St. Patrick’s Day in Denver has always been a popular celebration which dates back to 1889 when Denver held its very first St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The celebration continues today and people from all over will gather in Denver to help ring in the ever popular holiday. Here are some events that are sure to get you in the Irish spirit.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade – March 17
The Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates its 50^th year running and continues to be the largest St. Patty’s Parade west of the Mississippi. More than 200,000 patrons will line the streets of Denver as they enjoy horses and stagecoaches, marching bands, dancers, floats and Irish-themed music that is sure to be fun for the whole family! Get your green on and enjoy the continuing of this wonderful tradition. The parade starts in front of Coors Field at 10 a.m.! More info at http://www.denverstpatricksdayparade.com/

St. Patrick’s Day Festival at Fado
You won’t want to miss the 14^th Annual Outdoor St. Patty’s Day Festival at Fado, the classic Irish pub in Downtown Denver’s ballpark district. The beer starts flowing for the biggest day of the year at Fado at 7:30 a.m. and the outdoor festival begins at 10 a.m. There will be fun and entertainment for all ages including live music on two stages from the Clancy’s, Big Paddy, The Indulgers, Celtic Steps, Colorado Youth and Nevermind the 90’s. Fun for the kid’s runs from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. where they can enjoy games, a bouncy castle and face painting, while those who are 21 and older are encouraged to continue the celebration after 5 p.m. and into the night. Visit http://www.fadoirishpub.com/denver/st-patricks-day-2012 for more information and to purchase tickets.

Since the holiday falls on a Saturday, you are sure to have a weekend full of Irish revelry here in the Mile High City.

Enjoy sunshine and hoops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a half court shot contest for a chance to win roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines on Thursday, March 15!

Southwest Airlines and the Downtown Denver Partnership invite Denver to hoop it up at the Southwest Court at Skyline Park. The full-sized basketball court, which is free and open to the public, is Southwest’s latest addition to Downtown Denver.

As the Court’s official “tip off” event, Southwest invites Denver professionals, residents and visitors lace up their high tops and take part in a half-court shot contest – sink a shot from the half court line and win one of 10 roundtrip tickets from Southwest Airlines.

Hot shots including Nuggets mascot Rocky, Downtown Denver Partnership President and CEO Tami Door and Denver City Councilman Albus Brooks will join Southwest Airlines at the event. In addition to the contest, visitors can enjoy a live DJ, FREE pedicab rides around Downtown Denver and live game updates on the tournament’s first official day.

The Southwest Court at Skyline Park, which was recently home to the Southwest Rink, will be open from March 15 to April 12. Future activities will include a children’s basketball skills clinic, corporate 3-on-3 challenges and other fun events. Check out www.southwestcourt.com for more information and to register. Southwest Court at Skyline Park, 16th Street and Arapahoe Street, Next to the historic Daniels and Fisher Clocktower

Chef Lon Symensma of ChoLon (16th and Blake) has been nominated for Food & Wine Magazine’s The People’s Best New Chef. Click here to vote for Chef Lon. One lucky Facebook Fan will win a private chef’s tasting for 10 of their friends at ChoLon Bistro.

How to enter:
1. Change your Facebook status to “Like my status if you voted for @Chef Lon Symensma.”
2. Include a link to Food & Wine Magazine’s voting page (bit.ly/votelon)

Good luck to Chef Lon and Facebook fans!

The Downtown Denver Partnership released a new research report, Downtown Denver: A Magnet for the Future Workforce, this week at the 2012 Rocky Mountain West Urban Leadership Symposium in Denver. The report details city building efforts—including amenities, transportation infrastructure, educated population, residential growth, innovation and entrepreneurship, and emerging green economy—that make the urban core of the Mile High City an attractive place for a new generation of workers. The report also discusses strengths and opportunities for Downtown Denver.

Denver appears to be well positioned to reap the economic benefits of the millennial generation, in large part because of our community’s long-term commitment to comprehensive and collaborative planning that strengthens the center city.

A recent report by the Brookings Institution analyzing U.S. Census Bureau data notes, “To the extent they are moving at all, young adults are headed to metro areas which are known to have a certain vibe—college towns, high-tech centers, and so-called ‘cool cities.’” These cool cities are places where “it is easier to consume less and live more sustainably.” They are places with transportation infrastructure, an educated population, and innovative business climates. Brookings goes on to name Denver as the number-one city in terms of attracting the future workforce from around the country to live and work.

Nationally, employers recognize that the millennial generation is more likely to choose to live and work in or near an urban center. Mountains and oceans have become secondary to downtown amenities. In response, strategically minded companies are leveraging downtown locations or proximity to downtown to attract and retain candidates. This is important to entire metropolitan areas because downtowns are, and will continue to be, hubs of economic activity.

Tami Door, President & CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, said, “It used to be, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ It is now, ‘If we build the right place, they will stay.’ Employers in Denver tell us that during the interview process, candidates are asking questions beyond benefits and salaries. They ask about the vitality of the city center, culture and amenities, including if an area is walkable or there are continuous bike lanes and bike paths to get them between home and work. Building both tangible and intangible infrastructure—including fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where innovation and entrepreneurship are valued—is a regional economic development tool.”

Download a PDF of the Downtown Denver: A Magnet for the Future Workforce research report.

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).

In the 3^rd 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 4^th Quarter Economic Update will be available in March 2012 and will reveal the impacts of H+M’s first Colorado store, located along the 16^th 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.

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 16^th and Curtis.

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.

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.

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 16^th Street Mall
  (summer months)
• 10,894,401 annual visitors to the 16^th 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.