Updated 1:30 p.m., May 20, 2025.
Denver’s 16th Street Mall has had its name since 1982, when the city finished a sweeping project that turned a busy road into a mile-long pavilion for pedestrians. The goal at the time was to revive the city’s declining downtown. The “street” was transformed into a “mall" for pedestrians and buses.
More than 40 years later, the city is once again trying to reinvent downtown and its central street. Denver is nearly done with another huge project to rehab the area. And that’s coming with a new name and a $100,000 branding campaign, city leaders announced on Tuesday.
It’s just going to be “16th Street” again.
“We dropped 'the mall' because it is so much more than just one retail location or one block. It is an entire mall of experience,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, pausing to correct himself. “A mile of experience.”
Dropping the mall doesn’t mean cars are coming back. The area will still be reserved for pedestrians and shuttle buses. But the word “mall” had apparently been confusing residents and visitors, some of whom arrive expecting a shopping mall. The city and its downtown boosters were also looking for a fresh start after years of construction, high vacancy rates and worries about crime had dimmed the area’s reputation.
The announcement of the stripped-down name on Tuesday morning wasn’t exactly a surprise. Johnston and others have been using “16th Street” in recent weeks as they hype up the massive rebuild project.
Nonetheless, they have tried to keep a lid on it. Last week, Johnston declined to state the obvious to Colorado Matters’ Ryan Warner when he asked if the strip would be renamed “16th Street.” Johnston told Warner to show up this week and find out.
"We have truly spent the last year digging into the past and future of this place, leaving no paver unturned," said Kourtny Garrett, head of the Downtown Denver Partnership.
In addition to calling the former mall 16th Street, city brass are also referring to it as “The Denver Way.”
“We call 16th Street ‘The Denver Way,’ which has two meanings,” Johnston said. “One, it is literally the main street of downtown. It is the Denver way by which you can make your way through downtown. It is also an example of where you’ll find all the things that are done the Denver way, which is, you will find amazing retail, you will find diverse communities and you will find openness and friendliness.”
The "Denver Way" slogan now graces banners on light posts.
Meanwhile, Denverite readers had offered suggestions for names like the “Mile High Promenade,” “The 16th Street Mile” and “The 16th Street Meh.” Also, back in the '80s, the city considered competing names including the "Silver Mile," "Mainway" and "Capitol Center."
How much did the name change cost?
The Downtown Denver Partnership spent $100,000 on a new branding and renaming campaign led by the London and New York firm DNCO. The campaign also covered potential new color schemes, logos and an overall marketing strategy for the not-officially-a-mall.
Construction won’t be fully wrapped until the fall, but most of 16th Street is already open and more pleasant than in recent years.
The planning of the massive construction project dated back to 2010. The funding was approved by the Federal Transit Administration and construction began after the city center had been pummeled by COVID-19 in April 2022.
In the years since work began, public gripes about safety, dead businesses and the downtown experience mounted. Johnston — and his predecessor, Michael Hancock — have been trying for years to do damage control and keep tourists and businesses in the city center.
As each section of the mall has reopened, neighbors and business owners have come out to celebrate.
The grand reopening of most of 16th Street is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., May 31 to June 1, and the full mall will be complete this fall.
What’s new on 16th Street?
Denver dug up the street and replaced the old pavers with new ones. City workers pulled down trees — which were turned into new benches — and planted a wider variety of trees.
The remodel has cost around $175 million.
In the coming months, vacant storefronts will be brought to life with 3-D installations. More than 20 new patios will be installed by the end of summer, and the city plans to open “common consumption” areas near Glenarm Place where people can drink to-go alcohol.
Nine new businesses are coming to the strip: Stop and Shop; Gold and Time; The Cut; Zen’d Out; Ichigo Matcha; Café Seoul; Kealoha’s BBQ; Joe’s Fancy Dogs; and Liang’s Thai Food.
The partnership is promoting “low-barrier to entry opportunities for vendors” who want to offer retail, services or food carts and kiosks.
The partnership has added new play features for kids:
- Three climbable fish dubbed “Howdy Trouty,” between Market and Larimer streets.
- A beehive climbing structure between Larimer and Lawrence streets.
- A photo op called “Postcard From Colorado” at Skyline Park.
- A play area where you can hop on teal and yellow leaves to make “fun sounds.”
- A light installation named Aspen Light at Glenarm Plaza, at 16th and Glenarm.
- A children’s climbing structure named The News, also at 16th and Glenarm.
Big events are happening, too.
Rotating play installations will take over the mall. The first is dubbed “Harmonies,” and it will run from May 21 to July 2.
During the summer, musicians will play during weekday lunch hours and at end-of-the-week happy hours at Outer Space, an outdoor venue at 16th and Welton streets.
Saturday markets will take place the second and fourth Saturdays of every month from June through October at the 16th Street Grand Bazaar.
The public will be invited to imbibe in the one drug Denver seems to promote downtown – booze – at 16th and Arapahoe streets on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m., on Fridays from 3 to 9 p.m., on Saturdays from 12 to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 8 p.m., June 20 through September 28.
Editor's note: This article was updated with more information.
