16th Street's reopening offers hope for downtown's future
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People stroll the newly unveiled 16th Street on Saturday. Photo: Alayna Alvarez/Axios
The heart of downtown Denver is beating again — even if only temporarily — after the pandemic brought it to a standstill.
The latest: A rebranded 16th Street reopened over the weekend with more than 70 vendors, bold new art installations, a World Cup climbing competition — and, most critically, crowds.
- Hundreds of people strolled the redesigned mile-long strip, some for the first time in years.
- The kickoff marked the public debut of a years-long, nearly complete $175.4 million renovation aimed at resuscitating the city's iconic corridor.
Why it matters: Downtown's fate is tied to Denver's identity — and its economy.
State of play: For a few days at least, optimism was in the air.
- "This is probably at least five times as many people as you would expect normally on a Saturday," Eric George, a Denver native who works downtown, told us. It feels like 16th Street "is on the cusp," he said, of a "vibrant" new chapter.
- LoHi resident Kassie Aragon — who's steered clear of 16th Street for years — called it "not-so-gloomy, really lively, young, and up-and-coming." If it stays like this, she said, "I probably will walk a lot more through here."
Yes, but: The real challenge starts now to keep the energy alive beyond the fanfare.
- Despite falling crime rates, safety concerns on 16th Street linger.
- Weekday foot traffic is still down, hovering at 71%, according to the Downtown Denver Partnership.
- CBRE data shows downtown office vacancies have jumped to 35%, while retail vacancies remain stubbornly high at 22%, per DDP.
What they're saying: "The fact is that you're not going to alleviate those concerns until you get more people back into offices," Ed Sealover, VP of strategic initiatives for the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, said last month on "Colorado Inside Out."
- "And you need to give them incentives to go downtown, which is where the retail vacancies come in," he added.
The bottom line: Denver's urban core is showing signs of life. But whether its heartbeat can sustain a rhythm remains to be seen.