LoDo, RiNo, And Now CowTow?

In March, the National Western Center Master Plan Public Review Draft was posted to the city’s Community Planning and Development (CPD) website. This is a result of the Denver mayor and city council identifying in early 2013 that the National Western Center/Stock Show Complex was to be saved in its current location just northwest of Park Hill – rather than razed and relocated.

The Cornerstone Collaborative was established to capitalize on what Mayor Michael Hancock referred to as “The Corridor of Opportunity,” involving six projects in the area from Union Station east to DIA. Hancock viewed it as an opportunity of economic development and job growth. These six projects included the National Western Stock Show, Interstate 70 reconstruction, RTD stations for east and north rail lines, Brighton Boulevard redevelopment, River North greenway and transportation improvements, and the Elyria, Swansea and Globeville neighborhood plans.

This master plan creates an entirely new Zone District, based on Campus Context for the National Western Center. The building form standards will be similar to those found in other Campus zone districts. Allowed uses will include agricultural activities, cultural, research and educational uses, entertainment, civic, public, institutional, residential and commercial.

In the future, CPD will develop design standards and guidelines to further define the design of buildings and open spaces within the new zone district. This new Campus Master Plan-National Western Center (CMP-NWC) zone district will be mapped only to properties owned by the National Western Association or the City and County of Denver. However, additional map amendments will be necessary in the future as additional property is acquired for the build-out of the National Western Center Master Plan.

In addition to the existing uses and structures within the area, there are plans to add a Water Resources Center and South Platte Riverfront, a CSU Equine Sports Medicine Clinic and equestrian center, a new arena, a new trade show/exhibition hall, a CSU Center for education, performing arts, conferences and retail, and a new livestock center and stockyards. Missing from this list are some of the key components that are part of the Elyria and Swansea neighborhood plan.

The final master plan published on denvergov.org states that “The National Western Center (NWC) Master Plan sets the framework for a new and revitalized destination in Denver … for Denver residents and tourists…” The plan specifically refers to the center as a destination – and never mentions the next-door neighborhoods of Elyria/Swansea and Globeville.

Meanwhile, the plan for those neighborhoods highlights the Stock Show/Entertainment area, a “Town Center” with businesses and retail, residential multi-family and single-family areas, as well as a grocery store and a new Denver Public School (DPS) site.

The current elementary school, Garden Place, is in Globeville just a few yards from the intersection of I-70 and I-25. It was built more than 100 years ago, before the interstates existed, and has no air conditioning or filtered ventilation system. When the weather is too hot, school is closed because windows cannot be opened due to the pollution from the adjacent interstate highways.

The nearest true grocery store is King Soopers in the vicinity of 60th and Colorado Boulevard – unless you consider 7-Eleven or wholesale food manufacturers/distributors to be sources for family dinner.

Before any of the master plan components can be implemented, the zoning code must be amended to add the National Western Center as a new and solely unique zone district, based on campus zone district concepts. Also, the funding for all of the demolition, remediation and construction must be secured; the sources for funding are unknown at this time. The NWC Master Plan talks about Public Investment and Partnership strategies to bring about funding, as locally and globally, interest is garnered for the project and brings investors to the table.

Oddly enough, the Colorado Department of Transportation’s plan to widen Interstate 70 and redesign it below grade is not mentioned in the NWC Master Plan. How does this massive, $1.8 billion undertaking dovetail with the development of the National Western Center? Reference back to the first paragraph concerning The Cornerstone Collaborative, the collaboration of these six projects appears to be missing from the NWC Master Plan. How are they phased with one another, funded and meeting each other’s goals?

The isolated story of this master plan sounds very appetizing to visitors and residents from outside of the immediate area, but how are the most immediately affected existing residents and businesses brought into the fold? From the plans, that is unclear.

For updates on the NWC Master Plan process and implementation, follow the North Denver Cornerstone Collaborative at denvergov.org.

Bernadette Kelly is chair of the Zoning Committee for Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.