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May 12, 2008 8:49 pm US/Mountain
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Changes Could Be Coming To 16th Street Mall
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Denver city planners are taking a close look at how they can improve the 16th Street Mall. They started six weeks ago with public input and may have some recommendations later this week.
Businesses, city leaders and shoppers all agree it's time for some changes. The 16th Street Mall is 25 years old and it's seen it's share of ups and downs. It is a huge tourist destination. Most people visiting downtown Denver stop there at least once, but it's always a work in progress, and that's what everyone wants to see.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper says the mall remains downtown Denver's crown jewel, but for some it's getting harder to spot the gems.
"We need more shops, we need bigger shops," said shopper Jessica McKane from Denver. "I would love it if big department stores came back."
Many store managers have a different complaint.
"The thing that I don't like is all the panhandlers, and we have a lot of people come in and try to rip me off; steal from me," said Reuben Beachem, a16th St. Mall shop manager.
But out-of-towners getting their first look on a beautiful spring day think it's great.
"Very clean, very nice, presentable," said Tony Scaletti, a visitor from Missouri. 'A lot of shops, souvenirs."
The president of the Downtown Denver Partnership, Tami Door, welcomes the feedback. They're collaborating all this week with national urban planners about the mall's future.
"I think anything that is 25 years old certainly deserves some attention, some nurturing and some care," Door said. "The reality is our visitors who come here from other cities will tell you this is one of the most successful transit pedestrian malls in the country."
As for the t-shirt and souvenir shops, which some of the locals tend to sniff at, downtown planners see a different message.
"Souvenir shops are like the canary in the mine. They are telling you if they're thriving, we have tourists, so we just need to balance that out," Door said.
In the meantime, the mall is getting 58 new trees planted along with 100 new planters. And according to mall regular Matt Cohen, you don't have to go there to shop.
"(There are) a lot of people out having lunch at the cafes," Cohen said. "It's a nice place just to walk around."
There are rumors that the shuttle transit could be on the way out. The Downtown Denver Partnership said that had been discussed, but is highly unlikely. They move 65,000 people a day.
Officials said panhandling is also dramatically down.
The Downtown Denver Partnership hopes to have recommendations Friday from the visiting urban planners.
Additional ResourcesAnyone with suggestions is invited to visit the
Downtown Denver Partnership's Web site. Visitors to the site can take a survey about what improvements they would like to see at the mall.
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