March 2026 High Frequency Update: Downtown Denver Achieves Highest Post-Pandemic Return-to-Office Rate
- Downtown Denver Partnership
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Downtown Denver’s recovery held firm in March 2026, achieving the highest return-to-office rate, strengthening residential demand, and growing a mix of new ground floor businesses.
Downtown weekday return-to-office activity also continued its upward trajectory, with an average 74% RTO rate - the highest weekday rate recorded since the pandemic. In 2025, the average return-to-office rate was 64%, with the highest recorded rate at 69% in February 2025. Pedestrian activity reached an 84% recovery rate compared to March 2019 levels. Employee visits, resident visits and out-of-market visits all contributed to steady daily foot traffic, with major seasonal events such as St. Patrick’s Day, large conventions and sport events helping lift activity during the month. Denver Summit’s debut brought 239,400 total visits to downtown on gameday.
Downtown living continues to attract new residents. So far in 2026, the center city has added 564 newly occupied units, with 263 of those located in the downtown core. This sustained residential growth reinforces the center city’s role as a desirable place to live.
While office vacancy remains elevated, the pace of change is moderating. Downtown’s vacancy rate stands at 29.2% in 2026, only a slight increase from 2025. The first quarter of 2026 finished a net positive absorption of 82K square feet. Leasing activity totaled 526K square feet so far this year, reflecting ongoing movement as tenants continue to right-size and seek higher quality space.
February hotel metrics showed a dip in both occupancy and RevPAR. Occupancy fell from 64% in 2025 to 60% in 2026, while RevPAR declined from $129 to $111. Seasonal patterns and broader industry headwinds continue to influence downtown’s hospitality sector.
Since the start of 2026, 18 new ground floor businesses have opened downtown, adding vitality to key corridors and strengthening the retail and dining ecosystem. Food and beverage concepts continue to dominate new openings, representing 75% of all new businesses so far this year.
March openings include:
C Burger – 1901 Wazee St.
Cantina Denver – 1416 Market St.
Denver Poke Co. – 1550 Platte St., Suite A
GQUE BBQ – 1901 Wazee St.
High Point Creamery – 1901 Wazee St.
Upcoming openings include Mendocino Farms on 16th Street, Broken Bow Denver in the Ballpark neighborhood, Olive and Finch in Golden Triangle and Cripple Creek Backcountry on Platte Street.
With strong return-to-office momentum, steady foot traffic, and a growing roster of new businesses, Downtown Denver enters spring with positive indicators across multiple sectors.
For full charts, data visualizations, and deeper analysis, explore the complete March 2026 High Frequency Report. For data inquiries, please contact Analise Lajeunesse. For media inquiries, reach out to Apoorva Gundu.
