It takes leadership and vision to rally a community, identify opportunities, face challenges, and solve problems. And, in order to create change we know we must be open and willing to learn from each other — that’s why we created the Urban Exploration program.
It takes leadership and vision to rally a community, identify opportunities, face challenges, and solve problems. And, in order to create change we know we must be open and willing to learn from each other — that’s why we created the Urban Exploration program.
Since 2008, we’ve been bringing together the public and private sectors. City leaders and business leaders. People from our downtown and people from theirs. We believe that the only way to continue building and growing Downtown Denver is to learn from people who are facing the same challenges we are in their respective cities. Who have already solved ‘that’ problem. Who can guide us in our pursuit to build an economically vibrant, healthy, and growing center city.
Using the 2007 Downtown Area Plan to guide the itinerary and foundation of each trip — we focus on real issues that are facing our city; infrastructure, economic development, transit and transportation and public-private partnerships. The result is real inspiration leading to action as we build a great city.
2023 Urban Exploration Program Details
June 11- 14, 2023
The Downtown Denver Partnership will lead approximately 150 Downtown Denver business leaders, elected officials and key City staff members on its 15th annual Urban Exploration trip to Vancouver B.C. in 2023. As Canada’s densest city and one of the most ethnically diverse, Vancouver, British Columbia will offer our delegation lessons in developing and maintaining diverse and distinctive neighborhoods, how high-rise residential and mixed-use development is a beneficial alternative to sprawl and ways in which density, design, and land use can contribute to environmental sustainability, affordability, and livability. Get excited to learn and lean into Vancouverism!
The 2023 Urban Exploration trip will continue to provide an opportunity for community leaders to network and immerse themselves in an educational setting where they will learn about city building principles from civic leaders.
2022 – Mexico City 2021 – Denver 2019 – Copenhagen 2018 – Los Angeles 2017 – Portland 2016 – Downtown Brooklyn 2015 – San Francisco 2014 – Seattle
2013 – Toronto 2012 – Chicago 2011 – Philadelphia 2010 – Vancouver 2009 – Washington, D.C. 2008 – Portland
Lessons from one of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities
Piep and Jack, on the Bicycle Colorado our policy team and attendees of the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Denver Urban Exploration trip, spent June 11-14 in one of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities—Copenhagen. Read their reflections of how Copenhagen made conscious, thoughtful decisions to create one of the world’s most livable cities.