Denver’s Civic Center Park Master Plan Denver Parks & Recreation Department Mundus Bishop Design, Inc. October 2005 Funded in part by a Grant from the Colorado Historical Society’s State Historical Fund Denver’s Civic Center Park Master Plan Denver Parks & Recreation Department Mundus Bishop Design, Inc. October 2005 Funded in part by a Grant from the Colorado Historical Society’s State Historical Fund Civic Center · Park Master Plan · Civic Center · Park Master Plan · Acknowledgements Mayor John W. Hickenlooper Manager of Parks Kim Bailey City Council Rick Garcia, District 1 Jeanne Faatz, District 2 Rosemary E. Rodriquez, District 3 Peggy Lehman, District 4 Marcia Johnson, District 5 Charlie Brown, District 6 Kathleen MacKenzie, District 7 Elbra Wedgeworth, District 8 Judy N. Montero, District 9 Jeanne Robb, District 10 Michael Hancock, District 11 Carol Boigon, At-Large Doug Linkhart, At-Large Project Team State Historical Fund, Colorado Historical Society Gheda Gayou Denver Parks & Recreation Helen Kuykendall, Project Manager Mundus Bishop Design, Inc. Andrews & Anderson, P.C. CW&H Graphics This project was partially funded by a State Historical Fund grant from the Colorado Historical Society Civic Center · Park Master Plan · Denver’s Civic Center Park Master Plan Table of Contents Letter From the Manager Acknowledgements Purpose of the Park Master Plan . 1 The Planning Process . 3 Civic Center History . 5 The Master Plan . 33 Management Recommendations . 59 Implementation . 71 Background . 75 Condition Assessment Concept Alternatives Bibliography . 93 Appendix . 101 A. Civic Center Public Survey Results Civic Center · Park Master Plan · i Civic Center · Park Master Plan · ii Purpose of the Park Master Plan Civic Center is the heart and soul of Denver. Created over 100 years ago as the city's primary public gathering space and governmental center, it is one of the State's most symbolic places. Civic Center is one of the most com- plete and intact City Beautiful style civic center's in the country, and its importance is recognized by its listing on the National Register of Historic Places and its inclusion in the Civic Center Historic District, a Denver Landmark District. Civic Center is a key component in Denver's larger urban frame- work and open space network. It is the primary green space in the center of the city, and as such, it serves as both regional and neighborhood park. Civic Center is best-known as the setting for the region's largest public festi- vals, including the Festival of Mountain and Plain - Taste of Colorado and the Capitol Hill People's Fair. Its central location and grand presence also makes it a first choice for smaller events. Theater in the Park, Bike to Work Day and political speeches, along with rallies and filming are just a few of the smaller events that took place in Civic Center in 2004. Civic Center serves as the key urban park in downtown Denver, however several issues combine to negatively impact its usability and deni- grate its character. Civic Center attracts tens of thousands of people each day during large festival events (for example, in 2004, the Taste of Colorado estimated its attendance at 500,000 people over a four day period and anoth- er 250,000 attended the People's Fair). But on a daily basis and during the colder months of the year, park use is inconsistent. In warm weather Civic Center is most active during lunchtime during the week. At most other times the park primarily serves as a walking route from downtown Denver to the cultural complex. ISSUES · Inconsistent Use · Physical Barriers · On-Going Deterioration of Significant Features · Vagrancy · Perception as Unsafe Civic Center · Park Master Plan · 1 Vagrancy and crime are issues that impact most urban parks, and at Civic Center they foster an unsafe perception. The City's declining budget has reached Civic Center, where budget cuts have significantly reduced the ability of the Parks and Recreation Department to care for the park. Routine maintenance measures are not able to keep pace with the needs of Civic Center's memorable historic elements and buildings, and they are beginning to show signs of deterioration. While any one of these issues is challenging, the combination is making Civic Center a less than desirable public place. Today, Civic Center's immediate surroundings and adjacent neigh- borhoods are resurging with redevelopment occurring at a rapid pace. With the completion of the Wellington Webb Office Building for city services, the expansion of the Central Library, and the addition of the Hamilton Wing of the Denver Art Museum, the Civic Center District is beginning to resemble the governmental center that Charles Mulford Robinson intended in his original plan for the civic center in 1906. Civic Center is once again at the heart of the city, poised to serve as its grand, central public gathering space. The Park Master Plan for Civic Center The Park Master Plan for Civic Center offers a cohesive vision for is the cohesive framework that will the future of the park and its immediate surroundings. guide decision-making when making physical changes to the park, when pro- · The Park Master Plan builds on the park's rich historical context to gramming uses and when managing its ensure that its historical integrity is preserved while enlivening Civic landscape and buildings. Center for contemporary use. · The plan addresses the issues and needs related to Civic Center, and offers strategies for creating a dynamic, lively place that will attract people on a daily basis. · The Park Master Plan provides recommendations for the restoration and rehabilitation of the park's significant features. · The plan defines important new physical features that will complete the vision for Civic Center and ensure its use as an active urban space. · The Park Master Plan provides a management strategy to guide operations and maintenance efforts, ensuring that Civic Center is a clean and safe place. The Park Master Plan for Civic Center is the cohesive framework that will guide decision-making when making physical changes to the park, when programming uses and when managing its landscape and buildings. The Park Master Plan will be the primary tool that will be used by the City & County of Denver and its partners to manage change at Civic Center. Civic Center · Park Master Plan · 2 The Planning Process The planning process for the Park Master Plan consisted of five phases: assessment, programming, conceptual alternatives, preferred alternative, and the master plan. · The Assessment phase focused on evaluating Civic Center as a cultural landscape using recognized standard methodologies for research, inventory and analysis. Historic research was conducted at a thorough level of investigation and included review of all known primary and secondary sources. The park's composition and its significant features were evaluated for their historical integrity and present condition. · The Programming phase identified existing uses and defined a program for Civic Center that is compatible with its resources and that will meet the community needs for an urban park that functions as both a regional and neighborhood resource. PRIMARY · A series of three Conceptual Alternatives were developed to AND SECONDARY explore the range of physical improvements that could accommo- SOURCES date the program; that could ensure that the park becomes an active and lively place; and that would preserve and protect Civic · Historic publications Center's significant architectural and historical elements. · Unpublished manuscripts · Historic correspondence · The Preferred Alternative brings together the most important · Reports ideas into a park master plan that was reviewed, evaluated and · Historic documents supported by the City and the community. · Nominations for historic designation · The Park Master Plan is the accepted plan that provides recommendations for physical improvements, defines a comprehensive park program and outlines a strategy for the improved management of Civic Center. The planning for the Civic Center park master plan was guided by a very active public who represented a broad cross section of interests. Several key groups were instrumental in providing input including the Civic Center Advisory Committee, the Blue Ribbon Panel, the Civic Center Conservancy, City staff, residents of adjacent neighborhoods including the Golden Triangle, Silver Triangle and Capitol Hill, and community members. Several opportunities were provided for public input, including a series of meetings and open houses focused on Civic Center and two addi- tional workshops that informed the Civic Center District Plan. A user sur- vey was conducted and was successful in contacting a wide range of partici- pants, providing information on likes and dislikes as well as identifying the most popular park activities. Civic Center · Park Master Plan · 3 The public process included a half-day workshop with the Civic Center District Plan in August 2004; a Public Open House in September 2004; focus group meetings with event organizers, City personnel, neighbor- hood groups, Morey Middle School and the Civic Center Conservancy held during November and December of 2004; a Civic Center Advisory Committee meeting in November 2004; a public open house and comment period with the Civic Center District Plan in December 2004; a classroom project with Morey Middle School during January and February 2005; a pub- lic meeting and open house for the Park Master Plan alternatives in February 2005; a week-long design charrette for the Civic Center Advisory Committee in late February 2005; and a public open house during the week of March 22, 2005. Civic Center · Park Master Plan · 4 Civic Center History Development of the Civic Center In 1932 after more than eight years of design and construction, the final cornerstone of Denver's City & County Building was laid. The completion of the grand, classical building culminated a 30 year process to define the Civic Center as the heart of city government and its cultural center.