CIVIC CENTER DISTRICT PLAN APRIL 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS w TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary and Vision Plan . 1 II. Purpose and Need . 7 Need for the District Plan . 8 Purpose for the District Plan . 8 Relationship to the Denver Comprehensive Plan . .10 Planning Process . .14 III. Existing Conditions and Issues . .17 Study Area . .18 Existing Conditions . .20 Existing Regulations . .26 Existing Issues . .31 A Note on Terms . .32 IV. History of Civic Center . .33 History . .34 V. Vision and Goals . .39 Goals and Principles . .42 VI. Land Use and Economic Development . .45 A. Civic Center District Boundaries . .46 B. Land Use Goals & Recommendations from Existing Plans . .48 C. Land Use Goals for the Civic Center District . .51 D. Recommended Land Use Scenario - “Full Build Out” . .53 E. Market and Economic Analysis Findings . .62 F. Land Use Implementation . .63 i CIVIC CENTER DISTRICT PLAN VII. Urban Design and Architecture . .67 A. Goals . .68 B. Urban Design . .69 1. Urban Form . .69 2. Building Setbacks and Stepbacks in the Core . .76 3. Streetscape in the Core . .77 4. Streetscape in the Transition Area . .79 5. Plazas . .80 6. Open Space . .82 7. Wayfinding and Signage . .83 8. Public Art . .84 9. Green Design / Healthy Buildings . .85 10. Safety & Security . .88 C. Comply with Existing Regulations . .91 D. Architecture in the Core . .93 1. The Civic Axis . .93 2. The Cultural Axis . .95 3. Private Development . .96 4. Parking Structures . .97 E. Architecture in the Transition Area . .98 1. Civic Buildings . .98 2. Private Development . .99 3. Parking Structures . .99 F. Urban Design Implementation . .100 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS VII. Transportation . .105 A. Goals . .106 B. Street System . .107 1. Pedestrian Network and Bicycle Circulation . .107 2. Roads . .111 C. Parking . .117 D. Transit and Civic Center Station Guiding Principles . .121 1. Downtown Transit Circulator . .121 2. Civic Center Station . .122 3. Local Bus Service . .123 E. Transportation Implementation . .124 IX. Parks and Parkways . .129 A. Goals . .130 B. Civic Spaces . .131 C. Civic Center Master Plan . .133 D. Parkways, Boulevards and Gateway Park . .137 E. Parks and Parkways Implementation . .138 X. Implementation Plan . .141 A. Implementation Strategies . .142 B. Implementation Projects . .146 XI. Acknowledgements . .157 Elected Officials Planning Board Mayor’s Cabinet Interagency Plan Review Team Project Team Project Team Consultants iii CIVIC CENTER DISTRICT PLAN XII. Appendices . .A-1 A. Appendix A. - Relationship to the Comprehensive Plan . .A-3 B. Appendix B. - Public Process Summaries . .A-13 1. Summary of Design Charrette, August 28, 2004 2. Summary of Public Open House, December 2, 2004 C. Appendix C. - Potentially Significant and Historic Buildings . .A-19 1. Summary D. Appendix D. - Land Use and Development . .A-23 1. Land Use Alternatives 2. Alternative A - The Minimalist Alternative 3. Alternative B - The Full Build-Out Alternative 4. Alternative C - The Partial Build-Out Alternative E. Appendix E. - Economic Analysis . .A-65 1. Market Overview 2. Economic Impacts 3. City and County Revenue Impacts F. Appendix F. - Transportation Modeling and Evaluation . .A-79 1. Assumptions/Issues/Goals 2. Streets Systems Alternatives and Preliminary Recommendations 3. Results 4. Simulation Analysis Results G. Appendix G. - Parking Analysis . .A-97 1. Introduction and Current Issues 2. Goals/Objectives 3. Alternatives Considered 4. Alternatives Analysis 5. Parking Demand for Special Events 6. Quantification of Parking Demand 7. Policy Recommendations H. Appendix H. - Source Notes and Bibliography . .A-105 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS w LIST OF MAPS, FIGURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS Maps Vision Plan . 2 Context Diagram . 3 Study Area and Boundaries . 18 Land Use . 20 Parcel Ownership . 21 Public Art and Monuments . 24 Parks and Parkways . 25 Historic Districts and Landmark Structures . 26 Height Restrictions and View Plane . 27 Current Zoning Map . 29 Early Plans for Civic Center . 34 Art Commission Vision for Civic Center . 35 Civic Center Design by Edward Bennett . 36 1924 DeBoer Plan . 37 District Boundaries . 46 Land Use Figure Ground . 54 U.L.I. Justice Center Recommendation . 56 Context Diagram . 68 Urban Form Diagram . 69 Vision Plan . ..