Redevelopment of Denver’s former railyards adjoining Downtown is the result of over three decades of collaboration engaging property owners, visionary developers, top design teams, business and neighborhood groups with the City of Denver to bring the vision of expanding Downtown into the Central Platte Valley to fruition. I represented the City Planning Department through the detailed district planning, zoning and entitlement process for the 51-acre Commons Neighborhood PUD that has become the Riverfront Park neighborhood. I was responsible for zoning and design standards that have guided building placement, orientation, height, and form. I led design review of all development, including streetscape and amenities, during the initial phases of the project from 1996 through 2010.

I also managed the design process for the three iconic and award winning 16th Street pedestrian bridges that link Downtown and the Highland Neighborhood through the district. These bridges not only connect Riverfront Park to Downtown, they contributed to a renaissance of new activity in the Lower Highland neighborhood.

Riverfront Park, winner of a 2011 Urban Land Institute Global Award for Excellence, is now home to over 3,000 residents, 46,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a contemporary art museum, a major park and public plazas.

“Success at Riverfront Park has demonstrated the transformative power of public/private collaboration. Success at Riverfront Park involved the cooperation and shared vision of many entities, including the railroads; a city with a strong vision and commitment to parks, infrastructure and pedestrian amenities; a visionary land investor; and a creative development partnership that was willing to take a risk and create a new urban neighborhood “on the other side of the tracks” that expanded and enriched Denver’s urban core.”
– East West Partners