President’s Message
November 2026
Once again, holiday time is upon us! However, before we get all “wrapped” up, let’s take some time to do something that is here for us to enjoy all year long, like our wonderful museums. Denver Art Week begins on Saturday, November 7th and celebrates with Free Night at the Museum. On that night, several Denver Art Museums will have free admission and will stay open from 5:00-10:00 p.m. Make sure to spend time at these museums in our backyard – Denver Art Museum, Clyfford Still, CELL Learning Lab, The Kirkland, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum for Black Girls, Colorado History Museum, Colorado Women’s History Center, and others.
For those who can’t wait for the holiday festivities to begin, you don’t have long to wait. The Holiday Drone Show, the Christkindl Market, and the Mile High Tree begin on November 20th. Followed by the Holiday Lights on 16th Street, the City and County Building, and Union Station.
A Business Improvement District with a Twist: Progressive Urban Management Associates (“PUMA”) has been tasked with updating the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Business Improvement District Strategic Plan which hasn’t been updated in 44 years! Needless to say, it is outmoded – heavily based on land square footage, has 12 different assessment zones, 90% of services are focused on 16th Street, etc. Business Improvement Districts (“BIDs”) are funded through taxes on commercial property owners. The Denver BID services include cleaning and maintenance, placemaking enhancements, safety, event and activations, and economic development.
In addition to updating the BID’s strategic plan, PUMA is exploring the idea of overlaying a General Improvement District (“GID”) on top of the BID. A GID is a special district that funds enhanced services within a defined area through property assessments. For example, there is a 14th Street GID that maintains landscaping, planters, and trees, trash receptacles, water and electric utilities, and maintains signs and major landmarks like the Big Blue Bear. Overlaying a GID onto the BID would enable commercial and residential property owners to collectively invest in the maintenance and improvement of all downtown, not just 16th Street. The GID would be managed by a board of those paying the assessments. The result would give residents the ability to determine how resources are spent.
A Steering Committee has been formed, and Roundtable discussion are ongoing. The next step is a BID/GID Open House scheduled for Tuesday, November 10th, from 4:00–7:00 p.m., at the Downtown Denver Partnership offices located on Arapahoe Street between 15th and 16th Streets. That will be your opportunity to learn more about the proposal, ask questions, and voice your opinion. Make sure you participate in the process!
The Next Era of Downtown Denver: As I mentioned in last month’s President’s Message, Richard Florida, one of the world’s leading urbanists was asked to complete an analysis of downtown Denver and its future. At a meeting held on October 15th with city and business leaders, Mr. Florida unveiled his analysis. (You can read his full report using this link: https://3bdb7a96-9ac1-49c3-addc-8585a16c36f7.usrfiles.com/ugd/ff2361_7c29d6cad9db45429486c5c506a35de6.pdf)
You probably remember the article in the Wall Street Journal written this past summer that called Denver the emptiest downtown in America. Mr. Florida disagrees with that depiction. After spending a year and a half walking 16th Street and spending time in other areas of downtown, he saw people walking and biking, eating at restaurants, attending sporting and cultural events, catching a DCPA performance, and more. Mr. Florida stated that office vacancy is the wrong measure. The real measure is downtown activity. Downtown is for people. Visitors, not office workers, are the engine of a downtown. And, the good news is that we are at 90% of pre-pandemic foot traffic.
We need to stop focusing on, and talking about, all the empty office space. Denver is more than that. It has one of the most educated work forces in the country, a great international airport, sports venues, one of the premier theatre districts in the country, an elite-ranked convention center, and it is the gateway to the Colorado Rocky Mountains. All of this gives Denver the opportunity to be one of the unique cities in America.
Do we have work to do? YES! However, we have an opportunity to reimagine the central business district – Upper Downtown – by adding more housing, new types of workplaces, exciting entertainment, and, as Mr. Florida stated “bring more of that distinctly Denver way of life into the heart of the city. Let’s start focusing on how amazing Denver is and how lucky we are to live here!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’ll talk to you again in December!
Lisa L. Pope
President
