Because I am a big urban planning and Denver geek:

These are the notes from the Downtown Denver Plan's recent meeting. I agree that we need more mixed retail downtown, but mostly, we need a grocery story. Thank god Cook's Mart is coming at least.

Downtown Area Plan

16^th Street Mall Working Group Notes

June 9, 2006

Attendees:

Steering Committee: Karen Mulville, Linda Clark, Tom Gougeon, Nancy Green, Patty Fontneau

Others: Giles Fox, Kate Haher, Dave Ballinger, Lyn Reed, Don Pesek, Richard Rost, Tyler Gibbs, Mark Leher, Norm Ullemeyer, Craig Johnson, Craig Klenar

Overview

· Two major themes emerged:

1. What is the long term vision for the Mall? and
2. What operational and infrastructure decisions and projects need to be undertaken to support that vision?

· Much of the discussion focused on shuttle operations and impact on retail, safety and walkability of Mall

Key Issues

Vision

1. Mall should continue to be an important transit corridor and the central spine and identity element for Downtown
2. Retail needs to remain the core use for the Mall, augmented by focus areas or key nodes of activity and intensity
3. The retail focus needs to be supported by surrounding high density, aggregate income, attractions, and activities.
4. Residents and out-of-town visitors are two key target markets the Mall can and should serve in order to have diverse, unique and sustainable retail.
5. The Mall is too long to have a sustainable unified identity. Therefore, serious consideration should be given to establishing sub-districts of the Mall in the original 13-block area (Broadway to Market). These sub-districts may have different physical elements, different activities and/or different uses to help establish their identities.

Operations and Infrastructure

1. Upkeep of the Mall transit lane paving is unsustainable and many of the Mall trees are at the end of their useful lives. These two elements provide a clear opportunity to perform a thorough analysis of the Mall layout and construction and develop a plan to upgrade, replace or change the elements that no longer function as originally intended.
2. The design of the Mall is characterized by high quality and unique materials and these characteristics should remain in the future.
3. The general concept of the FreeMallRide shuttle service is sound, but needs study. Can the shuttle experience be enhanced in some creative fashion (e.g, cable car in SF, streetcar in New Orleans) to make it more of a destination in itself? Can the frequency or distance between stops be altered slightly at certain nonpeak times to enable better off peak use and more pedestrian activity.
4. Safety and perception of safety concerns remain paramount. “Broken Windows” policies (thorough cleaning, graffiti removal, police and Ambassador presence) have had some success in enhancing safety and should be continued or increased. Additionally, adjoining negative uses such as underutilized buildings, and surface parking lots need to be eliminated.
5. The light rail stop at 16^th and California is a serious detriment to positive Mall activity and RTD should give serious consideration to relocating this stop and upgrading the appearance and functionality of the other light rail stop at Stout Street.

Other Issues Discussed

• Can Mall shuttle be routed to 15^th and 17^th Streets for a few blocks, or service curtailed in some other fashion, to allow for periodic special events or enhanced pedestrian activity in certain stretches (especially the center blocks of the Mall)?
• Fundamental challenge is how to animate 16 blocks of the Mall – may not be possible
• Would increased density of surrounding uses solve animation issue?
• Mall needs grocery store, other basic services in order to effectively serve and attract Downtown residents and Auraria students
• Area around light rail stops needs to be focus of activity – real opportunity here with increased light rail and convention traffic
• Cross streets need attention – they can help image and activity on the Mall if better designed and densified
• Mall granite “wall-to wall carpet” concept still valid – be careful of compromising this for operational reasons
• Shuttle drivers need to be more visitor friendly and “colorful”
• Shuttle service needs to be expanded in late evening hours
• Can Mall lighting be increased?
• Mall colors need updating
• Eliminate median in central “symmetrical” blocks – it does not encourage positive activity, does not enhance pedestrian safety, and reduces flexibility of shuttle operations
• Could a pilot program for closing portions of the Mall to shuttle operations on Sundays be attempted?
• Could shuttle stop only every 2-3 blocks during off peak hours?
• Ongoing social problems around 16^th and California were totally absent during the strike – evidence that negative activity is tied to light rail stop location?
• Can retail on Mall be viable without adjacent parking?

Next Steps for July 7 meeting

1. RTD will discuss operational questions with service planners
2. Work group to establish core principles for Mall vision
3. Begin discussion of short and long term approaches, with illustrative policies, programs and projects
4. Discuss possible implementing mechanisms
5. Discuss issues and policies in context of proposed DAP sub-districts
6. Next meeting, Friday, July 7, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM