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Mobile Workshop

Economic Trends and Transformations

Denver's Downtown Revitalization: Public Spaces Spark Economic Growth

Sunday, March 30, 2025
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM MT
Location: Mobile Workshop Departure Area
CM: 2
Public Trans Walking Ticketed Event
Ticket Price: $22

    Lead Mobile Workshop Coordinator(s)

  • Jenna F. Harris (she/her/hers)

    Downtown Parks Program Manager
    Denver Parks & Recreation
    Denver, CO

    • Mobile Workshop Guide(s)

  • MV

    Molly Veldkamp

    Denver, Colorado

  • GR

    Gordon Robertson

    Director - Parks Planning, Design, and Construction
    City and County of Denver Parks and Recreation Department
    Denver, Colorado

The transformation of Denver's downtown parks, ongoing since the 1990s, began with remediating brownfield rail yards, creating Commons Park and catalyzing the Riverfront's economic renaissance.

Current challenges include post-COVID recovery, changing demographics, climate resilience, and inclusive public spaces. The Outdoor Downtown plan, 16th Street Mall Project, Reimagine Skyline Park, and Civic Center Next 100 initiatives address these through:
  • Dynamic, contextual park design and planning;
  • Green infrastructure and resilient landscapes;
  • Flexible spaces for diverse programming;
  • Enhanced connectivity and accessibility; and
  • Public-private partnerships for sustainable funding and programming.

These strategies aim to create a vibrant economy, destination public realm, and central neighborhood district. Learn how to:
  • Leverage parks as economic catalysts to revitalize downtowns;
  • Amplify the public realm as a site-specific cultural landscape;
  • Engage diverse communities, creating welcoming spaces;
  • Balance history with contemporary design; and
  • Develop sustainable funding and programming models.

    Learning Objectives:

    • Gain insights for transforming urban landscapes into engines of economic and social vitality.
    • Design innovative, flexible public spaces that respond dynamically to community feedback, balancing preservation with forward-thinking urban planning principles.
    • Evaluate the economic impact of public space revitalization projects and project future outcomes using data-driven analysis and case studies from Denver's ongoing transformation.