Denver's 16th Street Mall is getting more than just a roughly $150 million makeover. It's getting a whole new identity.

The big picture: The city's iconic downtown shopping strip might soon shed its "mall" moniker and — if city leaders get their way — the baggage that comes with it.

Why it matters: The rebrand aims to get the heart of downtown beating again after construction, crime concerns, empty storefronts and sluggish foot traffic kept it on life support for years.

The latest: The Downtown Denver Partnership is leading a process to "reposition" the 16th Street Mall ahead of construction wrapping this summer — the deadline Mayor Mike Johnston is now promising — spokesperson Britt Dahl tells us.

• DDP has tapped a global marketing powerhouse to craft a "comprehensive rebrand," Dahl says, complete with a new "visual identity," narrative and — most likely — name.

The intrigue: A name change seems imminent. The mayor even dropped "Mall" when referencing the area last week in his 2025 goals announcement, calling it simply "16th Street."

Zoom in: The Partnership is paying brand agency DNCO $100,000 to transform how people see and experience what many consider the core of downtown, the Denver Business Journal reports.

• The firm, based between New York City and London, is known for breathing new life into historic spaces like London's Heal's building.
• The vision for Denver's 16th Street Mall is to make it a go-to gathering place, rivaling hotspots like RiNo and Cherry Creek.

What they're saying: The potential of Denver's four-decade fixture is unmatched, DNCO strategy director Simon Yewdall, who's leading the local project, told DBJ.

• "I can't think genuinely of many U.S. cities where a street is so definitive of a city's identity," he said.

What's next

Car insurance costs are increasing in Colorado at one of the highest rates in the nation.

Why it matters: It's just one more spike in the cost of living.

By the numbers: The average price for insurance is $2,815, a 26% increase compared to 2023.

• The rate is the 10th largest increase among states and Washington, D.C., and well above the 15% national average.

Between the lines: Extreme weather — notably hail — is driving rates higher, experts say.

Go deeper

Half the U.S. House members from Colorado are millennials, giving the state one of the younger delegations in Congress.

Why it matters: Age matters in terms of representation.

• It affects how lawmakers approach the job, whether it's the policies put forward or the challenges each generation faces.

What they're saying: "I have noticed young lawmakers are willing to do [the work] because they know they're going to live in a world that has either benefited from their action or worsened by their inaction," Reed Howard at Future Caucus, a young leaders organization, told us.

The intrigue: The 2024 election delivered Colorado four millennial representatives: Democratic incumbent U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen, and Republican U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert and Gabe Evans.

• "As a fresh voice in Congress, my goal is to set Colorado up better for the next generation," Evans told us in a statement.

The big picture: The number of millennial candidates — born 1981 to 1996 — increased from 2020 to 2024 by 79%, Future Caucus found in a recently published study.

• The contrast is even more significant given the average age in the House and Senate is 57.9 and 65.3, respectively.

Between the lines: The issues that often draw attention from millennial lawmakers, and their constituents, are housing affordability and the economy. Howard said these issues resonate because they're often personal for the lawmakers.

Keep reading

🕊️ Dan Ritchie, a civic leader and former University of Denver chancellor who helped with the school's resurgence after taking over in his role in 1989, died last week at age 93. (Denver Post 🔑)

🚨 A shooting Sunday in Wash Park left one person injured and another in police custody. It apparently started as a fight over a park bench. (Denver Post 🔑)

🚍 A Trump policy asking the federal transportation department to prioritize projects in places with high birth and marriage rates could jeopardize federal dollars in Colorado, which has among the lowest fertility rates in the country. (CPR)

🗳️ Democratic candidate Manny Rutinel raised $500,000 in 48 hours as he seeks to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in the state's most competitive congressional district. (Colorado Politics)

🍺 Goldspot Brewing is transitioning to an incubator that launches new beer brands, including Sabo's Flower Shop Beer Werks and Laughman's Neon Buzz Beer Works. (BusinessDen 🔑)

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Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles can celebrate more than love this February as they set their sights on a Super Bowl win.

Yes, but: Denver Broncos fans don't have that second option. And even if they did, most fans say they'd choose romantic love over their team lifting another Lombardi Trophy, per a new survey from Wetten.

State of play: Nationwide, 48% of single American football fans would rather have their team win a title over finding true love. Women were slightly more likely than men to prefer a trophy to tenderness.

Zoom in: Just 38% of Broncos fans say they'd prefer another Super Bowl victory over undying adoration, tied with the Tennessee Titans.

The intrigue: Does this mean Denver's full of hopeless romantics — or is this a symptom of what DJ Khaled dubbed "Suffering from Success," since the Broncos already have three titles?

My thought bubble: Sorry, diehard fans — but as a single Denver Broncos supporter — I'm choosing lasting love over another fun but brief downtown victory parade.

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