DENVER — The City of Denver plans to update a nearly 20-year-old plan in hopes of reimagining downtown.
A lot has changed in downtown Denver since 2007 — the last time city officials updated the Downtown Area Plan. Nearly two decades later, the Downtown Denver Partnership and other city leaders gathered together to kick off planning for the future of downtown Denver.
Over the next 10 to 12 months, city officials will survey the community to reset priorities for downtown and craft a plan for the next 20 years.
"We want to be able to vet some of the ideas that are already out there, see if ones kind of bubble to the top," said David Gaspers, principal city planner for the City and County of Denver.
Interactive posters with themes like a green downtown, a connected downtown, and a prosperous downtown gave those stopping by the plaza on Wednesday a chance to leave their thoughts on the future of open space, transportation and business.
"I think there's a lot of really good things about downtown," said Jacob Wooden, who works downtown. "Things that I'm really concerned about with downtown are accessibility to other parts of Denver through public transit, more housing downtown."
Denver
Ballot measure would increase Denver debt by $500M for downtown infrastructure
According to the Downtown Area Plan website, the plan is "a tool to help community leaders, decision-makers, and community members build upon downtown’s assets and guide future development and public investment to reflect the community’s vision for a livable, healthy, sustainable and vibrant downtown."
The full study area is a 2.5 square mile area bounded by the South Platte River on the west, Park Avenue on the north, Grant Street on the east, and Speer Boulevard and Colfax on the south.
The next chance to provide your input is on Oct. 8 at a 16th Street Mall pop-up event that runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Skyline Park.
Is it 'truly' affordable to live in Colorado Springs?
How easy is it to find an affordable home? If someone earns $51,000 a year and a third of their income goes to rent, they would need to find an apartment for about $1,280 a month. News5's Eleanor Sheahan takes you on a journey searching for this answer.
