Reader: 16th Street Mall Needs More Local Shops, Fewer Chain Restaurants

What would you do to improve the 16th Street Mall? The Downtown Denver Partnership and the Downtown Denver Improvement District are hosting the Prototyping Festival this summer to illustrate some of the options for enlivening the mall. The organizations are asking Denverites to suggest their own ideas, too; the deadline is...

By Westword Staff

April 4, 2016

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What would you do to improve the 16th Street Mall? The Downtown Denver Partnership and the Downtown Denver Improvement District are hosting the Prototyping Festival this summer to illustrate some of the options for enlivening the mall. The organizations are asking Denverites to suggest their own ideas, too; the deadline is May 15, and the winners will get $2,500 each to bring their concepts to fruition. But plenty of people are willing to weigh in for free on the subject of what to do to the mall. Says Kaity:

More local shops, fewer chain restaurants, places open later.

Another reader has no problem with chains, though. Says Gigi:

Add better restaurants...ESPN Zone, Cheesecake Factory, Whataburger, Pappasito, Wolfgang Puck. Colorado will never be a high end stop — they're overcharging on leasing. Bricktown (Oklahoma City) is nice — check it out.

Of course, ESPN Zone and Wolfgang Puck already gave the 16th Street Mall a try — and pulled out. What restaurants would you like to see on the mall?

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