It’s certainly good news that the Pavilions has been purchased by a local group and that they plan to invest quite a bit of money into the complex. But, if we really want to turn the Pavilions around into a thriving retail center, let’s slap up a couple of 40-story towers with a ground-floor Macy’s on those ugly parking lots behind the Pavilions. That’ll do the trick. Seriously, with Makovsky working on something big for Block 162 and with Brookfield now in control of both of the lots behind the Pavilions, the long-term prospects for that area are exciting. Since one of the biggest barriers to development in Downtown is blocks with fractured ownership by dysfunctional families, having those three large development sites under the ownership of proven developers is a huge accomplishment.
Gart Buys Denver Pavilions
The Rocky Mountain News today reports that the Gart family and ING Clarion Partners have purchased the Denver Pavilions for $94.5 million. They plan about $25 million in upgrades including large video screens and escalators that extend to the edge of the 16th Street Mall. Here the full article by John Rebchook. Also, here’s an artist’s sketch of the new look (image courtesy of Communication Arts):
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I've been eating myself to bankruptcy and I've no complaints. Everytime I find a new place it's good. Better than my experience in Dallas, that's for sure. Except there's no Chinese buffet. Now there's some fine dining we lack.
Lots of great discussion here about Downtown Denver. I've lived and traveled throughout North America and I have to say that Denver is in my "Top 10 list of favorite North American cities".
I've only lived in Denver for almost two years now and it's great to witness the development activity in this city. Sure, Downtown could use a "little of this" and a "little of that," but it's progressing along quite well, I think.
I like the idea of an Apple store in Downtown Denver. Or, even a Target. These two stores alone would do much for Denver's retail presence.
Also, what is Denver and the Downtown Partnership doing to keep people in Downtown Denver? We cannot rely upon retail stores alone to enjoy a thriving urban center. While I know there are several Downtown-focused organizations, are they doing enough to help revitalize the city's core?
One thing I'm looking forward to: The redesign of 16th Street Mall. The current layout is aging and it's time for a major overhaul. We really need to make 16th Street Mall a "premium experience".