$250K, not love, in cozy Black Hawk leter to Central

By Don Ireland

Senior Reporter

While Valentine’s Day cards and roses have been
abundant lately, City of Black Hawk leaders are hand-
delivering a “warm and friendly letter” to neighboring
Central City officials this week.

It is expected to convey some goodwill toward
Central and include what some call a generous “sweet-
heart offer” of $250,000 and some free land from the
neighboring city.

For years, Black Hawk has owned and maintained
the Briggs Lot across Gregory Street from Gregory
Point (formerly Mountain City) and very close to
Gregory Plaza. The 3.49-acre lot and surrounding
cliff-rock wall, however, lie within the official bound-
ary line of Central City.

Black Hawk leaders are hoping to spruce up the
mostly unused parking lot this year and use it to ex-
tend its recreational trail system from the Maryland
Mountain/Quartz Valley area into the Briggs Lot. To
avoid having the plans going back and forth between
the two neighboring cities, Black Hawk has an idea:
Ask Central City to formally allow Black Hawk to an-
nex the little parking lot.

Black Hawk wants to give Central City $250,000 to annex the Briggs Lot (at left) into Black
Hawk’s city limits. The lot, which Black Hawk owns, adjoins High Street. It is across from the
Gregory Point Victorian historic homes and a dozen yards uphill from the west end of Gregory
Plaza.

Black Hawk Council and Mayor David Spellman
were scheduled to vote at yesterday’s (Feb. 14) meet-
ing to formally request Central’s okay to annex the lot

Drone photo by Don Ireland

into its jurisdiction. All six aldermen and the
mayor were scheduled to sign the request letter,
hoping Central City leaders would accept it as a
friendship request.