The city of Westminster is currently transforming the site of the Westminster Mall into a vibrant downtown hub. This downtown area will help revitalize the city and create a sustainable foundation for the city.
For years, there have been two constants at the intersection of Highway 36 and Sheridan: construction and traffic. While the entire metro area is reeling from growing pains, the constant headache of growth and construction is creating new and exciting possibilities. As more people move here and traffic and growth continue to take their toll, it will be important for suburban communities to create hubs of their own.
I’ve lived in Westminster for most of my life, and there are very few areas that can be considered central community hubs since the disappearance of the mall. Creating this downtown will help create a social and economic hub that will drive Westminster forward. Instead of commuting downtown in traffic, residents of Westminster will be able to go to a central area filled with extensive parks, pedestrian walkways, shops, and restaurants.
The kind of growth that Denver is experiencing presents challenges and opportunities around sustainability. Denver proper is becoming more and more expensive, and as rents continue to rise more people will be moving into the suburbs. Creating infrastructure that supports increased bike and bus travel will be essential in this process. Downtown Westminster will become an important hub of bus, bike, and pedestrian travel.
The plans for downtown create multi-purpose roads and walkways, making it easy for multiple forms of travel within the downtown area. This site will also be right next to a regional RTD hub, making it easy for people to come and go by bus. Additionally, downtown Westminster will connect to an already extensive bike and trail system, allowing easy travel for those that want to walk and bike.
The increased transit connectivity will be complemented by a number of open spaces and parks that will be designed into the downtown area. The park system being created will serve both existing residents near the mall and the nearly 3,000 people expected to move to this new downtown area.
Restaurants and businesses will be coming back to an area that has been nearly vacant for years. A number of new businesses and community spaces will be created by this project, bringing economic and social benefits to Westminster. This will create jobs and a central district for people to live. Having a central hub could also attract a younger demographic. As someone in my late 20s, I’m attracted to urban areas that are easy to navigate without a car. Having a prominent central downtown will help to create an atmosphere that attracts this demographic.
Another important aspect of this plan includes affordable housing. As stated in the plan, Westminster City Council seeks to provide meaningful affordable housing opportunities in its future development approvals. It is important to make sure these affordable options exist, and that the amenities aren’t only available to those that can pay a high price for them. The parks, transit improvements, and retail development will be an incredible asset to the community of Westminster, and it’s important for all the people in the community to have access to these assets.
Suburbs around the country can learn from Westminster’s example. In order to create sustainable communities that people enjoy living in will mean rethinking the suburbs. We can no longer support endless sprawl, and creating central hubs like this will help revitalize our communities.
Ryan Long is a graduate student at the University of Colorado at Denver in the School of Public Affairs.
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