Technician in a respirator cleaning a high ceiling over a stair railing

Technician in a respirator cleaning a high ceiling over a stair railing. Used to illustrate this step; it is not a photo of a job connected to this site.

What is different along the avenue

Colfax is one of Denver's busiest streets, and the buildings that line it reflect a century of changing uses. Some have shops or restaurants at street level with apartments on the floors above. Just behind the avenue, side streets hold brick walk-ups similar to those across the rest of Capitol Hill. Rear alleys serve both, and many apartment windows look onto them.

That mix brings smoke from several directions at once. Sidewalk smokers gather near bus stops and entrances. Staff from ground-floor businesses step into the alley for breaks. Residents of the walk-ups smoke on fire escapes and back steps. A renter on Colfax may be dealing with all three, plus residue from a former resident inside the unit.

Noise and traffic also keep windows closed for much of the year, especially on the avenue side. Closed windows mean less dilution, so any residue inside a unit, or any drift from a neighbor, is felt more strongly.

Apartment above a storefront versus a walk-up off the avenue

Above a storefront

  • Smoke from the sidewalk and alley enters through front and rear windows
  • Shared walls or floors with a commercial tenant whose ventilation and hours differ
  • Rear stairs often double as a smoking spot for multiple users
  • The landlord may need to coordinate with the commercial tenant

Walk-up just off Colfax

  • Classic Capitol Hill paths: radiator pipes, risers, stairwells
  • Quieter windows that are more likely to be open, so courtyard and fire-escape smoke matter
  • Residue from long-term residents is the most common turnover issue
  • Building rules are entirely within the residential landlord's control

Questions for a landlord on or near Colfax

  1. Is the rear stair or alley door a designated smoking area for anyone, including commercial tenants?
  2. Can rear windows facing the alley be kept closed with another source of ventilation, such as a fan or cooling unit?
  3. Are there openings between the commercial space below and the apartments, such as old ducts or pipe chases?
  4. Does the building's smoking policy cover fire escapes and back steps?
  5. If smoke arrives from a business, who should a resident contact?
Map of East Colfax Avenue. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

General information for Capitol Hill, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.