I’ve called Denver home for most of my life, and like so many others, I’ve seen the city dramatically transform in recent years. With more than 100,000 people and growing in downtown Denver and a mix of stadiums, retail districts, and strong transit infrastructure, we should be thriving. But we’re not there — at least not yet.
Whether you believe that transformation has been for the better or the worse, we all can agree that Denver’s downtown has struggled since the pandemic, with office buildings sitting half-empty and housing demand far outpacing what’s available. The city now has a chance to take control of these changes and direct its future with developments that embrace Denver’s outdoor ethos and support green spaces amid its growing skylines, keeping intact the identity that makes us special. As far as urban planning goes, River Mile, Denargo Market, and a reimagined Speer Boulevard and Cherry Creek Trail will allow this city to boom without losing our character.
Our residents are caught in a Catch-22: they want to see downtown revitalized, but are worried about the direction development will take. The city’s relatively progressive base of voters rejected the mayor’s plan to raise millions for affordable housing just this past November, with The Denver Post reporting that skeptics of the ballot measure cited a lack of a clear plan from the city, and a fear that unchecked growth could introduce problems not yet characteristic of Denver. After all, growth often brings to mind high-rises, traffic congestion, and endless construction, eroding the very natural beauty that makes Denver special.
The question shouldn’t be whether growth is happening, but how we can welcome it without sacrificing the spirit of the city. We’re a city built on an outdoors ethic — one where access to trails, parks, and views of the Front Range aren’t luxuries, but expectations. It’s why we’ve protected viewplanes and pushed back against development that feels disconnected from the landscape we love.
City planners and developers need to think beyond traditional development models and reimagine downtown in a way that builds on our strengths — a place where development supports community, character, and nature — while fostering economic growth and addressing housing.
It’s not an easy job, but some developments are already pointing the way. Take The River Mile, an ambitious, first-of-its-kind project, which, once completed, will be the largest commercial project in the region, combining development with restoration work to breathe new life into the river corridor. Prioritizing green space and sustainable, multimodal transportation over car traffic, it’s designed to encourage people to actively engage with their surroundings.
Denargo Market similarly was designed to not just exist alongside the river but actively embrace it through a sprawling network of pedestrian-centric streets and seamless connections to the surrounding trail systems. The development will introduce more than four acres of public spaces connected by purposeful vertical development, including three million square feet of residential, retail, office, and hospitality space.
These two projects are slated to transform the historic South Platte riverfront into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood, bringing jobs, housing, and long-overdue investment, while preserving the connection to the outdoors that defines us.
Similarly, a recent advisory panel focused on reimagining Speer Boulevard and Cherry Creek between the Auraria Campus and downtown lays the groundwork for a more connected, accessible city. With input from local leaders and national experts, the plan emphasizes mixed-use development, improved transportation safety, expanded recreation along the Cherry Creek Trail, and stronger links between downtown and the Auraria Campus, once again further connecting the residents to each other and our city.
We’re not just talking about buildings — we’re talking about how we live. We can all agree that the downtown of the future shouldn’t be a collection of empty office buildings but a dynamic, 24/7 neighborhood that people are proud to call home. Developers, planners and Denver’s leaders have the opportunity to shape this future, consulting with residents and intentionally designing spaces that put people first, prioritizing green, open spaces, culture, and community.
If we get it right, downtown Denver won’t just bounce back; it’ll set the standard for how cities can grow with purpose and heart.
Rodney Milton is the executive director of Urban Land Institute Colorado. Milton was raised in Denver and holds two master’s degrees from Florida State University and a B.S. in History from Florida A & M University. He also worked for the City of Atlanta, and the City of Aurora as its manager of community development.
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