For our fifth and final Denver Union Station update for today, let’s take a look at the new 17th Street Gardens (plus the one block of 17th Street between Chestnut and Wewatta) that recently opened.
The 17th Street Gardens sit on top of the underground bus terminal and surround big skylights that provide natural light to the pedestrian concourse below. The gardens were landscaped last year, so the trees and plants have had some time to become established before the gardens were opened to the public. Here’s the one-block stretch of 17th Street that’s now open. On the left is the Cadence project under construction:
On the opposite side of the 17th Street right-of-way is the main pedestrian walkway along the edge of the gardens. This is the main path pedestrians will take to get from the light rail station to the commuter rail station. The vacant parcel to the right will someday (soon, hopefully!) be occupied by a major mixed-use project. There’s room on both sides of the 17th Street Gardens for restaurant patio areas for adjacent developments:
The gardens themselves consist of a series of small “rooms” in between each set of skylights. Each has a unique design featuring a different colored or surface material, benches or seatwalls, and landscaping:
That’s it folks. Five posts in one day… a new DenverInfill Blog record!
You’re now up to speed on the Union Station project. However, seeing the project in photos is one thing. Seeing it in person is another. Therefore, I invite you to join me for our next Denver Union Station walking tour on Saturday, June 15. Tour details will be posted a few days in advance.
Brilliant series of updates. Thanks for all the photos and information!
Hey Ken — Thanks for the great updates, but please don’t burn out. We need you to keep us posted, on through to the Union Station completion, and beyond.
Some of the trees being planted for this project may not make it. I walked along Wewatta Street between 17th and 18th Streets this morning, Sunday, June 9, 2013, and observed some maple trees sitting in holes dug for them in round sidewalk cutouts. The dirt was less than an ideal growing medium: there was little soil and many stones. But a more immediate problems is that the trees had been set in the holes and left there. The root balls were uncovered. They were dry, and the sun was beating down on them. Some of the leaves were beginning to wilt. Not to mention I thought it wasn’t recommended to plant trees when the leaves were on them.
This isn’t the kind of loving care I would give to trees planted in any one of my projects.
I have a picture if the admin wants it.
I assume most of the roads through Union Station will have on-street parallel, metered parking with the parking meters installed once more of the development is completed. Any word on any bike lanes, maybe on Wewatta to connect to the (eventual) 15th St. bike lane and also the commuter bike station on 16th.
I agree about some of the new trees, though many of the trees that are already planted are doing well and look great.
When I see all the photos of the Union Station neighborhood development I can’t help but think what an ugly duckling the Xcel Energy Steam Plant is at 19th and Wewatta. It’s going to look out of place very soon.
Thanks again for all the great posts and updates. See you at the next tour.