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.