The Denver Justice Center | Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center

The Dale Tooley Plaza occupies the space between the Van Cise–Simonet Detention Center and the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse, between Fox Street and Delaware Street and Colfax Avenue and 14th Avenue. The plaza also contains an art feature designed by Dennis Oppenheim located on the corner of Elati Street and Colfax Avenue.

Facts

Square feet of concrete paving	89,060
Square feet of Granite Cladding	7,002
Bicycle racks	32
Stainless steel bollards	49
Cast-in-place bollards	38
Parc vue benches	8
Seat walls	9
Trash receptacles	4

Vegetation

Chanticleer Pear Trees	19
London Plane Trees	17
Prospector Elm Trees	7
Ruby Red Horsechestnut Trees	13
Skyline Honey Locust Trees	55
Shumard Oak Trees	13
Sterling Silver Linden Trees	12
Ginkgo Trees	7
Japanese Pagoda Trees	15
Prospector Elm Trees	7
Pyramidal European Hornbeam Trees	3
Sterling Silver Linden Trees	5
Prairie Fire Crabapple Trees	19
Redbud Trees	18
Russian Hawthorne Tree	1
Different plant species	31
Blue and Buffalo sod

Public Art in Dale Tooley Plaza

Internationally-acclaimed artist Dennis Oppenheim (NY) will create a large scale sculptural installation for the north end of the plaza, at the terminus of Tremont and Colfax. The sculpture’s title, “Light Chamber,” comes from two sources: the judge’s chambers, and light which is a metaphor for enlightenment. Oppenheim was inspired by the people who work in the courts and his concept was to create a sculpture to serve as a chamber or sanctuary for individual reflection on the plaza. Transparent floral petal forms on an architectural scale will create an enclosure that fits the grand vision of a Justice Center while also evoking humanistic qualities. It will be a like “quiet room” to be entered and experienced and to provoke contemplation and inspiration. The sculpture will be installed in late summer 2010.