Workers lay granite pavers along Denver’s 16th Street Mall on Sept. 24, 1981. Planning officials want to transform the pedestrian mall, which is seen as the spine of downtown, into more of a destination where residents and tourists linger rather than simply pass through. (Denver Post file)
Re: “Denver eyes 3 downtown plans to boost arts complex, parks, mall,” June 2 news story.
I was excited to see that Denver is taking serious steps to grow its parks and revamp public spaces downtown. That being said, I was deeply concerned by your article’s statement that planning officials hope to transform the 16th Street Mall into a “destination akin to New York’s Times Square.” As a Denver native now living in New York, I have discovered that New Yorkers avoid Times Square at almost any cost because it is plagued by massive crowds, chain stores and overpriced food and shopping. While I recognize that the 16th Street Mall could be updated, I hope that this wonderful outdoor space will never become like Times Square and will, instead, maintain a sense of Denver’s unique character.
Maura Johnson, Brooklyn, N.Y.
This letter was published in the June 7 edition.Creating “The Mall Experience” on the 16th Street Mall sounds like a wonderful idea. However, the perpetual “repair” of the mall’s pavers (the definitive exercise in futility) makes this concept a bad joke. I have lived in this area for 14 years, and this “repair” has gone on almost on a daily (and nightly) basis, creating only lots of noise and dust and no improvement in the appearance of the street.
The city is wasting our taxes and someone is collecting big bucks, but we have nothing to show for it. Most days portions of the mall are closed off and the buses have to vie for the open sections. In addition to being a constant pain to those of us who actually live and work here, this does not seem to be a very welcoming and pleasant experience for tourists.
Unfortunately, this is the true “Mall Experience.”
James Schmidt, Denver
This letter was published in the June 7 edition.Around 15 years ago, we took a guided tour of historic downtown Denver — led by one of Colorado’s most respected historians. He was upset with city planners’ zeal to gentrify the downtown, destroying many of Denver’s once-treasured, century-old Brownstone buildings and replacing them with modernized skyscrapers. Ongoing gentrification also included many of the nostalgic shops, restaurants and bars.
One of many popular restaurants had delicious basic dinner specials such as meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, roll and peas — for $4.50. A few blocks away was a popular and atmospheric bar. Now, along with their peers, all have been remodeled. Meatloaf has been replaced by a fancy shrimp dinner for $17.50, and a “happy hour” $1 pint of Bud has been replaced by a $4.50 pint of microbrew.
Atmosphere and nostalgia are now mostly just words.
Dave Potak, Littleton
This letter was published in the June 7 edition.
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