On this tour, we’ll explore Denver’s Lower Downtown Historic District from an urban design and development perspective. LoDo, located near the confluence of the Platte River and Cherry Creek, was once the city’s birthplace, before the area transformed into a warehouse district with the addition of Denver Union Station in 1881. After WWII, the district faced the threat of demolition through urban renewal, only to experience a remarkable revitalization through historic preservation and adaptive reuse that created the thriving mixed-use district of today. While we explore this history, we’ll also discuss what the future holds, as new developments begin to replace surface parking lots.

Click here to see the details of the map and route.

Mode

Walking; moderate pace

Leader

Ken Schroeppel, Director of Urban Design, Assistant Professor CTT, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado-Denver