The holidays are behind us and it’s a new year – 2025! Exciting things will be happening this year in downtown. The 16th Street Mall is scheduled to be completed, construction on the new Glenarm Plaza will be underway, and funds from the DDA expansion will be flowing in.
Recently, Sal Tripodi and I were asked to speak before City Council for the first reading of the Downtown Denver Authority Expansion. Sal and I, of course, spoke in support of the expansion. In addition to thanking city council for referring the DDA expansion to ballot, I also thanked the 80% of Lower Downtown voters who approved the expansion. Public investment drives private investment which is exactly what happened in Lower Downtown after DDA funds renovated Union Station. Private investment added new hotels, housing, grocery stores, gathering spots, and more. Now it’s Upper Downtown’s chance for similar revitalization and investment. David Roberts, LoDoNA’s new president, told City Council that Lower Downtown residents are in full support of the expansion of the DDA for Upper Downtown’s benefit. Fortunately, City Council voted 11-1 to expand the DDA boundaries and to support the Amended Plan of Development. Recently, Mayor Johnston said that in the last three months there have been three times as many leasing inquires for space on the 16th Street Mall than in the last three years. We are on our way!
Thanks to everyone who attended the two Downtown Area Plan Community Open Houses and the Vibrant Denver Conversation hosted by Mayor Johnston and Councilman Hinds. It is very important that UpDoNA members and downtown residents provide input. There will be additional opportunities this year for you to participate in the future of your neighborhood, so look email announcements. As a member of the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee, please feel free to contact me at lisapope@updona.org. I will pass along your concerns, ideas, and expectations to the committee.
On Monday, 12/9, UpDoNA held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Cherry Creek Trail mural. Councilman Hinds, Sterling Simms, our D10 Mayor representative, and others attended. Please read Sal Tripodi’s Arts & Beautification article about the celebration. Soon, we will be posting pictures and a video of the event. Congratulations again to Sal and his committee for their wonderful work last year – the mural and the Denver Sister Cities’ sign!
Beginning in 2025, there will be a dedicated 16th Street security team – Trust Patrol. The team will start with four members and will patrol the 16th Street Mall out to 15th and 17th Streets. Officers will be assigned to Upper Downtown businesses so that business owners can contact their officer(s) directly. Also beginning the first quarter of 2025, there will be a Block Captain/Safety Group. The Upper Downtown and Central Platt areas will be divided into seven groups. Each group will have a block captain who will either be a security professional or a property manager. An email thread will be made available to residents where concerns, issues, or general comments can be made. If a situation escalates,
Denver police officers will become involved. The first Safety Group meeting will be in March.
We all know that adequate lighting helps to reduce crime. Dimly lit surface parking lots and parking garages become prime spots for auto theft and for theft from motor vehicles. Denver’s Municipal Code requires that parking lots and garages have proper illumination, however there wasn’t any guidance as to what that meant. Thanks to the hard work of our Community Resource Officers, Kayla Knabe and Glenn Main, there are now specific guidelines such as temperature of light, light levels, LED lighting, etc. If an owner fails to meet the requirements, there are stiff penalties up to $1,000 and revocation of the license to operate. The Department of Excise and Licenses will be enforcing the Code.
One final note, the next time you are walking around downtown, stop at a business and ask them how they are doing. I recently stopped in the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory on Writer Square and asked the owner, Larissa, if her business has picked up since her block of the 16th Street Mall opened. She said that her location is back to 2019 business levels – great news! Unfortunately, her second location at the Denver Pavilions is still 50% below 2019 business levels. So, when you stop by a business, introduce yourself and UpDoNA. Let them know that we support them.
Happy New Year!
Lisa L. Pope
President
Thumbnail attribution – Lisa Pope
