The Downtown Denver Partnership, the City & County of Denver, and RTD are kicking off a 2-year planning study of Downtown’s 16th Street Mall. The Mall is 25 years old and the time has come to reevaluate the Mall’s design, land uses, transit operations, etc.
To get things started, this coming Tuesday, April 8, the project team will be holding a public meeting to solicit your ideas about the Mall and its future. For all the details about this upcoming public meeting, please visit the 16th Street Mall Project Page on the Downtown Denver Partnership’s website. I hope you will take time to come to this and future meetings on this critical issue to Downtown.
Since we’re on this topic, I’ve received permission to share with you the following article about the 16th Street Mall that was published in the current Spring 2008 issue of Historic Denver News. This well-written piece by Erika Warzel, Preservation Coordinator for Historic Denver, Inc., offers an overview of the Mall’s development and design. Enjoy.
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Denver Urban Living: the 16th Street Mall
By Erika Warzel, Preservation Coordinator for Historic Denver, Inc.
This article appears in the Spring 2008 issue of Historic Denver News
[Our featured article focuses on the history and design of the 16th Street Mall in Denver, which turned 25 in October 2007. Though a successful and vital component to Denver’s downtown, the Mall is now facing proposed changes that could alter its design, such as the replacement of its granite paving with concrete, and the removal of its pedestrian median. Historic Denver plans to work with RTD, the City of Denver, and the Downtown Denver Partnership to reach solutions that meet preservation and maintenance goals.]
For just over 25 years, the 16th Street Mall has served as the retail spine of downtown Denver. Yet the Mall is more than a series of shops and restaurants; it is a thoughtfully designed city landscape that has shaped Denver’s current definition of “urban.” Beyond its architectural qualities, the Mall’s genesis is truly a reflection of how Denver has developed into the city it is today. The issues that came to bear during its creation remain familiar to us Denverites nearly 30 years later.
The city’s first central business district was along Larimer Street near Cherry Creek (what we now know as Larimer Square, the city’s first historic district). When Denver’s first cross-town streetcar lines were installed along 16th Street in the 1870s, retailers followed to serve the city’s growing commuter class. Concurrently, 17th Street was developing due to its proximity to Union Station in Lower Downtown. The two parallel streets became the city’s central business axis, running from Union Station to the State Capitol and thereby influencing the development of the remainder of the downtown area.
By the 1960s, and into the 1970s, the familiar story of urban decline in American cities materialized in Denver. Airplanes and automobiles eclipsed railroad transportation, thereby weakening the pull of Union Station on downtown business. Population shifts to the suburbs undermined the downtown retail base as suburban developers began to add shopping centers in their communities. With the metropolitan area rapidly expanding, Denver’s several public and privately owned transit systems strained to serve the growing population. Air pollution escalated with the increased use of cars, and Downtown streets became severely congested.
The rumblings of a mall on 16th Street began as early as 1959, but the idea was not seriously considered until 1971 with a study jointly undertaken by the City and Downtown Denver, Inc. The Mall concept was seen as a means to enhance urban redevelopment, help Downtown retailers compete with the suburban centers and reduce pollution and congestion.
While early attempts to create a smaller version of the Mall were unsuccessful, the project found its start with a federal grant for design and engineering fees from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration or “UMTA” in February 1978. Funding for the construction of the Mall was granted in April 1979.
Federal funding hinged on the successful integration of pedestrian/transit interests in the Mall’s design, in combination with local interests to revitalize Downtown. An Architectural Task Force was assembled from RTD’s Board, who solicited and weighed proposals from architectural firms. Of the six finalists, I.M. Pei & Partners of New York was selected due to the firm’s commitment to “preserve that peculiar essence we call Denver, [to] enhance the historical and physical orientation toward the mountains as well as our capitol and government center, and [to] help us strive to fulfill the great potential of our urban core area.”
As with any project, the architectural design of the Mall evolved over time as Pei and his design team, headed by partner Henry N. Cobb, the designer of the famous John Hancock tower in Boston, consulted with the various groups and interests involved: RTD, the City, Downtown Denver, Inc., UMTA, and various citizen groups such as the business, environmental, and disabled communities. The end result sought to transform the street into an attractive pedestrian experience that allowed for the convenient passage and use of the free shuttle fleet, which connected with the majority of RTD’s bus lines at the transfer stations at either end of the Mall.
The main feature of the 16th Street Mall project was of course the pedestrian area between Broadway and Market Street. While 16th Street was to be closed to all vehicular traffic except the shuttles, the cross streets were to remain open. The Mall’s design called for a symmetrical central portion that ran from Arapahoe Street to Tremont Place, with a 22-foot pedestrian zone located in the middle of the street and 10-foot shuttle paths on either side. The sidewalks were also to be widened to 19 feet on both sides of the street. Double rows of alternating honey locust trees and specially designed post lanterns in the pedestrian median would provide shade and appropriate lighting while allowing for visibility of the buildings (and business tenants) running the length of the street. Asymmetrical sections at both ends of the Mall, with widened East sidewalks of 35 feet in width and a reduced pedestrian median of six feet in width, allowed for greater pedestrian flow near the RTD transfer facilities. Red oaks were to be planted in a staggered pattern within the wider 35-foot sidewalks at both ends of the Mall, while the post lanterns would remain in the pedestrian aisle between the shuttle paths. This asymmetrical arrangement helped to preserve the sight lines of the State Capitol building and the D&F Tower at Arapahoe Street.
Other important architectural features of the Mall included the granite paving and the post lanterns. Over 283,000 square feet of granite pavers were installed on the Mall in three different colors: red, quarried in Colorado; light grey, from Massachusetts; and dark grey, from Minnesota. These colors were arranged to create various medallion patterns that helped distinguish the shuttle paths, pedestrian median, and sidewalks from one another, and gave the overall effect of the patterned skin of a Western Diamondback rattlesnake. Granite was chosen based on the recommendations of I.M. Pei & Partners because of its durability, beauty, low maintenance costs, climate appropriateness, and non-slip qualities (unfortunately, a design flaw and faulty installation of the paving has led to performance problems that require continual and costly maintenance). The post lanterns, designed to provide security, beauty, and visibility, gradually turn on as the daylight fades, transitioning from day to night seamlessly and casting light on the buildings and businesses lining the Mall.
Two years after construction began, the Mall opened on October 4, 1982 with a celebration that attracted over 200,000 people. Subsequently, the Mall was extended into Lower Downtown in 1992 with design features that respect the historic character of that district. The 16th Street Mall has been honored with several awards recognizing its excellence in urban design, and in 2006 the American Institute of Architects Denver chapter presented the Mall with the AIA Denver 25-Year Award, which recognizes a project completed 25-35 years ago that has withstood the test of time and still functions in its original capacity. Today, the Mall is rated as the top visitor attraction in the metropolitan area and its free shuttles serve an average of 55,000 commuters and tourists per day. It is a true reflection of Denver’s definition of “urban” today: outdoor oriented, pedestrian friendly, and mass-transit minded.
An excellent write-up on the history of the mall – with an acknowledgment of some problems with the granite blocks.
The newer shuttle buses that have been introduced over the years seem to be more substantive and likely the heavier equipment compounds the problem with wear on the granite.
Rather than compromising the current (getting to be historic?)design – I would suggest that the granite paving materials simply be updated. That I know is more expensive than concrete – but this is the city's premier street and the vision from 25 to 30 years ago needs to be maintained – and reflected with special materials.
I'm also not keen on a redesign that would eliminate the pedestrian area in the middle of the mall. I understand that this could be accomplished by widening the pedestrian zones adjacent to the buildings – but I think that alteration would totally ruin the pedestrian character designed into the street.
Finally, the shuttles have not only increased in size, but also in number over the years – and perhaps its time to think about developing viable transit improvements on other streets parallel to 16th to help with the through-movement in downtown. For example, trolleys on 15th and/or 17th could supplement the shuttles – and distribute some of the travel demand to ease some of the pressure on 16th Street.
This makes me think that rather than focusing only on "what to do about 16th?" we ought to be looking broader and be addressing overall mobility and movement from the civic center into the central Platte Valley.
I think this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce streetcars to Denver. I seem to remember reading a while back about how the exhaust from the mall shuttles (and probably their wheels as well) have taken a big toll on the granite tiles that pave the mall's surface. Electric streetcars would not only be exhaust free, but would have no contact with the surface as they are on rails.
It further makes sense from a logistical standpoint. The most common routes talked about for potential streetcars are Colfax and Broadway. 16th street, Colfax, and Broadway all converge at Civic Center. Even though FasTracks will connect Downtown to the suburbs, Union Station is not walking distance to the other end of the CBD. A 16th street streetcar would not only be an ideal replacement for the mall shuttles, but could be used as the primary downtown circulator in the wake of FasTracks. If it is successful, the Civic Center bus station could one day be razed and turned into the central hub of a streetcar system that could be expanded onto Colfax and Broadway/Lincoln.
"Granite was chosen based on the recommendations of I.M. Pei & Partners because of its durability, beauty, low maintenance costs, climate appropriateness, and non-slip qualities"
If there is one thing I could change about the mall its those granite pavers. It fails on at least three of its five goals. Its not anywhere near durable or low maintenance (there is at least on section of the mall closed off for reapairs whenever I walk down it).
The worst part, though, is how slippery it is after a snow. Have you ever tried to make it from one end to the other when the buses aren't running and there is fresh snow on the ground? Its downright treacherous.
If we're going to look at alternative materials to granite – they should still be organic – like brick or flagstone – and NOT concrete. Portland has an interesting treatment on its transitways – where the streets with the trackage are laid with cobblestones and the sidewalks are set with brickwork. Very attractive – higher quality than concrete. The use of cobblestones let you know that you are on a different part of the street from the sidewalk bricks – which provides an additional safety awareness benefit when you're crossing the tracks. So if streetcar rails are in 16th Street's future – I hope the track area is paved with quality materials and not just a slab of concrete.
An issue I have with the granite and one of its intended goals is the statement "These colors were arranged to create various medallion patterns that helped distinguish the shuttle paths, pedestrian median, and sidewalks from one another…"
Besides the change in the direction of the pavers, I cannot see much differentiation between the sidewalk and the shuttle paths. This isn't as much of a concern for adults (unless you are distracted while you are talking or text messaging), but it's a concern when I walk down 16th St. mall with my 7 year old.
If the planners are going to replace any of the materials, I would recommend colors that show more of a separation between the sidewalk and the shuttle path.
Slightly off topic, because this comment has more to do with what is on either side of the mall rather than the street itself: Sixteenth needs to find a way to better organize its retail space so that it feels cohesive, vibrant, and fresh. The example of Evan Makovsky assembling the Fontius block is an example of what I'm thinking of: get one, two, or three developers to take control of all of the retail space from Larimer to Broadway and form a cooperative effort to re-tenant the street with better stores, keeping those that are performing well currently. I think national retailers are frustrated in their efforts to open urban stores because they're used to dealing with big developers. If a Taubman or a Simon or someone with similar credentials could somehow take control of the retail spaces (with the buildings themselves continuing to be owned by their present owners), what was once the city's premier retail spine could be something to be proud of again.
Other than getting some higher-end retail and filling up vacant properties, I would vote for street cars, and also simply getting rid of all of the clutter. Streets like this should provid long views down their length, but with too many trees (yes, I like trees, but they need to be in the right places), stupid looking purple trash cans in the middle of the street, ridiculous cheap sculpture, etc. etc. we don't have anything that can be described as elegant. Street cars might be somewhat expensive, but this is the 16th street! We need a show case.
Streetcars on 16th would make a lot of sense – the mall shuttles get packed at times and being able to link a second car onto the first for the same labor and negligible additional operating expense would be ideal.
Also, adding shuttles or trolleys in a loop around 17th, Broadway, 15th and Wazee would make them more attractive and accessible.
I agree with the idea posted above of making the civic center bus station the hub of a new streetcar system, with lines down Colfax and Broadway/Lincoln at the least, and preferably up and down Speer to Cherry Creek and Highland as well. Plus anywhere else people think would be useful. Can someone draw up a map real quick for posting with an initial streetcar plan? That'd be sweet.
Sadly the capital costs required for such a build-out would be near politically impossible. :sigh:
Studies are worthless without money to back up the ideas brought out…… waste of time if you ask me
This article is written well, but it's important to add that the mall is failing to thrive. It may be an improvement over 25 years ago. It does make a good impression on visitors from Kansas City or Cheyenne. But the vacancy rate still is incredibly high. Wasn't 16th Street originally served not by streetcars, but by cable cars? They would require a substantial investment, but cable cars would be a draw for tourists and locals — and, subsequently, tenants for these empty spaces.
In response to 4/04/2008 04:11:00 PM above – The idea of bringing in a retail proprietor is excellent. I also like people's suggestions regarding converting the rubber-tired shuttles to a streetcar or even cable car.
Regarding bringing in a retail expert, the time is well overdue – however, the city did try this once before after it became apparent that Cherry Creek was sucking the liefe out of downtown retail. Taubman was approach, but came up with a scheme that would have replaced much of the lower downtown portion of 16th street for blocks with internal focused megamall structures. We're fortunate that that did not happen. But in this era of Belmars, etc. I agree that a major retail company is what downtown needs to reinvent its role in the region's retail niche. There are downtown's all across the county that are in much worse shape than downtown Denver – but they continue to have a thriving mix of retail in there core. Frankly, the retail in downtown is an embarassment to the city.
And I like the comments above about going with quality design and materials as 16th Street is revitalized.
I think upgrading the shuttle busses to streetcars would be good. Also whatever transit improvement gets put in, there needs to be level boarding, so that the bus does not have to stop and operate a wheelchair ramp, everytime someone in a wheelchair needs to use the bus. This creates huge bunches of busses so that they do not wind up running on a regular basis.
In regards to other blocks, part of fastracks is a 'Downtown Circulator' that will run on 17th/18th. The technology for that has yet to be determined, but i think an idea is to make 16th streetcars, and use the existing mall bus fleet to serve the downtown circulator loop.
as much as i love light rail / street cars…it would be a waste to install these on the mall instead of investing that money elsewhere in NEW transit corridors in the city.
the DT shuttle works quite well, even better if the following changes were made:
– signal timing so that the bus never stops at a light
– spreading the stops to every TWO blocks
– extending the shuttle 'loop' to 20th street (therby providing service within two blocks to every person between 14th and 22nd.)
I've always thought that the mall needed more hip/trendy name brand stores.
None of this hot-topic nonsense. We need sotres that will bring in the younger mid 20's crowd.
I've always thought an abercrombie and fitch would be great.
any other ideas on this?
I am here to agree with above posts on several points:
1. granite pavers are worth salvaging, and help the overall design to serve its purpose, even if they do have maintenance issues.
2. the granite and the mall at large would be better served by a streetcar system. A very $$ and ambitious plan.
3. most importantly, something needs to be done to help the 16th St mall thrive. it is the backbone of urban Denver, yet during a walk down many blocks all you see at street level is little more than vacant lots and souvenir stores. it feels stuck in another era, when downtown Denver was not what it is now. In order for Downtown to 'take the next step', it needs 16th to mature into a viable alternate to shopping & entertainment in other neighborhoods such as Cherry Creek. 16th seems poised to do this, with the population growth during recent decades & a clean and vibrant downtown. Who can make this happen??
How much would a street car cost?
And why the focus on retail on 16th? Who actually makes a point of traveling to downtown to shop? I live 2 miles away and I don't. The vacancy rates for retail are high because the demand is not there. The new focus of 16th st. mall should be things that work, not continuing to try putting a square peg in a round hole and pretending that somehow we're going to get Target, Pier One, Crate & Barrel, and a slew of other retailers to open up shop.
Good point, Allen: while the addition of a Target or some such would benefit the people who live Downtown, it's not really viable or necessary to put in high end stores to make it a "destination" shopping experience along those lines. Instead, it might be better (although much harder) to try to put in things that really emphasize Denver, rather than yet more chain stores. The Rockmount is pretty much the epitome of what I have in mind. To this end, there's nothing inherently wrong with souvenir stores, they just have to be less tacky.
In short: shops downtown should cater to a mix of local and tourist needs, and these CAN be integrated in interesting ways.
Street cars would be great, but probably cost too much. Further, the granite is costly, slippery, and too grey in an already gray urban area. Why not flagstone or similar? It's more indicative of the area, is more brightly colored, has better surface, and while much less durable also much cheaper.