The Alliance for Biking and Walking just published its third biennial benchmarking report: Bicycling and Walking in the United States, 2012 Benchmarking Report. This in-depth report “reveals data including: bicycling and walking levels and demographics; bicycle and pedestrian safety; funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects; written policies on bicycling and walking; bicycle infrastructure; bike-transit integration; bicycling and walking education and encouragement activities; public health indicators; and the economic impact of bicycling and walking.” State of Colorado and the City of Denver received high rankings for bicycle and walking commuting. Here are some of the highlights:
Colorado ranks 4th in the U.S. for levels of bicycle commuting to work and ranks 14th for its share of commuters who walk and bicycle. In terms of planning, Colorado has published goals to increase walking and biking and to decrease pedestrian and bicyclists fatalities. In terms of policy, the state has a publicly available bicycle map, has adopted a “Complete Streets Policy,” has a 3-foot passing law when cars pass bicyclists, and has a policy that bicyclists can legally ride 2-abreast. In terms of education and advocacy, Colorado hosts an annual statewide bicycle conference (by Bicycle Colorado), educates the public with a Share the Road/public safety campaign, provides information on bicycling in the driver’s manual, has driver’s test questions on bicycling, and has 215 schools participating in Walk to School Day. The total economic benefit from bicycling in Colorado is over $1 billion annually and just 1.82% of the state’s transportation dollars go to bike/ped. 
Denver ranks 9th in the U.S. for levels of bicycle commuting to work. The City and County of Denver has published goals to increase walking and bicycling and has adopted master plans for each; has adopted a “Complete Streets Policy,” to provide safe streets for all users; and requires bicycle parking in new buildings and at public events. In terms of infrastructure, Denver has 2.7 miles of bicyclist facilities per square mile, compared to the city average of 1.8 miles of bicycle facilities. It also has 71 miles of on-street bike lanes, 85 miles of multi-use paths, 258 miles of signed bicycle routes, 2,700 miles of sidewalk, and is planning for 162 miles of new bicycle facilities and 54 miles of pedestrian facilities. Denver has innovative bicycle facilities including shared lane markings, bicycle boulevards, bike boxes, cycle tracks, and bicycle traffic lights. Biking and transit are linked as 99% of buses have bicycle racks on them and there are 682 bike parking spaces at bus stop. Denver provides bicycle education courses, Bike to Work Day events, open street initiatives, a city-sponsored bicycle ride, has bicycle and walking advocacy organizations (BikeDenver and WalkDenver) and a public bicycle-share program (Denver B-cycle).
Downtown Denver’s 3rd Quarter Economic Update is now available online. These reports are published each quarter and can be used by downtown stakeholders to help with a development, tenant attraction, business opportunities, and planning.
In the 3rd quarter of 2011, Downtown Denver fared relatively well despite the tenuous state of the national economy. The third quarter strengths of Downtown Denver include a pre-recession low retail vacancy rate, increased employment, continuing investment in residential and non-residential developments, increased apartment permits and a competitive office vacancy rate. However, these positive indicators need to be viewed in the larger context of the sluggish national economy, continued high levels of home foreclosures and weak consumer confidence.
Looking Ahead
The 4th Quarter Economic Update will be available in March 2012 and will reveal the impacts of H+M’s first Colorado store, located along the 16th Street Mall. The fourth quarter analysis will also provide insight into any effects of Jacobs Engineering’s merger of its Golden and Denver offices into a consolidated Downtown Denver location. The retail and office markets will remain areas to watch in Downtown Denver.
Downtown Denver Research
The Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP) is committed to supporting a livable, healthy, economically vibrant and exciting downtown. The DDP Research Department produces a series of reports each year addressing key elements of place-based economic development initiatives in accordance with the Downtown Area Plan. These research reports (located online here) provide Downtown Denver’s stakeholders with relevant and important information to strategically plan and act, shaping Downtown Denver as the unique, diverse, vibrant and economically healthy urban core of the Rocky Mountain Region.
Are you looking for healthy, delicious and freshly prepared food in Downtown Denver? Do you want an authentic Downtown experience? The new Yatai Food Cart is your answer. Located at 16th and Curtis, and open 11am to 5pm daily, Yatai is a sushi food cart that provides high-protein, low-fat ingredients that are prepared daily.
Is it cool to get sushi from a cart? YES! “Yatai means ‘Street food cart’ in Japanese, and yatai were the first places sushi was sold in Tokyo in the early 1800’s. Sushi began as a street food for the working class coming home from work and the late night drinking crowd coming home from the bars. This yatai is taking sushi back to its roots, to a casual street food we can eat all day.”
Visit Yatai and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. When I approached the cart, I felt like I was living in a major urban center, like New York or Melbourne with the way I was able to grab sushi in a cart in the middle of the city. Plus, you are able to watch the Chef and Owner, Brittany Bisk, make the rolls in front of you with high-quality ingredients adding to the authenticity of the experience. Chef Brittany spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia, and learned to cook loads of cool, healthy street foods. She is bringing these street foods to Denver, giving Denverites more opportunity to eat fresh, healthy, interesting foods affordably.
Photo By Rose D'Errico
Why eat sushi? Sushi is incredibly healthy, packed with protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamins D and B2 and the seaweed wrap itself is a superfood, rich with essential vitamins and minerals; it has twice as much Vitamin C as oranges, is packed with beta-carotene like carrots, and is rich in calcium. With such real, healthy ingredients, you are definitely getting a value for your money.
The sushi itself is delicious and there are many vegan options for us vegans. I had a tofu/avocado/cucumber roll and I keep thinking about it. Other options at Yatai include spicy tuna, wild salmon, snow crab, shiitake, and even sweet potato. The cart also features Vietnamese spring rolls, miso soup, edamame, coconut water, cucumber water and hot tea.
One last note: when you visit Yatai, be prepared for larger than average rolls! They are larger and made to hold, like street food, which makes them easy to eat on the go or in a downtown park. Support a new, local business entrepreneur and fill up on healthy food during cold season by visiting Yatai on 16th and Curtis.
The commuting habits of Downtown Denver’s 110,000 employees have a significant impact on Downtown, environmentally and functionally. As part of its goal to make Downtown Denver a vibrant enjoyable and sustainable place, the Downtown Denver Partnership conducts an annual commuter survey. The survey is now available online here.
Key findings from the report show that Downtown Denver is a transit-friendly downtown, where commuters utilize active transportation (bicycling, walking, transit) at a much higher rate than at the city, metro, and national levels. Findings also show that providing transit incentives (partially or fully paid transit passes) will encourage transit use. Looking at the demographic trends in and around Downtown Denver, the area is poised to become increasingly attractive to the future workforce with its investment in transit.
Highlighted Statistics:
Downtown Denver: A Transit Friendly Downtown
- Downtown Denver has significantly higher rates of transit use (36%) than the City of Denver (6%), the Denver-Broomfield-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (4%), and the nation as a whole (5%).
Downtown Denver commuters use Active Transportation
- 46% of Downtown Denver commuters
travel via active transportation, compared to just 12% in the City of Denver, 7% in the Denver MSA, and 8% in the nation. Active transportation is travel with activity involved (bicycling, walking, transit). - Downtown Denver has a high bicycle mode share (6.3%) compared to the City of Denver’s 2.2% bicycle mode share.
- The number of those who bike and walk to work in Downtown Denver is up to over 10% and this number has been steadily increasing over the past three years. This compares to just 6% in the City of Denver, 3% in the Denver MSA, and 3% in the United States.
Transportation Benefits
- Most Downtown Denver employees (66%) receive some type of transit pass from their employer.
- The most valued transportation benefit is the Eco-Pass (62%).
- When an employer pays for a transit pass, over half of the Downtown commuters surveyed will take transit to work (53%) and driving alone dips down to 32%. However, when employers do not offer the incentive of paying for a transit pass, 53% drive alone to work.
Looking Ahead
- America’s two largest demographic groups, the baby boomers and the millennials, are moving in increasing numbers into dense, urban areas and are changing the nation’s transportation patterns. These groups are seeking “walkable and social environments,” where they do not necessarily need to own a car, and where they can “downsize” their lifestyle. Eighty percent of younger Americans would prefer to live in an urban environment (PUMA, 2011) and since 2000, the number of college-educated 25-34 year olds has increased twice as fast in the close-in neighborhoods of the nation’s largest cities as in the remainder of these metropolitan areas (CEOs for Cities, 2011). The City of Denver is a “top gainer” in terms of domestic migration from 25-34 year olds (Brookings, 2011), so Denver can expect to see the shifts in transportation habits continue.
Since it was announced back in of April of this year that H&M had chosen Downtown Denver for its first flagship location in Colorado, there has been a constant stream of questions and speculation as to what this means for the retail market in Downtown. While that announcement by itself was a huge coup, it is also another piece of the puzzle that is coming together that will eventually re-establish Downtown as a shopping destination.
Two articles – H&M Only the Beginning for Downtown Denver & Downtown Denver Retail Rocks – do a great job of telling this story and connecting the dots as to how things are really starting to gain momentum. I would argue that along with landing H&M there are other very positive developments that illustrate Downtown’s retail market is changing for the better.
Take for instance Forever 21 quadrupling their size and opening a 33,000, two-level SF flagship in 2010. Add to that the recent remodel and opening of the new Ann Taylor Loft concept at 16th & Curtis. Add to that Bare Escentuals re-locating, expanding and re-opening at the Denver Pavilions. When you add it all up it is clear that retailers are investing in Downtown Denver and recognizing all it has to offer. With the opening of H&M quickly approaching, it will be exciting to see how it impacts the Downtown retail market going forward in 2012 and beyond.
The Downtown Denver 2011 Summer Pedestrian Count report is now available.
Downtown Denver Pedestrians
The Downtown Denver Business Improvement District funds pedestrian counts in Downtown Denver twice a year: a comprehensive count in the summer and a partial count in the winter. The BID began funding pedestrian counts in 1994 and has continued to conduct this valuable research ever since. This report summarizes the data collected during the summer of 2011.
Pedestrian counts allow Downtown Denver stakeholders to:
- Measure pedestrian traffic for prospective Downtown retailers, developers and businesses.
- Determine the impact of new development.
- Predict or measure success of a Downtown event.
- Help determine priority areas for streetscape and amenity projects.
- Locate areas where increased police presence and cleaning services may be needed.
Pedestrian counting zones
In summer 2011, counts were conducted in Zone A of the Business Improvement District. The BID is divided into 4 zones for pedestrian counts: A, B, C and D, so each year one zone will be counted in its entirety. This entails counting every single block face within that zone. By the end of the four year cycle, there will be a complete set of pedestrian counts for every single blockface within the BID. Counting at peak hours allows the BID to calculate extrapolations for daily and annual visitors to certain areas of Downtown Denver. Below are the daily and annual extrapolations for visitors to the 16th Street Mall.
2011 Daily and Annual Visitors to the 16th Street Mall:
- 35,424 daily visitors to the 16th Street Mall
(summer months) - 10,894,401 annual visitors to the 16th Street Mall
More statistics can be found in the report itself, so go check it out. Electronic copies of this report are now available on the Partnership’s website by clicking here. Electronic versions of all DDP reports are available on the DDP’s website in the Downtown Denver Research section under Business.
Rooftop Honey Saison
The Rooftop Honey was made using over 70 pounds of honey from the beehives located on the Brown rooftop. There are four hives on the rooftop with nearly 100,000 bees. The honey from the hives is used in spa treatments, soaps and during tea service.
City O’ City is a vegan gem in Downtown Denver. Nestled amongst the Civic Center, Capitol Hill and Golden Triangle neighborhoods, City O’ City is very accessible for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders. There is actually a B-cycle station on the same block for your convenience.
In the restaurant’s own words, “City, O’ City is Capitol Hill’s unique answer to everyone’s needs: a coffee shop with vegan pastries; a bistro-style vegetarian restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner; a full bar focusing on local and small batch. Come hang out, study, have a business meeting, eat, drink, enjoy.”
City O’ City provides its visitors with organic, local and craft ingredients. The staff is always super friendly. Local coffee and micro beers are served. There are always weekly specials to look forward to. Overall, it is a beacon for mindful eaters who enjoy feeling part of the community.
City O’ City recently underwent expansions to its physical space as well as to its menu. One is now greeted at Sherman and 13th Streets by a large, wide entryway with tall windows. The space has doubled in size, with a fresh, new, front café room and a beautifully painted lavender room in the back.
Many of the menu’s staples are still offered and they are joined by several new additions, such as the incredible “Savory Waffle,” which can be made gluten-free and vegan. I have already had it twice and it slowly becoming my favorite food. I am sure I am not alone in my relationship with the “Savory Waffle.” My friend and I spent time at lunch today tasting the sauce to try to decipher the flavors that made it so wonderful. Hint: coconut and peppers are involved. Another surprise to me was that Kombucha is offered on tap (also delicious). The desserts are still delightful, especially the gluten-free, vegan “Scout Cookie” with chocolate, coconut and granola, reminiscent of a Girl Scout Cookie.
Dreaming of the Savory Waffle
City O’ City is more than a restaurant: it is a community. There is a very distinct sense of place that one experiences when one spends time here. I always feel more connected to Denver when I am at City O’ City. Furthermore, the establishment donates to local non-profits, such as Project Worthmore.
Check out the new City O’ City and let us know what you think!
Let’s face it. Holidays are busy for EVERYONE. How do you make sure that you and your family maximize your time together? Plan ahead! Here is quick summary of some of the FREE signature events taking place in Downtown Denver this holiday season.
City and County Building during the Grand Illumination
Event: Downtown Denver Grand Illumination
Date/Time: November 25, starting at 5:30 pm
Location: Denver Union Station, Southwest Rink at Skyline Park and City & County Building.
Description: Witness the magic of Downtown Denver with this year’s Grand Illumination on November 25. A variety of landmarks in the area will officially turn on their holiday lights during this evening while providing additional entertainment and festivities for crowds.
Cost: FREE
Contact: 303.534.6161, www.downtowndenver.com
Southwest Rink at Skyline Park
Event: Southwest Rink at Skyline Park
Date/Time: Opens November 25, 2011 – Closes in February 2012
Location: Skyline Park, 16th & Arapahoe, Downtown Denver
Description: Southwest Airlines and the Downtown Denver Partnership invite you to grab your loved ones and head to 16th and Arapahoe in Downtown Denver and take advantage of the Southwest Rink at Skyline Park! Free live music, Date & Skate nights and other entertainment will take place at the rink throughout the season. Check out our web site for details.
Cost: Admission is FREE, Skate Rentals are $2 or bring your own skates and skate for free!
Contact: 303.534.6161, www.SouthwestRink.com
9NEWS Parade of Lights
Event: 9NEWS Parade of Lights presented by American Furniture Warehouse and GO Automotive
Date/Time: December 2 at 8 p.m., December 3 at 6 p.m.
Location: Downtown Denver
Description: The 9NEWS Parade of Lights, continues to reign as the signature event of the Downtown Denver holiday season. The countless sparkling lights, marching bands, giant balloons, dazzling floats and delightful characters will once again wow hundreds of thousands of onlookers when this popular family tradition takes to the streets of Downtown. Spectator viewing for the Parade is free all along the two-mile route, as Downtown Denver’s skyline provides a stunning background for the lights and sounds of the parade.
Cost: Grandstand tickets are available in front of the City & County Building. Viewing along the rest of the route is FREE!
Contact: 303.534.6161, www.DenverParadeOfLights.com for information on parade route, grandstand tickets and more!
TubaChristmas Concert
Event:TubaChristmas Concert
Date/Time: December 11, 1-2 pm
Location: Skyline Park, 17th & Arapahoe, Downtown Denver
Description: Tap your toes to your favorite holiday tunes at the annual TubaChristmas Concert at Skyline Park. Featuring 300 tuba players from all over the region and produced by the University of Colorado at Denver’s College of Arts & Media, the TubaChristmas Concert is one of the most celebrated and longest-running holiday festivities in Colorado!
Cost: FREE
Contact: 303.534.6161, www.downtowndenver.com
New Year's Eve Fireworks - as seeen from the 16th Street Mall
Event: New Year’s Eve Fireworks Downtown
(Presented by Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc. Co-Sponsored by VISIT DENVER and Downtown Denver Business Improvement District)
Date/Time: December 31, 9 pm and Midnight
Description: To welcome the arrival of 2012, the New Year’s Eve Fireworks Downtown will once again fill the skies twice during the evening. The first show, at 9:00 pm will entertain families and others looking for an early celebration, while the second show officially marks the start of the New Year at midnight. Stand anywhere along the 16th Street Mall for optimal viewing. The News Year’s Eve Fireworks Downtown are presented by the Downtown Denver Partnership. Co-sponsors of the display are VISIT DENVER and the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District.
Cost: FREE
Contact: 303.534.6161, www.downtowndenver.com
Christkindl Market in Skyline Park
Event: Denver Christkindl Market
Date/Time: November 25 – December 23, 2011, Open Sunday through Wednesday 11 am – 7 pm and Sunday through Wednesday 11 am to 9 pm
Location: Skyline Park at 16th & Arapahoe
Description: Inspired by the most well known Christmas market, the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany, the Denver Christkindl Market brings the festive atmosphere of the traditional holiday markets found throughout Germany with shopping opportunities for toys, crafts, food and other presents for children from one to 100 years old. The Denver Christkindl Market, sponsored by the German American Chamber of Commerce has become one of the most popular winter attractions in the heart of Denver.
Cost: FREE
Contact: 720.837.6905, www.denverchristkindlmarket.com
This holiday public event calendar is compiled by the Downtown Denver Partnership and is intended to provide information on large-scale, FREE public events taking place in the Downtown area. This is NOT an exhaustive holiday event calendar.
***High resolution photos available upon request. Please contact info@downtowndenver.com for details.***
I love a good competition as much as the next gal, but this one gave me pause – it’s called the “Continental Sausage Eating Contest presented by Metromix”. It’s going down at Oktoberfest on September 24th at 2pm, and it seems like the perfect thing to take a photo of and then Tweet to my friends with a caption like “Watching people slam sausages for charity. What are you doing?”
Here’s the press release that came out about it:
WORLD’S BEST EATER HEADING TO OKTOBERFEST DENVER FOR BRATWURST EATING CONTEST
No.1-Ranked Chestnut to take on Reps from Local Non-Profits This Saturday
DENVER – Sept. 19, 2011 – Oktoberfest Denver is proud to introduce the inaugural Continental Sausage Eating Contest presented by Metromix, featuring professional competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut. The contest is set for Saturday, Sept. 24 on the German Stage, 20th and Larimer Street, at 2 p.m.
“We wanted to create something new and original for Oktoberfest Denver,” said Jeff Suffolk, CEO of Human Movement, the company that owns Oktoberfest Denver. “Eating contests are perfect festival events, but we wanted to give it our own Oktoberfest twist.”
The Continental Sausage Eating Contest will pin Chestnut, currently ranked number-one in the world by Major League Eating, against locals representing charities, to see who can eat the most Continental Bratwursts in five minutes. The top-finishing non-profit rep will receive a $1,000 donation from Oktoberfest Denver. Non-profits competing include Special Olympics Colorado.
Chestnut, a San Jose native, is currently ranked no. 1 in the world by Major League Eating. He holds world records in disciplines such as pizza, wings, ribs, cheesesteaks and hot dogs.
“I’m excited to make my first-ever appearance at Oktoberfest Denver,” Chestnut said. “I look forward to washing down the brats with some great beer.”
Denver’s top-ranked Major League Eater, Bryan “Big Sexy” Beard, will also show off his gustatory prowess in the bratwurst eating competition.
The Continental Sausage Eating Contest is one of the many events slated for Oktoberfest Denver’s final weekend. To see the full schedule of events, visit OkotberfestDenver.com.
About Oktoberfest Denver:
Oktoberfest Denver began in 1969, when Larimer Square residents Fred and Hertha Thomas honored their favorite tradition, quietly tapped a keg of Coors, and served pretzels and white radishes. The event was hosted in on the 14th block of Larimer Street until 2007, when it moved to the 20th block of Larimer Street. The event attracts an average of 450,000 attendees and donates more than $55,000 each year to local charities. More information can be found on the event website, www.oktoberfestdenver.com, by becoming a fan of Oktoberfest Denver on Facebook, or by following @OKTDEN on Twitter.
