16th Street Mall recommendation revealed

A committee studying the future of the 16th Street mall for more than two years, today announced it has decided what direction it thinks the mall should take to ensure its position as one of the most successful pedestrian malls in the nation.

As part of the 16th Street Plan, the 16th Street Plan Steering Committee will recommend that the 16th Street mall maintain its original geometry, but will include enhancements to its furnishings and other pedestrian amenities. This decision comes after 2.5 years of assessing the infrastructure and technical components, consultant recommendations, public meetings and surveys of the general public. The committee will deliver a formal letter to the Denver’s Manager of Public Works on Aug. 11. The letter will detail the reason behind the recommendation and specific components involved in the upgrade, including how to create a “sense of entry” to the mall by enhancing cross-street intersections and reconfiguring mall furnishings. The recommendation will also address ways to make the mall more universally accessible for people of all ages and abilities, which includes making the mall compliant with ADA guidelines as well as adding features that will make the mall easier for everyone to use and enjoy. The final implementation schedule will be determined by the city and the availability of funding.

Mall’s potential under-utilized

“In its current design, the 16th Street mall has significant under-realized potential,” said Bruce James, co-chair for the 16th Street Plan Steering Committee. “Uses and traffic patterns throughout Downtown have changed, and the mall needs to continue to evolve with the rest of our city center.”

“Over 3,600 people participated in public meetings and surveys,” said Tami Door, President and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “Their input indicated a desire to keep the current layout of the mall, but a need to have it upgraded to meet the needs of Downtown Denver today and in future years.”

$62 million grant sought

The RTD, with input from the Downtown Denver Partnership, City and BID, have applied for a $62 million federal grant to help cover part of the cost of the upgrade. The 16th Street Plan Steering Committee will continue to meet to evaluate other facets of the 16th Street mall, and how to keep this street a popular Denver destination.

In the fall of 2007, the 16th Street mall celebrated its 25th anniversary—the catalyst  to launching the first phase of the 16th Street Plan along with recommendations from the 2007 Downtown Area Plan, which called for an examination of the paver system, utilities and other infrastructure components of this popular Denver destination. In recent years, the 16th Street mall infrastructure has deteriorated, with pavers coming loose, becoming slippery when wet and losing their overall color and richness. The cost for repairing broken and cracked pavers has become significant.

Review picked up steam in 2008

In 2008, the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc., City and County of Denver and the Regional Transportation District began working on the 16th Street Plan. The work is being guided by the 24-member 16th Street Plan Steering Committee.

In early 2009, consultants Matrix Design Group and EDAW worked with the Steering Committee on a Technical Assessment and Rehabilitation Strategy intended to investigate the mall’s building materials and utility systems, while also considering the mall’s accessibility and functionality. In October 2009, a design team led by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca initiated the current urban design phase of the planning process.

Public meetings were held to review rehabilitation alternatives for the mall and get public input. Online surveys, stakeholder presentations and social media were also used to get feedback. In May 2009, the consultant team presented rehabilitation alternatives for the area of the mall extending from Broadway to Market Street, based on the assumption that fixing the architecturally significant granite pavers remained the primary goal.

The design and layout of the 16th Street mall was created by world-renowned architectural firm I.M. Pei and Partners, which also designed the Pyramid du Louvre in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The landscape architecture firm Hanna/Olin co-designed the mall. Other projects designed by Laurie Olin include Bryant Park in New York City, The Simon and Helen Director Park in Portland and Westlake Park in Seattle. Olin is part of the ZGF’s urban design consultant team.

The are more than 100 restaurant and retail establishments along the 16th Street mall. In 2009, the 16th Street Mall accounted for $7,318,476 of Downtown Denver’s sales tax revenue.

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