Editor's Note: 'Our Colorado' helps us all navigate the challenges related to growth while celebrating life in the state we love. To comment on this or other 360 stories, email us at OurCO@TheDenverChannel.com. See more 'Our Colorado' stories here.
DENVER, Colo. — The Barth Hotel Assisted Living Residence is not only a historically designated building, but it's home to several seniors with disabilities who want to live in the LoDo area. And this building, with its long history in Denver, is about to get a face-lift.
Craig Hilton has called The Barth Hotel home for six years.
“I was homeless on the street and then somebody grabbed me and said, 'Come to the Barth' and I thank that person tremendously because she save my life,” he said.
With the help of more than $5,000 the LoDo Cares Holiday Project, the assisted living center, which is owned by Senior Housing Options, has the ingredients to make change. Each year, the LoDo Cares Holiday Project raises money to help those in need in the district.
Roberta Lott-Holmes with Senior Housing Options said they are remodeling the activities room into a cafe and full-service kitchen for their low-income and disabled residents to make it feel more like home.
The work is expected to start soon and wrap up in the middle of February.
Cooking is one of Hilton's passions, so he said he's thrilled for the upgrade. He said he is planning on making cookies and brownies in the new kitchen.
Lott-Holmes said this change is the brain child of the residents.
"They want to do it," she said. "They’ve had lots of input and they’ve been amazing about just wanting to make their space better."
Hilton said he is proud of the seniors and LoDo.
"I mean LoDo has just been wonderful," he said. "They been absolutely wonderful."
Donations for the LoDo Cares Holiday Project will be accepted until the end of February.