Example better block project.
A collection of community partners have banded together united in the vision that it is possible to build a better block in a day. As a real-life “roll up the sleeve” effort modeled on the Better Block Project, the effort aspires to demonstrate the potential of creating a great walkable and vibrant neighborhood business center along W. 25th Avenue between Federal and Eliot. Within one day, the project will fill vacant storefronts, create pedestrian seating areas, provide landscaping and street furniture, redraw the street and pedestrian areas, provide live music, and more.
The date for the project is Saturday, June 9. The partners in the project include the Partnership, WalkDenver, Jefferson Park United Neighbors, Groundwork Denver, and Councilwoman Susan Shepherd. Volunteers are needed to help plan the event, coordinate activities and help build the block both Friday June 8 and June 9. Volunteers meet monthly, look to the Partnership’s events calendar for ongoing meetings.
This is an exciting project! With what other effort can you make a difference in drastically improving a block where you’d like to spend time; shop, eat and meet friends. You can’t, this is it! Read the rest of this entry »
As the Streetscape Project was wrapping up in July, the Partnership was applying for grant funds to organize and pursue a Business Improvement District (BID). The grant application was recently awarded! A BID is a tax district, which levies commercial property taxes within the district to fund physical improvements and other business support and economic development activity. Other BID’s in Denver include a new district recently created along portions of West and East Colfax, South Broadway (Englewood), Old South Gaylord, and several others. A BID can be a significant tool in supporting business and economic growth within a local community.
The initial proposed BID geographic area is generally defined by W. 23rd to 26th Avenues along Federal and W. 25th Avenue to Eliot Street. The application was funded by Denver’s Office of Economic Development, with funds from the Community Development Block Grant program. The project will occur in 2012, beginning in late January. The BID project involves a multi-step process to research, organize stakeholders, define the BID (boundaries, scope, budget and timelines), affirm property owner and community support and seek Denver City Council creation of the district. Read the rest of this entry »
At an October 26 public meeting about engineering design improvements planned for Federal Boulevard
between W. 5th Avenue and Howard Place (14th Avenue), Denver Public Works announced plans to apply for grant funds from the Department of Transportation TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program. If awarded, the funds provide the dollars to construct significant improvements as presented in draft form at the public meeting. It is believed the total project cost is approximately $20 million.
Improvements presented at the meeting include widening Federal allowing the construction of a third northbound lane, adding 16′ raised center medians, reconfiguration of certain key intersections, new curb and gutter, drainage improvements and wider sidewalks. The project requires the purchase of additional right-of-way along most of the east side of Federal, which depending on the property may involve the purchase several feet of property or the entire property.
Probably the biggest design concerned involved the lack of pedestrian separation from the roadway, as well as the lack of landscaping along both the east and west sides of Federal..
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Hand painted tiles by children of Cheltenham Elementary for a windscreen at the Colfax/Federal transfer station.
In late August 2010, a major change was implemented by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) changing the Federal Bus Route 31 to a crosstown route. This was a change the Partnership began advocating for a year before. After living with the change for over a year, the Partnership is questioning whether the new configuration works for the north Federal corridor and Northwest Denver residents.
As a crosstown route, the Federal 31 bus now traverses Federal north and south, without a downtown destination. If a Route 31 passenger desires to go downtown, there are two options including a transfer to a bus that crosses the 31 route (examples include 9, 16, 28, 32, 38, 44 and can also include use of the Colfax/Federal transfer station) or originating the trip by catching one of the downtown buses.
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