The 5280: Project Updates

The idea for The 5280 grew out of the many years of planning and community outreach efforts from the City and County of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership.

The 5280 aims to build a better and more connected city and realize ideas and principles born out of individual neighborhood plans and more encompassing citywide plans. The Partnership is leading efforts to design a unique urban trail that builds on the ideas on these various plans and kicked off the planning process in August 2017 with phase one of the planning process to analyze existing conditions and community outreach that will inform the design process. The conceptual design process will begin over the winter in early 2018. The final conceptual design will be completed by fall 2018 and will articulate how urban form, connectivity, places and nodes, landmarks and community uses all relate to and inform design.

The design will identify key locations for green space, community gardens, public art, important views, and opportunities for new public spaces. The design will convey the overall loop design intent as well as individual character area and segment design intent. With the conceptual design completed, there will be opportunities for additional showcase blocks, and semi-permanent installations of concepts to push the momentum forward.

The Partnership partnered with the City and County of Denver to bring a sneak peek at the potential of The 5280 with The Square on 21st, a temporary gathering place for a neighborhood that doesn’t currently have open or public spaces. The Square on 21st was open from June 15 to August 15, 2017, and was host to a number of events bringing nearly 15,000 community members together.

The Partnership’s Downtown Denver Leadership Program also focused on The 5280 as their 2017 class project, bringing a fresh and innovative perspective to the process. They held three showcase events along the conceptual route on August 4 and 17.

Project Materials

August 12, 2017 Pop-up Workshop Materials
Fall 2017 Community Workshop Presentation
Downtown Denver Leadership Program
Existing Conditions Report
Spring 2018 Community Workshop Presentation
Route Philosophy
Public Health Outcomes-Based Design
Concept Design
Transportation Diagrams

News Coverage