Denver's 16th Street Mall officially has a new name

Driving the news: Denver Mayor Mike Johnston made the announcement Tuesday, saying the name change reflects the area's evolution from a shopping district to "a mile of diverse restaurants, businesses, retail, commercial. It is a whole downtown experience."

The intrigue: The city is also introducing "The Denver Way" as a secondary name — with a double meaning, Johnston said.

• It's both a literal route through downtown, he explained, and a symbolic nod to the city's values.

The big picture: The rebrand comes as the 16th Street overhaul nears its finale, now more than three years in the making.

• So far, nine of 13 blocks are finished — complete with 950,000 new pavers, nearly 200 trees, upgraded infrastructure, public art and better accessibility.

Zoom in: Also in the works are two dozen new patios for existing businesses, 19 of which will be installed by the end of May, per the Downtown Denver Partnership.

• Nine vendors are also coming online, including food and beverage businesses Ichigo Matcha, Café Seoul, Kealoha's BBQ, Joe's Fancy Dogs and Liangs Thai Food.

By the numbers: Pedestrian traffic is back to 85% of 2019 levels overall, per Downtown Denver Partnership CEO Kourtny Garrett.

• Weekday foot traffic (the "return to office" metric) is at 71%.
• Retail vacancy hovers around 22%.

What we're watching: Downtown boosters are betting the renovation — plus the rebrand — will help 16th Street turn a corner.

• Of the 26 vacant spaces currently on 16th Street, every one is expected to be filled or activated with art, pop-ups or permanent tenants, Garrett told Axios Denver.
• There is a "tremendous amount of interest," she added.

What's next: The city will host 16th Street reopening celebrations May 31 and June 1.

• Full construction is expected to be completed this fall, though officials haven't given an exact date.