The Alliance Center’s priority has always been the health and wellbeing of our community. This page contains a detailed list of frequently asked questions to help clarify what our processes look like to ensure the safety and comfort of those entering our building as we continue to move in the direction of the new normal.

If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at facilities@thealliancecenter.org. We look forward to seeing you back at The Alliance Center!

This page was last updated in February 2022.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

TOP QUESTIONS

Masks are required for unvaccinated individuals and requested for all others. In support of those who have yet been vaccinated, unable to be vaccinated or have a weakened immune system, The Alliance Center staff is continuing to wear masks and encourages our community to do the same until it is safe for everyone to unmask. 

We recommend 6 feet of distance (minimum two arm lengths) between parties from different households in line with recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Please be respectful of other users and maintain an appropriate distance. 

We have removed most of the directional signage and returned furniture to spaces in the building to accommodate your needs while being considerate of the recommendations from public health agencies.   

Yes! Events are occurring in our event space, so please contact our events team at events@thealliancecenter.org to confirm any requirements impacting your event. See the second question in the “Conference Room and Suites” section for specific physical distancing information for our shared conference rooms. We also provide virtual event consulting services for any events you may be having that have shifted online!

The Alliance Center has focused on air quality for your health and productivity since our 2014 renovation. Many of the approaches already in place are helpful in reducing the spread of COVID-19. In addition, we recently received an industry leading WELL Health-Safety rating that independently verified our best practice, science based approaches. Specific approaches include: 

  • Maximizing fresh air – Our HVAC system includes an “economizer” setting to maximize outdoor air whenever possible. We also “flush out” the building daily to remove stagnant inside air with fresh outdoor air. 
  • High filtration levels – We use MERV 13 air filters, which are some of the highest rated filters that are available and used in commercial buildings. 
  • Portable HEPA filtration – We are installing portable HEPA filtration devices within all suites as tenants return to the office.
  • Air quality monitoring- The Alliance Center continually monitors the building’s air quality levels and adjusts the amount of fresh air serving the building accordingly. We also monitor carbon dioxide levels and other key air quality measures in our suites and a few of our larger shared spaces like the fifth floor conference room. These air quality levels have shown that the carbon dioxide and total volatile organic compounds in our facility vastly exceed regional and global ratings for air quality.  

The combination of these measures allow us to provide a minimum of 4.4 air changes per hour without taking into account our portable filtration devices while also communicating real time air quality measures in all of our suites and several of our larger communal areas.

We continue to work with our industry leading janitorial company in following all CDC guidelines.  Our cleaning practices follow evidence based best practices and were verified by an independent, third-party through our WELL Health-Safety Rating.    

We specifically – 

  • Disinfecting nightly using EPA List N products.  
  • Added touchless hand soaps in all restrooms and kitchens as well as at least one freestanding disinfectant station on every floor.
  • Provide EPA List N disinfectant for community use. You can find a spray bottle and paper towels at the kitchenette on every floor as well as the larger conference rooms.
  • Minimized high touch surfaces by adding touchless front door and restroom access and made operational changes to keep suite and conference room doors open by default.    

We are continually evaluating our cleaning practices to make sure they match the building’s occupancy and usage. Contact facilities@thealliancecenter.org with any questions or suggestions. As of this update, the scope of our nightly janitorial service has been reduced due to lower building occupancy to empty waste bins and vacuum less frequently (a couple times a week).       

Per the prior air quality FAQ, The Alliance Center has focused and invested in air quality management in line with research indicating that airborne transmission is a much higher risk than contaminated surfaces or objects. Proper mask usage and hand hygiene are called out as ways to further reduce transmission risk, which is why we continue to request masks in The Alliance Center and invested in hand sanitizing stations.

Yes, The Alliance Center’s front doors are open to the public! We ask that everyone who enters adheres to the signage displayed throughout our building to help keep everyone safe and healthy.

We have support staff on-site every weekday from 8:30am to 5pm.  

Regardless of whether we are on-site or not, we are always available via email or phone during business hours. You can call our 24/7 support number, 303-595-8710, for any urgent building needs or email us at facilities@thealliancecenter.org. 

Individual organizations. The Alliance Center is not conducting temperature and symptom checks at our doors. Tenant organizations assume responsibility for monitoring the health of their employees and conducting daily temperature and symptom checks. Each organization also assumes responsibility for their vendors and visitors. 

Yes. One hand sanitizer dispenser has been placed on each floor in the building and all of our building entrances. Touchless dispensers will remain at the main entrances to the building while ones which have a push feature will be installed in other areas. Ultimately these push dispensers will be replaced with touchless versions when they are available from our vendor.

We have added plexiglass dividers at all of the desks that face another individual or an open area. We are also willing to work with each tenant organization to create appropriate work arrangements for their space that can accommodate physical distancing. 

The desks cannot be physically rearranged to create more distancing since they are permanently connected to both electrical and internet cables and individual desks are not able to be removed from a set of desks.

Notify your employer and also please contact our team directly at facilities@thealliancecenter.org. You can also call one of the members of our team at the numbers below: 

    • Jason Page, Chief Operating Officer | 303-405-6786.  
    • Chris Bowyer, Director of Building Operations | 540-230-0393
    • Mariah Shell, Director of Tenant Services | 303-808-6278

ADDITIONAL QUESTION AREAS

CLEANING PRACTICES

Yes. We are continuing to monitor CDC recommendations as well as our building occupancy to determine what additional services may be appropriate and when. While we have modified some of our evening services in response to a much lower occupancy, we are continually evaluating our cleaning practices to make sure they match the building’s occupancy and usage.

Nightly. Supplies are available in the kitchenettes as well as medium and large conference rooms in the event you want to do an extra spot cleaning. We encourage the use and prompt return of cleaning supplies to a communal area for other members of our community to use as desired.

Examples of high-touch surfaces include: door handles, restroom push plates, restroom flush handles, light switches and plates, conference room spaces, stairwell handrails, faucet handles, water fountain push buttons, refrigerator handles, microwave buttons and more.

You are. Our janitorial team cannot touch personal items, so the cleaning and disinfecting of each individual desk is the responsibility of the individual who sits at that desk. Hot desks or completely unoccupied desks will be cleaned by our janitorial team on a regular basis.

Yes. Disinfectant spray bottles are available at the kitchenette and large conference rooms on each floor for you to use to disinfect your desks and shared areas as you feel necessary throughout the day. These are shared resources, so please be mindful to wash your hands before and after each use. We also encourage you to purchase personal cleaning materials for individual work surfaces. We suggest individuals and/or organizations purchase an EPA N-List approved disinfectant to clean your personal belongings and work area.

We have removed all reusable towels from our kitchens and replaced them with compostable paper products. This was done in order to reduce cross contamination of surfaces or individuals.

Over the course of the last few months, we have incorporated the following to reduce high touch surfaces in the building: 

  • Touchless Soap Dispensers – All of the restroom, kitchen and kitchenette soap dispensers have been replaced with touchless dispensers.
  • Touchless Restroom Door Pulls – All of the restrooms excluding the two ADA restrooms on the first floor now have door pulls at the bottom of the door. You can now use your foot to open these doors as shown in this video
  • Touchless Front Door Access – The ADA button for our front door has been modified so that it now has a “wave” feature. Simply wave your hand in front of the small screen (approximately 1-2” away) and the doors will automatically open up. If it is outside of our typical business hours, you will first need to swipe your keycard by the keycard reader for this feature to work. 

As always, if you have additional ideas for us to consider please send them to us by emailing us at facilities@thealliancecenter.org.

VISITORS AND GUESTS

Yes! See the following section for occupancy considerations for different spaces in the building and feel free to reach out to events@thealliancecenter.org for any specific event questions.

Our front doors. Consistent with our operations prior to COVID-19, we request that all visitors and guests enter the building using our Wynkoop Street entrance. We are dedicating this entrance to those individuals and our side entrances from the parking lot to tenants to avoid cross-contamination that is more challenging to trace should an outbreak occur.

CONFERENCE ROOMS AND SUITES

Yes. We have provided plexiglass sneeze guards at every desk that faces another individual or an open area such as a receptionist. 

Our shared conference rooms have the following suggested occupancy for meetings that support physical distancing:

  • Small conference rooms (A and D): 2 people
  • Medium conference rooms (B and C): 4 people
  • 5th floor large conference room: 6 people
  • 3rd floor large conference room: 6 people
  • Basement Production Room: 4 people

This is largely up to your employer if your organization occupies an entire suite. For shared suites, we are coordinating plans between organizations. We have shared information with each tenant organization to support their desired arrangement including supporting appropriate physical distancing (i.e. – 6 feet) at each workspace per the continued recommendations of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 

If you would like to reference floor plans that support physical distancing, you can download them here.

If needed. We have plans in place should the need arise and have removed furniture and chairs from certain areas in the building to serve as overflow space for individuals.

BUILDING CHANGES TO SUPPORT PHYSICAL DISTANCING

Yes, though not as many changes as were in place over the previous year. We have made several adjustments to support physical distancing.

You’ll notice increased table spacing in the first floor cafe to support physical distancing recommendations. This may also be true in your suite depending on your location in the building and company policies.  

We continue to encourage that the elevator be used only when necessary per COVID physical distancing recommendations and also for the personal health and energy efficiency benefits.     

These changes do not apply in the case of an emergency, so please follow The Alliance Center’s emergency exit plan and exit safely.

We ask that occupied interior suite doors to remain open during the workday since they are one of the most highly touched surfaces within the building. At the end of the day if a door is found open, our janitorial team will shut those doors when cleaning. 

Conference room doors should also remain open if not too distracting or the topic of conversation is not of a sensitive nature.

Two. We recommend no more than two individuals in the elevator at a time. 

Yes. The first floor kitchen and upper floor kitchenettes are accessible to the community. We encourage being mindful of 6 foot separation from other individuals in these areas in an effort to support social distancing.

Yes. We support our full community utilizing this space for your own personal needs.

Yes. Consistent with other areas in the building, the showers are disinfected by our janitorial team nightly.

OUR RESPONSE IN THE CASE OF CONFIRMED COVID-19 IN OUR BUILDING

We will follow all CDC guidelines and close all necessary areas of the building. It is extremely likely that the entire Alliance Center will need to be closed as a result. Any closure will last for a minimum of 48 hours.  Current CDC guidelines advise that potentially contaminated areas be closed off, outside air circulation be increased for 24 hours, followed by a thorough cleaning and disinfecting from a qualified company. Our janitorial team is qualified and ready to perform the cleaning and disinfecting service if needed.

Via email, consistent with all prior communications. We will also notify the community through our texting system if necessary. Please email us at facilities@thealliancecenter.org to confirm that we have your mobile number on file.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

Over the course of the last few months, we have incorporated the following to reduce high touch surfaces in the building: 

  • Touchless Soap Dispensers – All of the restroom, kitchen and kitchenette soap dispensers have been replaced with touchless dispensers.
  • Touchless Restroom Door Pulls – All of the restrooms excluding the two ADA restrooms on the first floor now have door pulls at the bottom of the door. You can now use your foot to open these doors as shown in this video
  • Touchless Front Door Access – The ADA button for our front door has been modified so that it now has a “wave” feature. Simply wave your hand in front of the small screen (approximately 1-2” away) and the doors will automatically open up. If it is outside of our typical business hours, you will first need to swipe your keycard by the keycard reader for this feature to work. 

As always, if you have additional ideas for us to consider please send them to us by emailing us at facilities@thealliancecenter.org.

Yes, though under certain new conditions. Consistent with our Bring Your Dog To Work Policy, a well behaved dog is welcome at The Alliance Center. In addition, to limit high touch surfaces, suite doors must remain open during the day. If your dog will abide by your commands or will be leashed to prevent them from exiting an open suite door, they are welcome.

Yes. We understand that childcare realities may limit this option, but we strongly encourage children to remain at home. We ask that children wear a mask and stay with their parent or guardian at all times.

Yes. You can continue to utilize the plates and utensils for the community. Please wash before and after using them to minimize the risk of any contamination.

You may continue to park in spots marked as “Guest” in our parking lot. Please look at the signage carefully to ensure you occupy a parking space that is not reserved. You must still pay for parking and can find details regarding our payment platform here.

Yes. Last summer we installed additional bicycle racks in the 2nd through 5th Floors elevator lobbies. Each rack will support two bicycles and are used on a first-come/first-served basis. Additional bicycle parking can be found in the Patio level elevator lobby and locked storage areas as well as outdoor racks in the parking lot and front of the building. 

No. We request that all food deliveries be accepted by our tenants either in the lobby or outside of the building. We will not provide access to areas outside of the first floor for the delivery of food.

No. Since all of the lights in the building are controlled by either a predetermined schedule or are motion activated, we request you not override our controls unless necessary. Let us know if you notice any issues with lights staying on or going off when they shouldn’t be. Contact us by emailing facilities@thealliancecenter.org.

SUPPORTING YOUR RETURN TO WORK

We understand that the return to work after over a year away may be a welcomed change to some and apprehensive to others, with many in the middle. We are doing our very best to try to accommodate this full spectrum and encourage our community to do the same. The following section addresses some common questions to assist your return to the office.

Should the need arise, we welcome you to schedule time in our basement Wellness Room or venture to the 6th Floor to check out the new reading library.

Several changes have occurred in the building over the last year and new connections are one of the most powerful ways for our community to grow. We encourage you to introduce yourself to your new neighbors and learn more about them and their work. We will be trying to do the same—our apologies in advance if a name or two escapes our memory.

We have also launched a tenant portal to help our community connect both inside and outside The Alliance Center. Click on “Member Directory” to learn more about the cool people that make up our incredible community!   

Grace for yourself and others. With a wide variety of individuals and beliefs we understand some will need an extra moment when returning. Take that moment and connect with the people who can support you the most.

So Many Ways. 

  • Invite someone to happy hour or a cup of coffee
  • Introduce yourself to a new neighbor on your floor
  • Enjoy some time working in the lobby and say hello

Attend one of our frequent community events such as bi-weekly happy half hours, yoga and other in-person events.

Absolutely. Your keycard provides you 24/7 access to the building and suite to try things out before you return. Try an early morning, late in the evening or even the weekend if you would like.

HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with additional questions or to seek clarification. Our team is here to support you and we are happy to help in any way possible.