Protesters gather outside El Diablo and Sketch, but the restaurants remain off limits

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Protesters gathered outside the First Avenue Hotel late yesterday afternoon, waving signs and asking the city to allow Sketch and El Diablo to reopen -- and for employees of those restaurants to start collecting paychecks again. They've also started a petition on the web -- at www.saveeldiabloandsketch.com -- asking the same thing.

The restaurants, both part of Jesse Morreale's $5 million renovation of the 106-year-old hotel, have been closed since last Tuesday, when the City of Denver slapped the building with notice-to-vacate signs, saying it was unsafe.

Morreale and attorney David Fine were at City Hall today, meeting with assorted officials, sharing letters from structural engineers who say they're fairly sure the building is not going to fall over tomorrow, and trying to come up with some kind of solution that would allow El Diablo and Sketch to reopen, while also satisfying city requirements.

But there's no resolution yet, and the building remains dark tonight.

And it's a pretty safe bet that chef Brian Laird's Patria Rosso Wine dinner -- Sketch's first wine dinner of 2012, scheduled for tomorrow night -- is on hold.


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El Diablo

101 Broadway, Denver, CO

Category: General

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Sketch Food & Wine

11 W. 1st Ave., Denver, CO

Category: General

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12 comments
samcrows
samcrows

If Jesse was so concerned about his employees, he would have never allowed this to happen.

Observer
Observer

Only the Mayor of Hipsterdoucheville references a stupid t.v. show.  Hello Mr. Mayor.

Denverlandia
Denverlandia

I'm fairly certain the correct word is "satire" and that Portlandia was created to poke fun at anal people like Webster and YouTool.

Webster
Webster

Guest's original post isn't sarcasm.  It's non sequitur at best, and just plain stupid at worst.

Cpcke
Cpcke

The roaches and vermin need advanced warning of reoccupation...

Some guy
Some guy

Is Sean Yontz a partner of Jesse's, or just the Chef of El Diablo?  Or neither??

epl
epl

 Perhaps they should be protesting the "no shirt, no shoes, no service" rule.  Right in front of that picture are two guys that couldn't patronize El Diablo even if was open.

epl
epl

Thank goodness we're getting daily updates on the status of this restaurant...

YouTool
YouTool

Hey Guest, the Denver Post called for you, looking for more moronic comments.

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