Denver may require ground-floor retail in new projects on Santa Fe
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A stretch of Santa Fe Drive in Denver. Photo: Alayna Alvarez/Axios
A yearslong plan to breathe new life into Denver's Art District on Santa Fe Drive appears to be nearing the finish line.
Driving the news: City leaders this week are considering a proposal that would require ground-floor retail in new developments from Third to 13th avenues as well as some sections along Eighth Avenue.
- The goal is to preserve retail and commercial spaces, and promote mixed-use projects for pedestrians.
- Other proposed requirements include a 2-foot setback to create wider sidewalks and "a high number" of windows on the ground floor.
Why it matters: As rapid large-scale residential developments in the area try to meet the city's demand for affordable housing, the historic shopping corridor has experienced a loss of commercial space to new construction.
- While area residents and business owners agree there's a need for more housing, some share concerns about whether it's possible to build without diminishing what made the district distinctive.
What they're saying: The neighborhood was "really interested in making sure, as things start to be developed along Santa Fe, that it's not losing what Santa Fe Drive is for that community — which is art galleries, antique shops, restaurants … things that people can walk to," Denver City Council president Jamie Torres, who represents the district and is sponsoring the proposal, told Axios Denver.
The other side: More restaurants, storefronts and people in the area may mean steeper costs, particularly for those who live and work close by.
- Some residents worry new developments could price people out of the neighborhood.
- Business owners have also raised concerns that, even with steady foot traffic, they could be forced to move due to rising rent — a challenge many Santa Fe shop operators already face.
Context: Plans for Santa Fe's revitalization began in 2017 under former Councilmember Paul Lopez and the neighborhood association, but later stalled.
- In 2021, a similar overlay was placed on Tennyson Street between 38th and 46th avenues in an effort to revitalize the Berkeley neighborhood.
- City leaders' goal is to continue to apply this design tool in other neighborhoods, including Pearl Street in Platt Park and Gaylord Street in Washington Park.
What's next: A Denver City Council committee will hear the Santa Fe development proposal on Tuesday. The full council is scheduled to take a final vote on the measure — which is poised to pass — on March 6, Torres said.