Over the last few years, millions of dollars have been invested to transform the 1914 Beaux Arts depot into a 21st century transit hub and bring together commuter rail lines, regional buses, light rail lines, and other transportation services all under one beautiful roof. Paired with investments in numerous public spaces in and around the historic structure, millions in private investment have followed, with developers building hotels, restaurants, offices and more nearby.
The Union Station project was anything but easy. Bill Sirois, the Transit-Oriented Development Manager for Denver’s Regional Transit District (RTD) since 2005, explained how people were able to stay involved in the 10-year implementation process.
“We had a 96-member advisory board,” he announced as mouths dropped. “We had really great leadership who were able to keep everyone focused.” As to why Union Station and the LoDo neighborhood feel so safe and clean, “it’s activated 18 hours a day,” he noted, keeping the area full of residents and visitors. Even the underground bus concourse feels welcoming with well-positioned skylights, which fill the space with natural light even 20 feet below ground.
The team from Macon, GA working on their future newspaper headline.
“Think big. Lots of different groups can have great ideas that can be linked together. Think long-term and stick to it,” was how one participant summed up the Denver program. Another noted the importance of leadership: “The mayor is a huge advocate and he was very smart to see the opportunities for investment which is a political risk but they all worked out. You need a champion in City Hall!” Another participant recognized that “Denver succeeded thanks to regional collaboration, strong leadership, and persistence.”
The full Amazing Place team at the conclusion of the Denver Ideas Forum.