Under Beats Over

Turning Denver's former library into a cultural center could transform Civic Center, Tryba says. "There's plenty of space in the Webb building for the occupants of the library," he points out. "This is an asset that's not bringing any dividends. It could be a museum on how we shape our city, like the Municipal Art Society in New York."

Although putting a new cultural institution into the old library would be a major endeavor, one involving both public and private funding, the Denver Department of Parks and Recreation is already considering a proposal to renovate the building, possibly turning the ground level into public gallery space and using the upper floors to house cultural agencies. "It's at the exploratory stage," says Beth Conover, a special assistant to the mayor.

The parks department has also begun working on a new master plan for Civic Center. According to Conover, city officials have been talking to several of the people involved in New York's Bryant Park renovation, to get their ideas for what could happen in Denver. "There's a lot of energy behind this," she says. "We want Civic Center to be the town square."

Tryba isn't stopping there. He insists that Civic Center could become not just Denver's most urbane park, but a magnet for people visiting from throughout the region that would also jump-start development in adjacent neighborhoods. Areas like the Golden Triangle could become home to thousands of new residents who are drawn to a lively park just a few blocks away. "This is our version of the Luxembourg Gardens," he says, referring to the famous Paris park. "It could be filled with all sorts of different kinds of people -- young people, old people, lovers. That's what this park was meant to be."

And Robert Speer would say it's about time.