eleven Mile Canyon

The “Manitou River”

The Clean & Safe Program

Homeward Pikes Peak

Pat Rigdon

Beth Roalstad

Mary Lou Makepeace

Melissa Marts

Brenda Morrison

Marcy Morrison

Burning Man

Cottonwood Center for the Arts

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com

This active young citizen is leading People Centered Colorado Springs, advocating for safer streets, and in her spare time running for Congress. Zuri Horowitz hopes to be chosen as the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. Representative in Colorado Congressional District 5. She wears her values on her sleeve, and has a very clearly delineated platform. She is a local champion for safer streets – designed for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders as much as for motor vehicles. She is also an advocate for affordable housing. She has served on the Colorado Springs Citizens Transportation Advisory Board since 2022. Her platform includes universal healthcare, affordable child care, and getting corporate money out of politics.

LINKS:

People Centered Colorado Springs: https://www.peoplecenteredcos.org/

COS Cars Kill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coscarskill/

Beautiful Colorado Springs on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautifulcoloradosprings/

Zuri Horowitz for U.S. Congress: https://www.zuriforcd5.com/

Updating the Downtown Master Plan - episode 16 of Loving the Springs with Chelsea Gondeck: https://studio809podcasts.com/updating-downtown-plan/

MENTIONED:

4H Club

Waymo

Downtown Colorado Springs

Chelsea Gondeck

Elevate Downtown plan

New CSPD Mobile Speed Safety Cameras

Loving the Springs celebrates the best of Colorado Springs and elevates the rest.

Plug into what’s happening in the Pikes Peak region, learn about awesome people, places and happenings, and explore opportunities to make life here even better. Longtime Springs booster Carrie Simison co-hosts with local gadflies Al Brody and Dave Gardner. All three love our two springs – Colorado and Manitou, so they give them the mic in this twice-monthly podcast. Nothing’s off the table – recreation, the arts, government, business, politics – if it touches your life, they’ll talk about it. We’ll invite the movers and shakers, conspiracy theorists, NIMBYs, YIMBYs, yaysayers and naysayers to join them.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and give us feedback and suggestions via comments at https://studio809podcasts.com/loving-the-springs or lovingthespringspodcast at gmail.com