In their just-released December issue, 5280 Magazine has a nice collection of features by Patrick Doyle regarding the Future of Denver. Topics range from FasTracks to pedestrian improvements to Denver’s new zoning code to urban infill developments. You can read some of it online, but to get the whole package, including the neat graphics and photos, pick up a copy at the newsstand. The article even includes a few words from yours truly. Overall, it’s a comprehensive and optimistic look forward as Denver heads into a new decade. Nice job, Patrick!
5280: The Future of Denver
Related Posts
2 Comments
Comments are closed.
I love the idea of street cars coming back to the city! I have an old photo of Denver hanging in my office that shows a street car moving up and down 16th street and it's a pretty cool scene.
Being able to easily transverse Colfax, Broadway, and even Speer would be a great opportunity for the city to become more pedestrain friendly.
Other comments from the previous version of this blog:
Scott said…
Picked up a copy of 5280 at the airport. Thought it was a great write up with some interesting ideas.
One thing I absolutely cannot get behind is the high speed rail up to summit county and beyond. The article mentioned the cost could be as low as $30 per trip….At that price point it still makes sense for a group of four or even two to drive on their own. Additionally, a train service is going to limit flexibility as far as when people arrive and leave the mountain.
I just find it highly unlikely that enough people to justify the cost would drive 30 minutes to Denver from Boulder, Highlands Ranch etc, pay to park and then take a two hour trip up to Breck. Not to mention the infrastructure is not in place in places like Frisco and Dillion to shuttle skiers to Breck and Keystone.
If anything this train would only extend Denver’s suburban sprawl Westword and make summit county a bedroom community for Denver.
12/04/2009 01:53:00 PM
Charles said…
I just got back from a trip to Portland. My family took light rail into downtown from the airport and then used street cars to zip around the Pearl District. We had so much fun and it was amazingly convenient and the best part, we didn’t have to rent a car while in Portland.
I really look forward to the day when we can have that type of experience here in Denver. Street cars in Denver, would add so much to a great downtown experience, and a line to the airport just makes good sense.
12/05/2009 12:47:00 AM
hIstorymystery said…
There’s also a good piece on the future of cities (infill, smart development) in the winter issue of ON EARTH, the magazine of the Natural Resources Defense Council. You can probably find a copy at the Tattered Cover or some other bookstore. It focuses on three parts of the Chicago metro area: a New Urbanist burb, an under-utilized industrial area, and a gritty West Chicago neighborhood. Although the writer is a bit starry-eyed about the New Urbanist development (although at least it has a rail station for commuting to the Loop), the sections on the other two areas are thoughtful and inspirational.
12/05/2009 05:58:00 PM
Christopher said…
I finally got a chance to read the entire article. I like a lot of the ideas presented. Especially having a street car system and making much needed improvements to the 16th street mall. I would love for that area to resemble Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
I have a problem with one idea under the “waste of spaces” section. I agree that we need to get rid of surface parking lots, however, I think the idea that “one solution could be to increase taxes on undeveloped surface parking lots to try to encourage landowners to build-or to sell to someone who will.” is fundamentally wrong.
Rarely if ever, does increasing taxes encourage growth. If “taxes are lower if there are fewer improvements on it.” then why not lower property taxes on improvements. This would make the land more valuable and could potentially open it up to more developers since the cost of improving the land would be lower.
Otherwise, I love the vision presented for the future of our city.
12/06/2009 04:26:00 PM
Anonymous said…
How likely is the street car system? Does anyone have any further information on this?
12/14/2009 09:21:00 PM