Denver picks star architect to transform Park Hill Park
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People celebrate the initial opening of the new Park Hill Park last October. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The landscape architect behind some of America's most celebrated parks will be bringing the long-awaited Park Hill Park vision to life.
Why it matters: It's a major step toward transforming the 155-acre public park into the city's next great green space after years of political fights over its future.
Driving the news: Mayor Mike Johnston announced Tuesday that Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) will lead the design.
- The firm's resume includes New York City's Brooklyn Bridge Park, Tulsa's Gathering Place and the landscape surrounding Chicago's Obama Presidential Center.
The intrigue: Johnston called the interest in the project "astonishing," with firms from around the world vying for the job.
- Applicants included designers behind Sydney's Olympic grounds, New York City's 9/11 Memorial and the Washington Monument's redesign.
- But MVVA stood out for its vision and neighborhood ties.
- Founder Michael Van Valkenburgh has committed 20% of his time to the project, which Johnston called "an incredibly unusual thing" for a firm's principal architect.
What they're saying: "There have been few opportunities to change a piece of land with its complicated history into something as positive and loved by everyone as we hope it will be," Van Valkenburgh said Tuesday.
Zoom in: City procurement documents reviewed by Axios outline plans for athletic fields, sports courts, playgrounds, water features and "outdoor adventure" attractions.
- Van Valkenburgh envisions an "intrinsically Colorado" feel that uses less water and includes test plots to experiment with native and drought-tolerant plants.
- The design will build on ideas from thousands of Denverites, Johnston said.
Follow the money: The project carries a $100 million budget, though it's unclear where all the money will come from.
- Voters approved $70 million in Vibrant Denver Bond funding for the park last year.
- Bond dollars will cover MVVA's design contract, whose price is still being negotiated. The deal will "likely" go before City Council in December, Johnston spokesperson Jon Ewing tells Axios.
What's next: Design work is expected throughout 2027, with construction slated to begin in June 2028, according to city procurement documents.
- Officials haven't decided whether the park will remain open during construction.